A Baule mask, Ivory Coast, of the Sakassou region, a small pointee mouth beneath a slender nose, framed by coffeebean-eyes and arched brows, scarification patterns on the temples, the coiffure with fine decorated patterns, ending up in carved zig-zag-line, surmounted by a monkey sculpture with an anthropomorphic face; fine aged patina of natural brown to reddish sutface, origin the heritage of M. Cabinet, Bouaké, who pssed away about 10 years ago.

600 - 700,- Euro

Height: 32 cm
Weight: 710 g

M. Kaba Cabinet, Bouaké, in a restaurant

In an interview with his wife we got the written informations about the Western Art dealers Mr. Cabinet - similar as Amadou Bouaflé one of the most important African Art dealers in Ivory Coast, had many contacts to wellknown European Tribalartdealers. The names are written a little bit "outside of reality",which is typical with the oral - not written - tradition in Africa, but it is not difficult to see which famous French, Italian and German Art dealers were among M. Cabinet's customers. "Mr Cabinet worked with Elia first and it was Elia who brought him to Germany. ..he had contact with Malachine, Main Duré, Patrick Gerrare, Alain Duffu and Antoine Ferrari." Informant his wife, Bouaké July 2020

Years after his death, it is difficult to reconstruct the biography of a well-known African art dealer. But I think it will be an interesting aspect to learn more information about the tribal traffic in Africa and the most important people who were the most important suppliers to the Western trade in Africa in the 20th century. It was mostly very simple people who approached the Western traders with great openness and for whom the Western Art market was mostly incomprehensible. WJ

Tribal Art Traffic, a Chronical of taste, Trade and Desire in Colonial and Post-Colonial Times, by Raymond Corbey, 2000