Mask with hinged jaw "elu" · Nigeria, Ogoni · ID: 3031700
Vera und Wolfgang Nerlich, Munich, Germany
Description
wood, brown and black paint, of oval hollowed form, crowned by a coiffure in two lobes, flanking the forehead in two horn-like plaits, min. dam., slight traces of abrasion;
“elu” masks are worn by young men of the Ogoni secret society. They were attached to a cone-shaped fibre and cloth cap. The corresponding costumes varied. The small caricatures represent different characters. In a funny or tragic way they illustrate oral traditions in stories and songs.
The object Mask with hinged jaw “elu” with the object ID 3031700 was part of the auction 71st tribal art auction on November 24, 2012. The object with the lot number 261 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,700 with an asking price of EUR 1,200.
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Comparing literature
David, Jean, Ogoni, Zürich 2002, p. 18