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Description

A Fang Mask, "bikereu" or "bikeghe"

Mask, "bikereu" or "bikeghe" Fang, Gabon Mit Sockel / with base Wood, upholstered nails, raffia. H 40 cm (63 cm with raffia). Provenance: - Berkeley Gallery, Ernest Ohly (1920-2008), London. - Helmut (1931-2021) and Marianne Zimmer, Zurich. According to the handwritten note and Helmut Zimmer's verbal confirmation, the Zimmer couple acquired this mask at the Ohly Gallery (London). Louis Perrois describes a similar mask from the collection of Josef Mueller on p. 172 (op. cit.). According to him, "the very appearance of the mask is reminiscent of the hideous head of a gorilla (ngi) or even a white man (traces of a moustache). In fact, the Fang have produced many composite, cartoonish masks that mix animal and human elements, resulting in terrifying monsters like this one [...] The Bikereu masks are directly derived from the Ngil masks. They were still used during the last war in the Lambaréné area. Since then, they are still made and used in folkloric dances." Another comparable mask can be found in the Museum du Quai Branly in Paris. It is described there as a "masque justicier bikeghe" and as follows: "Ce masque blanc et noir, au visage allongé et au front proéminent appartient à la famille des masques bikeghe ou ekekek, des masques de "croque-mitaine", parfois des caricatures d'Européens, censés effrayer les spectateurs lors de danses qui ont peu à peu perdu leur rôle sacré pour se transformer, jusque dans les années 1960, en manifestations identitaires, folkloriques et sans caractère religieux." Further reading: Perrois, Louis (1985). Art ancestral du Gabon. dans les collections du Musée Barbier-Mueller. Geneva: Musée Barbier-Mueller. CHF 3 000 / 6 000 Weight in grams: 3307 Condition: The condition (wear, eventual cracks, tear, other imperfections and the effects of aging etc. if applicable) of this lot is as visible on the multiple photos we have uploaded for your documentation. Please feel free to contact Hammer Auktionen for all questions you might have regarding this lot ([email protected]). Any condition statement given, as a courtesy to a client, is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Hammer Auctions shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. In the rare event that the item did not conform to the lot description in the sale, Hammer Auktionen is here to help. Buyers may return the item for a full refund provided you notify Hammer Auktionen within 5 days of receiving the item. -------------------------------- The condition (possible wear, signs of use, cracks, possible other damage and signs of age, etc.) of this lot can be seen in the photos we have uploaded for your documentation. If you have any questions about this item, please do not hesitate to contact Hammer Auctions ([email protected]). The information regarding the condition of the items provided for the convenience of interested parties is an opinion only and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Hammer Auctions accepts no responsibility for any errors or omissions. In the rare event that the item does not match the description in the catalog, Hammer Auctions is here to help. Buyers may return the lot for a full refund provided they notify Hammer Auctions within 5 days of receiving the lot.

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A Fang Mask, "bikereu" or "bikeghe"

Estimate 3 000 - 6 000 CHF
Starting price 1 000 CHF

* Not including buyer’s premium.
Please read the conditions of sale for more information.

Sale fees: 26 %
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For sale on Saturday 29 Jun : 15:00 (CEST)
basel, Switzerland
Hammer Auktionen AG
+41444000220
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