GothamGallery Fine African Art Superb Mende Bundu Mask Start Price USD 16,500.00 Current Price USD 16,500.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Saturday, October 25, 2008 End Time Monday, November 24, 2008 Location NYC See more about 'GothamGallery Fine African Art Superb Mende Bundu Mask' Description   Offering the Finest Quality Sub-Saharan African Art   Spectacular African Sierra Leone Mende Bundu Mask   Measurement:        Height: 18 Width: 9 Depth: 10 Inches Measurement:        Height: 45.5 Width: 23 Depth: 25.5 Centimeters                               Measurement Mask Only – With Attachment 36 Inches – 92 CentimetersMaterial:                Wood, Pigment, Vegetal Fiber, Metal Estimated Age:       19th - 20th Century Condition:             Very Good Remarks:               Famous helmet mask with blacken finish Shipping:               US East Coast - Estimated $45.00                               Exact rate use shipping calculator INTERNATIONAL BIDDERS WELCOME   CONDITIONMinor scrapes chips, fine age cracks, minor wood deterioration, overall condition very good. Thank you and please view my other items. BACKGROUND The Mende settled in Sierra Leone during the 16th century, having migrated from the north. Today, the Mende live mostly from rice and cocoa farming and are organized into different chiefdoms. Social order and structure are regulated through the Poro male and the Sande female societies. During ceremonies associated with the latter, women wear Bundu masks which embody idealized female beauty and represent an ancestor of the society. These masks are typically of helmet hollow form with elaborate coiffure. The facial features are delicately carved with multiple folds on the neck area representing robustness of health and wealth. The surface of these mask are usually of blacken finish. A custom stand is included with this mask. The stand is hand made specifically for this special piece. It is important to properly exhibit a beautiful piece of art. The splendor of the piece cannot be fully revealed without a correct display. Custom mask stands can cost a minimum of fifty and up to several hundred dollars depending on its complexity and size. It is very difficult to locate a good stand maker regardless of price, but fortunately this piece will be appropriately displayed and ready for you and your guests' enjoyment. Painter Fred Uhlman words - Most of the artists I admired, Picasso, Modigliani, Deraini, to mention only a few, had collected African art and had been profoundly influenced by it. Shortly afterwards I bought the Baule Fetish and the Baule bobbin which are still two of the finest pieces in my collection. It is easy to see why I bought them and why from that moment I have never stopped collecting. The head of the bobbin or heddle - pulley which is after all only a functional object for the purpose of weaving seemed to me then and today as beautiful as a Greek goddess. The fetish moved me as deeply as the bobbin by its silent tragic dignity and its air of profound meditation. GUARANTEEAUTHENTICITY AND CONDITION OF ITEMS ARE GUARANTEE TO THEIR DESCRIPTION. IF THE ITEM IS FOUND TO BE NOT AS DESCRIBED OR PICTURED, FULL REIMBURSEMENT OF THE WINNING BID AMOUNT AND SHIPPING CHARGE WILL BE GIVEN.QUESTIONS PLEASE EMAIL WITH ANY QUESTIONS, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, OR MORE DETAIL PICTURES. EMAIL:GOTHAMGALLERY@AOL.COMSHIPPINGSHIPPING VIA USPS PRIORITY MAIL UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE. INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING COST PLEASE INQUIRE.PAYMENTPAYMENT ACCEPTED, PAYPAL, MONEY ORDER, CERTIFIED CHECK, PERSONAL CHECK 5 TO 7 DAYS TO CLEAR. OTHER FORMS OF PAYMENT PLEASE INQUIRE FIRST. Please click and check store items GothamGallery Fine African Art 　 PLEASE NOTE GOTHAMGALLERY DOES NOT SEND SECOND CHANCE OFFER COMMUNICATION WILL BE VIA ebay SYSTEM ONLY PLEASE BE CAREFUL OF SCAMS Place a Bid!