Featured Old african baoulé mask

Hi, i found that there is many different of baoulé mask and different prices. Could anyone help to identify it more?
Thanks again.

 

@2manybooks

 

Masks such as this are commissioned as idealized portraits of particular individuals, and embody Baule standards of beauty. In Susan Vogel's book, Baule: African Art Western Eyes, she states that "Through most of the twentieth century these highly varied masks have been made in greater numbers than any other kind of Baule mask." They are worn during entertainment dance performances known as Mblo, and so can be referred to as Mblo masks. They do not have any specific religious or symbolic significance.

In performance, the mask is combined with a full costume of draped textiles that cover the dancer. The costume is attached to the rim around the mask, using the holes drilled there.

Without knowing the history of your particular mask, it is difficult to say if it was used in Mblo performances, or if it is a very nice version made for sale. The presence of the drilled rim, and the damage visible on the rim, might indicate it was used. Differences in the prices for Mblo masks could be based on several factors, including whether a mask has a documented provenance, and the quality/attractiveness of the carving.

 

Thank you for your useful information. I want to tell you that this mask was hidden by someone living in France and it was brought from Africa. And then sold.
I know it has been used in the past. But I don't have any proof or documentation
Any advice please. Especially since I know old used masks is required in museums that were used in African celebrations

 

Your comment that this mask was "hidden" and then sold raises some questions about the ethics of its sale. Did the seller have authority to possess and sell this mask? Fine Baule carvings are valued by western collectors, and as a result they have become targets for theft. Trafficking in stolen art objects is, of course, simply wrong and potentially illegal.

If an object's history is unknown, or cannot be disclosed because of questionable origins, significant value may be lost. While there may be collectors still interested in buying for its esthetic appeal, more value is created with a history that is known and that can be verified. Museums, in particular, look for objects with documented provenance.

If you are looking to sell this mask, and are certain that it was legitimately obtained and sold to you, you might try contacting some of the major auction companies that handle African art such as Bonhams and Sotheby's.

https://www.bonhams.com/departments/AFR/#/ag1=past&MR1_main_index_key=sale&m1=1

https://www.sothebys.com/en/departments/african-oceanic-art?locale=en

 

Not hidden... i want ro say it was keeped or reserved. Just bad traduction
The person does't have any document proving ownership. It was bought from Africa in the fifties of the last century
Yes, it was legally sold.
Thank tou again.

 

If you can still speak with the original owner, it would be nice to make a record (written down or tape recorded) of whatever history he can tell you, particularly details such as what village the mask came from, when it was last used, if the carver is known, who it was made to represent, and the family it belonged to. If possible, it is important to preserve this kind of information and keep it with the mask.