weird tiki masks! help me identify? - Collecting Tiki

S Sneakytiki Tiki Socialite Boise, Idaho Joined: Mar 31, 2003 Posts: 1795	S Sneakytiki Posted posted on Tue, Jan 10, 2006 1:23 PM I have a minor in non-Western Art History and am pretty familiar with Oceania, African and American Indigenous Art. Looking at the masks makes one think they were carved for commercial purposes, as are just about anything we could find/ afford. It has been my experience that when I can't ID a commercial mask it is an Indonesian product. This piece also looks busy and combines different influences, as do many Indonesian commercial masks. It was carved with metal tools for sure and is not typical of Filipino products. It does resemble crude Caribbean pieces I've seen in wood appearance and overall shape, though far more detail/skill is apparent in your piece. The floral motifs are reminiscent of Mexican painted details on their commercial ceramics, which I've seen painted (not carved 'til now), on at least 1 wood mask a friend gifted me, it too had no origin info, but the floral paint led me to think of Mexicn tourist/folk products and then to connect it to some non-painted pieces I've seen in antique malls, again with no Hecho en Mexico listed... After I looked up wooden Mexican masks, I am fairly certain the hunch was correct. It's possible that it was a home folk art project, but it looks too much like a quickly executed product made in multiples for that to hold water. My vote, made in Mexico. Google Mexican dance masks or Diablo mask... and pay attention to the nose shape, mask shape, whimsical variety and the wood used. ... Hope I helped with your tiki archeology dig! To drown sorrow, where should one jump first and best? "Certainly not water. Water rusts you." -Frank Sinatra [ Edited by: Sneakytiki 2006-01-10 13:45 ] [ Edited by: Sneakytiki 2006-01-10 13:46 ] [ Edited by: sneakytiki 2006-01-10 23:41 ]

I have a minor in non-Western Art History and am pretty familiar with Oceania, African and American Indigenous Art. Looking at the masks makes one think they were carved for commercial purposes, as are just about anything we could find/ afford. It has been my experience that when I can't ID a commercial mask it is an Indonesian product. This piece also looks busy and combines different influences, as do many Indonesian commercial masks. It was carved with metal tools for sure and is not typical of Filipino products. It does resemble crude Caribbean pieces I've seen in wood appearance and overall shape, though far more detail/skill is apparent in your piece. The floral motifs are reminiscent of Mexican painted details on their commercial ceramics, which I've seen painted (not carved 'til now), on at least 1 wood mask a friend gifted me, it too had no origin info, but the floral paint led me to think of Mexicn tourist/folk products and then to connect it to some non-painted pieces I've seen in antique malls, again with no Hecho en Mexico listed... After I looked up wooden Mexican masks, I am fairly certain the hunch was correct.

It's possible that it was a home folk art project, but it looks too much like a quickly executed product made in multiples for that to hold water.
My vote, made in Mexico. Google Mexican dance masks or Diablo mask... and pay attention to the nose shape, mask shape, whimsical variety and the wood used.

... Hope I helped with your tiki archeology dig!

To drown sorrow, where should one jump first and best? "Certainly not water. Water rusts you." -Frank Sinatra

[ Edited by: Sneakytiki 2006-01-10 13:45 ]

[ Edited by: Sneakytiki 2006-01-10 13:46 ]

[ Edited by: sneakytiki 2006-01-10 23:41 ]

Post #206759 by Sneakytiki on Tue, Jan 10, 2006 1:23 PM