Restitution Fears Unsettle the Trade in Tribal Arts

Title: Restitution Fears Unsettle the Trade in Tribal Art
Author: Scott Reyburn
Media Outlet: The New York Times
Publish Date: January 29 , 2019

“(…) “Over the last 100 years, it’s been the work of Western scientists, collectors and dealers that has preserved these pieces,” he added. “Now we are looking like crooks.”

(…) International auction sales of tribal art — a classification that also includes Oceanic, pre-Columbian and North American pieces — stand at about €80 million per year, according to Aurélien Cuenot, chief executive and co-founder of Artkhade, a specialist database devoted to this market. African art represents the biggest sector, achieving €38.8 million in 2017 (…) In December a carved wooden neckrest from the Luba-Shankadi of Congo sold for €1.7 million at Sotheby’s in Paris. Mr. Cuenot said it was still too early to determine how the shifting attitudes toward restitution had affected auction sales for African art. “We would have to wait until the end of the year,” he said, adding, “I don’t notice any effect on the market today.”