Dan Mask, Côte d'Ivoire

Reportedly Paul Guillaume, Paris
Leonard & Dorothy Elmhirst, Dartington Hall, Dartington, Devon, possibly acquired from Alex, Reid & Lefevre, London
The Dartington Hall Trust, gifted by Leonard Elmhirst, November 21, 1971
Sotheby's, New York, November 9, 1993, lot 60, consigned by the above
Cecilia & Irwin Smiley, New York, acquired at the above auction

Excellent condition overall. Marks, nicks, scratches and abrasions throughout. A small crack to the proper right side of the chin, with a traditional iron staple repair. Old French customs label to the back, faded. Small paper label with number 362. In white ink on top edge of rim: '46'. A metal eyelet on reverse from Inagaki base, which is no longer with object. Staple on the top of the forehead, as visible in the catalogue illustration. Fine dark brown nuanced patina.
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.

Leonard and Dorothy Elmhirst are perhaps best known for their collection of modern British art, which included works by Hepworth, Moore, and Nicholson, and for having founded the progressive Dartington Hall School, attended by Lucian Freud. Their collection, which appears to have contained little African art, included a number of works bought from Alex, Reid & Lefevre, the preeminent dealers of Modern art in London in the early 1930s. In May 1933 the firm held Primitive African Sculpture, one of the first exhibitions in London to present African sculpture as art entitled. The catalogue, which contains an unsigned foreword by Henry Moore, includes a large number of objects from Paul Guillaume, and the 11 illustrations are taken from his book Primitive Negro Sculpture. As the Elmhirsts were important clients of Alex, Reid & Lefevre it seems plausible that the present mask was acquired from the exhibition, which included nine Dan masks.