In what seems to be an endless loop of legal art wrangling, the sale of a vast and controversial African art collection in Houston has been abruptly postponed once again. A temporary restraining order was issued just before 1,400 unique pieces were to go under the hammer, as reported by the Houston Public Media. Sam Njunuri, the man mired in the controversy, managed to again stop the court-ordered auction, which was initially set to alleviate a hefty legal financial obligation.

The history of this art collection is as layered as the tapestries within it. Njunuri filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy back in April, putting a halt to the first slated auction. This was dismissed swiftly when he failed to deliver the required details on his assets and creditors. The latest legal volley was a temporary restraining order, detailing that Njunuri must either identify one or two pieces to be appraised at $990,000—the sum he owes—or catalogue the entire collection. "I think Sam actually needs to have a proper evaluation of what this stuff is worth. I don't think he has an idea," Joseph Walker, the attorney for the plaintiffs, told Houston Public Media.

It all stems from a 2022 court judgment where Njunuri was ordered to pay around $990,000 in damages to Darlene Jarrett and Sylvia Jones, who claimed they had been wronged in a rental agreement with Njunuri, according to the Houston Chronicle. Their belongings vanished and the locks were changed on the property they were supposed to rent from him.

This collection isn't stranger to controversy as it was previously tied to Harris County Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis, who drew investigation after moving and storing the artworks at a warehouse in Sunnyside at taxpayer expense. Though a grand jury decided not to indict him, the spotlight remains fixated on the collection's disputed ownership. Ellis, through a spokesperson, has refused to comment on recent developments. Njunuri himself, in a 2023 deposition, referred to himself as the "custodian" of the collection, fueling further questions about its provenance and value. While the art's worth is allegedly upwards of $10 million, a man named Garaba Konte has claimed ownership of 180 pieces via an affidavit, complicating matters. The emergency hearing was confirmed by the Houston Public Media, stating that Judge Lauren Reeder has granted the restraining order with the aforementioned conditions.

Walker conveyed his clients’ sentiments, emphasizing the dwindling number of prospective buyers between the first thwarted auction and the second. The stakes are considerably high for both the plaintiffs and Njunuri, as the resolution of this case will likely set a precedent for how art collections tangled in legal disputes are handled in the future. "I guess we'll find out," Walker said regarding the value of the collection. "I'm inclined to think there's some valuable pieces in there. Art's a funny thing, isn't it?"