Description:

Vintage Mende (Sherbro People's) Hemet Mask. Helmet masks called sowei among the Mende, Sherbro and Vai and zogbe among the Gola of Sierra Leone and Liberia are performed by members of the female Sande society. The masks are danced in public during ceremonies that mark the transition of young girls to womanhood and also at the investiture and funeral of a paramount chief. The consistent form of the mask emphasizes standards of feminine beauty that reflect ideal moral qualities. The masks are typically stained black and ornamented with elaborate coiffures, scarification marks and thick neck rings. Small facial features are clustered toward the lower third of the mask, below a high forehead. Hairstyles take a variety of forms, including a multi-lobed style, popular at the turn of the 20th century, composed of graduated ridges running from front to back and with the highest rising at the center of the head. The coiffure is sometimes surmounted by a carved depiction of a hat, an overturned cast-iron cooking pot or an animal such as a lizard, a snake or a bird (the latter two in this example), and it may be ornamented with rectilinear motifs suggesting medicine packets or amulets. The exaggerated neck rings denote a woman’s beautifully lined neck, but they have also been interpreted as suggesting the ripples on the surface of the water as the Sande spirit emerges during initiation rites. Holes along the base of the mask would have held a black-fiber fringe, which formed part of a fiber masquerade costume that concealed the identity of the female performer. Masks are typically commissioned by ranking members of Sande, and it is likely that the elements comprising the mask reflect particular tutelary spirits relevant to the male carver or to the woman who commissioned it. Approx. Net Weight: 3.15lbs Keywords: Tribal, ethnographic; Ref: DD4046

  • Dimensions: 12.5in x 10in x 10in
  • Medium: Wood
  • Condition: This piece is in good condition with signs of wear commensurate with age. Please see photos for details.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, COD (cash on delivery), Discover, MasterCard, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

LOCAL PICK-UP INFORMATION:
Monday through Wednesday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
LOCATION: 15210 N 99th Ave Sun City, AZ 85351
CROSS STREET: (Located at the NW Corner of 99th Ave and Greenway Rd)

OUT OF TOWN SHIPPING:
For out of town buyers, once we have received your payment your purchase will be turned over to Westside Mail Center our exclusive shipping provider. Westside Mail Center will proactively reach out to you to arrange packing, shipping and insurance.

We've Partnered with Westside Mail Center for all of your auction shipping needs. They offer FedEx, DHL, UPS and USPS services for most parcels. For those larger items, Packing, Shipping, Crating & Freight services are available. For questions related to shipping please feel free to contact them directly for shipping questions or quotes.

Westside Mail Center
13794 W Waddell Rd Suite 203, Surprise, AZ 85379
Mon-Fri 9am - 6pm, Saturdays 9am - 2pm , Closed Sundays.
Phone: 623-825-6016
Email: [email protected]
www.westsidemailcenter.com

Note: For fastest and best results on shipping, we recommend using Westside Mail Center as your shipper, but are happy to meet with your 3rd party shipper of choice if you prefer to use a shipper other than Westside Mail Center. All packing and shipping from any company besides Westside Mail Center must be arranged and coordinated by the winning bidder / buyer within 5 days from the date of the sale or an additional storage surcharge could apply.

All fees and costs associated with shipping are separate from the hammer price (winning bid), buyer's premium and sales taxes. The winning bidder / buyer is solely responsible for the shipping. Bradford's can assist the winning bidder / buyer by arranging shipping and insurance through our preferred shipper. The winning bidder / buyer has the right to arrange their own shipping with a 3rd party shipper at their own expense. Bradford's Auction Gallery reserves the right to ship parcels via our own in-house shipping methods, based on actual weight or dimensional weight (whichever is greater).

The designated 3rd party shipper will ship to the address provided on the winning bidder / buyers invoice. It is the winning bidder / buyers responsibility to communicate with the shipper and provide any specific shipping requirements, address information or details that will ensure proper delivery.

The winning bidder is responsible for understanding the import fees and import laws of their respective province/state/country. It is also the bidder's responsibility to obtain any and all import documentation (import/export licenses, certificates or other documentation) prior to bidding.

Bradford's

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 21% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $5
$100 $199 $10
$200 $999 $20
$1,000 $4,999 $50
$5,000 $9,999 $100
$10,000 + $200