JOSEPH RUSLING MEEKER DOUBLES EXPECTATIONS AT CLARS SEPTEMBER 2012 FINE ART SALE Oakland, CA — Clars September 9th auction of Fine Art and Antiques will go down in the firms history as the second strongest September sale. With competitive bidding from buyers in the saleroom, on th
News-Antique.com - Sep 12,2012 - JOSEPH RUSLING MEEKER DOUBLES EXPECTATIONS HIGHLIGHTING CLARS SEPTEMBER 2012 FINE ART AND ANTIQUES SALE
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Oakland, CA — Clars September 9th auction of Fine Art and Antiques will go down in the firms history as the second strongest September sale. With competitive bidding from buyers in the saleroom, on the telephones and via the Internet, the sale totaled just over $1.1 million. The September sale marked the close of their 2011/2012 fiscal year with total sales exceeding $11.5 million and on par with the previous fiscal year.
The Sunday, September 9th sale of Fine Art offered important American and European paintings, important photography and prints plus sculptures from both distinguished private collections and museums across the country. (Museums represented included The Museum of Fine Art, Houston; The Montclair Art Museum (New Jersey) and the Honolulu Art Museum.)
Highlighting the fine art offered was an oil on canvas entitled Near Bayou Plaquemine (Louisiana), 1880 by Joseph Rusling Meeker (American, 1827-1889). Both signed and dated, this work was estimated to earn $15,000 to $20,000 but more than doubled its high estimate achieving a very impressive $44,438.
Also selling for well over high estimate was an unframed oil on linen entitled Five Figures by James Henry Daugherty (America, 1889-1974). Estimated to sell for $12,000 on the high side, this work also earned an impressive $14,220.
Among the other paintings that exceeded expectations was Composition by Le Pho (Vietnamese/French 1907-2011) which sold for $11,900 and a signed and framed watercolor by Louis Comfort Tiffany (American, 1848-1933) entitled Bonzarea, Algeria that earned $8,925.
The photographic offerings were impressive as well. Irving Penn (American, 1917-2009) highlighted this category with his framed platinum-palladium print, Rock Groups, 1967, selling for $15,405. Taking second place in the photographic offerings was a framed gelatin silver print by Duane Michals (American, b. 1932). Entitled Margritte with Hat, 1965, this lot sold for solidly within estimate at $5,950.
Other highlights from the masters included a screenprint by Roy Lichtenstein entitled Study of Hands which flew past it estimate earning $9,520. Coming in just under was Orestia of Aeschylus, a lithograph from Francis Bacon (British/Irish, 1909-1992) which achieved $8,925. Pablo Picasso’s (Spanish/French, 1881-1973) glazed ceramic plate, Visage no. 179, 1963, sold nicely for $7,140
Sculpture performed very well with a 19th century bronze by Louis Ernest Barrias (French, 1841-1905) entitled Nature Revealing Herself to Science, highlighting this category selling for $17,775. Selling for over expectation was the painted steel sculpture, Untitled #90, 1980, by Fletcher Benton (Californian, b. 1931) which sold for $4,760.
A comprehensive list of all prices realized for this sale are available at www.clars.com
All prices reported here include buyers premium.
Clars next auction of Fine Art and Antiques will be held Saturday and Sunday, October 6 and 7, 2012. Previews for the October sale will be held Friday, October 5th from 1pm to 6pm and 9am each auction day. A complete catalog will be available online one week prior to the sale.
