MONROVIA, Calif. – The temperatures may be cooling but Moran’s 20th Century Art + Design auction Nov. 19 was white hot, with furious phone bidding and strong prices realized achieved throughout the night. Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.
Fine art from the 20th century performed strongly throughout the night. A gorgeous Alexander Calder gouache and watercolor realized the highest price for a Calder ever sold by Moran’s when a determined phone bidder won the lot for $81,250 (above) All prices realized include Moran’s 25% buyer’s premium.
A pulsating Julian Stanczak oil on canvas, Accompanying Warm, came to Moran’s from the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno, sold to support the collections of the museum. After a protracted bidding war, one lucky bidder took the work home for $50,000 (below).
A quintessential Margaret Keane painting of a big-eyed girl sold to a phone bidder for $28,125, the second-highest price ever paid for a Keane at auction.
Moran’s offered many fine examples of sterling silver throughout the night, chief among them was a selection from the important collection of Cindy Tietze-Hodosh and Stuart Hodosh. A luxurious set of William Spratling Amares Disco flatware from the Hodosh collection was one of the most highly anticipated lots of the day and brought $32,500, the highest price realized for a Spratling flatware set on LiveAuctioneers.
A beautifully designed covered serving dish by Henning Koppel for George Jensen brought out the collectors on Tuesday, one of whom took the serving dish home for $11,250. A streamlined set of Cannes flatware from famed French silversmith Jean Puiforcat created a bidding war when it hit the block, selling to an online bidder for $8,125.
Moran’s is always pleased to give a platform for emerging and established female artists and designers. A wonderful Mary Corse work, “Untitled,” was one of our favorite works in the auction and sold for $43,750.
Also on Nov. 19, Moran’s conducted an auction of prints and multiples. Andy Warhol proved his enduring popularity with three works in the sale. A delightfully colorful Kachina Dolls from “Cowboys and Indians” is one of Warhol’s most unusual prints and brought $43,750 at the block.
The Witch, from Myths featuring with a cackling Margaret Hamilton sold comfortably in its $30,000-40,000 estimate at $37,500. Fiesta Pig is one of the most endearing Warhol images and delighted previewers before the sale. The color screenprint realized $21,250 at the block, one of the highest prices paid for this print at auction.
Ceramic works from Picasso have grown exponentially in popularity over the years and continued to bring strong prices last Tuesday. Femme, a pitcher with the imitable Picasso woman caused a bidding war when it hit the block, selling for $16,250. A platter, Tête de chèvre de profil, centered a goat’s profile and charmed the audience when it hit the block, selling for $9,375. Quatre Visages from 1959 features a figure with a delightfully happy expression and brought $7,500.
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