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Antique Mende Sowei Hand Carved Wooden Helmet Mask
Philadelphia, PA
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Details
Description
Large Antique Mende Sowei White Hand Carved Helmet Mask. Hand carved Sowei in white. Most often these helmet are seen …
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Large Antique Mende Sowei White Hand Carved Helmet Mask. Hand carved Sowei in white. Most often these helmet are seen in black (or brown wood tones).
Condition: used with scuffs, splits, and scratches. Please refer to the pictures for details.
Size: 21”H x 15.5”W x 11”D
Sowei (Bundu) helmet mask. The 2,000,000 Mende comprise numerous kinds of social structure, such as firmly marked kin groups, political hierarchies and societies for diverse purposes: training boys and girls in appropriate behavior, protection against enemies or curing illnesses. The Mende are farmers who grow rice, yams, peanuts, and cocoa and who collect palm oil. The Mende are best known for black, helmet-shaped masks, named sowei or bundu used by the sande society, in particular, during the initiating girls. The initiates learn wisdom, beauty, grace, and self-control, all of which they will need within the multigenerational, polygamous households of their future husbands. All Mende girls join the sande society at puberty. Representing female water spirits, the masks have an idealized female face whose aesthetic reflects religious and philosophical ideals. The design of the facial features conforms to strict conventions and has symbolic content. The neck rings which are a significant characteristic of all sovei masks must not be regarded as representing obesity but as placing a plastic emphasis on the fine lines of the neck which is highly esteemed and regarded as being beautiful. The masks are carved by men, but danced by women. This is unusual in Africa, since men usually wear masks that conceal the face. These masks were worn over the head.Material: woodSize: 22" x 14" x 15"
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- Dimensions
- 15.5ʺW × 11ʺD × 21ʺH
- Period
- 1920s
- Item Type
- Vintage, Antique or Pre-owned
- Materials
- Wood
- Condition
- Good Condition, Original Condition Unaltered, Some Imperfections
- Color
- Ivory
- Condition Notes
- Condition: used with scuffs, splits, and scratches consistent with age. Please refer to the pictures for details. Condition: used with scuffs, splits, and scratches consistent with age. Please refer to the pictures for details. less
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Philadelphia, PA
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Shipping charges start at $149 and based on the size and the distance between pickup and delivery
(for approximate values see table):
Delivery Type Within 50 miles radius Within 1,500 miles radius Over 1,500 miles radius International Cross-Border Shipping Price $149 - $299 $199 - $799 $449 - $899 Over $899 Transit Time 2 to 4 weeks 3 to 6 weeks 4 to 8 weeks 12 to 17 weeks - For some items, the shipping price may vary depending on the size, weight, material and/or value of the item.
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Delivery Type US Domestic International Cross-Border Shipping Price $9 - $99 $39 - $499 Transit Time 1 to 2 weeks 2 to 4 weeks - Seller Managed Delivery
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