Liberia
Wood with glass tube eyes, steel nail in forehead (9" h. x 5 1/4” w. 3 1/2” d.)

Ex. collection of Jonathan Fisher
ex. Charles D. Miler III

wood w/ mineral pigments
(19" h. x 8 1/4" w. x 5" d.)

Ex. Collection of Mary Sue and Paul Peter Rosen

Fon, Benin, late 20th century
Wood with red, green, yellow, black, white oil paint, with fabric hinge for wings, nylon strings (19"h. x 8 1/2"w. x 10" d.).  Wings and head of bird are operable by pulling strings.  
Ex. collection of Nancy Josephson.  Purchased by collector in Benin, c.2000.

Unknown artist. Jacmel, Haiti.
Painted papier maché, fabric, rubber and cow-horn (14 1/2" h. x 20” w. 14” d. not including tongue and fabric) c. 1989.
I have been told that “Se wè ya wèm” means : "A little while, and you will no longer see me".
Ex. collection of Rudi Stern.

Note: this is a vintage piece collected over thirty years ago, and displayed by the collector.  Some wear and chipping of paint is to be expected.

Unsigned but attributed to Victoriano Salgado Morales (1920 - 2012)
Uruapan, Michoacan, Mexico,
c.1970 - 1980
Maque lacquer on wood.
(9" h. x 7” w. x 5” d.)

A prolific designer and maker of wooden, maque, decorative masks used by dancers in Purépecha fiestas, one of Grand Masters of Mexican Folk art and one of last skilled masters of this unique art form.  Mr. Salgado learned this skill from several mask makers of the Magdalena neighborhood where he grew up. His first mask dates back to 1950 and it was a "Negrito" folk dance mask.

Victoriano's masks are not painted, the process used for color is a highly superior technique called "maque", which is a pre-hispanic process involving numerous applications of natural earth and insect pigments and oils applied with the palm of the hand that hardens into a brilliant, lustrous surface. 

Mr. Salgado created over 60 different masks, the most famous: dance of the Señor Naranjo, and the dance of the Tataqueri, Corcovi, Negritos and Viejitos.

He passed away on September 2012 two weeks before receiving the Erendira Award, The highest prize given by the Michoacan State Government.

Dogon people, Mali,
wood w/ kaolin, black and red pigment
(24"h.x 8" w.)

Unknown artist. Jacmel, Haiti.
Painted papier maché, fabric, rubber and sisal rope fiber (14" h. x 14” w. x 15” d. (not counting hair) c. 2000.

 
Ex collection of Nancy Josephson.

Unsigned but attributed to Victoriano Salgado Morales (1920 - 2012)
Dance of Los Viejitos.  Uruapan, Michoacan, Mexico,
mid-20th century
"Maque" lacquer on carved wood.  (9 3/4” h. x  6 3/4” w. x 4” d.)

Liberia, mid-20th century
Wood with cam wood pigment, animal teeth (10 3/4" h. x 7” w. x 4 1/4” d.)

Ex. collection of Jonathan Fisher,
ex. collection of Ralph Fisher
ex. Charles D. Miler III, 1976