3 Carved Wooden Ceremonial Masks from Nigeria, Africa and Indonesia

These are unusual pieces, they are all carved in wood and painted
One is a Yorubastam Gelede from Nigeria, it dates from the 19th Century and would have been used in fertility rituals, there are holes all around the bottom from which the costume would have been fixed
The mask is good and sound, the colours are bright, it is 14” high, 10” wide and 13” back to front

19th Century Carved Wooden African Funeral Mask

The second is a Funeral mask from Africa, it is painted in traditional black and white chalky paint, it dates from the 19th Century and would have been used in burial rituals, there are holes at the back of the mask from which decorative hair would have been hung
The mask is good and sound, it is 16” high, 8” wide

The final mask in this collection is a Saraswati Topeng Carved Wooden Dance Mask from Indonesia

This is a charming painted Indonesian dance Mask, in the character of Saraswati, with her signature gold feathered head dress, the mask dates from the 19th Century, she is a delight full beauty, there are eye slits for vision and breathing holes to the nose

The mask is good and sound, the colors are bright, it is 9” high, and 7” wide
HM70.