Interiors & Decorations

Jewellery & Precious Stones

Watches, Pens & Lighters

Fashion

Coins & Stamps

Comics & Animation

Classic Cars, Motorcycles & Automobilia

Wine, Whisky & Spirits

Asian & Tribal Art

Trading Cards

Toys & Models

Archaeology & Natural History

Sports

Music, Movies & Cameras

Books & Historical Memorabilia

The finest objects brought to you by {name}

Dimitri André

An Ogoni mask, Nigeria, State Rivers region, collected in Port Harcourt. Incl stand.

This carved wooden mask is attributable to the Ogoni (self‑identified as Kana), an indigenous population inhabiting the fertile floodplain and tidal forest country of the lower Niger–Cross River delta in southeastern Nigeria’s Rivers State. Ogoni masking traditions are distinctive yet related to the wider artistic milieu of the Niger Delta, sharing affinities with neighboring Ibibio and Ijo masking practices.

Ogoni masks are diverse in type and function. They range from small face masks with articulated jaws, often termed Elu (meaning “spirit”), to larger, more zoomorphic or anthropo‑zoomorphic forms. A characteristic feature of some masks is a hinged or movable lower jaw, which could open and close during performance, symbolizing speech, spirit negotiation, or liminality between life and otherworldly realms.

In Ogoni society, masks were historically activated within ritual, funerary, and seasonal cycles. They accompanied ceremonies such as funerals, post‑harvest festivities, and karikpo acrobatic celebrations, where masked dancers embodied ancestral forces, spirit mediators, or social archetypes. White and brown pigment residues on the surface often signal engagement with cosmological associations (e.g., kaolin near the eyes denoting spiritual contact) or with dramatic visibility during performance.
Although many Ogoni masking practices have been disrupted by colonialism, Christian missions, and urban migration, these objects retain formal markers of indigenous identity: stylized facial planes, expressive features, and dynamic elements such as articulated jaws. Their presence in Port Harcourt collections reflects historic patterns of acquisition and circulation, where ceremonial objects entered urban markets in the early to mid‑20th century.

From an academic and museological perspective, Ogoni masks should be interpreted less as static art objects and more as operative agents embedded in performative and social life—objects whose meaning was realized in motion, ritual engagement, and community recognition rather than in isolated display.

CAB33728

Wood - Fair condition

A wooden mask - Ogoni - Nigeria

African & Tribal Art

Reserve price

No reserve price

Closing date

Sunday

Thursday

Tuesday

16 September

Saturday

Monday

Friday

Budget

From

Location

France

Belgium

Austria

The Netherlands

Spain

Germany

Italy

Portugal

Luxembourg

Romania

Denmark

Poland

United States

Hong Kong

Size

S (10–40 cm)

M (40–80 cm)

L (over 80 cm)

XS (under 10 cm)

Dimensions

Height

Width

Depth

Object

Tribal art and objects

Tribal masks

Tribal sculptures statues carvings and figurines

Figure

Sculpture

Dance mask

Book

Tribal weaponry and shields

Mask

Tribal mask

Fetish figure

Tribal books manuscripts and catalogues

Print

Statue

Dagger

Tribal jewellery and adornments

Tribal textiles and clothing

Statuette

Spoon

Figurehead

Decorative ornament

Bracelet

Painting

Ancestor figure

Country of origin

DR Congo

Mali

Côte d'Ivoire

Nigeria

Congo

Côte d’Ivoire

Gabon

Cameroon

Ghana

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Burkina Faso

Benin

Angola

Africa

Tanzania

South Africa

Chad

Niger

Sierra Leone

Togo

Kenya

Zimbabwe

Senegal

Material

Wood

Bronze

Terracotta

Leather

Copper

Metal

Glass

Brass

Textile

Textiles

Iron

Aluminium

Bone

Soapstone

Cotton

Stone

Iron (wrought)

Ebony

Wrought iron

Silver

Steel

Clay

Earthenware

Mixed fabric

Wool

Gender

Unisex

Women

Condition

Good condition

Good condition - used with small signs of aging & blemishes

Fair condition

Excellent condition

Good

Fair condition -  heavily used & with possibly minor parts missing

Excellent condition: barely used with minimal signs of wear

Good condition - used with small signs of ageing

Poor - heavily used with major cracks, damages or major parts missing

Very good condition, see description

Needs restoration

As new

Good condition - used with some signs of wear

Good condition, used with some signs of wear

Good condition, see description

Very good condition, very light signs of wear

Fine

Very good

Very good condition - slightly used with small signs of wear

Vintage - used with visible signs of wear

Very good +

Extras

No extra's

Dust jacket

Period

Late 20th century

1930-1940

Mid 20th century

1940-1950

1920-1930

2000-2010

Late 19th century

Early 20th century

1950-1960

1850-1900

2020+

1900-1910

1990-2000

1910-1920

2010-2020

1960-1970

1970-1980

1400-1450

1980-1990

1800-1850

1750-1800

1500-1550

1550-1600

Mid 19th century

Early 18th century

Subject

Seascape

Nature

Style

Vintage

Antique

Contemporary

Realism

Brutalist

Arts & Crafts style

Cubism

Modern

Folk Art

Technique

Giclée

African & Tribal Art

This object is no longer available, but there’s still lots to explore

A wooden mask - Ogoni - Nigeria

Popular in African & Tribal Art

720 objects

Related collections