Rare skull mask · Papua New Guinea - Sepik · ID: 3048230
Roberto Gamba, Milano, Italy
Description
animal skull, clay-like mass, nassa snails, shells, boar tusks, cassowary feathers, rattan, inventory no. “425” on the reverse, base
Skull masks have a long tradition in Papua. Reche reports from the South Sea expedition of 1908-10 on masks based on human skulls (Reche, 1913, p. 400). Later, masks made of animal skeletal parts, especially turtle shell or the sternum of a cassowary, were found (cf. Aumann, 1986, p. 66 ff.).
The object Rare skull mask with the object ID 3048230 was part of the auction 97th Auction on November 6, 2021. The object with the lot number 39 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,600 with an asking price of EUR 1,500.
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
Reche, Otto, Der Kaiserin-Augusta-Fluss, Hamburg 1913, p. 400 f. Aumann, Georg, Kunst und Kunsthandwerk aus Neu Guinea, Coburg 1986, p. 66 ff.