African Axe and Mask on Ebay

[Lew]

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

[colin henshaw]

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

[Lew]

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

[Ferguson]

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

Steve

[Lew]

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


Lew

[Bill M]

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/metro/gwinnett/stories/2008/05/12/hudgens_0503_01.html

[Lew]

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

[Tim Simmons]

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.

[Lew]

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.

[Lew]

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