Native American & Other Ethnographic Art: A Brief Overview
 MARKET OVERVIEW: OTHER REGIONS
Among other types of ethnographic art, I most
commonly encounter pre-Columbian works from Mexico and other parts of
Latin America. We do also see tribal works from Sub-Saharan Africa, the
South Pacific (including Australia and New Zealand), and Southeast Asia
and while these can be very valuable, there is generally a lesser
demand for them among collectors in North America.
Pre-Columbian Art of Latin America
This refers to works that were created prior to Columbus' arrival in
the "New World" (1492). Most of what's on the market is from
Mexico, Central America, and the northern and west coastal regions of
South America, including Colombia, Peru and Chile.
The great Mayan culture ruled from Mexico to
Honduras. Their most collectible pieces include painted ceramics from
the classic period of 550-990 AD; the best pieces can fetch more than
$100,000.
Ancient ceramics from western Mexico are
surprisingly common, since many artifacts were buried, along with the
deceased, in shaft-style tombs. Beautiful works depicting figures or
objects from all walks of life and 2,000 years old or more can
be found for as little as $75 to $100.
From the Peruvian coast come ancient textiles,
typically at least 500 years old, which often were used to wrap
mummies. Fragments of this cloth can be found for less than a few
hundred dollars, though an intact blanket or poncho may be extremely
valuable. Textile doll figurines are also popular though be
careful: Original pieces have flat-woven facial features and are worth
at least $1,500; modern copies have embroidered features and are made
of textile scraps, and are worth very little.
Sub-Saharan African Art
Pieces tend to include wooden masks and sculptures plus,
occasionally, metalwork, pottery, carved ivory or stone, and textiles.
Most artwork is from West and Central Africa, especially Nigeria, the
Ivory Coast and Zaire. Affordable pieces, say under $1,000, tend to be
from the mid-20th Century; masterpieces of earlier authentic work can
easily run into the tens or hundreds of thousands, if not millions. The
preponderance of faked work (such as modern masks that have been
artificially worn down) keeps many would-be buyers at bay.
Oceania (Pacific, Australia, New Zealand)
Spanning a huge geographical range, Oceanic art includes distinctive
works by the tribal peoples of New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Hawaii,
Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, and other islands as well as the Aborigine of
Australia and Maori of New Zealand.
Common items include masks, sculptures, bowls,
utensils, tools, and boomerangs and other weaponry, mostly made of
wood. Maori stone jewelry and artifacts, made of jade-like nephrite,
are also sometimes seen. Most works are of 20th-Century origin; earlier
authentic works, as with African art, tend to be very rare and
collectible.
Tribal Southeast Asia
This is a very small market, at least for genuine articles of interest
to collectors in North America. Most artifacts are from tribal areas in
the Philippines and Indonesia. They're typically wooden carvings
sculptures, masks, spiritual guardian figures, and weapons along
with some beadwork and shellwork. Most pieces are 19th and 20th
Century, and the right ones can be quite appealing. For instance, we
recently sold an early 20th-Century wooden baby carrier from Borneo for
$13,800.
WHERE TO GO FROM HERE
As you can tell, there's an immense range of
ethnographic art, providing plenty of opportunities for collectors at
all levels as well as sellers.
If you have any interest in collecting or
selling Native American or other ethnographic art, please contact
me personally. I am always happy to provide prospective sellers with a
no-cost appraisal, and to help prospective buyers learn more about this wonderful area of art.
For further reading, you might wish to check out:
North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment by Lois Sherr Dubin
Native American Beadwork: Traditional Beading Techniques for the Modern-Day
Beadworker
by Georg Barth, Bill Holm
Southwestern Indian Jewelry
by Dexter Cirillo
Crow Indian Beadwork:
A Descriptive and Historical Study
by William Wildschut
The Turquoise Trail: Native American Jewelry and Culture of the Southwest
by Carol Karasik, Jeffrey Jay Foxx
Hopi Silver:
The History and Hallmarks of Hope Silversmithing
by Margaret Nickelson Wright
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ANTIQUE NATIVE AMERICAN ART
