Rock legends can be a narcissistic bunch . But David Bowie appears to have taken things to a new level . The star , 68 , has snapped up an entire collection of masks by a British artist which are replicas of his own face . He now plans to add them to an official archive documenting his career . His attention was reportedly drawn to the items by a team he employs to monitor the art world for pieces inspired by his life . Iconic : David Bowie has snapped up an entire collection of masks , pictured left , by a British artist inspired by his face . Pictured right : Image from Bowie 's Aladdin Sane LP cover . Some masks had previously been on sale as part of a Bowie exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum for £125 , but speculation is the star paid much more for the ones he purchased . The masks were made from an original cast of the glam rock star ’ s face taken in the seventies to promote his film The Man who Fell to Earth . After lying unused for several decades , the cast was rediscovered by London-based artist Mark Wardel who began making replicas of Bowie ’ s face for fans , decorating them with designs including the classic lightning bolt look used on the cover of 1973 album Aladdin Sane . Wardel was recently contacted by Bowie ’ s agents who said the man himself was interested in purchasing all the others that he had in his collection . He has now bought up a set of six masks for an undisclosed figure . When asked if Bowie paid well for the pieces , Wardel replied : ‘ Yep he did. ’ The artist revealed : ‘ I had a call before Christmas from Bowie ’ s agent saying the man himself was interested in buying some of my masks . ‘ I wondered how he knew I had them but I was told Bowie employs people to keep a look out for people making images or art work of him . Bowie now plans to add the masks to an official archive documenting his career after being alerted to them by a team he employs to monitor the art world for pieces inspired by his life . ‘ I was told not to worry as Bowie loves the mask and wants to buy them for his archive . ‘ I spent days making two of them and sent them off to New York and got a message back saying Bowie loved them and thought they were gorgeous . He now wants to buy the whole set . ‘ Because of Bowie ’ s interest I have now had to take them off the market . I am now making more to send to him and I will have a re-launch of them with an exhibition. ’ A touring exhibition of items from Bowie ’ s archive has been arranged by the Victoria and Albert Museum . The David Bowie Is exhibition brings together more than 400 objects from the David Bowie Archives for the first time – including handwritten lyrics , original costumes , photography , set designs and album artwork from the last five decades . The pieces are currently being shown in Paris .
David Bowie , 68 , bought set of masks which are replicas of his own face . Collection of six created by London-based artist Mark Wardel . Bowie plans to add them to official collection documenting his career . Comment: Masks made from original cast of the glam rock star ’ s face taken in 70s .