Couple loses lawsuit over "worthless" million-dollar mask
A French couple have their second home cleared by a junk dealer. He is allowed to keep an African mask for 150 euros. He later auctions it off and makes millions of euros. The couple are shocked and want the mask back.
A retired couple in France sold an African mask for 150 euros to a junk dealer, who sold it for 4.2 million euros at auction, unaware of its actual value. A court in Alès in the south of France dismissed the couple's claim to reverse the purchase from 2021. The junk dealer commissioned to liquidate the household in the couple's second home had no special knowledge of art objects, the court ruled.
However, the couple had known that the man's grandfather had brought the mask lying in the attic, along with other historical objects, from Africa to France around 1900 following a posting as governor. The couple had neglected to have the mask appraised for its actual value, the court ruled. The junk dealer could not be accused of intent.
Only an expert had later estimated the mask at a value of 300,000 to 400,000 euros on behalf of the auction house in Montpellier. The junk dealer therefore offered to pay the couple 300,000 euros after the sale.
The mask was a so-called Fang mask from Gabon from the 19th century. The Republic of Gabon had also appeared as a plaintiff in the case and had demanded that the mask be returned to the country. The court also rejected this claim.
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- The international art community was shocked by the court's decision, as some judgments regarding the value and ownership of historical artifacts often go through international processes.
- Despite France losing the lawsuit, the case has brought attention to the need for proper appraisal and documentation of African artifacts, as many are found in French homes and museums.
- The French government is now considering implementing stricter regulations for the auctioning of African artifacts, following the Gabon mask controversy and international criticism.
Source: www.ntv.de
