African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 2
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 3
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 4
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 5
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 6
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 7
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 8
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 9
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 10
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 11
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 12
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 13
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 2
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 3
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 4
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 5
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 6
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 7
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 8
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 9
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 10
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 11
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 12
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 13
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure
African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 2 African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 3 African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 4 African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 5 African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 6 African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 7 African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 8 African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 9 African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 10 African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 11 African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 12 African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure, view 13

African Igbo / Cross River Large Polychrome Crest with Snakes and Colonial Figure

17499

$5,500
/
Shipping calculated at checkout.
  • Free US shipping on most pieces; insurance on request
  • International shipping calculated at checkout
  • Guaranteed authentic, with signed certificate of authenticity
  • 14-day returns

Questions about this piece? Text or call Howard.

This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

The sculptural language, elongated necks, white‑chalk faces, pointed beards, high crested coiffures, and a palette of black, kaolin white, and ochre appears in Igbo maiden spirit and related southeastern masks, but the complex narrative top with snakes and a colonial figure also parallels Cross River masks used by nearby groups (e.g., Boki, Ejagham) where multiple figures and animals share a single helmet base.

The composition shows two powerful male (or possibly spirit) riders with tall tripartite crests flanking a central, smaller figure in a European top hat; such hats are widely used in Nigerian mask carving to reference colonial or elite status, modernity, or satire.

Each outer rider’s lower body transforms into a coiled, banded serpent, creating a hybrid human‑snake being; serpent forms are frequent in southeastern Nigerian masquerades, signaling power, medicine, and dangerous protective force.

The small female figure at the front, with exposed breasts and a box or bowl in her hands, recalls the standard “offering” motif that acknowledges women’s role in provisioning and spiritual mediation; many helmet masks in the region juxtapose female figures with masculine or colonial imagery to comment on gender and social balance.

Masks of this size, 28 inches / 71 cm high, and visual complexity would be danced in important community festivals or society performances rather than small village events.

They are typically mounted on the dancer’s head with an interior basket or padding and attached costume; the broad rim and vertical support under the base conform to that construction.

The chalk‑white faces and strong black‑and‑white striping echo the use of white kaolin and contrasting pigments in masquerades that mediate between ancestral/otherworldly realms and the living community.

The carving, pigments, and visible wear (cracks in the base, accumulated grime in recesses, abrasion on projections) are consistent with a mid‑20th‑century work that has seen actual use and later storage, rather than a recent tourist carving; comparable, documented helmet masks in museum collections from this region are usually dated late 19th to mid‑20th century.

Provenance: From the Estate of Dr David Gardner; New York and FL.

Every object is guaranteed authentic and as described, and has been legally acquired and imported in accordance with U.S. and applicable foreign regulations on the movement and sale of antiquities. A signed certificate of authenticity with a description and photograph accompanies this object. Any restoration is described on the invoice.

Free shipping within the United States on most pieces; oversized works are quoted at checkout. Insurance is available on request. We pack and ship ourselves, usually within two business days. International shipping by USPS or DHL is calculated at checkout; if your country is not listed, write to us. Customs forms state the full value; international buyers are responsible for duties and taxes.

Any object may be returned within 14 days of receipt for a refund or credit. Contact us first. See Buying from Us.

New acquisitions by email

Be the first to hear about new pieces as they arrive.

You may also like

Recently viewed

Back to African Tribal Art