Audubon birds open Arader Galleries auction Jan. 23
John James Audubon (1785-1851), ‘Carolina Parrot,’ Plate 26. Aquatint engraving with original hand color. London: Robert Havell, 1827-1838, 37½ x 26in sheet, 50 x 37in framed. Estimate: $125,000- $175,000, reserve: $110,000. Arader Galleries image
NEW YORK — Arader Galleries holds its first sale of the year on Jan. 23, offering a fine selection of first edition prints by John James Audubon, important natural history watercolors, views of New York, and an assortment of rare maps, books and Americana. Absentee and Internet live bidding is available through LiveAuctioneers.
The Winter Sale offers 180 lots, with estimates ranging from $150,000-$250,000. In addition to the impressive Audubon prints (Lots 1-19), the opening portion of the sale includes an extensive selection of natural history works, including aquatints by celebrated botanical artists Robert Thornton (Lots 21-26) and George Brookshaw (27-33).
John James Audubon (1785-1851), ‘Fish Hawk or Osprey,’ Plate 81. Aquatint engraving with original hand color. London: Robert Havell, 1827-1838, 38 5/8 x 25½in sheet. Estimate: $145,000-$175,000, reserve: $115,000. Arader Galleries image
A superb array of watercolors follows (Lots 34-56) begins with a pair of studies of tulips by Johann Theodor de Bry. Lots 57-67 hold a beautiful assortment of oil paintings: a set of four sporting scenes by Samuel Alken Jr. (Lot 62), a magnificent landscape of the Grand Canyon by William Robinson Leigh (Lot 66), and an excellent portrait of Margaret of Austria by Bernard Van Orley (Lot 68).
Robert J. Thornton (1768-1837), ‘The Night-Blooming Cereus.’ Aquatint, mezzotint stipple, line engraving with original hand color. From the ‘Temple of Flora; Or Garden of Nature.’ London, 1799-1807, 21 x 16in visible, 32½ x 27½in framed. Estimate: $6,000-$9,000, reserve: $3,500. Arader Galleries image
The second half of the auction opens with a fine selection of rare books (Lots 69-81). The first six lots showcase the folios of British ornithologist, John Gould (1804-1881), whose scientific expertise led him to assist Charles Darwin with the classification of birds during the H.M.S. Beagle’s 1835 excursion in the Galapagos. Gould produced several beautiful color plate books with the help of talented artist and wife, Elizabeth Gould, including The Birds of Europe (Lot 70), A Century of Birds from the Himalaya Mountains (Lot 75), and A Monograph of the Ramphastidae, or Family of Toucans (Lot 76).
Nicolino Calyo, (1799-1884), ‘View of New York City as It Appeared on the Eve of the Fire, 1835.’ Gouache on paper. Signed, dated, and inscribed,. 20 x 27½in visible, 28 x 36in framed. Estimate: $80,000-$120,000, reserve: $55,000. Arader Galleries image
In the third and final section of the sale, Arader presents over 90 lots of superb views and rare maps. Lots 105-108 showcase a fine selection of John Hill’s (1770-1850) aquatint engravings after William Guy Wall’s (1792-162) early views of New York. In Lots 143-153, Arader offers 11 aquatint engraving by the renowned William James Bennett (1784-1844), featuring three of his finest views of New York City (Lots 146-148).
Nathaniel Currier, (1813-1888) and James Merritt Ives, (1824-1895), ‘The City of New York.’ Lithograph with original hand color. New York: Currier & Ives, 1884. 28½ x 39in sheet, 35½ x 46in framed. Estimate: $15,000-$20,000, reserve: $10,000. Arader Galleries image
Arader Galleries’ Saturday, Jan. 23 live auction will begin at 1 p.m. EST.
For details or viewing email auctions@aradergallieres.com or call 615-812-9779.
View top auction results on LiveAuctioneers here: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/pages/recent-auction-sales/
