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African tribal artifacts.

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AGV234 African Senoufo tribal helmet mask resembling staff of encouragement for agriculture workers. ca 1940, 24" x 12"

$975.00 $1,250.00

Senoufo helmet mask, wood, featuring a single large bird hosting four smaller birds pegged in wings.

This ensemble of birds is similar to a traditional Senoufo staff that is posted in the field to give incentive to boys who work there.

The most productive worker receives this mask as recognition of his achievement.

We acquired this treasure of African tribal art personally in 1990 from El Hadj in the Senoufo village of Korhogo, Cote d’Ivoire, Africa. He estimated its age as mid-20th Century.

24” high x 12” wide, Shipped Free within the 48 mainland United States.

The small birds are detached from the larger bird for storage. #AGV234

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Additional Info

Our trip to West Africa in 1990 had many highlights. One of them was a road trip to Korhogo, a Senoufo village. While there. we met and were hosted in his compound by the village Hadj, a highly regarded village resident who earned his title by making the pilgrimage to Mecca.
He showed us many of the objects he had amassed from carvers in the villages. Frankly, and disappointingly, the objects were poorly carved as they had been produced by a “factory” of young carvers-in-training.
When we expressed our disappointment, as we had not travelled half-way around the world to acquire items we could have picked up in any African airport, he invited us into his residence.
Reaching under his bed he extracted several pieces of superior work, including this mask. These special carvings, which he had secured in his private hiding place, were what we were there for.