A RARE AND IMPORTANT BETE MASK, Ivory Coast

John D. Graham, New York, 1920s-30s
Frank W. Crowninshield, New York, acquired from the above prior to 1937
John D. Graham, New York, re-purchased from the above
Chaim and Renee Gross, New York, acquired from the above in the 1940s

Brooklyn Museum of Art, Brooklyn, African Negro Art: The collects ion of Frank Crowninshield, March 20 - April 25, 1937
The Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio, The African Image: A New Selection of Tribal Art, February 1 - 22, 1959
Museum of African Art, Washington, D.C., The Sculptor's Eye: The African Art collects ion of Mr. and Mrs. Chaim Gross, 1976 (additional venues: Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, November 5, 1976 - January 2, 1977; Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia, Athens, March 27 - May 1, 1977; Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati, May 17 - July 17, 1977)

Ladislas Segy, African Sculpture Speaks, New York, 1952, p. 171, fig. 144
Margaret Plass, The African Image: A New Selection of Tribal Art, Toledo, 1959, p. 12, cat. 35
Arnold Rubin, The Sculptor's Eye, Washington, D.C., 1976, p. 40, cat. 31a

good condition overall for an object of this age; fine age crack on proper right side of forehead; the upper edge of the reverse of mask previously broken at ca. 2.5cm length and both pieces reattached; left ear broken at root and original piece reattached; some losses to the edges of the holes; some abrasions, wear and tear from use in traditional context; tar substance on the outside of the pair of upper horns, attesting to previously existing magic bundles; three of the inserted wooden teeth missing with five remaining in place; fiber beard missing with some fibers remaining, as seen on photographs; fine aged dark brown patina with traces of red and white pigment, and partial residue.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any stat.mes nt made by Replica Shoes 's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.