Bidspirit auction | Unusual Bird Mask, Dan People,

Unusual Bird Mask, Dan People, Liberia - African Tribal Art: Dan People, Liberia: A rare anthropomorphic mask with a combination of human and bird features. Carved wood with elaborately braided fiber hair, the human-like face has a tubular eyes and a defined nose, above a fanciful curved beak and protruding, hummingbird-like tongue. The beak is studded with brass upholstery tacks. The mask has an overall black/brown patina, and it's age is estimated as 19th/20th century. It comes with a custom-made steel display stand. Dan masks embody spirits of the forest who request (through dreams) that masks be made so they can ”appear” before the people. A bird mask is considered a harbinger of good luck, and the inclusion of white (metal) on the mask reinforces that message. Dimensions: Approx. 16H x 9W x 10D; 20.5H on stand (inches) Provenance: Private collection. NOTE: Please inspect the photos, which supplement the written description and show the condition of this lot. ***VIDEO: To see a 3D video of this item, copy and paste the link below into your search browser: https://youtu.be/na9-aOlnPPo