African art goldmine

The West is wolfing down functional African tribal artifacts at jaw-dropping prices.

"There is a huge international appetite for African tribal art," said Anton Welz, director of auction house Stephan Welz & Co.

Collectors want spears that have been used in war, masks that have been worn in the performance of rituals and stools that have attested to the power of a real-life chief.

Next month an extensive collection of such items will go under the hammer at Christie's, in Paris.

Among the gems are a 34.5cm Tsonga figurine from South Africa that could fetch as much as R345000 and a 95cm statuette from the Democratic Republic of Congo, listed as a "Songye power figure" and valued at up to R1.1million.

A Tsonga figure was sold at Sotheby's New York in the 1990s for $150000 and a Tsonga maternity figure sold for more than $90000 in 1993.

In February Welz will auction the Colin Sayers private collection of tribal art.

The pieces are from all over Africa and Welz believes lots could reach international price levels.

Unfortunately, very few authentic pieces are left in South Africa. They have either left our shores with colonials or been sold to foreigners.

At Welz's October auction, 40% of the tribal items went to the US.

Last year, the Financial Mail reported that the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston became embroiled in controversy when Nigerian authorities claimed that sculptures acquired by the museum had been pillaged by the British military in the 19th century.

The Nigerians demanded the pieces back.

Mark Valentine, a Johannesburg dealer in tribal art and artifacts, said African tribal art has been in and out of fashion over many years.

"But we are fashionable again.

"Tribal artists never had contact with the Western world so they never copied anything. Their designs were completely original - that is what makes their work so fascinating."