A Drexel Buys a Drexel for $225,000

Bidding on the artist's self/family portrait silenced phone lines as two determined gallery participants took the competition to ten times presale estimates.

A Drexel Buys a Drexel for $225,000

DOWNINGTON, PENN. -- A "wonderful" artist's self portrait/family portrait by Francis Martin Drexel, 1793-1863, became the top lot at Pook & Pook this past Saturday, February 22, selling for a world record price paid at auction of $225,000, including premium.

"This was a record probably 100 times over," stated an enthusiastic Ronald Pook after the auction. "This painting had everything going for it, a self portrait by the artist with his wife and daughter. It had the artist, the palate, canvas, even the table with the pigments in the foreground. A self portrait of an artist couldn't be any better."

Five-color pitcher and bowl, $28,875.

As the lot crossed the auction block bidding was fast and furious with three phone bidders attempting to compete with two determined bidders in the gallery. The price quickly passed the $15/20,000 presale estimates, and following bid after bid from the gallery all of the phone lines went silent as the piece was hammered down at $200,000, plus 15/10 percent buyer's premium. The successful bidder, as reported by the gallery, was a representative of Drexel University in Philadelphia, Penn. The artist was the father of Anthony Drexel, who founded Drexel University in 1891.

Another top lot worthy of mention came from the spatter ware collection of Dr Robert Schaeffer, Jr, as a rare vibrant five-color pitcher and bowl set exceeded estimates by bringing $25,875.

A complete review will appear in a future issue.