Shamanic phurbu whose top part shows a rider with hands joined in the ritual gesture of Namaste. The mount is not a horse but could be the ashoka lion. age circa 50 years. Height 29cm.
Very old Indian mask depicting a figure with a crown from the Ramayana theater, color darkened by time with cracks revealing an ocher tint indicating significant age. The ears are joined. Heavy and hard wood. H 31 cm
Beautiful and robust ghurra with a beautiful patina of use, the top figure a house, the center part shows 4 pillars connected by ropes that surmount rows of milk jugs, the rotation hole shows important signs of use. H 24 cm, maximum thickness 6 cm
Several other photos will be added
Fully worked front and back as well as across the unseamed arms, fringed cuffs and bottom perimeter. The arm consists of Germantown yarn and the red is unraveled flannel.
Length 25"
c. 1870
"After an intensive search, less than a hundred examples have been located which can be considered as representing the type of work produced previous to the 1880's. To these may be added a few owned privately and thus not listed...
An interesting ghurra showing a man or a woman pulling a buffalo with a rope on one side whereas 3 milk pots are carved on the back side.
H 27 cm, H 9.5 cm , Thickness 4 cm
More information on request.
A metal stand can be offered.
Please double click on the pictures to get the highest enlargement
Green case mask, mouth a beak or tube, blossoms and tufts of red hair for ears, band of red yarn across forehead. Douglas fir ruff. Kilt, wedding sash, fox skin, red Navajo-style moccasins. Body paint pink and yellow. Carries a rattle. Appears in regular katsina dance. Fewkes, 1903, Pl. XXXV, XXXVI, figures other Navajo Katsinas which have been taken from Navajo ceremonies and are said not to be Hopi. Fewkes, 1894, 1903; Earl and Kennard, 1938...
3 ancestor faces on top and very nice Makara at least early 20th, H22 cm
Case mask with one half face painted green and one half red, tubular mouth; no ears, blossom on one side and tuft of red hair and feathers on the other. Douglas fir ruff. Body painted any common katsina style. Carries staff tipped with feathers, and a rattle. Appears in regular katsina dance.
Fewkes, 1894, 1903; Stehphen, 1936. ca.1920
5" Height X 1.5" Width
Provenance: Dorothy Louise Luhrs. PhD. 1910-1972, UNM, School of Field Research
This pair of masks show a couple (man and woman).
More information and pictures on request
Sizes: for the male H 30.5x 27 cm, female 30 x 23 cm,
The rarer Katsinas of the some of the Rio Grande Pueblos are stylistically similar to Hopi figures, though often made of pine wood. Hopi Katsinas are made of cottonwood and more simply painted. This doll has great provenance: Dorothy Louise Luhrs, PhD. She taught at UNM School of Field Research. She was born in 1910 and she died in 1972. This doll was purchased from her estate and sold by Case Auctions, Memphis, Tennessee.
c.1920, 14" height x 2 3/4" width, 9 1/2" width of tableta
Case mask painted black with green mark on forehead representing a snipe track and white moon symbols on cheeks, snout with teeth, wildcat skin ruff. Velvet shirt, white trousers. Carries a knife. Chaveyo may come at any time during the spring months if Hopi children are particularly bad. "The boogie man will get you if you don't watch out."
Voth, 1901; Fewkes, 1903; Stephen, 1936; Nequatewa, 1948, p. 60.
Provenance available.
Chaveyo with half moon marks is from First Mesa...
The lower part is a small closing storage cabinet with a door, the upper part is supported by 2 elephants and has a flat part where cult objects or flowers could be placed, in front is a deeply carved ovoid plate in front...
This drum handle is still provided with the wooden wedge which is used to fix it on the drum. The top shows 3 faces with open and threatening mouths, each face is separated by the Shaivite trisul. The center part is a very fine dorgi framed by spherical basketwork patterns the whole giving a shape that fits well in the hand. The triangular point shows a very beautiful sculptural work. ON each angle is a Makara mouth with wide open eyes and whose hands grip very realistically sculpted snakes...
Very nice Ghurra with the mythic scenary of a protector riding a cow and surmounted by another cow. Very hard wood showing a Glossy brown patina. H 27cm.
More information of local origin
Mask with black soot patina whose edges of the mouth and eyes are enhanced with red and also white for the eyes only. The tip of the nose shows a much higher wear patina than the other areas of the mask. The inside of the mask also shows a very nice shiny black indicating important signs of use. This mask shows all the features of a joker mask, possibly from kami people (untouchable cast), North central region of Nepal H 27cm , mid 20th century
Old mask carved in a very hard wood depicting a benevolent expression face covered with a beautiful and thick black patina. Not remains of animal hairs or horsehair that represented the hairiness of the eyebrows, moustache and chin. Three nails on the forehead were supposed to retain a fragment of leather. The symmetry of the sculpture gives it a smoothing presence. Probably from Western Nepal and the Magar ethnic group. Age is important at least early 20th century H 25 cm n Width 14 cm,
Shinning black thick patina, the forehead is clear as it was likely covered with a skin. Hard wood, Obvious signs of good age at least from early 20th H 28 cm , w 20cm.
Old flat face mask showing a superb black soot patina, the vision of this face gives an impression of softness Small mouth with a discreet opening some old traces of glittering paper which has been glued around the yeyx and the mouth. obvious sign of long use possibly from 19th. H25 cm x 16 cm/