20th C. Yoruba Wooden Egungun Head Piece
**Originally Listed At $500**
West Africa, Nigeria, Yoruba peoples, ca. early to mid 20th century CE. An intriguing example of a helmet mask with a dramatic visage composed of bulbous eyes adorned with black and silver pigment, a bulbous nose, a row of conical fangs, a crescent-shaped goatee, and large scarification marks across the cheeks. The wide forehead is topped with a plaited coiffure with a large pony tail, and a pair of silver-painted shell-form ornaments flank either side of a green triangular finial with a small drilled hole. The wide neck rests atop a flared base which is adorned with several perforated holes meant for attaching a larger costume. This type of headdress, the Egungun, is meant to embody the fore of the ancestors and is worn during a joyful ceremony in celebration of the dead. Size: 12.75" W x 14.8" H (32.4 cm x 37.6 cm); 16.2" H (41.1 cm) on included custom stand.
Provenance: private Los Angeles, California, USA collection
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#145782
Condition Report: Small losses and a few stable hairline fissures to base, with abrasions and light fading to original pigmentation, and light insect damage. Nice earthen deposits throughout.
View it on
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
**Originally Listed At $500**
West Africa, Nigeria, Yoruba peoples, ca. early to mid 20th century CE. An intriguing example of a helmet mask with a dramatic visage composed of bulbous eyes adorned with black and silver pigment, a bulbous nose, a row of conical fangs, a crescent-shaped goatee, and large scarification marks across the cheeks. The wide forehead is topped with a plaited coiffure with a large pony tail, and a pair of silver-painted shell-form ornaments flank either side of a green triangular finial with a small drilled hole. The wide neck rests atop a flared base which is adorned with several perforated holes meant for attaching a larger costume. This type of headdress, the Egungun, is meant to embody the fore of the ancestors and is worn during a joyful ceremony in celebration of the dead. Size: 12.75" W x 14.8" H (32.4 cm x 37.6 cm); 16.2" H (41.1 cm) on included custom stand.
Provenance: private Los Angeles, California, USA collection
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#145782
Condition Report: Small losses and a few stable hairline fissures to base, with abrasions and light fading to original pigmentation, and light insect damage. Nice earthen deposits throughout.
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
Similar Items
