2,600-Year-Old Art|Smashed to Pieces

MANHATTAN (CN) - Magazine photographers dropped a collector's 2,600-year-old terracotta statue while moving it for a shot, smashing the $300,000 piece of Nigerian Nok art for good, the collector says in court.

Corice Amran sued Louise Blouin Media in New York County Supreme Court.

Amran says the defendant contacted her in spring 2011 and asked to photograph her ancient Nok sculpture for Art+Auction magazine, which is published by Louise Blouin Media.

Nok has been described as the oldest known figurative sculpture south of the Sahara, according to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

In May 2011, Amran says, photographers and their assistants arrived at her house for the photo shoot and moved the Nok to the opposite side of the room.

"During the photographers' move of the Nok figure, the Nok figure fell onto the floor and was smashed into a myriad of pieces, cannot be restored and is a total loss," the complaint states.

Court exhibits show pictures of the figurine before and after it was smashed.

"Defendant, through the photographers, acted negligently and without the due care necessary with respect to the Nok figure, particularly in light of its rarity, value and fragility.

"As the result of defendant's negligence, the 2,630-year-old Nok figure owned by plaintiff was destroyed," the complaint states.

Amran seeks $300,000 in compensatory damages for negligence.

She is represented by Charles Rosenzweig with Rand Rosenzweig Radley & Gordon.

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