A carved wooden mask covered in a bright red textile and adorned with animal skin mustache (now eaten) and woven rope beard. Such masks are typically found in the northern Dan region, the zakpai mask is translated to mean the ‘fire prevention masquerade’. The zakpai mask appears during the dry season and its function is to ensure that women extinguish cooking fires after use to prevent afternoon winds spreading fire through the village and bushes. Dan peoples, Ivory Coast, West Africa. The mask measures 8.5 inches and will include a custom display stand.

Good, well handled, animal skin hair eaten away by insects or rodents long ago, otherwise intact and insect free.