Wum Mabwo Mask, Cameroon

Harry A. Franklin, Los Angeles
Valerie Franklin, Beverly Hills, by descent from the above
Sotheby's, New York, The Harry A. Franklin Collection of African Art, April 21, 1990, lot 176
Myron Kunin, Minneapolis, acquired at the above auction

National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., The Art of Cameroon, February 1 - June 17, 1984; additional venues:
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, July 28 - September 9, 1984
New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans, October 6 - November 25, 1984
Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, March 9 - June 16, 1985
American Museum of Natural History, New York, July 15 - October 15, 1985
Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Los Angeles, Expressions of Cameroon Art: the Franklin Collection, February 1 - November 15, 1986; additional venues:
The Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, June 1 - September 6, 1987
Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, October 5, 1987 - January 3, 1988
Dayton Art Institute, Dayton, June 6 - September 4, 1988
Flint Institute of Arts, Flint, October 3, 1988 - January 8, 1989
Palo Alto Cultural Center, Palo Alto, October 7 - December 31, 1989

Tamara Northern, The Art of Cameroon, Washington, 1984, p. 65, fig. 92
Tamara Northern, Expressions of Cameroon Art: the Franklin Collection, Los Angeles, 1986, p. 51, fig. 37
Warren M. Robbins and Nancy I. Nooter, African Art in American Collections. Survey 1989, Washington and London, 1989, p. 310, fig. 794

Good condition for an object of this type and age. Weathered and worn as shown in catalogue illustration. Marks, nicks, scratches, abrasions, and small chips consistent with age and use. Age cracks and two losses to the back of the coiffure, including one loss around a cavity from insect damage. Cavity from insect damage on the inside of the mask (not visible from outside). Mounted to modern metal base with two screws embedded inside the mask.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.