ASHEVILLE, N.C. – “Beacon Rock, Newport,” a signed and dated 1856 view of the Rhode Island shore by John Frederick Kensett (1816-1872) led Brunk Auctions’ blow-out sale of the estate of writer William N. Banks Jr on September 12, realizing $664,200 including premium against an estimate of $250/300,000. Altogether, the single-owner sale achieved roughly $4.7 million on 328 lots and demonstrated sustained interest from bidders across the United States for American Federal and Classical furniture and Nineteenth Century American paintings. Acquired by Banks from Alexander Galleries in 1982 for $65,000, the Kensett view is a half-scale version of a related work by the artist in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.

Watch for a full report in an upcoming edition of Antiques and The Arts Weekly.