Horned mask · Guinea, Toma · ID: 3033246
Sotheby’s Parke Bernet New York, 2. & 3. June 1981, lot 387
Harald & Ursula Suhr, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada / Germany
Description
wood, dark brown patina, protruding forehead, surmounted by three short horns, decorated with resin-like mass inset with cowrie snails, min. dam., cracks, traces of abrasion;
only few figures of the Toma are known but there is a variety of masks which are used during the “poro” men’ s society ceremonies. They can be categorized into three main types, the male “landa”, the female “nyangbai”, and finally the “horned masks”.
The object Horned mask with the object ID 3033246 was last part of the auction 70th tribal art auction at September 8, 2012 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 88 achieved a sales price of EUR 900.
You can find more Masks and other popular object types on our related topic pages. You may also be interested in our page on African art.