Authentic Antique Igbo Agbogho Mmuo Mask Wall Decoration – Verified Ritual
Rated 5.0 out of 5.€265,00
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Authentic Antique Igbo Agbogho Mmuo Mask (Maiden Spirit) – Nigeria – ca. 1950
Specifications: Hand-carved Softwood | Original Kaolin (Limestone) Painting | Original Textile Border & Heavy Wear Patina We proudly 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 (ca. 1850-1960) and is in fabulous, unrestored, and fully 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 agricultural festivals. This object makes a powerful, historical, and texture-rich statement in any modern or high-end interior:
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The Sacred Kaolin Face: The front of the face is traditionally covered with a thick layer of white lime (kaolin), the symbol of the spiritual world and the dead. The chalk skin displays beautiful, legitimate traces of craquelé and has been naturally worn away around the nose and mouth by decades of devotion.
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Monumental Comb-Headdress: The extremely complex, stepped, and openwork headdress with round discs imitates the ceremonial hairstyles of Igbo maidens. The sides of the head are deeply incised with spiral curls of hair, in which ancient temple dust and soot have been deeply petrified.
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Ritual Scar Tattoos: On the cheeks and forehead, the characteristic dark, geometric circles and planes have been applied that symbolize the traditional Igbo beauty scars.
Forensic Evidence of Legitimate Use (Backside)
The inside of this bowl provides irrefutable, laboratory-worthy evidence of actual ceremonial use by an Igbo dancer, completely free of modern airport tourist clutter:
- Original Braided Textile Trim: Very exceptional and unfalsifiable is the deeply weathered, green-blue woven fabric trim with a checkered pattern that is sewn around the entire outer edge to protect the dancer's face. The textile fibers are bone-dry through and through and authentically worn.
- Intense Biological Wear Patina: The deeper parts of the hand-carved bowl (crafted with a primitive African adze) display a dark, greasy, and mirror-smooth polished sheen. This has built up very naturally over decades through the friction of skin lipids, oils, and the wearer's sweat during hours of ecstatic dancing.
Product details
| Representation: | Agbogho Mmuo / African Maiden Spirit Mask H 38 x W 48 |
| Material: | Hand-carved soft wood with kaolin (lime), natural pigments and original textile border |
| Origin / Culture: | Nigeria (West Africa) / Igbo tribe |
| Dating: | Mid 20th Century (ca. 1950) – Guaranteed original ethnographic masterpiece |
| Condition: | Magnificent, unrestored tribal condition. Authentic craquelé in the chalk layer, legitimate sheen on the inside, and a completely intact historical fabric rim. 100% nonsense-free. |
Dimensions
H 38 × W 48 cm
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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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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