The artwork is a traditional Fang mask from Gabon.
After learning that the mask they had sold to the art dealer for Rs. 13,000 was actually far more expensive, an elderly couple filed a lawsuit against the dealer. The mask was later sold at auction by the art dealer for an astounding 36 crore rupees. According to media, the unidentified elderly Nimes, France, couple decided to sell the African mask in 2021 as they were cleaning out their home. They sold it to Mr. Z, an art dealer, for 129 pounds (Rs 13208), but he soon sold the mask at an auction in Montpellier for 3.6 million pounds (Rs 36,86,17320).
Elderly couple sues dealer
The elderly couple filed a lawsuit against Mr. Z because they were ignorant of the significant transaction until they read about it in the papers. They assert that he purposefully misled them and withheld information regarding the item’s true value.
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Value of the mask
The item is used at weddings and funerals, according to sources, and it is supplied from the Fang people of Gabon. Only a few number of them may be found in museums around the world, making them uncommon to see outside of the African nation. The mask was identified as being from the 19th century through testing, and according to court documents, it is “exceptional in terms of its rarity.”
According to business media, the husband’s grandfather served as a colonial governor in Africa, which is how the pair got to own the mask. Even though the case is still pending, the Nimes court of appeals declared that the couple’s claims “appears to be well-founded in principle.”
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