Collecting African Tribal Art : Losing Catlett (…again)
January 21, 2024 Leave a comment
The highlight of a small but very educational estate sale in Washington DC (1/18-1/21/24) was a Catlett (Artist Print A/P) Lithograph – Survivor. If you take nothing else from this post remember that Catlett is absolutely loved in the District.
The Estate sale featured the collection of sisters Velma Laws-Clay and Vivian Laws Ritter and was administered by R. Bernard Estate Liquidators LLC.
Let me say that I have never seen a bigger estate sale flex than the Catlett flex that day. Let me set the stage…. day one, the prices are at super premium and most people are hoping for a couple more snow days and a drastic price drop. Listen to me!!!! It was cold (by DC standards) and people were rushing around picking up the names – Poncho, Charles Bibbs, Tina Allen (2 sculptures), and Catlett. There were Americana pieces (slave shackles and dolls) and yes there were several African Tribal Art pieces.
I honestly really liked this piece… but for the facial scarification marks (and the super premium requirement). It’s hard to find this level of realism in the bronzes and I did feel pangs of standby remorse. This is what happens when one has been stuck in the ‘provenance zone’ for too long. At this point I was in sticker shock and finally settled for a couple of framed (unsigned) Catlett prints (“Cabeza” (Head 1967, 20 x 13) and “Rebozos” (Shawls 1968, 20 x 13)) and a signed Poncho print.
Thankfully at the end of day I left feeling like I learned sooooo much (cue Simone Leigh)…. there’s a vicious (but kind) DC group out there that is educated, dedicated and passionate about African and diasporic culture.