Catalog: Vintage Arts (74)

Mask used for household protection against evil spirits, with an unusual elongated form. Wood, age patina. Nepal, Gurung ethnic group, first half of 20th century. Height: 32.8 cm. Mounted on a custom stand. Some abrasion, otherwise very good condition.

"Gorfa" milk container, made of calabash covered with tightly woven vegetal fibers, with a leather handle partly decorated with cowries. The gorfa is also covered with leather and wood protection, and its foot is decorated with cowries. Ethiopia, Borana Peoples. Height: 21.2 cm. Very good condition. NOTE: The Borana society is build around the maintenance of cattle, which are their prime source of sustenance. Milk and yogurt also are staples of the Borana diet...

Ritual spoon, its handle carved in the shape of a male ancestor wearing cap and bracelets on arms and legs. A very rare feature is that the ancestor is also wearing a Christian cross at the end of a long necklace. Indonesia, Flores Island. Height: 8 7/16" (21,5 cm). Old accident, restored locally, at the junction between the spoon and the handle, tiny chips, otherwise good condition. A truly rare piece.

Black mask with an unusual slightly conical coiffe. Africa, Gabon, Punu Peoples. Height: 12 " ( 30 cm). The mask is nicely mounted on a custom metal stand. Old accidents and infestations (no danger), otherwise good condition. NOTE 1: A similar mask is in the Dapper Museum collection in Paris, published in "Masques" Editions Dapper 1995, 2000, 2006 Paris, page 89. NOTE 2: Punu masks are worn during funerals by members of the "Mukuji" Society and are meant to represent ancestors.

Superb and rare mask with a very refined carving, representing a chief, with detailed coiffe, eyes, mouth, beard and scarifications. Wood, with fine patina. R.D. Congo, Bena Lulua or Luluwa ethnic group, early 20th century. Height: 35.5 cm. The mask is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Obvious signs of age, otherwise very good condition...

Hampatong female figurine, wearing earrings and necklace, knees bent, standing on a square base. Wood, with fine glossy dark patina. Indonesia, Borneo Island, Dayak Peoples. Height: 11 cm. The statue is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Abrasion due to age, otherwise very good condition. Provenance: old Dutch collection. A rare piece.

Architectural element which was probably the top part of a household altar. This element --- which represents a protecting ancestor head surmounted by a symbolic coiffe --- is resting on a squarish base. The piece is made of wood with a nice age patina. Indonesia, Leti Island. Height: 57 cm. Partial loss on the top, erosion, otherwise very good condition...

Small dance mask made of a turtle shell at its center, in a kind of frame made of soil and sagotree resin with multiple cowries inserts and painted in red, white and black, surrounded with remnants of cassowary feathers. Papua New Guinea, Middle Sepik region, Palimbei, Iatmul ethnic group. Mid 20th century period. Height: 21 cm. A few small old accidents, otherwise very good condition. Provenance: old Italian collection. IMPORTANT NOTE: export ONLY to the European Community.

Long mask of the "Kiwoyo Muyombo" type, with typical face and long "beard" underneath covered with bicolored lozenge relief design in a bamboo slice framing . Wood, remnants of pigments, fine glossy patina. Africa, Gabon, Pende Peoples. Height: 18" (45 cm). Chips on some areas, otherwise very good condition.

Dance mask,of the "zakpai" type, with typical red textile around the eyes and lips. Wood, fine dark semi-glossy patina. Eyes circled with white metal. Hair arranged in braids made of weaved rope, likewise the long beard. Teeth made of animal claws. Africa, Ivory Coast/Liberia, Dan ethnic group. Total height: 44 cm. Height of mask: 24 cm. The mask is nicely mounted on a metal custom stand. Obvious signs of long use and wear, otherwise very good condition. Provenance: old French collection...

A finely carved male ibeji, with typical coiffe, scarifications on the abdomen and the back, arms alongside the torso, standing on a rounded base. Wood, with nice dark brown semi glossy patina. Africa, Nigeria/Benin, Yoruba ethnic group. Height: 30 cm. Very good condition. Provenance: Old French provincial collection.

Important and rare mask carved in wood fungus, of the tinder fungus type (fomes fomentarius), of rounded triangular form, with perforated oval eyes, incised mouth and nose in relief, probably added. Length: 30 cm. Height: 18.7 cm. The mask is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Very good condition. NOTE: the tinder fungus is a parasite which grows particularly on the birch tree...

Bi faced "ghurra" (churning rod holder) finely carved to represent a back to back, squatting, human couple, man opposite woman. Wood, with nice dark brown glossy patina. The ghurra was carved in Nepal, and is nicely mounted on a custom metal stand. Its height (without the stand) is 22.7 cm. Very good condition. NOTE: The ghurra is a tool which has been used for centuries by Nepali people for churning milk into butter...

Statue of an ancestor or deity designed for the protection of a household, standing in a praying posture, with a very expressive face. Wood, age patina. Nepal, early 20th century. Height: 4é cm. The piece is mounted on a custom metal stand. Age cracks, some erosion, otherwise very good condition.

Face mask of oval shape, with typical cubistic features. Wood, dark-brown patina, remnants of kaolin around the eyes. Africa, R.D. Congo (ex. Zaire), Lwalwa Peoples. Height: 11 5/8" (29,7 cm). The mask is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Old accident locally restored on top of coiffe, otherwise very good condition.

Helmet mask of Janus shape, showing two busts surmounted by fierce looking faces, each one very different from the other one. The mask is made of wood covered with animal skin, with a rattan base allowing fixation to the top of the dancer's head. Beautiful dark brown glossy patina. Africa, Nigeria, Ekoi ethnic group. Height: 21 cm. Very good condition. Provenance: old European collection.

Rare "Mbangu" deformity mask, showing a distorted face. Wood, with traces of black and white pigments. Africa, Gabon, Pende Peoples. Height: 12" (30 cm). The mask is nicely mounted on a custom metal stand. Old accident restored locally, chips, age cracks, otherwise good condition. NOTE: Representations of distorted faces are rare in African art. They symbolize the effects of epileptic crisis, which are supposed to be a manifestation of the spirits. The use of black and white pigments enhances th...

Fertility doll, called "akuaba", with its typical cross shape and flat circular head. Wood, with fine glossy patina. Africa, Ghana, Ashanti ethnic group. Height: 10" (26 cm). Old insect infestation at the back lower part (no danger), otherwise very good condition.