SUPERB CEMETRIC MASKS (2) - WOOD + METAL - Ngkpwé - Bamileke - Cameroon

BAMILEKE, Cameroon Magnificent Pair of Anthropomorphic Dance Masks with refined features One has a conical headdress and the other one presents horns in volutes. Side-wise, the features of the horned mask present a quite exceptional refinement. “Ngkpwé” Dance Crest from the western Bangwa, according to Pierre Harter (Cameroon, p 319) . Wood with a thick black patina. Minor flaws. A break was repaired on the neck of the head with the conical headdress, there is also a missing piece on the bottom of the neck (have a look at the pictures) . Dimensions, without the stand: - 40 x 21 x 17 cm; - 31. 5 x 17. 5 x 15 cm. Provenance: private collection, Rhineland-Palatinate, acquired on site 45 years ago, and it was already considered ancient by then.