A Great Gere Wobe Mask from the We

An authentic and expressive We Gere Wobe mask from Liberia.

High= 25 cm

The mask is coming from an important Dutch private collection .

Well oxidized wood, fur, metal insert for the teeth, nails. Red purple and white pigments.

A hole above the nose allowed for viewing during the dance, and around the rim on the back to attach a costume.

A custom made stand in wood and metal is included in your package.

Estimate: €4000-€5000

Start price : € 500.

Limit price = € 2000

Buyer’s Premium = 12 %

The We Gere Wobe Mask Auction ends on Sunday the 19th September 8 p.m.

Long known by other names (Gere, Wobe, Kran), the We live on the border of Liberia and Ivory Coast.

We means “Charitable Ones”, the patriarch revered for his wisdom and wealth, and who is responsible to settle disputes and oversee rituals.

The We tribe is mostly known for its mask culture.

Those We mask inspired the cubist artists in the West for their inventiveness.

But also inspired surrounding tribes like the Dan, Grebo, and Bete.

A book related to the subject was recently published by Alain-Michel Boyer at 5 Continents We-Visions of Africa- Isbn 88-7439-868-3

The Gere Wobe auction ends on the 19th september 7:53 pm.

September 17, 2021

4 Shamanic masks

These four Shamanic masks are ON SALE till Monday the 4th of October.

click the links to read more :

A Big Shamanic Mask that could have inspired Georg Baselitz

Mask from Nepal, From the Helmut Zake collection

Tamang Himalaya Mask This 27 cm Tamang Himalaya Mask is coming from a fine private collection in the Netherlands.

A Nepalese mask Coming from Théaru in Nepal

If you have any questions please hit the reply button,

Or give us a phone call. If I am not there please leave your phone number and I’ll call you back.

Also: I am looking to buy old Fanti dolls ( those with square heads) .

Happy Bidding,

David Norden

Sint Katelijnevest 27

B2000 Antwerpen.

Belgium

+32 3 227.35.40

david.norden@telenet.be

P.S.:Visit https://buyafricanantiques.com/all-auctions/

September 16, 2021

3 Bassa masks

Dear Collectors,

The Bassa mask from Liberia is the senior entertainment mask of the men’s No association. When danced it emphasizes desirable traits for women to emulate.

Although smaller than life size, the wood mask was attached to an open basket like construction that was concealed as part of a larger costume that fully covered the dancer’s face.

Bassa wood mask in a concave oval shape with pointed chin, while those from their Dan neighbors are convex.

Incised row hairstyle . Two bone teeth are visible in the protruding mouth from the Bassa mask on the right.

The two big mask are coming from the estate collection of my mother Nadya Levi a sculptor and collector of African Art in Antwerp who recently passed away at age 92.

She got them from Paolo Morigi who collected them in situ during the Biafra wars. The small miniature passport mask is coming from collection S. an old colonial Belgian family.

You can place your bids until Sunday evening the 19th September 2021.

An uncommon Bassa mask A miniature Bassa passport mask A Classical Bassa Mask

To the auction : https://buyafricanantiques.com/all-auctions/

Happy Bidding,

3 Fine Pende Miniature masks Ikhokho’s

Ikhokho 1 Male Okhokho 3 Ikhokho 2

3 Fine and old Pende Miniature masks Ikhokho’s ( before 1947 )

The Central Pende from the Democratic Republic of the Congo replicate masks in miniature form.

Wooden versions produced by healing specialists are prescribed by diviners as remedies.

In contrast, their ivory counterparts, ikhokho, are made by professional sculptors to be worn as decorative pendants to protect.

While its texture and resistance to cracking make elephant ivory the material of choice, the thighbones of hippopotamuses allow artists to achieve comparable effects.

Bodily contact through wear alters the whiteness of the pendants. Although this effect is prized by Western collectors, the Pende themselves scrub the ornament’s surface daily with water and abrasive sand in order to maintained its original color, process which blurs the features over time.

Date: Those 3 Pende Pendants are all first half XXth century before 1947.

Click the links to go to the sale page.

Ikhokho 1 Male Okhokho 3 Ikhokho 2

September 14, 2021

Private Auction: 15 Authentic Tribal Masks

Private Auction:

Authentic Tribal Masks

( images of lots in sale below this email)

Dear Collector

This is an invitation to visit the AUTHENTIC TRIBAL MASKS auction

African masks have become part of life in the west just as they have in Africa. Originally they served as the literal face of justice, or representations of ceremonial beings, deities, or departed ancestors. They were used for education, for entertainment, and to tell the many-splendoured story of African history. their diverse function is reflected in their extraordinarily varied appearance, as well as the contexts in which they were used.

In the west, African masks first became part of the avant garde’s artistic resources, then gradually entered the western consciousness to such an extent that they are among the most valued African art items; a rare Luba mask recently sold at auction for 7.2 million euros.

Africa is an extremely prolific centre for innovative and traditional works, that can suit any budget. Decorative masks exist at the lower end of the market, while connoisseurial attention is naturally focused on what are considered to be ‘genuine’ pieces – those that were designed, made and used for their original role, typically before extensive western influence put an end to traditional religions and ceremonial practice. It can be difficult to identify these rare gems, and also to fully understand the pomp, ceremony and social context in which they were used. To this end, David Norden African Antiques has spent 30 years sourcing, describing and contextualising African masks, and integrating them into new collections with specialist advice and information.

The bidding platform can be found HERE, where you can manage your bids, orders and personal information. A proxy bidding system is in place – enter your maximum bid, and the system will bid only as much of it as is necessary to win the lot. Commission rates are low – 12% – and postage is also managed in house to ensure reasonable costs: free to Belgium, 40 Euros to the rest of Europe, 80 Euros to the USA and 100 Euros to the rest of the world.

The auction starts Friday the 10th September at 11am, and end on the evening of Sunday the 12th at 8pm (Belgian time), but I will keep adding tribal masks on the bidding platform until Sunday the 12th..

Happy Bidding!