There are many ways to collect ancient and historical pieces of art. One of the most famous ways to collect art pieces and show off your wealth is to go to an auction house.
Auction houses not only have the most unique collection of items but it is also a place where an individual can feel the thrill of competing against others to purchase any item. Due to the progress of online activities auctions managed to make its way to the online market.
Sotheby’s is one of the largest and fourth oldest auction companies in the world. With the website “www.sothebys.com” anyone can have the experience of joining the online auction hosted by Sotheby’s and browse through their exciting collection of art pieces.
On 30 June 2020 9:30 AM EDT African Art from the collection of Sidney and Bernice Clyman was auctioned at Sotheby’s website. Sidney and Bernice Clyman are art collectors. Their art collection adventure started as clients of the renowned dealer Gaston de Havenon in the 1970’s. They began when the market for collecting African art had emerged in America.
The African Art from the Collection of Sidney and Bernice Clyman is considered one of the finest collections of African Art in the world. It is also one of the last remaining collections from the generation of postwar collecting in the US during the 1960s and 1970s. The art collection featured 32 sculptures.
There were 32 lots from the African Art collection that were sold in the auction. The name and the biding price of the lots are shown below:
- ASANTE CHILD FIGURE, GHANA
Estimated: 6,000-9,000 USD
Lot Sold: 11,875 USD - AKAN-TWIFO MEMORIAL HEAD, TWIFO HEMANG TRADITIONAL AREA, GHANA
Estimated: 5,000-7,000 USD
Lot Sold: 6,250 USD - BAMANA ZOOMORPHIC HEADDRESS, MALI
Estimated: 50,000-70,000 USD
Lot Sold: 41,250 USD - DAN MASK, COTE D’IVOIRE
Estimated: 7,000-10,000 USD
Lot Sold: 12,500 USD - SENUFO COUPLE, COTE D’IVOIRE
Estimated: 100,000-150,000 USD
Lot Sold: 262,500 USD - BAULE ZOOMORPHIC FIGURE, COTE D’IVOIRE
Estimated: 70,000-100,000 USD
Lot Sold: 125,000 USD - BAULE FEMALE FEAGURE, COTE D’IVOIRE
Estimated: 10,000-25,000 USD
Lot Sold: 23,750 USD - BAMANA HEADDRESS, MALI
Estimated: 12.000-18,000 USD
Lot Sold: 32,500 USD - OGON MATURNITY FIGURE, MALI
Estimated: 40,000-60,000 USD
Lot Sold: 43,750USD - MIDDLE NIGER CIVILIZATION SEATED MALE FIGURE, MALI, 12TH TO 14TH CENTURY
Estimated: 250,000-350,000 USD
Lot Sold: 412,500 USD - DOGON EQUESTRIAN FIGURE, MALI
Estimated: 60,000-90,000 USD
Lot Sold: 93,750 USD - OGON DOOR SHUTTER, MALI
Estimated: 10,000-15,000 USD
Lot Sold: 26,500 USD - DOGON LADDR, MALI
Estimated: 1,000-1,500 USD
Lot Sold: 5,250 USD - MIDDLE NIGER CIVILIZATION FIGURE OF A BUFFLO, MALI
Estimated: 100,000-150,000 USD
Lot Sold: 100,000 USD - MAHONGWE RELIQUARY FIGURE, GABON
Estimated: 500,000-700,000 USD
Lot Sold: 1,400,000 USD - FANG ANCESTOR, GABON
Estimated: 250,000-350,000 USD
Lot Sold: 475,000 USD - KOTA-OBAMBA RELIQUARY FIGURE BY THE SEBE RIVE MASTER OF THE SKULL HEAD
Estimated: 500,000-700,000 USD
Lot Sold: 560,000 USD - PUNU FIGURE, GABON
Estimated: 20,000-30,000 USD
Lot Sold: 21,250 USD - SANGO RELIQUARY FIGURE, GABON
Estimated: 20,000-30,000 USD
Lot Sold: 87,500 USD - PENDE MASK, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Estimated: 15,000-25,000 USD
Lot Sold: 56,250 USD - SONGYE MASK, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Estimated: 70,000-100,000 USD
Lot Sold: 75,000 USD - SONGYE COMMUNITY POWER FIGURE, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Estimated: 60,000-90,000 USD
Lot Sold: Unknown - SONGYE POWER FIGURE, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Estimated: 12,000-18,000 USD
Lot Sold: 27,500 USD - SONGYE CARYATID STOOL, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Estimated: 20,000-30,000 USD
Lot Sold: 50,000 USD - YORUBA DIVINATION BOWL, NIGERIA
Estimated: 10,000-15,000 USD
Lot Sold: 8,750 USD - BAMILEKE-BATIE FIGURE, CAMEROON
Estimated: 30,000-50,000 USD
Lot Sold: 87,500 USD - FANG-MABEA ANCESTOR FIGURE, CAMEROON
Estimated: 200,000-300,000 USD
Lot Sold: 325,000 USD - JUKUN ANCESTOR FIGURE, BENUE RIVER VALLEY, NIGERIA
Estimated: 60,000-90,000 USD
Lot Sold: 115,750 USD - MUMUE ANCESTOR FIGURE, NIGERIA
Estimated: 8,000-12,000 USD
Lot Sold: 56,250 USD - ELOYI (AFO) MATERNITY FIGURE, BENUE VALLEY, NIGERIA
Estimated: 10,000-15,000 USD
Lot Sold: 47,500 USD - PAIR OF YORUBA TWIN GIGURES, NIGERIA
Estimated: 1,000-1,500 USD
Lot Sold: 3,750 USD - THE AFRICAN ART LIBRARY
Estimated: 4,000-6,000 USD
Lot Sold: 3,750 USD
The FANG ANCESTOR FIGURE from GABON was one of the best-sold items among the 32 lots from the African Art collection. The estimated value of this individual piece was about 250,000-350,000 USD where it was sold with an astonishing price of 475,000 USD. This piece was exhibited in different museums.
Source: Sotheby’s
https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2020/african-art-from-the-collection-of-sidney-and-bernice-clyman?locale=en
https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2020/african-art-from-the-collection-of-sidney-and-bernice-clyman/fang-ancestor-figure-gabon