LONDON.- A rare and important Maori carved wooden ancestor figure from the 19th century valued at 80,000 euros (left: Wayne Heathcote), an unusual carved wood tigercat grave marker from Borneo expected to sell for 18,500 euros, and a striking Ivory Coast dance mask priced at £4500 are amongst the fascinating tribal artworks that will go on display at Tribal Perspectives, the UK’s only specialist group gallery show and selling event of tribal and ethnographic art.

This ‘pop-up’ specialist tribal art gathering returns to Gallery 28, Cork Street, in Mayfair, London for its seventh edition, from Wednesday 2nd to Saturday 5th October 2013.

The brainchild of gallerist Bryan Reeves (Tribal Gathering), the event was initiated in 2007 to bring together a group of international dealers whose expertise spans tribal works of art from Oceania, the Americas, Africa and the East. “There were major fairs in the USA and in Europe, but we felt a collective show of international experts in tribal art was needed in London. Many of our UK customers visit Tribal Perspectives, as it is a fun, sociable and effective way to view an extensive variety of works, and meet and learn from other dealers and experts in the field. But we also attract international collectors of modern and contemporary art who are regular visitors to London and for whom tribal pieces work sculpturally alongside and complementary to their other collections.”

Exhibited works for sale will include tribal masks, textiles, and a diverse array of special objects; all are lovingly crafted and many were created for ritualistic or ceremonial use. Jewellery and adornment is an important aspect of tribal art, as are arms and armour. Beaded crowns and shell-work headpieces are shown with Aboriginal and African decorated shields. These pieces are appreciated for their decorative and sculptural effect as well as their cultural significance, and are chosen for their quality and authenticity.

As Bryan emphasises: “The pieces exhibited by the dealers at Tribal Perspectives are all original period items made for intentional use, many of them museum-quality. There is a great deal of later work on the market today, not made for use in the tribe but to serve the consumer demands of a tourist trade. However our exhibitors source historic items, often with provenance, collected in the late 19th and first half of the 20th centuries by explorers, scientists and missionaries who would have lived alongside or known the peoples for whom these wonderful objects held great significance.”

Prices for works offered at the show will have quite a big range, from £500 to over £25,000, although most pieces will be priced from around £500 to £5000. (Important tribal works are now fetching £500,000 to £2m at leading international auctions.)

The Tribal Perspectives event is an important annual focal point of learning, too, as talks and lectures take place during the Fair. Books and specialist publications are available for sale alongside the tribal artefacts.

Tribal Perspectives attracts collectors and connoisseurs, the learned and the enthusiastic, travellers and adventurers.

A virtual tour of the 2012 show is now available to view at www.tribalperspectives.com. Check the website also for news on talks and special events.