Appraisal and authentication of African books

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Ado you own collectable books relating to Africa? Would you like to know their value, their history and how to look after them? Then you need to call in a specialist to appraise your collection - a specialist can reveal the secrets your books hold.

Africana: books

Old African books: rare and precious objects

Africana literature is a treasure that bears witness to the intellectual and cultural wealth of the continent over the centuries. Passed down from generation to generation, African manuscripts offer a unique window onto the history, spirituality, science and philosophy of African societies.

Oral tradition has been one of the most important ways of transmitting knowledge in Africa. However, ancient African books, written in Arabic, Amharic, Swahili and other languages, are precious works of art that are often little-known. Occasionally hidden away in private libraries, monasteries or religious institutions, they help to preserve the wisdom and knowledge of the ancestors.

The themes covered by these rare and precious works vary from African crafts to publications on African history, books on traditional medicine and African ethnography. African legal and philosophical manuscripts reveal the profound thoughts of great African thinkers.

The ancient libraries of Africa (such as that of Timbuktu) were important centers of learning and knowledge preservation. Unfortunately, many African manuscripts have been lost over time, and in dramatic circumstances, including conflict and the lack of facilities.

Yet studying these ancient African books offers crucial insights into the intellectual and cultural foundations of the continent’s civilizations. These books are not simply historical relics or art objects, they are also sources of inspiration for the preservation of African cultural diversity.

Expert advice to determine the value of your African books

It is this diversity that makes a professional appraisal of your antiquarian books essential to estimating their value. Only an expert using objective criteria can judge their rarity, aesthetic value and condition.

How it works ?

Our African Art Experts deliver you a tailored price valuation

You add the
photos

1.

You make the
payment

2.

Expert delivers you
valuation certificate

3.

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The appraisal of your collection of Africana begins by identifying and dating it. We then carry out a linguistic, historical and cultural analysis. Your expert will contextualize the manuscript’s creation, origin and history.

Using this information, the specialist then estimates the value of your books. However, this valuation does not correspond to the current asking price – that depends on the state of the art market, where supply and demand play a role. Your expert will therefore provide you with both the intrinsic and market value of your Africana.

But the appraisal doesn’t stop there! It also provides invaluable information about your collection of African books, their history and content. Your African book expert can also give you advice on their conservation. You will see you your precious books in an entirely new light!

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