African Art Buyer's Guide

Why A Buyer's Guide?

High profile African Art Galleries in major cities across the United States are known for their superb art and the high prices they charge. The purchase of affordable fine African Art is a relatively new consumer benefit. As a result there are few guidelines for the novice African Art Collector. At Afridesia, we present a wide range of fine African Art at affordable prices. The questions answered here have been asked by our customers. It is our hope that they will give you a better understanding of this fascinating and highly diverse field of art collecting.

Is There Still Good Art Coming Out Of Africa?

Yes. Authentic African Art is still available to Western Collectors. Areas of present-day Africa have never abandoned the "old ways" which utilize the masks and ancestral figures of indigenous beliefs. Artifacts meant to be danced, or worshiped are still being created as powerful spiritual objects. Many African peoples, after centuries of colonial oppression, are returning to their old religions. The Dogon of Mali, for instance, have kept their original mystical beliefs and practices — and they are not alone. Those who say that the best African Art has already been found are ignoring the fact that no land mass as large as Africa, could have given up all its secret wealth.

No one knows what new discoveries might come to the West in the very near future. Recent archaeological discoveries have unearthed terracotta artifacts over 2,000 years old. The Art of Africa, old and new, is in a state of continual re-discovery and re-creation. The possibilities are endless.

New contemporary masterpieces are being sculpted by brilliant stone carvers from Zimbabwe. Some featured in major museums, including New York's Museum of Modern Art. This exciting new African Art form will always be featured at Afridesia, and is available in all price ranges.

How Do I Know A "Good Quality" Piece Of African Art?

First, look at the craftsmanship. All African Art is made by hand. Each piece, ancient, antique, or contemporary is one-of-a-kind. Fine sculpting, whether it was done six months, or over a century ago, is still a superior artistic achievement. Your rule of purchase should be: Does it please me? Does it "speak to me"? If you get an emotional response, then for you, whenever and however the piece was created, it is "good quality art."

African Art is, above all else, a personal experience. No other art gets as close to us, becoming in many cases, a "one to one" relationship that you'll enjoy for many years to come.

Why Do Prices Vary For Pieces Which Appear To Have Similar Age And Value?

Since Afridesia was created not only to market the Art of Africa, but also to make it available to all those who express an interest regardless of income, our mark-up is lower than galleries in the larger metropolitan areas. We also deal with representatives from all over Africa who are willing to meet us on our African buying trips with rare and desirable pieces. Since we purchase in volume, we now command lower prices (at times for coveted pieces of art) than would normally be charged in other major galleries. As a result, we pass these lower prices on to you. If we pay less, our customers pay less.

How Do We Know How Old The Art Is?

Unless the art has been kept totally protected from the elements, due to the tropical climate, most wooden art will begin to disintegrate after a few years. An African Mask of "good age" would be 20 to 30 years. "Great Age" would be over 50 years. An "Antiquity" would be early 20th Century, late 19th Century and in unusual cases, even earlier.

Signs of age include the quality of the item's "patina" (surface aging due to handling), the style of carving particular to a period, the wear evident on the back of a mask, the base of a figure, and, if possible, direct knowledge of the item's history. In determining the age of a piece, we also consult with a team of experts who add their opinion to ours. In most cases, we still cannot fit an exact date. The only way that could be accomplished is if someone were to be present when it was carved. Even among the large and varied pieces of African Art in American and European Collections, very few exist with this "absolute proof" of provenance.

Guidelines As To "Provenance".

Provenance is the history of a piece, when and where it was collected (if this is known), the collection or collections the piece has been in, its sales history and/or auction records. If the art has been purchased from a collection, then you can be assured that the art has at least the number of years it has been in the collector's possession. It could have been in other collections previously. Perhaps the art was collected by missionaries, or from known colonial sources. In the case of ancient terracotta, thermal luminescence screening can give an approximate age plus or minus 300-500 years. For the most part, however (and this holds true for even well known galleries and auction houses), the art must be taken at "face value." That is to say, from the appearance of the art itself.

Does Smaller Size Lower The Price?

Not necessarily. Smaller pieces of great age, or even antiquity can cost much more than imposing life-sized figures, or even larger. All African Art is relative — that is to say, proportions are the same whether the art is large, or small. In many cases, the exquisite carving and patina of a small antique figure is usually better than its near duplicate in a larger, similar piece. It is also more difficult to achieve in miniature.

Nothing at Afridesia was ever created on an assembly line. As a result, our rule for pricing our art is: "As every piece is one-of-a-kind, we give each piece a 'one of a kind price,' reflecting its origin and the nature of its unique creation."

What Should I Know About African Artists?

Almost all African Art is unsigned. However, through regionalization and consistent style, a few pieces can be traced to known individual carvers. We must accept most African Art on the merits of its creative form and how well that form fulfills its intended function.

In contrast, Contemporary African Artists — particularly the Stone Sculptors of Zimbabwe, often sign their pieces. Afridesia is proud to represent fine artists such as Israel & Canaan Chikumbirike and Robin Kutinyu. Our newest discoveries, among others, Paradzai Mupumhira, Alexio Jasi, Lameck Bonjisi and Wisdom Zineyka.

Afridesia On Ivory And Artifacts.

We believe in the preservation and presentation of important antique ivory pieces. We do not support the killing of Elephants, or the import of contemporary ivory sculptures from Africa, or any other area for that matter. Our policy is not to purchase, sell, or encourage any activity that could further deplete the population of any of the world's endangered species.

We are sometimes asked why, if the possessions of many of the indigenous peoples of Africa are so important to their religious rituals and ceremonial occasions, we take these possessions from them and bring them to the West. In most African Societies, masks or figures, whatever their age, are a bridge to the spiritual reality of the gods or ancestors they represent. More important than the age of an artifact to these peoples is the carving and superior artistic expression. As a result, many times African Artifacts are sold and quickly replaced by newly created pieces that are of equal importance to those most recently used. Other societies discard artifacts after each initiation or important ceremony in which they are used. Some of today's African Societies are replacing antique artifacts with more "practical" contemporary products. For instance, Yoruba Ibeji Dolls with Western "baby dolls"; BaulŽ "Spirit Mates" with plastic replicas and Dogon wood ladders with modern aluminum ladders. In addition, with the continuing upheaval of African countries and societies, many artifacts, brought to the west, are preserved from almost certain destruction.

At Afridesia, we will not knowingly purchase or sell any art that is known to be stolen, or of an importance that is irreplaceable to any of the African Peoples where it originated. Afridesia is merely a conduit to all that Africa willingly has to give the West. And we will continue to adhere to this policy.

In Summary ...

As with any activity which one enters with a passion, one tends to be enthusiastic to a point in which others may not readily share at first. We hope this brief document not only gives you a greater knowledge about purchasing African Art, but that it also conveys our enthusiasm for the art itself — a "passion" which has grown in strength and dedication as we ourselves have discovered more about it. We're still learning. And, if there is any single lesson that the Art of Africa has taught us, it is that we will never learn enough. We continue to be enlightened by new and exciting discoveries. It is our wish (and the major reason that we created Afridesia) that we are able to share just a part of this remarkable and deeply fulfilling journey with you, our customers and friends.