Sotheby's offered 94 Lots for sale in its African, Oceanic, and Pre-Columbian Auction on May 15. For a preview of the auction, check out Jacaranda Tribal's blog preview post here. The auction sold just 67% of all lots - or 63 of the 94 lots - for a total of $5.693 million.
This auction included several very fine pieces including those from the collection of John Friede - pieces from which were originally slated for San Francisco's de Young Museum but sold to help pay off debts to Sotheby's and others after a lengthy legal battle. But the sale included others than just the Friede collection, some of which are exceptionally fine.
One of the highlights include Lot 170: a Fang-Betsi reliquary head from Gabon, Africa. The work is estimated to fetch between $200,000 and $300,000, but was sold on May 15 for over $500,000.
Lot 158, a Dogon, Wakara style figure from Mali, was significantly less impressive but still managed to meet expectations. The work was estimated to bring between $200,000 and $300,000 and eventually sold for $218,500.
African pieces fared well enough but the real star was Lot 146 a half-figure of the God Iriwake from Papua New Guinea. The work fetched over $1.2 million and came from the Friede collection.
Dori Rootenberg
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