Mende Helmet Mask
Mende Women's Helmet Mask
Located in Chicago, IL
This helmet mask created by the Mende people of Sierra Leone was made for the women of their tribe
Category
Mid-20th Century Sierra Leonean Tribal Masks
Materials
Wood
Recent Sales
African Mende Helmet Mask
Located in Chicago, IL
This helmet mask created by the Mende people of Sierra Leone was made for the women of their tribe
Category
Mid-20th Century Sierra Leonean Tribal Tribal Art
Materials
Wood
Mende Women's Helmet Mask
Located in Chicago, IL
This helmet mask created by the Mende of Sierra Leone was made for the women of their tribe to wear
Category
Mid-20th Century Sierra Leonean Tribal Masks
Materials
Wood
Mende Bundu Sande Society Womens Helmet Mask Sierra Leone, Africa
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Mende Bundu or Sowei mask of the Sande Society, Sierra Leone, Africa, early 20th century.
The only
Category
Mid-20th Century Sierra Leonean Tribal Tribal Art
Materials
Wood
Tribal African Mende Bundu Helmet Janus 'Two Face' Wood Mask, Early 20th Century
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Offered by Scott McCue
Tribal African Mende Bundu Helmet Janus (Two Face) wood mask, early 20th
Category
Early 20th Century Sierra Leonean Tribal Tribal Art
Materials
Wood
H 16 in W 8.5 in D 10 in
Mende Helmet Mask
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Carved Helmut masks of this type were made by the Sande society of the Mende people of Sierra Leone
Category
20th Century Sierra Leonean Tribal Tribal Art
Materials
Wood
Mende Bundu Sande Society Womens Helmet Mask Sierra Leone, Africa
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Mende Bundu or Sowei mask of the Sande Society, Sierra Leone, Africa, early 20th century.
The only
Category
Mid-20th Century Sierra Leonean Tribal Tribal Art
Materials
Wood
Mende Helmet Mask from Sierra Leone
Located in Cambridge, MA
A Sande society helmet mask from the Mende people of Sierra Leone, ca. 1950. Unusual in that it is
Category
Vintage 1950s Sierra Leonean Tribal Tribal Art
Materials
Wood
Rare Wooden African Helmet Mask from Mende Sande Society Tribe
Located in Sarasota, FL
A rare well carved wooden African helmet mask from Mende Sande Society Tribe living in Sierra Leone
Category
Early 20th Century Sierra Leonean Tribal Art
People Also Browsed
Early 20th Century African Antique Wood Comb with Human Head
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Early 20th Century African Antique Wood Comb with Human Head
From the Chokwe Culture of Angola. A fine, old, much used comb with a glossy, glasslike patina. Of traditional form with...
Category
Early 20th Century Angolan Other Tribal Art
Materials
Wood
Colonial West African Baule Baoule Figure Sculpture Woman wearing loincloth
Located in Norwich, GB
An elegant African sculpture from the West African Baoulé or Baule people, depicting a young woman wearing a loincloth. Smooth black lightly worn patina.
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
H 17.33 in W 2.76 in D 3.55 in
Old African Songye Female Kifwebe Wall Mask with Expressive Face Large Sized
Located in Torquay, GB
Large sized Songye Female Kifwebe mask from The Congo circa 1920s.
Traditionally, the Kifwebe mask is very symbolic in the Bantu culture of central Africa.
Its striking colours and c...
Category
Early 20th Century Congolese Tribal Tribal Art
Materials
Wood
H 13.78 in W 7.88 in D 6.7 in
African Nigeria Epa Helmit Mask with Provenance
Located in Atlanta, GA
An Epa helmet mask, Nigeria, Africa.
Fully carved mother and child; painted red and black with touches of white;
Provenance: The Children's Museum of Indianapolis; The Eiteljorg Mu...
Category
Vintage 1950s Nigerian Tribal Tribal Art
Materials
Wood
Magical Barbara Antelope Mask Mirrors Seeds Cowries Mali, Africa ex Willis
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Early carved wood antelope mask, with many vertical horns, applied glass mirrors, cowries and seeds. Old native repair to one horn.
It is in good condition wear and erosion from ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Malian Tribal Tribal Art
Materials
Wood
Romare Bearden 1972 Mother and Child Screenprint
By Romare Bearden
Located in San Francisco, CA
Romare Bearden: 1911-1998. Very important and well listed African American artist with auction records over $770,000. He has an auction high over $31,000 for a single print. This imp...
Category
1970s Figurative Prints
Materials
Screen
Bidjogo Tribal Initiation Ox Mask, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
After oxen were introduced to Guinea Bissau by Portuguese sailors in the 15th century, its strength, aggression, and nobility quickly became integrated into their initiation rituals....
Category
Early 20th Century Guinea-Bissauan Tribal Masks
Materials
Hide, Wood
Early 20th Century East African Carved Headrest, Ethiopia (Kambatta People)
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
Showing a crescent shaped headrest braced by flattened 'V' shaped supports rising from a cupped base, decorated overall with hand carved linear motifs and exhibiting an old rubbed su...
Category
Early 20th Century Ethiopian Tribal Tribal Art
Materials
Wood
Mossi Mask Burkina Faso Early to mid 20th Century / African Art / Africa Tribal
Located in Leuven, BE
Beautiful authentic Mask of the Mossi people Burkina-faso Early/mid 20th Century / African Art
Length: 35 cm
Beautiful patina of use (see detailed pictures )
A museum quality mask of...
Category
Early 20th Century Burkinabe Masks
Materials
Hardwood
H 13.78 in W 8.27 in D 8.27 in
Ashanti Maternal Fertility Figure
Located in Atlanta, GA
On offer is an Ashanti female fertility figure from Ghana, West Africa, circa Mid-20th century. Carved from a single block of wood, the statue depicts a female with typical coiffure ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Ghanaian Tribal Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Glass, Wood
Early Standing Bambara or Malinke Female Figure Deep Patina, Mali West Africa
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Early Bambara or Malinke standing female figure with arms at sides, heavy wear and polish from handling and use. Possibly cut from the top of prestige staff. Fine refined abstract ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Malian Tribal Tribal Art
Materials
Wood
H 10.5 in W 2 in D 2.5 in
Reliquary Kota, Gabon, 1925
Located in Paris, FR
This exceptional Kota reliquary comes from the Mahogwe tribe, which lives along the Ogooué River in Gabon. The Mahogwe are part of the Kota ethnic group located in the northeastern r...
Category
Vintage 1920s Gabonese Tribal Tribal Art
Materials
Brass
Yoruba Tribal Maternity Offering Bowl Figure Chicken, Nigeria Africa weathered
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Blessed by time, an early beautiful Yoruba female figure with baby riding on back, presenting an offering bowl in the form of a chicken with a removable top. Great Yoruba mother's fa...
Category
Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Tribal Art
Materials
Wood
H 17.75 in W 13 in D 13 in
Mende Helmut Mask
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An early 20th century example.
The masks of the Sande society were used exclusively in masquerade performances by the women of the tribe.
The Mende tribe is located in Sierra Leone.
Category
Early 20th Century African Mounted Objects
Materials
Wood
Kota Reliquary Figure Gabon, Christies Provenance
Located in Sharon, CT
Kota Reliquary of classic form. Brass and iron over wood. On an old base, with an old number label. Ex Estate of Willliam Kohler, Christies NY 'Important Tribal Art' Nov 20 1997.
Category
Antique 1890s Gabonese Primitive Tribal Art
Materials
Brass, Copper, Iron
Gelede Headdress, Yoruba People, Nigeria, circa 1950s
By Yoruba People
Located in Aramits, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Gelede festivals honor the creative and dangerous power of women elders, female ancestors and goddesses known as "our mothers". The Gelede headdress often consists of two parts, a lo...
Category
Mid-20th Century Nigerian Tribal Tribal Art
Materials
Wood
Get Updated with New Arrivals
Save "Mende Helmet Mask", and we’ll notify you when there are new listings in this category.
Finding the Right Folk Art for You
Folk art refers to a genre of art that shares the creator’s traditions, offering not just an artistic display but an opportunity to learn about a culture. Vintage, new and antique folk art typically reflects a heritage or location. It can include utilitarian objects and handmade art as diverse as weather vanes, portraiture and paintings, carnival art, quilts and duck decoys.
American folk art is frequently valued because of the traditional skills involved, like weaving, hand-carving wood and even stonework. Many folk artists are self-taught, while some train as apprentices within their community. By using available materials and taking a personal approach to their creations, artists ensure each piece is unique and conveys a story. Native American folk art includes functional objects reflecting their heritage, such as baskets, textiles and wooden pieces.
During the Great Depression, artistic materials in America were hard to come by, so artisans used discarded wood from cigar boxes and shipping crates to make highly stylized, notched pieces — most often picture frames and boxes — that are today sought after by collectors. This folk art style is called tramp art and was popular from roughly 1870 until the 1940s.
Folk art brings vibrant culture and traditions into your home. Browse an extensive collection of folk art on 1stDibs.
Questions About Mende Helmet Mask
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022One distinctive aspect of Mende mask tradition is that they are best known for the helmet masks used by the Sande society, one of the few women’s societies that are known to use masks. In most African mask traditions, they are only used by men’s societies. On 1stDibs, find a collection of Mende masks.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022The purpose of a Mende Sowei mask was to hide a dancer's head and body during ritual performance. It symbolizes the connection between mankind and the spiritual world. On 1stDibs, shop a variety of African masks from some of the world’s top sellers.