Post #759187 by SpaceAgeCity on Mon, Feb 15, 2016 10:07 PM

I'm trying to find the original source for the design of this large mask, which Benson's Tropical Sea Imports has been carrying for ages:

In their catalog, website, and ebay they call it variously "Formosa Delta Mask," "Formosa River Mask," "Sepik River Tiki Mask," and "Polynesian Mask." They've made versions of it both in plastic and wood. The plastic version is shown above and the wood version (damaged in this photo) is shown below.

I know most of their masks (like those at Oceanic Arts) either recreate or echo existing artifacts from the South Pacific. I'm curious as to the original source material for this one, and what the original looked like. Does it show up in some museum exhibition catalog?

I purchased the busted up wood version shown above, and repairing it will mean painting it. I'd like to paint it to look more-or-less like the original, assuming something original actually exists (or existed). This is far from the best mask in my collection, but I got it for a great price, so I might as well do what I can with it.

Chris