20th-Century Lwalwa Female Mask
GUEST:
I paid about $45 for the mask.
APPRAISER:
Okay, now, you think it's African?
GUEST:
I think it could be. It was, it was with African masks at a flea market in Albuquerque.
APPRAISER:
All right. I believe this thing is correct. It's a Lwalwa mask, and it comes from a tribe on the border of Angola and Zaire. About 20,000 people. This is a female mask because it has a narrow nose. The male masks are triangular. What is bizarre about this piece, and what is a real no-no, is, somebody tried to improve it. Somebody sanded it here and here, and even a little bit on the nose up here. And on the side. You never touch a mask. We look inside to see if it's old, and we see a wonderful surface along here, on the inside. It's an old mask, but it's a mask that would be worth a heck of a lot more money if somebody hadn't messed with it. All right? Now, the good news is, as is, this mask is probably $2,000 to $3,000.
GUEST:
Wow.
APPRAISER:
Did that put you in a good mood?
GUEST:
Yeah, that's really good.
APPRAISER:
Now, if somebody hadn't messed with it, it would probably be worth twice that.
GUEST:
Oh-- oh, okay.
Appraisal Details
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