Pook and Pook Americana & International Auction 2021

154 Dudley Irwin (”DIC”) Catzen (1922-2012) and LaDonna S. (”Donnie”) Catzen (1930-2021) of Stevenson, Maryland shared a love of antiques and collecting that spanned almost the entirely of their almost 60-year marriage. Originally from Fostoria, Ohio, Donnie moved to Maryland to work on the Society section of the Baltimore Sun newspaper. Not long after her arrival she was introduced to Dic at a polo game, and shortly thereafter they wed. An enthusiasm for old houses and history sparked curiosity about the then-burgeoning interest in collecting antique furniture. They were determined to learn from the best and devoured books, (identifying items as “Good, Better, Best” from Albert Sack’s Fine Points of American Furniture became a running joke in the Catzen household.) They began to narrow their focus to 18th century American furniture and decorative arts, and were mentored by such luminaries as John Walton, Israel Sack, and Joe Kindig, Jr. Frequent trips to New York to inspect new arrivals, visit showrooms and auction houses, and crawl under pieces to inspect repairs, construction and finishes combined to further their education . Over the course of several decades they had assembled an impressive collection of their own, and had filled their large home with period furniture, paintings, and especially ceramics. Since they had no more rooms to furnish, or wall space to fill, and their daughters had both left for college by then, Dic and Donnie started Englemeade House, devoted to purchasing and selling primarily American furniture and decorative arts. In the pre-internet days of antique shows and auctions, they cultivated their extensive network of dealers and friends, inviting them to visit when they were in town or sharing photos and descriptions through the mail. Their knowledge and expertise led them to become early supporters and officers of the Baltimore Museum of Art’s Friends of the American Wing, as well as playing key roles at Preservation Maryland, Historic Hampton Mansion, and the Maryland Historical Society (now named the Maryland Center for History and Culture.) In 2004, with their two daughters grown, they decided to downsize, which led to several important pieces of furniture and art being sold. Still, their new home in Lutherville, MD was filled to bursting and as they still had the collectors’ addiction to auctions, sales, and finding unrecognized or under-appreciated treasures, they began to sell through Collector’s Choice in New Oxford, PA, a consortium of dealers. They made frequent trips there to replenish inventory, and still scoured auctions, sales, flea markets and roadside shops, broadening their purchases to include the less formal forms of folk art, including Southern face jugs, hooked rugs, and other vernacular pieces. After Dic’s death in 2012, Donnie still bought the occasional piece of delftware, and perused auction catalogs, now online, and Maine Antiques Digest, religiously. Her passing in spring of this year means this lovingly assembled collection will now find new homes. Dic & Donnie Catzen Collection | Lots 614 - 721