Ekoi Ejagham Headpiece Leather Wrapped Basket Cap Nigeria African Art

• Popularity - 4295 views, 613.6 views per day, 7 days on eBay. Super high amount of views. 38 sold.
• Price - Avg: $0.00, Low: $0.00, High: $0.00. Best quality when compared to PicClick similar items.
• Seller - + items sold. 0% negative feedback. Great seller with very good positive feedback and over 50 ratings.

Type of Object<br>Headcrest, Basket Cap<br>Country of Origin<br>Nigeria<br>People<br>Ekoi/Ejagham<br>Materials<br>Wood, leather, seeds, hair (possibly human)<br>Approximate Age<br>20th century<br>Height (in)<br>19<br>Width (in)<br>18<br>Depth (in)<br>13<br>Overall Condition<br>Fair. Most of our pieces have spent decades on at least two continents, and have been treasured by several owners.   Small splits, scrapes and cracks are a normal part of their patina attesting to their age and extensive use.  We examine each piece carefully when we receive it and report any damage we find in our listings.  Please look carefully at the pictures which may also reveal condition and damage.<br>Damage/Repair<br>Some dirt, cracks, see photos for details<br>Additional Information:<br>Leather-covered head with basketry base from the Eket or Ejagham people living in Cross River area of Cameroon and Nigeria. The head displays hanging braided hair, and the face is highlighted with white elements in the eyelids and jagged teeth.   This is a classic well-used mask that would be of good addition to any collection. Headcrest masks from the Boki people, neighbors of the Ejagham, present many similarities with  these Ekoi - Ejagham headpieces.<br>A number of different groups living within close proximity to the Cross River share language, political and religious structures which influences their arts. Though generally ruled by a local elder Cross River societies depend to a great extent upon a number of men’s secret societies to regulate the community and to instruct and initiate men into various levels of their organization. The Ejagham identified as the Ekoi in the past have a men’s secret society called Ngbe, whose members are known for wearing large skin covered masks worn over costumes covering the body. Each Ngbe chapter would have a lodge within which a range of ritual equipment was kept including masks. Ngbe membership was originally identified with a warrior’s society on the Cameroon side of the Cross River region, however today Ngbe members are engaged in social control and political activities. Ngbe members use ritual equipment to initiate new members and celebrates their lives during funerals. Crest masks such as this one were worn on the top of the head attached to a basketry cap.<br>AO0822<br>**142056**<br>All content, including pictures, Copyright Africa Direct Inc., 2022<br>Add Us To Your Favorite Sellers!<br>Please visit our About Us page.<br>Africa Direct, Inc. has been selling on eBay since 1997 and has received more than 56,000 positive feedbacks. It is owned by Eliza and Sara, who began the company after spending a year wandering southern Africa in a camper van with their multi-racial family. They have been honored with eBay's Hall of Fame award, and by eBay Giving Works, through which they have raised more than $125,000 in charity auctions.<br>Customer Service<br>: We treasure our many long term customers, and will try to make you one of them! If you have problems, please tell us... we care!<br>Handling Time<br>: We ship daily except Sundays and holidays. Most orders go out the same day, and all go out within 48 hours.<br>Returns<br>: We want you to be happy with your purchase. You're welcome to return an item within 30 days in the same condition you received it--just let us know you're returning it. You may have either a credit or a refund for your purchase price, not including shipping both ways. If your original payment was made through PayPal, we'll refund you through PayPal; if you paid us directly with your credit card, we'll refund the credit card.<br>Combining Shipping<br>: You are welcome to wait to pay, and to combine multiple items for shipping. We ask that you keep each order to 10 days or 10 items, whichever comes first--then start another order.<br>When you're ready, just send us a list of item numbers or an invoice request and we'll send you an invoice. You can pay by Paypal or credit card.<br>U.S. Shipping<br>: Our staff take great care in packing our artwork, much of which is antique, irregularly-shaped, and fragile. The cost of labor and the special packing materials used is reflected in our shipping price. Our U.S. shipping charges also include insurance; we self-insure on smaller orders. For these reasons, our shipping and handling charges may be more than the price of postage. .<br&