Gable-peak mask "koruru", around 1880/1900 ·  New Zealand, Maori · ID: 3041926

Description

wood, blackish brown patina, two mask faces, one on top of the other, eyes with shell inlaid discs, carved with typical grooved decor, the lower face with two tongues, slightly dam., minor missing parts;
probably from the gable-peak of a meeting house (cut backside), which were always set about the “marae” - the open meeting ground. Their construction always followed the same pattern (see illustration).

The object Gable-peak mask “koruru”, around 1880/1900 with the object ID 3041926 was part of the auction 85th Tribal Art Auction on March 4, 2017. The object with the lot number 57 achieved a sales price of EUR 3,000 with an asking price of EUR 2,000.

You can find more Masks and other popular object types on our related topic pages. You may also be interested in our page on Oceanian art.

Comparing literature

Barrow, Terence, An Illustrated Guide to Maori Art, Honolulu 1984, p. 66

Notices

This object is subject to CITES. Please note that it can only be sent within the European Union. At the present time export in third countries is prohibited, respectively, export licenses in third countries for objects containing or made of protected materials are only granted under stringent conditions.