Growing demand for Tribal Art

Christie's and Sotheby's once hosted tribal sales in London, however during the '90s they took the decision to hold high-end tribal auctions in Paris or New York. As consequence London fell behind with this segment of the market.

The major collectors are in America, France and Belgium, which is why Sotheby's and Christie's hold their top sales there. But interest is growing here again with new collectors coming into the market.

As in any strong market, tribal art is bringing concerns about fakes, or perhaps more fairly in this field, the modern craftwork on traditional lines produced for the tourist trade. It is known to some by the somewhat disparaging term 'airport art'. So while there may occasionally be boot-sale bargains to be had, what buyers look for are a good provenance and the expertise of a specialist. Online catalogues and bidding are a major new force, providing access to world markets for regional salerooms that wish to move into specialist areas.

Our tribal art expert has worked for a leading auction house both abroad and in London, where her focus was on traditional African and Oceanic art. She has an active interest in these specialised areas and regularly contributes articles on the art of Africa, Oceania and the Americas to a leading journal.