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Furnitures

African furniture: from utilitarianism to symbolism

Handcrafted, traditional African furniture embodies the harmonious fusion of functionality, aesthetics and symbolism. The continent has produced an impressive variety of furniture over the ages, the result of fertile traditions of craftsmanship. Each piece of furniture bears the distinctive imprint of a different community. The carved motifs and decorations carry meaning, and cultural symbols evoke the identity of each ethnic group.

The materials used vary according to the region and its resources. They range from exotic hardwoods to worked leather and plant fibers. As a result, African ethnic furniture is stamped with the singularity of local techniques. African craftsmanship in furniture extends to wood carving, basketry and textile weaving.

African chairs and stools occupy a special place in traditional African furniture. Their ergonomic design (often low to the ground) is adapted to local customs and lifestyles. African wardrobes and chests reflect the need to preserve valuable objects in a typically functional and decorative fashion.

The evolution of African furniture design has led to the emergence of contemporary African cabinetmaking. Modern African designers integrate traditional motifs, local materials and artisanal techniques into innovative creations, which offer a unique marriage of tradition and modernity.

Appraising your African furniture: a matter for specialists

In order to fully understand the provenance of your antique African furniture, you need to call on the services of an expert. An appraisal begins with identifying the furniture. This involves determining its origin, period of production and its cultural milieu.

The specialist will then apply their knowledge and expertise to examine the furniture’s state of repair, its constituent materials and analyze the craftsmanship employed in its production.

The furniture’s symbolic and cultural heritage and its historical context will be analyzed and assessed against existing references. All this data allows the expert to make an accurate estimate of the value of your antique African furniture. This “raw” value is factored with current demand on the art market, to obtain the true value of your ethnic furniture.

In other words, an appraisal by a specialist does more than simply determine the value of your antique African furniture: by accumulating knowledge and understanding, you will see it in a different light.

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