Why Dakakari Terracottas Are So Rare Among the many sculptural traditions of Nigeria, Dakakari (Dakarkari) terracotta funerary sculpture remains one of the least known and least documented. Yet precisely this marginal position — geographically, culturally, and historically — explains both its rarity and its importance. A Small People, a Specific Tradition The Dakakari are a small ethnic group living in… Read More »Why Dakakari Terracottas Are So Rare
✨ Happy New Year 2026! ✨ Wishing you a year of discovery, passion, and beautiful African art! Dear African Art Lover, As we step into 2026, I want to thank you for being part of this community of collectors, explorers, and admirers of traditional African art. May the coming year bring you joyful discoveries, meaningful finds, and deepening appreciation for… Read More »2026 ! The Year of Beautiful Encounters
A Collector’s Guide to Traditional African Art By David Norden • BuyAfricanAntiques.com • Antwerp For more than 30 years, I’ve helped collectors discover authentic African masks, figures, and ritual objects created for social, political, and spiritual purposes. Traditional African art is one of the world’s most diverse and historically meaningful art forms — yet many collectors don’t know where to… Read More »A Collector’s Guide to Traditional African Art
Photo: A fine Suku Mask fom David Norden’s collection. Over the past weeks, several collectors have told me how difficult it is to navigate the world of African masks online.Too many choices, too many claims of “authenticity,” and far too many pieces that were never used in ritual at all. I understand the frustration.When I began 30 years ago, I… Read More »Navigating the World of Authentic African Masks: Lessons From 30 Years in the Field
At the old border between Benin and Togo, the landscape changes little, but belief changes everything. The line we know today—704 kilometers of straight segments, river bends and coastal lagoons—was not drawn by the Fon priests who worked with spirits. It was the product of 19th-century European treaties between France and Germany, and a precise delimitation in 1912. The boundary… Read More »A Power Vodun Figure from the Dahomean Frontier
Masques africains à vendre : comment choisir des masques authentiques et éviter les contrefaçons Lorsque vous recherchez des masques africains à vendre, vous trouverez une multitude d’options en ligne. Mais distinguer un masque décoratif, un objet touristique ou une véritable pièce rituelle provenant d’une communauté africaine traditionnelle n’est pas toujours évident. Avec plus de 30 ans d’expérience dans l’art tribal,… Read More »Masques africains à vendre
African Masks for Sale: How to Choose Authentic Masks and Avoid Counterfeits When you search for African masks for sale, you’ll find an overwhelming amount of options online. But distinguishing between decorative masks, tourist pieces, and authentic ritual objects from traditional African communities is often challenging. With over 30 years of experience in tribal art, I explain how to make… Read More »African Masks for Sale
Afrikaanse maskers te koop: hoe kies je authentieke maskers en vermijd je vervalsingen? Do you prefer reading in English:African Masks for Sale Wanneer je zoekt naar Afrikaanse maskers te koop, vind je online een overvloed aan aanbod. Maar tussen decoratieve maskers, toeristenwerk en authentieke rituele stukken uit traditionele Afrikaanse gemeenschappen is het verschil vaak moeilijk te zien.Met meer dan 30… Read More »Afrikaanse maskers te koop
Refined carved face, original coiffure with traces of human hair — a well-used ritual example with character. Price: Listed on the Igbo Maiden Sirit Mask product page / Contact for offersAvailability: One of a kind Photographs 3D Model Igbo maiden mask in 3D https://trellis3d.co/share/Sha1kfPdVtII Quick facts Culture / Type: Igbo — Agbogho mmuo (maiden-spirit) mask. The Metropolitan Museum of Art+1… Read More »Igbo Maiden Spirit Mask (Agbogho Mmuo)
Studio Clearance: 10 Genuine African Artworks Authentic. Affordable. Available until sold out. After more than three decades in the world of African art, my studio has accumulated more pieces than I can properly display or promote. It’s time to make space for new discoveries — and to give collectors a rare chance to acquire genuine traditional artworks at a special… Read More »David Norden Studio Clearance
These three Ashanti Akuaba fertility dolls all come from the respected collection of Nadya Levi. Each one speaks with a different voice — scale, patina, and condition combine to tell a layered story about ritual use, collecting, and family legacy. The Legend of Akua According to Akan tradition, a woman named Akua was unable to conceive. A priest advised her… Read More »The Akuaba Trio- Ashanti Fertility Dolls from Nadya Levi Collection
When I look at the African art my mother, Nadya Levi, gathered over her lifetime, I don’t just see an African Art collection—I see her. Each piece carries a trace of her eye as a sculptor, her curiosity as a traveler, and her passion as a collector. Growing up in her world meant living in the constant presence of forms,… Read More »A Personal Reflection on My Mother’s African Art Collection .
When I first encountered this 54 cm Baule female spirit spouse at a French auction, she wasn’t standing proudly—she had been transformed into a lampshade. For years, her sacred role had been overlooked, her presence reduced to decoration. The Baule believe every person is married not only to an earthly partner but also to a spouse in the spirit world.… Read More »From Lampshade to Pride: A Baule Spirit Spouse Restored
A story by David Norden. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The night dripped neon and sweat at Club Incognito.Pavel sat in the corner booth with the two Russians — Mikhail and Vadim — both in black suits that looked expensive but smelled like they’d been worn three days too long. The table was a… Read More »Picasso’s mask, Modigliani’s freak doll, and the Chanel ghost
Standing 44 cm tall, this Senufo male figure embodies the spiritual guardianship and ancestral presence central to Senufo tradition. Such figures often stood watch in shrines, believed to mediate between the living and the ancestors. But this particular piece carries an extra layer of history. It once belonged to Margaret Füsbahn, one of the first women to fly to Africa… Read More »Senufo Guardian with a Flying Legend’s Legacy
In his quiet Antwerp gallery, a meticulous antique dealer is forced to choose between a career-defining sale and his ethical code when a mysterious visitor brings him a rare Yombe mask tied to Belgium’s colonial crimes in the Congo. Characters: DAVID NORDEN (60s): Antwerp antique dealer. Elegant, precise, with the calm of someone who knows every detail in his collection.… Read More »The Mysterious Yombe Mask
The Ibedji Twin Who Spoke Through Wood Long ago in the land of the Yoruba, where the sun paints the earth in gold and crimson, a family welcomed two children into the world—beautiful twins. Their laughter was like bells in the morning, their presence a blessing so great that the villagers whispered, “The gods have smiled on this house.” But… Read More »The Ibedji Twin Who Spoke Through Wood
Traditional African art collectors form a dedicated and knowledgeable community passionate about preserving the cultural heritage, artistry, and spiritual depth of Africa’s traditional societies. Their collections focus on authentic, ritual objects—masks, figures, and ceremonial artifacts—created for real use within African communities, not modern reproductions or decorative imitations. Who Are Traditional African Art Collectors? Traditional African art collectors are often seasoned… Read More »Traditional African art collectors
Collector’s Journal Entry Date: August 2, 2025Time: 4:17 AMLocation: Antwerp Shop Item: Ritual Makishi Mask – Zambia (Luvale or Chokwe tradition), Unknown MakerMaterial: Wood, pigment, clothEstimated Age: Early 20th centuryAcquisition: Returned by previous buyer after two unsettling weeks Notes: The mask came back today. I had warned the buyer — “Don’t hang it in your bedroom.” He laughed it off,… Read More »Ritual Makishi Mask Zambia
“The Mask Dealer” Photo & text by David Norden with the help of ChatGPT, in the twisted tones of Tarantino, the surreal textures of Lynch, and the gritty pulse of Scorsese. ANTWERP, August 2, 2025 – 3:03 AM – RAINING. The neon sign of BuyAfricanAntiques.com flickered like a bad heartbeat. Inside the cramped shop, shelves creaked under the weight of… Read More »The Mask dealer