SKU: 9560816087

Igbo Helmet Maiden Mask, Nigeria PROVENANCE Ex: Birmingham Museum of Art, AL, USA

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Igbo Helmet Maiden Mask, Nigeria PROVENANCE Ex: Birmingham Museum of Art, AL, USAIgbo Helmet Maiden Mask Headdress, Nigeria Provenance: Ex: Birmingham Museum of Art, AL, USA. , Ex Dr Gilbert Jackson collection, MD, USA. Tall carved wooden helmet mask or headdress, with elaborate carved details and some openwork design featuring several anthropomorphic figures, kaolin clay pigments and raised carved motifs. Igbo People, Nigeria Measurements: 22. 5 inches tall. Well handled and worn, good condition, amazing patina Display Stand

  • Igbo Helmet Maiden Mask / Headdress, Nigeria
  • Provenance: Ex: Birmingham Museum of Art, AL, USA. , Ex Dr Gilbert Jackson collection, MD, USA.
  • Tall carved wooden helmet mask or headdress, with elaborate carved details and some openwork design featuring several anthropomorphic figures, kaolin clay pigments and raised carved motifs.
  • Igbo People, Nigeria
  • Measurements: 22.5 inches tall.
  • Well handled and worn, good condition, amazing patina 
  • Display Stand included.
  • Igbo Ideals of Beauty are based on both physical and moral dimensions. Traditional Igbo Society's Idealized Female Beauty dictates physically a girl should be tall and slender, with a long neck, full and pointed breasts, light complexion and small features, her hair elaborately dressed (preferably in the crested style) and her features brought out by facial tattoos.
  • These observable qualities mirror the Spiritual Traits desired by Igbo males - Purity, as defined by the paleness of her complexion, grace in the form of
    her facial features and the manner in which the spirit is danced, obedience, good character, and generosity. In addition, the crested hairstyle, which is
    often considered a sign of wealth or royalty, is a symbol of the young Igbo maiden as the source of bride-wealth for her family upon her marriage. Such
    physical and moral ideals are often not matched in reality, and are not necessarily meant to the maiden spirits are transcendent, a connection between
    Igbo desires of beauty and the spiritual awesomeness of the incarnate dead.

    Maiden mask artists favored red, orange, yellow, and black pigments to highlight their carvings, along with other colors, and these can be seen on the
    entirety of the mask. As in a number of the more elaborate masks, which can have anywhere from one to three hair crests, this maiden has three crests
    dramatically pairing positive and negative space.

    Maiden masks are used mostly during agricultural festivals (usually the dry season) and the second funerals of prominent society members. On latter
    occasions maiden spirits are invoked alongside other spirits as appropriate escorts of the highly respected dead into the spirit world. During agricultural
    or other ceremonies, however, maiden spirits appear to aid in watching over the living and to promote abundant harvests, fertility, and general
    prosperity. Maiden spirits are light-hearted in contrast to more menacing spirits of the Igbo world, which often generate a more serious atmosphere.
    Maiden maskers perform almost theatrically, as if in a play, their purpose to entertain both human and spirit audiences.

    SOURCE:
    Aniakor, Chike C. and Herbert M. Cole. Igbo Arts: Community and Cosmos. Museum of Cultural History, University of California: Los Angeles, 1984.

  • "The white maiden masks, all danced by men, have super structures of several
    types, indicating spirit characters of different ages. The eldest daughter, called
    Headload because of her mask's large figured superstructure, leads the others. Her
    younger sisters, following, have elaborate crested hairstyles and small pointed
    breasts. All wear bright polychrome appliqué cloth "body suits" whose patterning
    loosely resemble monochromatic designs painted on youthful females in the area.
    Other characters in the drama are a mother, a father, sometimes an irresponsible
    son, and a suitor costumed as a titled elder, whose amorous, often bawdy advances
    to one or more "girls" are invariably rebuffed. The play unfolds predictably, with the
    maidens' dances becoming ever faster and more virtuosic as the maskers compete
    with one another for audience approval and even financial reward."

    Source: A History of Art in Africa

 

 

 

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SKU: 9560816087

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4.2 ★★★★★
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Jennifer Sivak
New York, US
★★★★★ 4
Creepy, unpredictable and an all-around great read!
Format: Kindle
The power of our choices has never been more evident than in this novel. This book is filled with both good, and bad, decisions that lead to terrifying consequences. Right from the start, our protagonist, Eve, has to make a choice — should she let the family who showed up at her front door inside her home or send them back into the cold? Inevitably, Eve’s inability to say no and need to please others outweighs Stranger Danger and soon the family of five is wandering through the isolated Victorian house. The book warns early on, “Once you let them in, they’ll never leave.” For sure once she let them in, things were never the same. The visit seems innocuous enough until things start to change. Subtle changes, the kind that makes you second guess yourself, slowly emerge and, as time goes on, transform into the kind that makes you question reality. Eve, too, transforms throughout the book. Her character bounces through bouts of paranoia, insecurity, impulsiveness and courage, never fully landing on one attribute, although paranoia always seems to be lurking in the depths of her mind. She constantly questions her own perceptions of what is and what was and the intentions of even the most innocent interactions. The book goes beyond the fear of what goes bump in the night and harnesses the fear of the unknown, keeping us on the edge of our seats. Nothing is as it seems. And it is scary! Kliewer’s frightening images and heart stopping encounters stay with you long after you’ve closed the book. At times, I found myself gripping my Kindle tightly and reading at lightning speed as if I, too, am escaping the sinister situations Eve faces. All in all, this is a good read. It’s quick and easy and Kliewer sets the stage with plenty of backstory, foreshadowing, suffocating tension, and creepy moments that all manage to tie into the moment a strange family shows up at her door. However, upon finishing, I found myself left with several unanswered questions (the only reason it got 4 and not 5 stars), which can be uncomfortable for readers who need everything wrapped up on a nice neat bow. But if you can handle a little ambiguity, take the time to read this book. Trust me, it's worth your time. And it may leave you questioning if things really are as they seem or have you hesitating before taking that trek down to the basement. For me, I may reconsider answering the door should a family of five come knocking.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2024
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ohtiki
Draper, US
★★★★★ 5
Definitely a page turner!
Format: Kindle
I really enjoyed this book! I was looking for a good, spooky book and this delivered. I went through all the emotions with this book; frustrated, sad, scared, confused...there was so much happening!! It was easy to get through this book because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. Although I loved this book, I had a lot of questions at the end, but the author could definitely write a couple more books getting deeper into the different stories introduced. I don't want to say TOO much because I don't want to give anything away, but after I finished I was like, "Nooooo!!!" LOL So, give it a read.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2026
B
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Bob Lewis
Fort Morgan, US
★★★★★ 3
A great read that leaves some loose threads
Format: Hardcover
I knew next to nothing about this book going into it other than that it was a horror novel and that my book club selected it. That’s neither a point in favor of or against the book itself, but it does become relevant in a moment because my lack of background shaped how I approached it to a certain extent. But before we get to that, the basic premise here is that this young couple has moved into a new house. One day while only one of them is home, there’s a knock at the door. This family is there and they say they used to live in the house and want to look around. In the real world, most of us would find that a slightly awkward situation but not an entirely unheard of one. In a horror novel, you know it’s going to set things in motion that probably won’t end well for at least someone involved, and that is indeed the case. But, contrary to immediate expectations, this doesn’t shift into a home invasion story. Instead, it treats us to a bit of slow burn horror as this visiting family seem slightly “wrong” for reasons neither the reader nor characters can put their fingers on, and things ultimately lead in rather unexpected directions, though I won’t spoil too much there. One of the interesting things I noticed quickly is that little interlude chapters throughout the book were punctuated with bits of Morse Code, which I dutifully translated as I read and which slowly began to hint at more of what was going on behind the scenes. That was a nice touch, I thought, but the novel eventually ran even further with that idea, treating us to more substantial codes and ciphers that became increasingly difficult to decrypt or translate. Some eventually became so frustrating that I took to the Internet for aid, whereupon I discovered that to solve some of them, you actually need clues from an alternate reality game which coincided with the book’s publication, but which the novel itself never directly alluded to, so that felt like a bit of a cheat to me, though I was eventually able to gather the information needed to solve the puzzles. Ultimately, I did not find those solutions necessary to understanding or enjoying the book, so it’s not too big a deal. The book itself was engrossing and exciting throughout but left the reader feeling like we’d only just gotten the tiniest taste of a much larger mythology, and I found myself wanting quite a bit more by the end of it, and I mean that in both a good way and a bad way. It’s good because it means I found the book so good I wanted more, but it’s bad because I found the ending left far too many loose threads for my own taste. But if you like a book ambitious enough to risk feeling a bit convoluted and yet with a clear sense that the author always knew exactly what he was doing, I think you’ll like this one. Though it’s far from AS complex, I think it will appeal strongly to fans of House of Leaves. Both thematically and in terms of structure, I noticed certain parallels between those works.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2025
T
Verified Purchase
Tami B
Birmingham, US
★★★★★ 4
Give it a Go
Format: Hardcover
I was captivated by the storyline from the very beginning. I had read numerous glowing reviews about this book, so I eagerly delved into it, eager to be swept away by the thrilling mystery that lay ahead. While there were a few instances where the chapters felt unnecessarily lengthy, the book was generally exhilarating and suspenseful. Of course, there were some predictable elements, but where's the fun in predicting everything? Overall, I enjoyed the twists and turns of this novel. However, the ending fell short of my expectations (which is a "me" problem). There were a few unanswered questions (perhaps by design), and the ending—well, let's say I wasn't a fan. Nevertheless, the Moris code and the puzzle within one of the DOCs were delightful touches that added depth to the novel.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2025
M
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Megan McKernan
Pawtucket, US
★★★★★ 5
Confusing in the Best Way—A Chilling, Unforgettable Read
Format: Hardcover
This book completely pulled me in. It’s suspenseful, surreal, and genuinely unsettling in a way that lingers long after you put it down. The story keeps you slightly off-balance the entire time—you’re not quite sure what’s real, what’s not, or where it’s all going… but that’s what makes it so gripping. There were moments where I felt confused, but not in a bad way—it adds to the eerie atmosphere and makes the payoff even more impactful. It’s one of those books that keeps you thinking, piecing things together, and feeling just a little disturbed the whole way through. If you like psychological thrillers that are tense, strange, and a little terrifying, this one absolutely delivers. 5/5—haunting, gripping, and worth the ride.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2026

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