IMPORTANT FRESH-TO-MARKET WORKS BY MAJOR AMERICAN AND CALIFORNIA ARTISTS AT JOHN MORAN AUCTIONEER’S Pasadena, CA – On October 17th, 2006, John Moran Auctioneers of Antiques and Fine Art will host their third major California and American Paintings sale for the year at the Pasadena Convention Center
Jayne Skeff
PR/Marketing Specialist
John Moran Antique and Fine Art Auctioneers
(626) 296-6642
email: skeff@sbcglobal.net
For comments on this Auction, please contact:
Kyle Amundsen, John Moran Antique and Fine Art Auctioneers
(626) 793-1833, email: kyle@johnmoran.com
IMPORTANT FRESH-TO-MARKET WORKS BY MAJOR AMERICAN AND CALIFORNIA ARTISTS AT JOHN MORAN AUCTIONEER’S OCTOBER FINE ART SALE
Pasadena, CA – On October 17th, 2006, John Moran Auctioneers of Antiques and Fine Art will host their third major California and American Paintings sale for the year at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, CA. Recognized across North America and the world as a premier specialist in the sale of pre-1950 California and American Impressionist oil paintings and watercolors, John Moran Auctioneers routinely sets new world records at its important and always exciting art auctions. Certain to attract buyers from around the world will be works from American artists John F. Peto, Oscar Edmund Berninghaus, and Frank Tenney Johnson. Headlining the California artists will be works by Hanson D. Puthuff, John M. Gamble, Carl Sammons, Edgar Alwin Payne, Arthur Grover Rider and Maurice Braun. Moran’s art auctions typically draw over 800 national and international buyers. Bidding is available in person and by absentee, phone and the Internet via ebay Live Auctions/Live Auctioneers.
Already generating a good deal of pre-sale interest is a fresh-to-market work by New Jersey artist John. F. Peto (1854-1907). John Frederick Peto was a disciple of the school of American Realism represented by William Michael Harnett and Jefferson David Chalfant in the mid 19th century. Their technique of “trompe l’oeil” (“deceive the eye”), for which Peto became famous, experienced a strong resurgence of interest in the mid 20th century which is still reflected in the strong selling prices of Peto’s works at auction. Over the past 20 years his “rack” paintings have routinely fetched $150,000 to $250,000. The highest price recorded for this artist was when “Rack Picture with Telegraph” sold for $552,500 at Christies New York in 1997. Coming up for sale at Moran’s October 17th auction will be his “Old Time Letter Rack,” (Photo 1) an oil on canvas titled on the verso and measuring 30” by 25”. Estimated to bring $150,000 to $250,000, a very similar work by Peto sold at Christies New York in 1999 for $387,500. This will be a very interesting lot to watch.
Also certain to spark exciting bidding is a beautiful oil on canvas by New Mexico artist Oscar Edmund Berninghaus (Taos, NM 1874-1952). In 1899 Berninghaus was commissioned by the Denver and Rio Grand Railroad to create scenes that would attract Easterners to the West. It was then that he discovered the beauty of Taos and New Mexico and dedicated himself to painting the life and landscape of the American frontier. Moran’s sale will feature an oil on canvas snow scene with horses at a hitching post (Photo 2). This work, which measures 16” by 20”, is signed on the lower right and is estimated to sell for $60,000
