John Moran closes their 2007 art season earning $7 million on just over 500 works sold
Nov. 4, 2007
PASADENA, Calif. – On Oct. 23, John Moran Auctioneers hosted their last California and American Paintings sale for 2007 closing the year by setting six new world auction records. Each year, Moran holds three major art sales and this year their art auctions realized more than $7 million on just over 500 lots. Live Internet bidding for all John Moran auctions is conducted by www.LiveAuctioneers.com, where those interested may view the fully illustrated archived auction catalogs, with results.
Despite the firestorms sweeping across Southern California the week of the sale, the house was full and 11 agents stood ready to bid via phone and Internet as President and Auctioneer John Moran took to the podium. In all, there were over 900 registered bidders for this sale with 635 of them bidding via the Internet. At the end of the evening, 169 lots had been sold for a total of $1,950,257 (includes 15% buyers premium).
Early in the sale a work by California artist Frank Cuprien (1871-1948) opened strong at $5,000 against a pre-sale estimate of $4,000 to $6,000. Within moments of heated bidding, the painting sold for $34,500 to a client via the Internet.
The first world record of the evening was set just a few minutes later when “Shady Retreats” by Cornelius J. Botke (1887-1954) sold for $12,700. The painting was estimated to bring $5,000 to $7,000 and over 20 bidders battled it out to its final record selling price. John Moran Auctioneers now holds the first and third highest prices ever realized for this artist at auction.
The first six-figure painting to be sold came 20 minutes later when a beautiful signed autumn landscape by Maurice Braun (1877-1941) went on the block. Moran opened the bidding at $50,000 (estimate $90,000 to $120,000) and increments quickly climbed. In the end, the painting sold for $126,500.
Shortly after Orrin A. White’s (1883-1969) depiction of a quintessential Southern California day at the beach performed above expectations selling for $14,950 against a pre-sale estimate of $9,000 to $12,000.
A watercolor by Ruth Manerva Bennet (1899-1960) was the second world record of the evening. The painting, titled “Moreno and Sunset Blvd, Silverlake”, was expected to bring $3,000 to $4,000. Bidding opened at $2,000 and it quickly skyrocketed to a new world record of $10,900. Moran held the previous world record for this artist when they sold “Fruit Trees in Bloom” for $2,750 in June 2004. The California watercolor market is extremely strong and Moran has had the opportunity to sell a number of the top lots offered at auction in recent seasons.
Works by Charles Partridge Adams (1858-1942) are always popular with clients in California and Colorado and Moran has sold some of the best examples by the artist offered at auction. “Afternoon Autumn – San Juan Mountains Colorado”, a particularly fine Colorado landscape, was no exception selling for double its pre-sale estimate of $8,000 to $12,000. Bidding from the floor, phone and Internet drove the final selling price to $28,750.
Edward C. Volkert’s (1871-1935) peaceful “Autumn Pasture”, a signed oil on board, was estimated to sell for $10,000 to $15,000 pre-sale. It sold in the room for $19,600, the third highest price for the artist’s work at auction.
The real excitement of the evening would come just a few lots later with the much anticipated signed oil on board by Frank Tenney Johnson (1874-1939) titled “In the Evening Glow” (Photo 2 ). Expected to bring $70,000 to $90,000, Moran started the bidding at $50,000. Bidders on the phones, floor and the Internet fought fiercely for several minutes with Moran quickly calling the escalating increments. In the end, the painting sold for $172,500 almost twice its high estimate.
Sporting artist Ogden M. Pleissner’s (1905-1983) depiction of men working along a river sold above high estimate at $80,500. This was the third highest price ever realized at auction for an oil painting by the artist and the highest price achieved for an oil painting in over a decade.
The second highest price ever realized for Norton Bush (1834-1894) was achieved when his signed tropical river landscape sold for $31,600 (estimate $30,000 to $50,000).
World records continued in the latter half of the sale. First was an historical depiction of San Francisco’s “The Alameda Hotel” by Noel Quinn (1915-1993) which sold for $4,600 against an estimate of $2,500 to $3,500. This price far surpassed the previous record of $850 set by a competitor in 1996.
Following shortly after, a new world record for Ben Abril (1923 - 1995) was achieved when his signed oil on canvas titled “Main Street at 6th, Los Angeles 1940” would bring $11,500 against a $7,000 to $9,000 estimate. Moran broke their own world auction record for this painting which sold just above a nearly decade old previous record of $11,000 for “Bunker Hill, Angel’s Flight.”
A beautiful and important signed oil on canvas by local artist Mary Belle Williams (1873 – 1943) was the final world auction record of the evening. The Impressionist painting, depicting a woman tending her garden (Photo 3), was estimated to bring $4,000 to $6,000. Bidding was extremely competitive, and a very happy telephone bidder was the winner setting a record of $17,500 nearly three times more than the pre-sale estimate. A second work by Mary Belle Williams depicting a woman and young boy with a dog sold solidly for $6,350 immediately after and holds the place of the second highest price ever achieved for this artist.
With a very successful and exciting 2007 season behind them, John Moran Auctioneers has already secured major works for their first art sale of 2008 scheduled for Tuesday, February 19th. Moran anticipates an even stronger year in 2008 after their stellar performance this year.
To view the fully illustrated catalog, with prices realized, visit www.LiveAuctioneers.com
