Seneca, Iroquois Confederacy, northeastern North America
Circa 1880
Basswood, tin, horse hair, metal, canvas
Mask height 11" (27.9 cm); with hair 29" (73.7 cm)
Provenance: Mrs. Joe Silversmith, Salamanca, New York; private Southern California collection
False Face masks hold a central place in Iroquois ceremonial life, used by members of the False Face Society in healing rituals and the driving away of illness and malevolent spirits. This example follows the Seneca tradition, one of the six nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, where such masks were carved from basswood and regarded as living objects in their own right. The crooked, grimacing features reflect the mythological figure who challenged the Creator and was permanently disfigured.
The carving retains its full fall of horse hair framing the face, a defining feature of active ceremonial use, with articulated tin eye plates and canvas backing. The dark patina across the wood surface suggests extended handling and ritual application of sunflower oil, a customary practice for maintaining the mask's spiritual vitality. The piece carries provenance tracing to Mrs. Joe Silversmith of Salamanca, New York, located within the Seneca Nation's Allegany Territory, lending it particular historical grounding.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Seneca, Iroquois Confederacy, northeastern North America
Circa 1880
Basswood, tin, horse hair, metal, canvas
Mask height 11" (27.9 cm); with hair 29" (73.7 cm)
Provenance: Mrs. Joe Silversmith, Salamanca, New York; private Southern California collection
False Face masks hold a central place in Iroquois ceremonial life, used by members of the False Face Society in healing rituals and the driving away of illness and malevolent spirits. This example follows the Seneca tradition, one of the six nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, where such masks were carved from basswood and regarded as living objects in their own right. The crooked, grimacing features reflect the mythological figure who challenged the Creator and was permanently disfigured.
The carving retains its full fall of horse hair framing the face, a defining feature of active ceremonial use, with articulated tin eye plates and canvas backing. The dark patina across the wood surface suggests extended handling and ritual application of sunflower oil, a customary practice for maintaining the mask's spiritual vitality. The piece carries provenance tracing to Mrs. Joe Silversmith of Salamanca, New York, located within the Seneca Nation's Allegany Territory, lending it particular historical grounding.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
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