The Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger, entry from 2005:
“No. 220, SU 1975, Mexico terracotta mask, Maya ca. 8th c. AD”
Gallery price: EUR 375 or approx. EUR 630 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing.

Mexico. Boldly modeled with a fierce expression marked by almond-shaped eyes and bared teeth, the nose adorned with a large jewel.

Provenance: Laurits Sunde, Denmark, by 1975. Jorgen Ruben, acquired from the above. In the Jorgen Ruben Collection for 51 years. Laurits "Lau" Sunde (1910-1979) was an important Danish collector and dealer who played a pioneering role in introducing African art to Denmark and the wider Nordic region. He is particularly remembered for his interest in Yoruba art and culture, especially ere ibeji twin figures, which he promoted not only as works of art but also as expressions of the spiritual and ritual traditions of the Yoruba people. Jorgen Ruben is a Danish art dealer and collector who has been active for over four decades and is highly regarded in the fields of Asian art and classical antiquities. Raised in an art-conscious family, Ruben was exposed early to both modern painting and European decorative arts. He began working in the art trade in the mid-1970s, first with Persian rugs and later with antiques, while travels to Iran and a visit to Persepolis sparked his lasting interest in antiquity. After studies in Copenhagen and London, he worked in England with a dealer in early furniture, before travelling widely in Latin America and Asia, deepening his knowledge of regional art and culture. In 1984 Ruben opened a gallery in Copenhagen dealing in Asian antiquities. He was later active in London and, in the early 2000s, operated the Brussels gallery Classic Art. Much of his career, however, has been conducted privately from home, selling by appointment to collectors, galleries, and museums. Ruben has always bought selectively, choosing only works that deeply engaged him, and often keeping them for many years until placing them with a collector he felt truly understood them.
Important Note: For essential information on the Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger and provenance documentation please visit here: www.zacke.at/rubencollection_ledger
Condition: The fragment in good condition with expected wear, manufacturing irregularities, obvious losses, chips, nicks.

Weight: 309 g
Dimensions: Height 9 cm

Literature comparison:
Compare a related Mayan pottery face fragment, dated 600-1000, 15.5 cm high, in the Cleveland Museum of Art, accession number 1990.179. Compare a related Mayan terracotta mask of the sun god Kinich Ahau from Palenque, dated Late Classic, in the collection of the National Museum of Anthropology of Mexico City. Compare a limestone head of a rain god with similar expression, 34.9 cm high, dated 10th-11th century, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, object number 1978.412.24.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby's New York, 14 May 2010, lot 211
Price: USD 5,400 or approx. EUR 7,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Maya stucco head, late classic, ca. 550-950 AD
Expert remark: Compare the related modeling. Note the different material.