Romanian Carved Wood Face Spoon with Mask-Like Head & Chip-Carved Diamond Handle, Nicolae Popa, Târpești Folk Art

Description

Overview

A figural spoon hand-carved from a single piece of wood, with a bold mask-like face at the end of the handle. Attributed to Nicolae (Neculai) Popa (1919–2010) of Târpești, Neamț County, Romania, a celebrated naive sculptor and founder of a village ethnographic museum; the carving is consistent with his other face spoons. It likely dates to the late 20th century and comes from The Craft World Tours Collection, whose Romania itineraries included visits with Popa.

Design & Craftsmanship

• Function & Form: Decorative ceremonial spoon, approximately 15″ long, with a large almond-shaped head at one end and a pointed oval bowl at the other.
• Artistry & Ornamentation: Face with cap line, large drilled eyes with dark centers, long wedge nose and incised mouth; incised lines on the back of the head. Two square plaques set on point, each chip-carved with a nested diamond inside a sawtooth border, flank a block of pyramid-lattice chip carving. Knife-faceted bowl back with center ridge.
• Structural Base: Signed per inventory records; signature not shown in photographs.

Condition Report

• Surface Condition: Natural unfinished wood with likely light handling wear; some dark grime or staining at the bottom of the bowl interior, likely from old use or storage. No chips observed on the plaques or nose.
• Structural Integrity: Appears stable and whole. This item is sold “as-is” with all associated patina and wear inherent to its age and history as part of the Craft World Tours Collection.