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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;2manybooks, post: 2308476, member: 8267&quot;]It is a nice hip mask. I agree with the gallery owner that told you it was from Cameroon. It is probably Bamileke/Bamun, similar to this one:</p><p><img src="http://galleriaprimitiva.com/image/BamilekeBronzeMaskTitle1_SOLD.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><a href="http://galleriaprimitiva.com/BamilekeBronzeMask.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://galleriaprimitiva.com/BamilekeBronzeMask.html" rel="nofollow">http://galleriaprimitiva.com/BamilekeBronzeMask.html</a>ours</p><p>The gallery estimated the date for this one as early to mid 20th century.</p><p><br /></p><p>Such masks were worn by royalty and other dignitaries and are, I believe, derived from an earlier Benin tradition.</p><p><br /></p><p>Most African &quot;bronzes&quot; are actually brass, an alloy of copper and zinc, as opposed to true bronze which is an alloy of copper and tin. Your mask was made using the &quot;lost wax&quot; casting technique. A model was made in wax and encased in a clay-like molding material. The mold is fired, melting out the wax. And then the metal can be poured in.</p><p><br /></p><p>The casting of yours is quite well done (as opposed to the one that [USER=5718]@i need help[/USER] found). My <i>feeling</i> is that it is somewhat older than the other example I posted here. But I do not have enough experience with this type of object to be more certain. There are also many reproductions/recreations of West African bronzes made for sale, rather than traditional use. But yours is nicer than the tourist quality pieces I have seen.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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