One of the world's finest collections of African, pre-Columbian & Native American art crossed the block at Sotheby's New York on May 16, with a sought after Songye community power figure from Congo seeing top bids.

The dots on the figure's face represent smallpox, which has ravaged the community throughout the years

The collection was established by antiques dealer Allan Stone, one of the most respected authorities on native and tribal art in the world. The Songye figure, one of the finest and largest of its kind, sold for $965,000.

The Songye people are a Bantu ethnic group from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who are renowned for their astonishing artworks, particularly prized by collectors.

The power figures are created by local shamans and are believed to be inhabited by protective spirits. At the first auction of the Stone collection at Sotheby's in 2013, another Songye figure made $2m.  

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