Can anyone help ID this mask ?

Discussion in 'Tribal Art' started by bosko69, Sep 7, 2023.

  1. bosko69

    bosko69 Well-Known Member

    Here's a 11 1/4" tall by 8" wide mask.It looks to be made of turtle/tortoise shell w/ a wood nose w/ hide & fur eyebrows & beard.The nose is attached w/ 4 brass or copper brads.Short red (crayon ?) inscription on reverse.
    The closest thing i've found online are the Torres Strait Islands turtle shell masks but there's too many differences from mine.
    Thanks for the help.

    MskTurtl1.jpg MskTurtl2.jpg MskTurtl3.jpg MskTurtl4.jpg MskTurtl5.jpg
     
    wlwhittier likes this.
  2. bosko69

    bosko69 Well-Known Member

    Just found this Torres Strait Islands mask from the Horniman Museum & Gardens-similar,but no cigar.It’s made from two plates of hawksbill turtle shell,i can't tell if the nose is wood or a section of the shell.
    Torres Straight Mask-Horniman Museum.jpg
     
    johnnycb09 likes this.
  3. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    It reminds me of Shamanic masks from Nepal. No idea about the writing though. Mees is a Dutch word.:playful:
     
    johnnycb09 likes this.
  4. bosko69

    bosko69 Well-Known Member

    Thanks AJ-does 'Mees' mean 'Titmouse' in English perhaps ? Apparently 'Mees' means 'Man' in Estonian.
    I'll start looking at Nepalese Shaman's Masks.
     
    wlwhittier likes this.
  5. wlwhittier

    wlwhittier Well-Known Member

    Google translates it into the English as 'tit'...so 'tho it might be Dutch, it may also be another language...with an entirely different meaning.
     
  6. wlwhittier

    wlwhittier Well-Known Member

    You an' I are hammering Google Translate simultaneously, Bosko!
     
  7. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Yes, it does. Mees is also a boy's name.
    As in the bird, not anatomical. English is a strange language.:D

    I don't think any of this has anything to do with the mask, unless Mees was a former owner.
     
    Potteryplease and the blacksmith like this.
  8. bosko69

    bosko69 Well-Known Member

    I think a Mees might have owned this piece ?
    'Mees' is a Dutch short form of the Hebrew name Bartholomew. In Dutch 'Mees' also is boy's name meaning "son of Talmai"-a popular Dutch name that reflects the short, clipped style in vogue in that country.
    Hopefully this is not an accurate likeness of young Mees !
     
    the blacksmith and Any Jewelry like this.
  9. the blacksmith

    the blacksmith Well-Known Member

    Don't know about mees in Dutch, but in Norwegian 'meis' means tit, as in blue tit, coal tit, great tit etc.
    As for the mask being from Nepal, unlikely I think, as Nepal is land locked, so any turtle shell would have to be inported and therefore costly to the locals.
     
    Any Jewelry likes this.
  10. bosko69

    bosko69 Well-Known Member

    With the wooden nose it could be from our prolific friends to the south-Mexico ?
    PS-I wish it was Torres Island but that'd be my Powerball win for this lifetime !
     
  11. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    The Dutch word 'meis' means girl. Also meisje, but meis for short.
     
  12. Hollyblue

    Hollyblue Well-Known Member

    Nepal has 17 species .... https://www.inaturalist.org/guides/8873
     
    Any Jewelry likes this.
  13. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    I didn't see that before. Attention span of a titmouse.:rolleyes::joyful:
    That's OK then.;) Some beauties too.
     
  14. bosko69

    bosko69 Well-Known Member

    Nepalese Turtles-cool ! My Doctors from Kathmandu-she shows me pics from her yearly visits & I'm trying to wrangle a family invite,although at that attitude ?!
     
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