A resale merchant has successfully defended his right to retain the €4.2m (£3.6m; $4.6m) earnings from the sale of a rare African mask discovered in the attic of an elderly French couple.

The couple had enlisted his assistance in clearing their attic, ultimately selling him the mask for €150 (£129; $165).

Despite the couple's lawsuit, contending that they were misled about the item's value, the judge ruled in favor of the dealer, asserting that they had failed to recognize the true artistic and monetary value of the Ngil mask.

Crafted by the Fang people of Gabon, this rare 19th-century wooden mask is believed to be one of only approximately 10 in existence and was likely worn by members of the Ngil secret society during their searches for troublemakers.

The mask had been in the possession of the plaintiff's family since around 1917 when it was acquired by René-Victor Edward Maurice Fournier, a French colonial governor and the dealer's grandfather.

Despite the family's claim, the judge upheld the dealer's right to the proceeds from the subsequent sale, emphasizing that he had offered goodwill by initially valuing the mask at €300,000.

His lawyer argued that the couple had failed to research the item's true worth before selling it. "When you've got such an item at home, you should be a bit more curious before giving it up," Patricia Pijot told French media.

The judge ruled in favor of the dealer and said the couple had failed to exercise due diligence in evaluating the "historical and artistic" value of the mask.

The offer was retracted after the couple sued.

Frédéric Mansat Jaffré, lawyer for the couple, said: "The judge has created a precedent... You or I will now need to ask a professional before then going to see another professional."

Gabon had separately requested that the sale of the mask be halted on the grounds that it rightfully belonged to the country. But the court also rejected that argument.

The West African country was a French colony at the time Fournier acquired the mask.

Tens of thousands of works of African art are held outside the continent. Most were removed during the colonial era, sometimes under disputed circumstances.

French President Emmanuel Macron has previously called for the restitution of African art.

"I cannot accept that a large part of the cultural heritage of several African countries is in France," he said in 2017.

Everything is money ooo

Wow

Too bad.
This is indeed a lesson to learn.