SCARCE MWANA PWO CHOWKE CENT AFRICAN HND CRVD WD MASK, W/BRAIDED HEMP GRASS HAIR For Sale

SCARCE LATE 19TH to EARLY 20TH CENTURY AFRICAN \'MWANA PWO CHOWKE,\' CENTRAL AFRICA (CONGO) HAND CARVED WOODEN ANCESTRAL MASK, featuring BRAIDED HEMP ATTACHED, WOVEN HEADDRESS & INCISED, SGRAFFITO HIEROGLYPHIC TRIBAL MARKS in 100% ORIGINAL ANTIQUE CONDITION(Circa 1885-1915)Late 19th to early 20th century \'Mwana Pwo Chowke\' central African, Congolese hand carved, ancestral figurative masks with tied hemp hair headdressesDIMENSIONS:93⁄4\" full Height x8 1⁄2\" Height (wooden face)x51⁄2\" Width x 23⁄4\" DepthWeight: 8 oz.
DESCRIPTION:Offered for your review and consideration is this wonderful, enigmatic and mysterious late 19th to early 20th century, antique, hand carved, figurative wooden mask from central Africa in the Congo. It\'s from the Chowke people and is referred to as a \'Mwana Pwo Chowke\' female ancestral mask, with a braided hemp, tied cord headdress. The carving is particularly fine and the form features highly stylized, deep carving, with no more than slits for eyes, deep eye sockets, raised brows, characteristic thin, pointed noses and protruding mouth, with the Chowke hallmark jagged set of triangular teeth, exposed in a diminutive, curved, slanted mouth. Under the eyes are found incised, sgraffito-like, carved square tile rows, following the curvature of the eyes. From the eyes going vertically downward are a smaller double column of carved squares. This can be found directly under the chin as well. This shallow, incised carving no doubt depicts former inked tattoos of the figure, possibly particular to the person and therefore accurate, inducing memories of the departed ancestor, former family or tribal member. From the top of the nose and arching over the forehead, as well as around the top of the skull, where the wood meets and is joined to the fabulous tied hemp cord headdress, are raised, deeply incised geo-abstract details. The hemp headdress flows backwards from the curved forehead like two wings of a bird and is nearly as it was originally constituted and without loss. The entire hemp headdress assembly is tied by hand to the wooden mask through drilled-out holes along the mask\'s top margins. In absolutely amazing condition. Untouched and as it was found in the estate it was removed from. Not a more recent facsimile or contemporary African wood carving but a much earlier, turn-of-the-century, antique hand carvedAfricanwooden mask. From the Chowke people of theCongo,central Africa. Outstanding. Very fine.
CONDITION:Good to Very Good overall antique condition. 100% original antique condition. Absolutely untouched.