A very fine old carved wooden helmet mask with wonderful exaggerated form and signs of field use and wear, over many years. This is likely a Bongo mask, which would appear during initiation rites and at funerals accompanied by a skirt and collar made from freshly cut raffia palm leaves. The erratic and unpredictable movements during the masked performance suggest the untamed forest world where many potential dangers lie for the uninitiated. Kuba Ngeende ethnic group, DRC/ Congo, central Africa. The mask measures 16 x 14 inches. A metal display stand can also be included for an additional $50.00. Provenance: Alfred Schienberg, New York, 1982, Ex Sol & Josephine Levitt, New York.

Fair, well worn, shallow stress fracture.