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Wall Decor - Authentic Antique Igbo Agbogho Mmuo Mask – Verified Ritual
€265Bid from €238.50
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Private sellerDamme, GermanyOn Whoppah since February 2025 • 3 sales
Product description
Authentic Antique Igbo Agbogho Mmuo Mask (Maiden Spirit) – Nigeria – ca. 1950
Specifications: Hand-carved Softwood | Original Kaolin (Chalk) Painting | Original Textile Border & Heavy Wear Patina
With due pride, we present an exceptionally rare and forensically verified masterpiece within the African art trade: a legitimate antique hand-carved wooden Agbogho Mmuo (Maiden Spirit) mask from the Igbo culture of Nigeria (West Africa). This ritual mask dates from the mid-20th century (approx. ) and is in fabulous, unrestored, and completely authentic condition. A genuine collector's item with a proven ceremonial history.
Traditional Igbo Iconography & Symbolism
Within Igbo society, this mask represents ideal, pure feminine beauty and honors the spirits of deceased young women during agrarian festivals. This object makes a powerful, historical, and texturally rich statement in any modern or high-end interior:
The Sacred Kaolin Face: The front of the face is traditionally covered with a thick layer of white chalk (kaolin), symbolizing the spiritual world and the dead. The chalk skin shows beautiful, legitimate crackle marks and has naturally worn away around the nose and mouth due to decades of devotion.
Monumental Comb Headdress: The extremely complex, cascading, and openwork headdress with round discs imitates the ceremonial hairstyles of Igbo maidens. The sides of the head are deeply carved with spiral hair curls, in which old temple dust and soot are deeply petrified.
Ritual Scarification Marks: On the cheeks and forehead, the characteristic dark, geometric circles and planes are applied, symbolizing traditional Igbo beauty scarification marks.
Forensic Evidence of Legitimate Use (Rear Side)
The inside of this bowl provides irrefutable, laboratory-grade evidence of actual ceremonial use by an Igbo dancer, completely free of modern airport tourist clutter:
Original Braided Textile Border: Highly exceptional and unfalsifiable is the deeply worn, green-blue woven fabric trim with a diamond pattern, sewn around the entire outer edge to protect the dancer's face. The textile fibers are bone-dry throughout and authentically worn.
Intense Biological Wear Patina: The deeper parts of the hand-hewn bowl (crafted with a primitive African adze) show a dark, greasy, and mirror-smooth polished sheen. This has naturally accumulated over decades due to the friction of skin fats, oils, and the sweat of the wearer during hours of ecstatic dances.
Product Details
Subject: Agbogho Mmuo / African Maiden Spirit Mask H 38 x W 48
Material: Hand-carved softwood with kaolin (chalk), natural pigments, and original textile border
Origin / Culture: Nigeria (West Africa) / Igbo tribe
Dating: Mid-20th Century (approx. 1950) – Guaranteed original ethnographical masterpiece
Condition: Superb, unrestored tribal condition. Authentic craquelure in the chalk layer, legitimate wear sheen on the inside, and a completely intact historical fabric border. 100% free of nonsense.
Dimensions H 38 × W 48 cm
Additional details:
- Brand: 1stbuddha
- Style: Afrikaans
- Style: Tribaal
- Material: Zacht hout
- Material: Kaolien
- Material: Natuurlijke pigmenten
- Colour: Groen-blauw
- Period: Midden 20e Eeuw
- availability: in_stock
Specifications
CategorySculptureConditionExcellentColorsWhiteMaterialTextileSeller locationDamme, GermanyDelivery optionsDelivery or pickup
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Seller information
About this seller
Private sellerDamme, GermanyOn Whoppah since February 2025 • 3 sales