Dan, Ivory Coast, Liberia: A ‘fire runner’ or ‘Zakpäi mask’.
These ‘fire runner masks’, with their large, round eyes, were worn by young men who ran through the villages of the Dan dressed in full body costumes in order to extinguish ‘forgotten’ stove fires while the women are at work in the fields. The present mask is an especially elegant example of these pointed oval ‘fire runner masks’: made of wood, of dark brown colour in the front, with typical tribal, vertical scarification marks over the arched forehead, the face outlined with 3 lines (scarification mark), large, round eyes with carved edging, small nose and a beautiful, soft, protruding mouth. With a good usage patina in the front and at the back, as well as minor age damage (small pieces broken off, minor tears). First half of the 20th century; H: 21 cm. (ME)
Provenance: Viennese private collection.
Specialist: Erwin Melchardt
Erwin Melchardt
+43-1-515 60-465
erwin.melchardt@dorotheum.at
24.03.2014 - 16:00
- Realized price: **
-
EUR 3,250.-
- Estimate:
-
EUR 3,000.- to EUR 4,000.-
Dan, Ivory Coast, Liberia: A ‘fire runner’ or ‘Zakpäi mask’.
These ‘fire runner masks’, with their large, round eyes, were worn by young men who ran through the villages of the Dan dressed in full body costumes in order to extinguish ‘forgotten’ stove fires while the women are at work in the fields. The present mask is an especially elegant example of these pointed oval ‘fire runner masks’: made of wood, of dark brown colour in the front, with typical tribal, vertical scarification marks over the arched forehead, the face outlined with 3 lines (scarification mark), large, round eyes with carved edging, small nose and a beautiful, soft, protruding mouth. With a good usage patina in the front and at the back, as well as minor age damage (small pieces broken off, minor tears). First half of the 20th century; H: 21 cm. (ME)
Provenance: Viennese private collection.
Specialist: Erwin Melchardt
Erwin Melchardt
+43-1-515 60-465
erwin.melchardt@dorotheum.at
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| Auction: | Tribal Art |
| Auction type: | Saleroom auction |
| Date: | 24.03.2014 - 16:00 |
| Location: | Vienna | Palais Dorotheum |
| Exhibition: | 18.03. - 24.03.2014 |
** Purchase price incl. buyer's premium and VAT
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