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Lot of Six (6) Miniature Lucite, Japanese Noh Masks - A Main Library Find - The Voodoo Estate

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Price:
$259.90
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Condition:
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Weight:
25.00 Grams
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~ Voodoo Priestess Estate ~ ©
 
 Lot of Six (6) Miniature Lucite, Japanese Noh Masks
 
A Main Library Find 
 
~!~ 

It has now been just over twenty=three and a half years ago since we were called to do an estate that had been closed up for seventeen years!

The Voodoo Estate!

This type of call usually gets us excited as they are a treasure trove.  Located here in Florida, there was no electricity or running water so we rigged our own lighting and in we went.  If you have ever seen the Adams Family you will have some idea as to what we were greeted with!  Then the attorney handling the liquidation gave us some background.

The estate had belonged to an alleged powerful Voodoo Priestess/JooJoo Exorcist, grand daughter of a Marie Laveau, and favored daughter of a Marie Glapion.

These names meant nothing to us, but the late night talk of Voodoo and exorcism in the old mansion was enough for us to spend the night in a hotel and return in the morning to assess the estate.  The rest is history.

Our research has shown that this woman was what she claimed and was indeed descended from a long line of well known Vodoun family originating in New Orleans in the early 1800's.

We were pretty unnerved by this until we discovered they were also devout Catholics!  Although I have to admit this was unlike any Catholic home we have ever been in and some of the items found inside were a little more than disturbing.  There was no feeling of dread or unwelcome in the mansion, however there was quite a bit of contraband and other items we can or will not sell here. 

This is one of a few lots from this estate we will be posting this week, so check our other listings!

We will, upon the new guardian's request, issue a named Letter of Authenticity with each lot from this estate, complying with the terms set forth to us by the estate's attorney.

~!~

Some Back Story

Found in a museum cased display of Japanese Noh masks in the Main Library, her inventory tells us all of the masks in this display were brought back from Japan by the 1898 LiDiex, who was part of the Allied Occupation of Japan after WWII.  Unfortunately, the ledgers containing the history of the collection and her own comments are lost to the ages due to damaged ledgers.

Left on our own to research which revealed; 

Taken from the website noh.com, for the most part.
 
Noh is an art form that utilizes masks, and there is a great variety of them. There were originally about sixty basic types of noh masks, but today there are well over two hundred different types in use.
 
Covering the face with a mask is much like wearing makeup.  However, noh performers feel that the noh mask has a certain power inherent in it which makes it much more spiritual than a prop used to change ones appearance.  Taking into account the status of a certain noh, the noh performer will carefully choose a noh mask, known also as a noh-men or omote.  In most cases, the exact mask is not predetermined, but depending on which noh is being done, the shite has a variety to choose from.  In the end, it is up to the shite to make the final determination as to which mask is chosen.

~!~

Origin of the Noh Mask
 
Exactly when the noh mask came into being is not entirely clear however it is believed that masks, and their names still used today, were developed from the mid to latter part of the Muromachi period (1392-1573).  Previous to that time, the mask conventions were not entirely set and masks themselves had stronger religious connotations.  It was during the Muromachi period that the religious significance of the masks began to wane and they took on more human characteristics.  It is thought that as performers started to think more about the use of yugen (mysterious beauty) and profundity, they felt they needed to hide the unattractive aspects of their own faces and concentrate on making the beauty of noh stronger.
 
Between the end of the Muromachi period and the modern age the art of making noh masks was established as a hereditary art with a long lineage.  Two examples are the Deme family from Echizen (present day Fukui prefecture) and the Iseki family from Ohmi (present day Shiga prefecture).  Following the establishment of noh mask making families, the stylization of noh masks significantly advanced.  Even today there are many independent mask makers. While some nohgaku performers still make their own masks, the performance world and the mask-making world are essentially independent of each other.
 
Noh Mask Expression: Teru and Kumoru
 
As it is often difficult to tell the actual feelings expressed in a noh mask, it is said to be made with a “neutral” expression.  The mask carver tries to instill a variety of emotions in the mask.
 
It is up to the performer to imbue the mask with emotion.  One of the techniques used in this task is to slightly tilt the mask up or down.  With terasu (tilting upwards) the mask appears to be slightly smiling or laughing and the expression lightens somewhat.  While kumorasu (tilting downwards), produces a slight frown and can express sadness or crying.  Basically, by using minute movements, the performer is able to express very fully.
 
Noh masks, like costumes and props, are extremely valuable heirlooms and handed down from generation to generation.  After having the costume put on, the shite (performer) then goes to the kagami no ma (mirror room) where in front of a mirror, the shite faces the mask.  In putting the mask on, the word kaburu (putting on clothing) is not used.  Instead the word kakeru (to hang) or tsukeru (to attach) is used.  In this way, it is implying that the performer is “becoming” the mask, and its emotions, in order to better express the characters feelings.
 
In reality, a noh mask does not entirely cover a noh performer’s face when it is being worn.  In fact, it is thought best if some part of the chin and/or jowls show.
 
Also, as the eye holes of the mask are very small, the field of vision of the performer is very limited when wearing the mask.  Consequently the simple design of the stage and the use of hashira (pillars) assists in helping the performer know their location during a performance.
 
Hitamen
 
Not all the main performers on stage wear masks in noh.  Usually the shite and the tsure wear masks and occasionally there are instances where the ai will as well.  The waki as a rule, playing a character who is living in the present, does not wear a mask.  This is called hitamen or a “direct mask.”  However, even without wearing a mask, the performer is meant to “make their face a mask.”  The performer must inject power and emotion into their performance while not using their face to express. In some genzai noh the shite or tsure do not wear masks.
 
Types of Noh Masks
 
Okina (Old man masks), this type of mask originated from sarugaku, the predecessor of noh, in the latter part of the Heian period.  This is the oldest type of noh mask.  Jo (Elders masks), examples of this type are the Kojo, Asakurajo, Sankojo and Waraijo masks.  These masks are often used in the first half of first or second category noh when the shite is portraying a spirit.  Onna-men (Woman masks), when most people think of noh these are the masks that come to mind.  That being the case, these tend to be the most varied and popular masks.  These masks are categorized by age and character.
 
Examples of beautiful young women masks are the ko-omote, wakaonna, zo and magojiro.  The omiona mask also portrays a young woman, but with more of a working class background.  Fukai and shakumi masks are both used to play mature, middle-aged woman of elegance and grace however the latter displays a stronger character.  The deigan mask has gold rimmed eyes which implies that the character is otherworldly.  Examples of masks for playing old women are rojo and uba.  Otoko-men (Man masks), heida, chujo, juroku, hatachi-amari, doji, kasshiki, and yase-otoko are all examples of masks in this category which are classified according to social class and character.  Kishin (Demons), these masks were developed early in noh’s history and are used for portraying demons, goblins or other worldly creatures.  This category is divided into two main parts, tobide (fierce gods or demonic spirits) and beshimi (goblins and other creatures).  Onryo (Ghosts and Spirits), these masks are used for spirits of the dead who have regrets of some kind.  In this category there are both male and female masks.  Examples of male types are ayakashi, yase-otoko and kawazu.  Examples of female types are yamamba, deigan and the famous hannya masks.
 
For more on noh masks, including pictures and summaries, please go to the Noh Mask Database
 
~!~
 
Hyottoko
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, for the most part;
 
Hyottoko is a comical Japanese character, portrayed through the use of a mask.  His mouth is puckered and skewed to one side.  Some masks have different eye sizes between the left and right eyes.  He is often wearing a scarf around his head (usually white with blue dots).  There is a similar character for women called Okame or Otafuku.
 
The origin of the name comes from "fire" and "man" because the character is blowing fire with a bamboo pipe, hence the shape of the mouth. Local dialects transformed it into Hyottoko palatalizing hio to hyo and making the /t/ geminate.
 
Hyottoko seems to have been a legendary character in Japan in the past, and is now a stock character.  In Iwate Prefecture, there is a myth about the origin of Hyottoko.  In the story, there was a boy with a bizarre face who could create gold out of his belly button, so when someone died in a house, you would put the mask of this boy at the top of the fireplace to bring good fortune to the house.  The name of the boy was Hyoutokusu.  This is considered one of the possible names that lend plausibility to the origin of Hyottoko.
 
In some parts of north eastern Japan, Hyottoko is regarded as the god of fire. There is a well known folk story in the form of music, izumoyasugibushi where a fisherman dances with a bamboo basket, having the same visual expression as the mask of Hyottoko.  During this dance, a person puts five yen coins on their nose.  This is similar to myth of Iwate prefecture.  Izumo is the old name of Iwate prefecture and Izumo was famous for its iron industry.  The dance was part of a dedication for fire and steel.
 
Hyottoko also appears in traditional dance dengaku.  He plays the role of a clown.  Dancers wearing Hyottoko masks also appear in some Japanese local festivals.  One of the most famous Hyottoko dances takes place in Miyazaki Prefecture - Hyuga Hyottoko Natsumatsuri.  The Hyotokko dance is believed to originate in the Edo period.

~!~

 But Back to these Masks

Examination reveals a vintage lot of six hand finished miniature lucite Noh masks, most likely made by an artist or studio that specialized in noh masks as indicated by the unknown maker's mark on five of them.

 



Top row, from left to right, they are, to the best of our knowledge,

Otoko-men (Man masks)

 

Heida, chujo, juroku, hatachi-amari, doji, kasshiki, and yase-otoko are all examples of masks in this category which are classified according to social class and character.

The first mask is maker marked and measures approximately 1 5/16" x 1 1/4" x 3/4".  It weigh 8.5 grams with green and yellow square plaited lanyard. 

The next mask is also maker marked and measures approximately 1 3/8" x 1 5/16" x 3/4".  Itweigh 8.8 grams with red square plaited lanyard. 
~!~

Okina - Old Man Mask 

 

This type is only used for the piece called "Okina" performed in the New Year or for special occasions.  It is a kind of ritual item derived from sarugaku, the classic form of the Noh, and it is said that this type was already used in the late Heian era (12th Century).  It predates any other types of the Noh masks.

This one is also maker marked and measures approximately 1 1/4" x 1" x 1/2".  It weigh 3.9 grams with green and yellow square plaited lanyard.

Second Row, left to right;

Okina Old Man and Onna - Woman Mask

Paired like this, they are both Onna-men (Onna masks) and are perhaps the most popular type of the Noh masks that first come into people's minds.  There are a number of variations including Ko-omote that portrays a young woman.  Depending on ages or characters of roles, the type is broken into parts, such as Waka-onna, Shakumi, Uba, and Rojo.

They are both maker marked.  The old man measures approximately 1 1/16" x 3/4" x 3/8" while the Onna measures approximately 15/16" x 13/16" x 3/8".  They have a combined weight of 4.3 grams and share a green red square plaited lanyard.

 

Onryu - Ghost and Spirit Mask

This is the type that portrays incarnate spirits of dead persons.  They include male ghosts such as Ayakashi, Yase-otoko and Kawazu, and female ones such as Yamanba and Deigan.  They are all regretful and revengeful of this world.  Hannya, one of the well-known type of the masks, is also classified into this group.

This one is not maker marked and measures approximately 1 1/8" x 13/16" x 9/16".  It weigh 3.3 grams with a red square plaited lanyard.

~!~

She installed a set very similar to these as button on a sweater!

 This set is in near mint condition with no sign of damage or repair.

 It is certainly an unusual lot of vintage Japanese artifacts with an extraordinary provenance that are much nicer than the photographs are able to depict.

~!~

We have been contacted and visited by a number of people who were interested in the items from this estate since our first batch was listed.  Among the buyers have been known psychics and practitioners.  More than one, after adorning themselves or handling their purchase, stated "this is a woman of power!"  Many of our customers, after receiving items from this estate have reported dream contacts and other unexplained phenomenon.

Unusual, authentic Voodoo Priestess Estate lot and at a bargain price!

This is truly a rare opportunity to own anything with attributes to this estate.  The majority of this estate is now gone.  Most of what we had left, and it was considerable, has been split up and sold to a couple of private, foreign collector practitioners that will never be available to the public again.  We made the decision to do this as we have had some pretty strange visits from even stranger individuals and there have been enough unexplained phenomenon going on in the warehouse where her things were kept that many of our employees refused to go in there.

The pieces offered and sold here are some of the few remaining pieces that will ever be offered to the public.

Nice addition to any collection, altar or decor that displays really well.

Really doesn't get any better than this.

There are 8 photographs below to tell the rest of this tale.

Buyer to pay $0.00 for Insured Ground Shipping with Tracking, handling and lagniappe. 

Rest assured your order will be carefully packed to withstand the onslaught of the most deranged of UPS or parcel carriers.


 

International Buyer's, Please email us for a Shipping Quote.

 Payment is due at listing end.

Check our other listings, and sign up for our newsletter as new items are usually listed daily.

©Text and Photos Copyright 2001-2025 bushidobuce, all rigthts reserved.

 

~!~


 

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