The second Yaka / Suku mask was offered at Sotheby's African and Oceanic Arts Sale PF701805 December 2007 in Paris. It is the 'sister mask' to the Yaka on offer. Note the remarkable resemblance to the treatment of either masks' eyes.

In the sale catalogue it was written:  Description: Ce masque kholuka ou mbaala offre un visage éminemment expressionniste, aux traits individuellement projetés dans l'espace - yeux globuleux inscrits dans des orbites creusées, nez proéminent caractéristique, les narines dilatées signifiant la lèvre supérieure projetée en haut relief, la bouche ouverte sur des dents limées. Belle nervosité de la sculpture, au modelé fin, accentuée par la ligne encerclant la face, et les projections - à l'emplacement des oreilles - de deux oiseaux stylisés. Il est surmonté d'une coiffe en cuir cernée d'un disque horizontal, et ceint d'une abondante collerette en raphia dissimulant la poignée sculptée sous le menton. Très belle patine brun rouge, mouchetée de pigments blancs et rouges.

Like the other, age is confirmed by style. A tiny face includes a wooden carved beard of an elder - a characteristic theatrical nose with seldom seen globular eyes. The mask is also surmounted by a painted fabric/leather headdress, outlined with abundant raffia concealing a handle carved under the chin.

Yaka Mask ex - J R Ivy Collection - Colin Sayers Collection

The men traditionally practiced hunting with bows and spears, while women cultivated . Their life took place under the forest canopy and their skills determined what it provided.

Masking at the n'Khanda

Young male attains the status of manhood through the ritual activities of the n'khanda. Organized by the village elders, the n'khanda brings together a number of adolescents to receive instruction, within the seclusion of the initiation enclosure, which may last up to three years. Yaka call their masks 'mwelo' and they are carved for the boys initiations. The carver is known as 'muumbwa'. He repairs old masks, and carves new ones of various personalities, away from the initiation enclosure, and separated from the view of villagers.

The majority of masks appear in the proceedings before, during or after the male initiation. They divide into five main categories: large wooden masks with bloated faces, helmet masks, zoomorphic masks, anthropomorphic masks and finally, masks with a painted raffia superstructure. Our mask is the later and called 'mbala'. It is worn by the lead tutor of the initiation camp and is the only mask that dances alone.

At the conclusion of the initiation period, initiates wear various masks and pass from village to village, where they dance and receive rewards for their performance. The images above were taken in the Belgium Congo by Eliot Elisofon during 1951. The bulbous eyes of the shorter figure are much related to the older Ivy's example.
 

 
Robert (Bob) Ivy was born January 3rd 1912. He took over his father's taxidermy business - established in 1910. Under Bob's guidance, the enterprise received worldwide recognition for its artistic techniques used to reproduce life like specimens of animals. Theodore Roosevelt was a client.

 

From the 1940's, Bob and his young daughter Marion (nee Crozier / nee Avice du Buisson) travelled through the African veldt together, visiting natives and learning about their material culture. Congo and Angolese artefacts were acquired in Zambia and a tribal art business was established. Marion created a 'Collector's Corner' of ethnographic objects in all five outlets. 
 

A private museum of ethnographic and tribal art works was displayed at the Johannesburg Market Street branch. Objects were marked; Marion Du Buisson - NFS (Marion Ivy - Not for Sale) This is one of those items which formed the core of the collection. On the reverse of the label is written: Bayaka

Gerard Bhengu and Barbara Tyrrell sold their artworks at J R Ivy's. Collectors Killie Campbell, Egon Guenther, Udo Horstmann, Vittorio Meneghelli, Sydney Press and Colin Sayers frequented the premises, as did artist/authors Aubrey Elliot, Hannes Harrs, Sam Haskins, Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa and Karel Nel.

 

  
'The Egon Gunter Family Collection' was offered for sale by Sotheby's New York in November 2000. Many objects attributed to JR Ivy were included. World record prices were obtained. Egon Gunter was an art dealer who opened his first gallery in Germany during the 1940's and in 1951, moved to South Africa. Marion confirmed that he unsuccessfully tried to purchase this and three other masks over the many years they were exhibited.

 Yaka mask Coiffure Detail - Colin Sayers Collection

 Collection Colin Sayers - Yaka Masque

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