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| Lot# & Name: |
391. “Mwai” Spirit Mask |
| Estimate: |
$2,000-$3,000 |
| Current High Bid: |
$1,000.00 |
| Auction Closed(Final Price) |
$1,000.00 |
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| Category: |
Ethnographic and Tribal Art
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| Sub Category: |
Oceania (South Seas and New Guinea)
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| Culture or Country: |
Iatmul people, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea.
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| Period: |
--
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| Size: |
38”H. (96.5cm). |
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| Description: |
Embodying a mythical ancestor spirit, the long convex mask is carved of hardwood with high domed forehead, long nose extending below and terminating in a crocodile head. The forehead, top of the extension, and the sides are encrusted with nassa shells, small cowry shells, and conus shells in a thick clay ground. Dark red, black, and gray ground. Some shells missing including the conus shell eyes, losses along left temple area.
See another Mwai mask without shells in Island Ancestors: Oceanic Art from the Masco Collection, no. 19, p. 66, “Such elongated masks of the Iatmul were originally mounted on a conical fiber consruction that covered the head and shoulders of a dancer.” |
| Provenance: |
Ex. Julius Carlebach collection, collected in the field by Countess Ingeborg de Beausacq, pre 1964. Purchased from the estate of Josefa Carlebach. |
| Shipping Fee: |
| National: |
$125.00 |
| International: |
$250.00 (This is approximate and for Postal Service. Prices may vary, especially for private carriers such as: FEDEX, UPS and BAX).
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“Mwai” Spirit Mask
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BIDDER |
BID |
QTY |
Original Bid Time |
| 1. |
Livingstone |
$1,000.00 |
1 |
12/10/2024 6:29:18 AM |
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