Basketry Yam Mask (Baba) | Abelam, Papua New Guinea | Ron Perry Provenance

3363-022

Offered for sale is an impressive 18-inch woven basketry yam mask from the East Sepik Province of Papua New Guinea, acquired directly from the Ron Perry Arizona Room collection. Known traditionally as a baba or bapamini mask, these sacred woven sculptures were created by the Abelam people exclusively to decorate and "dress" giant, long yams rather than being worn by humans. During competitive post-harvest exchange ceremonies, these adorned tubers represent ancestral spirits, cementing the social status and prestige of the clan's master growers.

This powerful example features a spectacular, fully circular radiating woven crest framing a tightly woven central face shield. The lower face is defined by a sharp nasal ridge, piercing eyes, and a highly graphic yellow, white, and black pigmented palette using traditional earth minerals. The mask was field-collected by Ron Perry, a globally renowned expert and one of the most respected Pacific tribal art authorities of the 20th century. Beginning his expeditions in 1964, Perry spent over 40 years traveling by canoe up remote waterways and trekking unmapped terrains to collect authentic pieces directly from traditional clans. His credibility in the field is unmatched: following Papua New Guinea's independence in 1975, the PNG National Cultural Council appointed him to manage Village Arts, their government-run indigenous artifact center.

With its striking concentric openwork loops, intact coloration, and prestigious lineage, this is an outstanding display piece that will serve as an exceptional addition to any collection of Oceanic, ethnographic, or tribal art.

Item Details:

Object: Basketry Yam Mask (Baba / Bapamini)

Culture: Abelam People

Region: Maprik Region, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea

Period: Mid to Late 20th Century

Dimensions: 18" H × 15.5" W × 5" D (45.7 × 39.4 × 12.7 cm)

Materials: Woven rattan / wild plant fiber and natural earth mineral pigments (ochre, lime, charcoal)

Provenance: Acquired directly from the Ron Perry Arizona Room collection

Condition Note: This piece exhibits authentic, stable aging, beautiful native patination, and minor fiber wear consistent with age and/or traditional ceremonial use. Note some very minor, stable loose fiber elements along the upper inner loop row, typical of genuine woven field pieces. Please review all photographs carefully, as they are an important part of the description.

This is available for local pick-up. Shipping can be available for this item. Please contact us for a custom quote or to make arrangements.