Overview
A vintage hand-carved Dan wooden face mask with a dark, worn finish and attached fiber hair and beard. The face is a smooth oval with a high, rounded forehead and a raised brow line that sweeps down to a narrow nose. The eyes are large round openings with raised rims, the nose ends in small flared nostrils, and the full, open lips project forward. A thin, light-colored strip is set into the upper lip inside the open mouth, possibly to suggest teeth. Braided and twisted fiber cord frames the face as hair along the top and sides, with longer cords hanging at each side, and a thick curly fiber beard runs along the jaw. It makes a strong piece for a wall, a gallery grouping or a shelf display.
Background
Masks with round eyes like this are a well-known type among the Dan people of Côte d'Ivoire and Liberia. This mask is unmarked and undated. It is carved from a single piece of wood, and the hollowed back shows tool marks from the carving. A row of small holes is drilled all around the rim, the fiber hair and beard are tied on through these holes, and a wire loop has been added on the back for hanging.
Condition
Good vintage condition with no breaks or repairs seen. The dark finish is worn in places, showing lighter wood, most noticeably as a round worn area on the forehead and on the nose tip and lips. There is surface dust and light whitish residue on the face, and the fiber hair and beard are dry, dusty and a little frayed, as expected with age. Please see all photos.
Dimensions & Weight
The mask is 8 inches tall, 4.8 inches wide and 2.2 inches deep (H x W x D), not counting the fiber beard. It weighs 6.7 oz.
Shipping
Free standard shipping within the US, packed securely.
