An Asante gold disc, stolen from the British Museum in 1991 and missing for more than a decade, was finally identified in private collections before being returned. This piece of jewelry, which has been featured in several international exhibitions, now highlights the flaws in traceability and the major ethical challenges facing the art and ethnographic objects market.
Chronology of a disappearance
It was in October 1991 that the fate of this akrafokonmu —a 21.5-centimeter gold disc with a solar motif, the largest in the series preserved by the museum—was sealed. On display at the Museum of Mankind at the time, the object was taken from a wooden display case that had been broken into, discovered by a security guard at lunchtime, with a simple screwdriver left at the scene as evidence of the break-in. Although the British Museum claims to have reported the theft to the authorities immediately, the precious item remained missing for more than ten years. Recent investigations by journalist Barnaby Phillips, reported in the British press, have since shed light on this decade of silence.
Wandering in the shadow of the collections
Barnaby Phillips' investigation reveals a surprising journey for a catalogued piece. In 1994, the disc resurfaced in the inventory of Karl-Ferdinand Schaedler, a German collector renowned for his interest in African art. Far from remaining hidden, the object was exhibited and even loaned to prestigious institutions such as the Museum für Völkerkunde in Vienna. The artifact's journey continued in 1999, when it was offered for auction at Sotheby's, where it was acquired by the Indianapolis Museum of Art for a modest sum, thus continuing its circulation in full view of the art world.
The expert's eye: the turning point in the investigation
It took the keen eye of a specialist to break this cycle. Doran Ross, curator at the Fowler Museum and a leading expert on Ghanaian art, made the connection. Noticing the striking similarity between the Indianapolis piece and the missing artifact in London, he alerted his British counterparts. According to Apollo Magazine, this formal identification triggered the recovery process, leading to the physical return of the work to London in late 2002.
Museum diplomacy and gray areas
The restitution took place in a discreet diplomatic setting. As the Indianapolis Museum had acquired the object in good faith, the British Museum opted for a regularization strategy via an "official loan" before formalizing the definitive return. While the institution confirms that the object has been returned to its reserves, questions remain regarding the due diligence carried out at the time of the auction.
Barnaby Phillips raises a crucial question: "What has never been reported is what happened to the Ashanti gold, or at least its absence for more than ten years." The fact that the piece could be traded and exhibited without raising any alarm is evidence of a systemic lack of transparency at that time.
Cultural heritage and duty of care
Beyond the news story itself, this episode resonates with the hot topic of heritage restitution. These objects, often seized by the military during the Anglo-Ashanti conflicts of the 19th century, are of paramount spiritual importance to the Ashanti people. Recent loan and return initiatives by the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Fowler Museum signal a desire to reevaluate the history of colonial collections.
For the British Museum, which has announced its intention to digitize its entire collection within five years in order to secure its inventory, this case serves as a reminder that protecting heritage requires constant vigilance. It highlights the need for seamless international cooperation and rigorous ethics on the part of auction houses in order to do justice to history and works of art.