25 cm Antique Wooden Pere Mask Congo | Exclusive Wall Art | 600g
Rated 5.0 out of 5.€285,00
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Examined with microscope & UV light
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- Weight
- 0.6 kg
- Reference
- 442
Authentic Antique Wooden Pere (Baperi) Mask – Verified Ritual Use – Congo – ca. 1950
Specifications: H 25 × W 24 cm | Weight: 600 grams | Hand-carved Hardwood | Layered Sacrificial Crust Patina | Intense Wear Gloss
We proudly present a raw, minimalist, and forensically verified masterpiece within the African ethnographica section: an authentic antique hand-carved wooden Pere (Baperi) mask from the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This ceremonial mask dates from the mid-20th century (ca. 1940-1960). With its rare, nearly square proportions of 25 x 24 cm and a bone-dry weight of 600 grams, this mask is in fabulously beautiful, unrestored condition.
Archaic Form Language & Brutalist Aesthetics
This mask stands out for its powerful, abstract simplicity and serves as an intense historical eye-catcher and exclusive wall art in any modern or high-end interior:
- Monumental Axel Carving: The large, sculpted almond-shaped eyes stand in powerful high relief on the face, featuring deeply drilled round viewing holes. The bridge of the nose is angular and broad, decorated with traditional horizontal indentations that extend to a minimalist, open mouth slit.
- Layered Crusty Patina: The entire surface is covered with a dull, jet-black to dark brown sacrificial crust (crusty patina). This layered skin of organic sacrificial pastes and deeply ingrained soot from ceremonial hearth fires forms the unfalsifiable proof of pure age.
Forensic Evidence of Active Ceremonial Use
The inside of the carved wooden bowl provides the unfalsifiable, laboratory-worthy evidence of actual tribal use during ceremonies, completely free of modern export or tourist junk:
- Heavy Biological Wear Patina: The inner edges along the forehead, the jaws and The underside displays a deep, oily, and mirror-smooth polished sheen. This is the direct result of prolonged human skin contact, where sweat and skin oils have been rubbed into the wood grain over generations.
- Traditional Traces: The inside shows the pure, unrestored cap marks of the traditional adze. The top edge possesses the bone-dry, natural shrinkage characteristics of the original tree trunk.
Product details
| Depiction: | Pere Tribal Face Mask (Wall Art / Wall Sculpture) |
| Material: | Hand-carved hardwood with original sacrificial crust and sooty patina and heavy biological wear luster |
| Origin / Culture: | Democratic Republic of the Congo / Pere tribe |
| Dating: | Middle 20th Century (ca. 1950) – Fully antique ethnographic masterpiece |
| Dimensions & Weight: | H 25 × W 24 cm | Weight: 600 grams |
Each object is examined before it is offered: material, casting or carving technique, surface, and signs of age are compared with documented references. You will receive a certificate of authenticity and an official invoice detailing the period, material, and available provenance.
Fully insured worldwide shipping in museum-quality packaging. Returns are sent to our Dutch address and you have a 14-day cooling-off period.
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How we investigated this image
For more than 30 years, we have been researching Asian art. Each object is inspected in advance with a microscope and UV light. Findings regarding material, style, and iconography form the basis for our assessment of dating, condition, and quality — and for the price.
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