The embassies of the two West African countries obtained a court order suspending the sale of the statuettes, after claiming that they figured on the “Red List” of the Conseil International des Musées (ICM) as items exported illegally from their countries of origin.
Auctioneer Catherine Charbonneaux issued a terse statement insisting that she had “respected legislation relating to the circulation of cultural goods that are subject to international conventions”.
Statuettes withdrawn
FRANCE: SEVENTEEN terracotta statuettes from Nigeria (Nok) and Niger (Bura), expected to bring prices between £250 and £5000, were withdrawn from sale at the Hôtel Drouot on April 21 after last-minute objections from Nigeria and Niger.
