Our Story

My name is Pascal Joannes. I am a collector of Ethiopian headrests. His name was Tekalegn Besepa. He was the leading merchant of Ethiopian antiques in Addis Ababa and a major collector.

I landed in Ethiopia early 1996. Few weeks later, on a Saturday, out of curiosity, I walked into a small unassuming souvenir shop on the Tekle Haimanot Square in Addis Ababa. This afternoon changed my life forever. I had met Tekalegn Besepa for the very first time. I left the gallery with two headrests. 

Long before he became the leading dealer in Ethiopian antiques in Addis Ababa, Tekalegn had been a « connoisseur », above all, a lover of Ethiopian art and perhaps the first Ethiopian collector. 

We built our friendship one Saturday after another, over small cups of Ethiopian coffee. Tekalegn became my mentor, guiding my taste, helping me to build a collection. His expertise was unparalleled. Shared passions forge strong bonds fast. Tekalegn passed away in 2010.

In 2018, with the support of Pierre Brennetot and his « Galerie Toguna » I published a book « A Private Collection of Ethiopian Art, A Tribute to Tekalegn Besepa, antique merchant and collector ». (https://www.galerie-toguna.com/en/private-collection-of-ethiopian-art-xml-378_381-1092.html)

Now that I left Ethiopia and East Africa, the time has come to share. This site has the ambition to complement an inventory and also an opportunity to meet collectors with the same passion.