Starting a collection of African art

The best collections begin with curiosity rather than a shopping list. Visit exhibitions, read about the schools and movements (Zaria, Nsukka, Oshogbo, Ife and many more), and learn the difference between a work made for a ceremony, a work made for the market and a contemporary studio work.

Buy from people who stand behind the work

Buy from galleries, studios, estates and dealers who give you documents: an invoice, a certificate, the work's history. On OxiArt, check whether the work is certified and by whom.

Document from the first day

Keep the invoice, certificates, photographs of the front, back and signature, measurements, condition notes and exhibition history. Catalogue your collection on OxiArt so the record stays with the work for the next owner.

Look after it

Light, heat, humidity and pests are the main enemies of paintings, textiles and wood. See "Preserving and storing art".

Questions to ask before buying

• Who made it, and how do we know?
• Who has owned it before, and is there paper to show it?
• What condition is it in, and has it been restored?
• Can I return it if the attribution proves wrong?