Great! Rare Lega Lukungu bone mask, DR Congo, 1900-1920

Lega Lukungu mask made of elephant bone. These masks are either made of ivory or elephant bone. This mask may only be worn by a member of the Bwami association with the highest Kindi level. The members who made decisions on major issues such as war, for example. These masks were held in the hand or tied to the upper arm. The scarifications are applied by hand. . There is a small tear on the right side of the mouth that does go all the way to the back. So no piece has been glued in. However, if you look through the magnifying glass, the crack appears to have been reinforced a bit with some glue. There was a restoration under the left eye at some point, but this was already carried out in situ. The cord is still original. The mask is placed on a custom-made stand. The last two photos show similar masks with their yield.

Mask length: 18 cm, including stand 28 cm
Origin: DR Congo
Total weight: 258 grams
Date: 1900-1920 (is a safe estimate, could also be 19th century)
Provenance: ex Rob Vervoort (before that from an ex-colonial family from Liège, Belgium)