NEW YORK – The Salmagundi Club hosted its first in-person public auction in more than two years with a successful two-day fundraising auction event on April 8 and April 9. Both sessions were held live at the club’s 1854-built townhouse headquarters on Fifth Avenue. The auction featured all-original portraits, still lifes, landscapes, photography and works from other genres, with all purchases supporting both the artists and the club.
More than 200 original works of art by Salmagundi Club members were offered. A unique addition to the auction lineup was the Judy Daniele Marsh bequest of 30 paintings, most of which were purchased 20 years ago and recently donated in memory of Marsh, a longtime patron of the club. Salmagundi auctions have been held continuously since the late 1870s.
Walter Hatke, ‘Vestiges,’ $2,700
Taking the spotlight was Joseph McGurl’s Evening Light on the River, an oil landscape depicting a view of Battery Park from across the river by the noted tonalist. It sold for $3,450 after multiple bids. Also, a modernist interior scene by Walter Hatke, titled Vestiges, realized $2,700, and a Carole Teller oil on board of the city post-snowfall, titled Window view, earned $2,185. Teller is a long-time member of the Salmagundi Club. She has won various awards and is known for her cityscapes.
Paintings from Salmagundi’s archives also drew a lot of attention, including a 1970s New England scene by the late Antonio Cirino, titled House With the Green Roof, which sold for $1,725, and a John Traynor oil on canvas, titled Morning in Hollow Stowe, VT, a landscape of idyllic Vermont at mid-day, which attained $1,380. Traynor is a classically-trained oil painter whose style is so distinct and recognizable, many of his works can be identified instantly as a “Traynor.” All of the proceeds from the sale of this circa-2000 landscape benefitted Salmagundi, as it was bequeathed to the club from the estate of Judy Daniele Marsh.
Another Traynor, titled Kit Carson Road, Taos, sold for $1,610, while a Richard Lithgow oil painting, Prize pig, went for $750. Lithgow is a long-time member of the Salmagundi Club who explores a wide range of subject matter through an equally varied range of mediums. In addition, Elizabeth Myers Castonguay’s Tree of Knowledge (Endangered), an acrylic piece dedicated to women across the world who are pursuing studies outside of religious doctrine, sold for $2,185.
“I was delighted to see so many private collectors in the room and online,” said Salmagundi Chairman Nick Dawes, who also acted as auctioneer, and added, “I am grateful for all our volunteer help, especially staff from Roland Auctions who assisted with photography, auction services and promotion.”
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