The 88-year-old and his 81-year-old wife, identified by their initials in court documents but confirmed to CNN as Mr. and Mrs. Fournier by their lawyer, listed for sale an ancient African mask ...

A 20th-century African mask sold for £107,100, more than 300 times its guide price. The Kwele mask from Gabon was given an estimate of between £300 to £500 by Woolley & Wallis in Salisbury ...

An antiques dealer who sold a rare African mask for $4.6 million won a legal battle with the elderly couple who sold it to him for $165 without realizing the treasure’s actual worth.

Unfortunately, it is not an older example of African tribal art, he explained. “This is a more modern piece, probably made about the time you bought it,” the appraiser told Black at the event.

Art shows like Art X Lagos and the 1-54 series of African art shows in New York, London and Morocco have also featured contemporary masks or mask images. Artwork by Yusuff Aina Abogunde.

The court is expected to make its decision known on December 19. The mask is an extremely rare artifact of great spiritual value to the Gabonese people, Betoe Bi Evie told CNN.

However, as the Ngil mask at the center of the ongoing trial wasn’t held in a public collection, Gabon cannot demand its restitution from France. The-CNN-Wire ...