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A massive, golden tin-covered abstract sculpture by renowned modern artist Mathias Goeritz far exceeded pre-auction expectations to become the star of Clars Auction Gallery’s September 12&13, 2009 auction, realizing $159,950*. The piece was the standout of a sale that featured strong results for a variety of artworks and decorative items, several of which were deaccessed from the collection of the Denver Art Museum.
Works by Goeritz (German/Mexican, 1915-1990) are featured in the permanent collections of several art institutions, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Clars originally assigned this piece an auction estimate of $50,000-100,000, but after a fierce round of international phone bidding, the striking work ultimately sold for more than 50 percent above estimate.
A fine Yosemite Valley landscape by noted American landscape artist Thomas Hill (1829-1908) was another standout of the sale, generating quite a bit of interest and selling for $21,330. Two European ship paintings also garnered attention and high prices: Boat on Stormy Seas, by the Russian Ivan K. Aivazovsky (1817-1900) fetched $41,475, while a harbor scene by Dutch artist Isaac Willaerts (1620-1693) realized $22,515.
Decorative items held their own, as well, particularly an 18th-century American school girl needlework alphabet sampler, which sold for $26,070, well above its $4000-6000 estimate. The piece is exceptional, featuring a floral border, several naïve family portraits and the inscription “Elizabeth Field Wrought . . . in the 11th year of Life . . . October 26th, 1766.” A Tiffany hanging shade, circa 1900, also stood out, realizing $17,775, and an ornate German silver figural gilt cup and cover, circa 1630, fetched $14,220.
On a different note, a 2004 Mercedes SL 500 coupe was another item of interest this weekend, selling for $38,513. Next, Clars prepares for its upcoming October estate sale, which will feature additional items of interest from the collections of the Denver Art Museum.
* All prices include buyer’s premium
Clars Auction Gallery is pleased to offer an exceptionally strong showing of artworks, jewelry, decorative and Asian items in its major September 12&13, 2009 auction. The September auction is traditionally Clars’s largest of the year, and this weekend’s sale, with offerings including important artworks deaccessioned from the Denver Art Museum, is shaping up to be one of Clars’s most significant auctions to date.The star of the sale is likely to be a sculpture by renowned modern artist Mathias Goeritz (German/Mexican, 1915-1990). With a pre-auction estimate of $50,000-100,000, the massive golden-tin-covered wooden panel piece (lot 6205) is a noteworthy example of the minimalist style that earned Goeritz entry into the permanent collections of such institutions as New York’s Museum of Modern Art and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The piece is a deaccession from the Denver Art Museum, part of a collection that includes other significant artworks, furnishings and ephemera.
In addition to modern art, Clars will feature significant works by earlier European and American artists, including an oil painting by California Impressionist John M. Gamble (Californian, 1863-1957) titled Wild Flowers, Santa Barbara (lot 6336), and a granite sculpture of a hedgehog (lot 6218) by Bay Area favorite Beniamino Bufano (Californian, 1898-1970).
Notable decorative items include a New Hampshire tiger maple Queen Anne style carved highboy from the late 18th century (lot 6525), as well as a 17th century German silver figural gilt cup and cover by Leonhard Vorchamer (lot 6826).
This weekend’s Asian offerings include a Chinese reverse glass painting of an elegant beauty from the late Qing dynasty or early republic (lot 6557) and a Korean ten-panel, double-sided folding screen (lot 6579).
The sale will also include a significant collection of fine jewelry, highlighted by an 18k white gold diamond ring featuring a 2.45 ct. round brilliant cut diamond with diamond accents (lot 7013) and a platinum and 10.18 ct. diamond necklace (lot 7001).
Clars will highlight several special collections during the sale, particularly a selection of Western Americana related to Wyatt Earp, a group of Pre-Colombian artifacts deaccessioned from the Denver Art Museum, and number of 17th and 18th century books.
On Monday, September 14, at 6:00 pm, Clars will host a special Sports Memorabilia Auction, a massive collection dating from the 1900s and including historical game tickets, autographed cards, baseballs and photographs. The collection will be available for preview this weekend, as well as from 4:00pm-6:00pm on Monday, September 14.
