Masks "handcrafted in Ghana" any idears folks??

Back-story, I have a ton of masks, well... about 20, some regular size, some very large and some walking sticks (not sure what they are called?) Most everything is labeled - hand crafted in Ghana. These may be all "tourist quality", but I only purchased them as a package deal with some actual life-sized African tribal figures (I'm talking huge, the man is approximately 6'2" , solid wood, very heavy, fully hand-carved, very...tribal?) I'll post them as well - but I have so many, I will have to piece-meal it.

I purchased a huge lot for approximately $600 from a thrift store. A man arrived with a moving truck and wanted to donate the entire collection. His mother had died and she was a world-traveler, went on trips to Africa, etc, money was no object so she bought whatever she wanted and had many very large and heavy items shipped home if needed. I offered $600 for the lot as a "roll of the dice" not knowing anything about Africa, tribal art or masks - so, if you can bear with me, I'll keep adding photos. If anyone has any scoop on this stuff - lemme know - thanks, I'm really new, but loving this site and all the amazing and smart people!!!

 

Please do!

They will-- and they are!

 

Those do look to me like pieces made for the tourist market, as they look pretty recent, seem somewhat similar / consistent, and all have those similar tags. But other people will know more than me.

 

The middle one does not appear to be a mask.

 

I know, right?!?! I only noticed that after I posted - there are no holes for mouth/nose/eyes, etc - I am mostly just curious - I have so many - they are all different, of course, but they may have been just tourist/tourist shops masks... I'm not thinking they are worth much, but, because there are so many awesome people on this forum, I will post pictures of the others, maybe someone can make heads or tails of them? Thank you so much, you are so kind.

 

Will do - some are scary!!! yikes - thank you

 

Okay, this is weird... for the next 2 I pulled out (from the same lot) are these Huge wall masks - about 38" long and 9" across - but only one has a small tag that says, "made in Indonesia" pictures below - if anyone has any info on these, that would be great! Many more to come...thanks!

 

They are, souvenirs and home decor. The Indonesian made ones have nothing to do with any tradition.
But sometimes tourist items hitch a ride with the good stuff, which in this case could be the African tribal figures you mentioned.

 

could be but i have my doubts....

a 6'2 human figure......sounds just as touristy..

 

gotcha - thank you thank you thank you!!! that helps so much - I will ditch the Indonesian ones - or give away- let's consider that one closed yah! For the others, I'll keep snapping pictures - I am just interested in they have any value whatsoever? I'd like to re-coop my cost I do have a boatload of I guess now, all touristy stuff...<crying>

 

Yah! thank you - for these - the human figurines - any tourist that purchased them and had them shipped home much have paid a fortune for them... they are large, heavy, well-made and would have needed to be packed in huge crates. They are dusty and in a garage closet - I'm going to snap a few photos of the details, please take a look and let me know what you think?

 

I agree, it sounds unlikely, but let's see what they are.
We'll be here, so post away @Petunia!

 

So far, all tourist/decorative pieces. Workshops in Accra and Kumasi (Ghana) churn out stuff for the decorator market. You can google "Ghana wood masks" to get an idea of the various outlets that sell similar things. One of the simple signs of a mask being a decorative wall hanger will be a single hanging device on the back (a screw eye, piece of wire, etc.) and no other means of attaching the mask to a face or headdress.

But keep posting - there might be something good in there.

 

Yeh!! you are a super resource - please keep reading books, many books, as noted, I bought the whole gamut as a lot - masks, walking sticks, rain makers, carved wooden figurines, but mostly for the 3 (life-sized!!!!) huge, heavy and hand made tribal people. This is what I'm most interested in you - and any other tribal experts - looking at. For the masks and such, I can post and sell as they are easy to ship. But for these other 3... yikes!!

 

I like them, tourist-y or not! Never been to Ghana, nor to Indonesia. Who knows when it will be fully possible to be a tourist again (just musing, no need to answer that!).

 

I hear ya, too funny, I used to travel ALOT, now, not so much, really zip, I can't wait to post more of this stuff, I'm just insanely busy, the 3 huge life-sized ones I am so curious about - I do not know how a tourist would have gotten them home They are HUGE and HEAVY - 3 full-sized, hand carved people - and they are scary...anyhow, hope your having a great day, all good here

 

same way tourists buy totem poles in BC...... ya ship em !