Big Bro Tiki please Identify this MELANESIAN tiki mask

Hi All,

My boss recently came back from Australia for a work meeting. I was fortunate enough that he brought me back a tiki mask from the Torres Straits islands, because he knows that I'm a huge tikiphile.

Anyways, all we know is that it's from the Torres Islands, but we don't know what god it is, or what it signifies.

If any one has information, I would greatly appreciate it. I attached a picture of my humble tiki collection and the Melanesian mask.

Thanks,
The Monitors

Torres Straits Island Mask

My humble tiki collection

Arrgh. Unfortunately I am sitting in my Hotel apartment near Munich now, and do not have the benefit of my huge Oceanic Arts library in my house in Silverlake, but my first impression (and I do not want to be a downer) is that what we have here is one of those mass produced Indonesian/Philippines World market import soap and candle store masks (does THAT sufficiently define the genre :) )

These incessant generic carvings are even flooding the tourist stalls in Hawaii now, so I would not be surprised if they are sold in Australia as New Guinea masks.

We would not want to let this be known to the boss, naturally, so it should have a hook where it can hung quickly in the home lounge, if he visits.

Then again, I might be dead wrong...but those pursed lips are very Asian looking to me.

Hey Bigbro,

Thanks for the reply. I know the mass produced tiki masks you're talking about, because I'm from the Philippines and I see them all the time.

Although I love my country, i hate those un-inspired knock-offs. Looking at the mask closely, it doesn't look like a knock-off though. It looks too detailed to be un-inspired.

I don't know when you return, but please sift through your oceanic art books to confirm.

Thanks,

I bought about six of these masks in a tourist shop in Amsterdam, they are imported from Indonesia, well made and incredible cheap over here. (about 15 dollars)

come on....that thing has venice headshop written all over it.I can smell the incense through my comp. screen.

Welcome to TC Volcano, glad to have you here.
Monitors, heres something to think about. I have seen many of these type carvings, but Not with all the markings on them. You May have a piece that was purchased by someone who added all the tribal markings. The lines don't match the quality of the carving's detail such as the crown looking detail. I'm with Big Bro in the origin, but my thinking is you have one with Added detail. It would not be hard to do with a few carving tools. I think it adds intrigue to the piece and makes it more attractive.