Rare and ancient turtle shell mask. Within this small corpus of already very rare miniature masks, other rarities emerge, notably this specimen made from a turtle shell, whose mouth and eyes, simply pierced, give it a soft, almost naive presence. Its patina on both sides testifies to a real age and leaves little doubt as to its traditional character. This turtle shell mask and the following one made of cassowary bone, added to those already known made of pig bone, could they not be an element of understanding of the cult they constituted, who knows, to the spirits of these animals? Adjora or Aion people, Porapora River region, East Sepik province, Papua New Guinea Turtle shell, vegetable fibers and cassowary feathers, old and important patina of use. H. 17 cm without feathers Provenance: - Collected by Pierre Langlois and Marcel Évrard in 1959-60 - Former Marcel Évrard collection - Former private collection