Sotheby's, Bonhams and Phillips have all opened formal African contemporary departments. The work coming up for resale that performs at-or-above estimate has one thing in common: a clean provenance trail back to the studio.
A signed certificate of authenticity. A photograph of the work on the studio wall the day it left. A bill of sale naming the first collector. These three documents, attached to the piece, can double its eligibility to top-tier auction houses — which in turn doubles where it can be sold at all.
This is the unglamorous infrastructure work that emerging-market galleries are years late on. It is also the easiest unlock to execute.