Fon people, Benin

15 inches, painted wood, cloth, string, articulated ears

Though it looks like a large puppet from Mali, this is actually a mask from the Ouedah region of Benin (formerly called Dahomey). The ears are hinged with cloth and can be wiggled by pulling a string. Each ear is now fixed in place with a single screw for display purposes and can easily be removed. The Fon are well known for their decorative objects of metal made for the court.

$450