African Axe and Mask on Ebay
 

Hi All

Picked these two items up on Ebay today. The axe seems similar to one in my collection below but I have no clue about the mask? May be Benin but I don't know how old?

Lew

Nice axes...the top one I think probably Barotse and the lower one maybe Chokwe.

The brass mask is probably from Nigeria (Benin style), but doesn't look of much great age.

Regards

Thanks Colin

I though the mask was later 20th century but it seems to be of better quality than some I have seen. The axe seems to be late 19th or early 20th century though.

Lew

I love the lines on that new ax. Gorgeous curves. :)

Steve

I saw a similar mask on the net stating it was Ashante?


Lew

Brass, not bronze is the more common alloy from Benin. They like the more red look, so this would give credence to this being from Benin.

Saw a wonderful exhibit of about 200 Benin pieces. The biggest pieces I have ever seen.

Some were almost six feet tall!
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metr...s_0503_01.html

Well the pair finally arrived today. The axe is quite nice the bulb part at the top is missing 3-4 small brass tacks (should I replace them?) and the mask seems older with a nice deep patina to it. Don't really know if these pics are any better but I will post them?



Lew

The axe looks nice to me. The mask could be a real hip/belt mask from Nigeria, Benin city, does not mean it is very old. The modelling is good quallity and appears a good casting. I feel if the castings have nice thin walls they are less likely to be made as tourist items. This looks pretty good to me I would gamble the real thing possible from around the first quarter of the 20th cent.

Tim

the casting seems thinner than most and there are a few pin holes on the right side facing us slightly thicker towards the nose and mouth. Here are some closeups of the axe head.

Well I was able to find my old 2.1 meg camera so here is a shot of the axe with some antique tacks/knobs that a fellow formite sent me and they worked out pretty well :) Two pics before and after.

Thanks

Lew