Free African art estimate
What is your African art worth?
Upload photos of your mask, figure or object and get a free estimate in about a minute: what it most likely is, whether it looks used or made for the trade – and what it would realistically sell for.
- Free, no sign-up
- Result in about a minute
- Masks, figures & textiles
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What you can upload
- Masks
- Figures
- Reliquary guardians
- Stools & headrests
- Kente & Kuba cloth
- Beadwork
- Bronzes & brass
- Jewellery
- Weapons & staffs
- Pottery
- Contemporary African art
- Paintings
From a souvenir from Dakar to a 19th-century mask.
Get your free estimate
How it works
Photograph the object
Front, back and side in daylight without flash – plus the inside of a mask or the base of a figure.
Upload and add what you know
Where and when it was acquired, labels, old photos, the size. Every detail sharpens the estimate.
Get your estimate
Likely culture and region, signs of age and use, value range – and what to do next.
African art value: what makes a piece valuable?
Two masks that look almost the same can differ in value by a factor of a thousand. These are the points a specialist checks first:
- Made for use or made for sale? Objects carved and used in their community before the trade in souvenirs took off are rare. Most pieces in homes today were made for travellers and the decorative market.
- Age and surface. Genuine wear, patina from handling and old repairs tell a story that is very hard to fake convincingly.
- Quality. Collectors pay for strong, confident carving by a gifted artist – not for age alone.
- Provenance. A documented history – an early collector, a gallery label, a publication – can multiply the price.
- Legal status. Ivory, archaeological terracottas and objects under restitution claims may be difficult or impossible to sell.
Want to dig deeper? Read how much your African art is worth or learn how to tell authentic pieces from tourist art.
Frequently asked questions
Is the African art estimate really free?
Yes. Upload photos and get an estimate without an account or payment. If you need a written appraisal for insurance, an estate or a sale, you can request one from an independent specialist, who charges a fixed fee.
Which photos should I upload?
The front, the back and a side view, in daylight without flash. For masks, also the inside; for figures, the underside or base. Close-ups of the surface and of any labels or numbers help a lot. A ruler next to the object shows the size.
Can you tell if my mask or figure is old?
Photos can show signs of real age and use – or of artificial ageing – but no one can date or authenticate an object from photos alone. For pieces that look promising, a specialist who examines the object in person is the safe route.
What kinds of objects can I upload?
Masks, figures, reliquary guardians, stools and headrests, staffs, textiles such as kente or Kuba cloth, beadwork, jewellery, bronzes and other metalwork, pottery – and modern and contemporary African paintings and sculpture.
What value do you estimate?
The fair market value: what a specialist dealer or an auction would realistically pay today. Shop prices and online asking prices are usually much higher than what sellers actually receive.
Should I clean or oil the piece first?
No. Don't clean, oil, polish or repaint anything. The surface – patina, wear, old pigments – is one of the most important clues to age and use, and once it is gone it cannot be restored.