Black Art Auction is the only auction house in the world devoted to selling African American Fine Art. Its founder, Thom Pegg, is a long-time art dealer who has been specializing in African American art sales for over 25 years. He also owns a gallery in St. Louis that specializes in African American art.
His auctions have consistently broken auction records for well-known and unknown artists alike. For example, he holds the record for the renowned Elizabeth Catlett’s work and the auction record for Beauford Delaney’s. In addition, he leads the market in a number of contemporary black artists, including Faith Ringgold and Car Mae Weems.
A recent auction featured a painting by the pioneering black abstract artist Sam Gilliam. It had a pre-sale estimate of $100,000 to $150,000. Another high-value lot was a mural by John Biggers, who was featured in the 1943 Museum of Modern Art exhibition of “Young Negro Art.” Pegg hopes to bring more African American artists to the attention of art collectors.
The auctions in Dallas, Texas will feature works by artists like James Lesesne Wells, Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, Mavis Pusey, and Sam Gilliam. Another highlight will be a collection of works by Romare Bearden, James Lesesne Wells, and Emma Amos.
