Paris’ status as a centre of the tribal art market was underscored this season with a brace of high prices in the field of Oceanic art, writes Anne Crane.
Three-quarters (€16.7m) of Christie’s premium-inclusive €21m tribal art auctions on November 21-22 came from the collection formed by Pierre Verité and his son Claude. These 198 lots were offered in collaboration with specialist dealer Alain de Montbrison.
Top lot at €5.5m (£4.86m) was a 21in (53cm) high Kona style carved wooden Hawaiian figure (far right) representing the God of War, Ku Ka’il Moku, dating from c.1780-1820. The carving was traditionally thought to have been acquired by Pierre Verité from Marie- Ange Ciolkowska in the 1940s.