This large painting of horses, done in 2007 by Maqbool Fida Husain (India, 1915-2011), brought $59,000, the top price in the sale. Acquired from the artist by a Scottish collector, it sold to a buyer in the United States ($100/150,000).
Review by Madelia Hickman Ring, Catalog Photos Courtesy Amero Auctions
SARASOTA, FLA. – Opening up the summer’s season was the May 31 “Fine Arts and Fabulous Estate Finds” auction at Amero Auctions. The sale of slightly more than 450 lots totaled approximately $380,000 and was more than 72 percent sold.
“I’m very happy. We hit the numbers we had to hit,” owner and principal auctioneer Alan Amero told Antiques and The Arts Weekly by phone after the sale wrapped. “About 200 people took advantage of our ‘preview by appointment,’ and we gave out free masks to anyone who didn’t have one. I had about 15 really good buyers in the saleroom – all spread out – on the day of the sale.”
Amero said he offered phone and absentee bidding, as well as online bidding through Invaluable and LiveAuctioneers, the latter of which saw the most internet traffic during the sale. International buyers hailed from several countries, including China, England and France.
Art led the way, with the most expensive lot in the sale being an oil painting of horses by Maqbool Fida Husain (India, 1915-2011) at $59,000 and a folky oil on board by Charles Wysocki (American, 1928-2002) brought $20,650. A painting by James Lesesne Wells, titled “The Wanderers,” set a new auction record for the artist, achieving $15,340, well past the previous record of $8,400. A favorite among clients previewing the sale – Jasmin Joseph’s painting of rabbits and monkey’s gardening – brought $5,900, which is believed to be the second highest price realized for this artist at auction.
Other notable fine art results were a 1956 photograph by Arnold Newman of Pablo Picasso in his studio surrounded by works of art that brought $2,006, the same price realized by Felipe Castaneda’s bronze “Desnude” sculpture.
Charles Wysocki’s painting of the steamboat Robert E. Lee sailed past its high estimate to land at $20,650 The painting was accompanied by the original invoice from its 1968 purchase from a Carmel, Calif., gallery. Consigned by a Florida estate, it was purchased by a private collector from the United States ($15/20,000).
Modern furniture did well. A George Nelson Herman Miller miniature chest without knobs brought $3,835, while a set of four Warren Plattner for Knoll wire chairs attained $6,490. An unusual multiple-use chair attributed to Frederick Kiesler brought $2,478, and a Tommi Parzinger parquetry inlaid dining table sold for $1,180.
Priced to sell, traditional furniture did just that. Five lots of Herter Brothers (or attributed) furniture were offered, with four lots selling for prices ranging from $443 for a brass fire fender to $944 for a bookcase. An ebonized Kimbel & Cabus hall cabinet finished at $885, just ahead of a set of six Kimbel & Cabus library chairs that made $767. Exceeding expectations were a winged-griffin-form plant stand attributed to RJ Horner that made $1,888, as well as an Aesthetic Movement inlaid table by A.&H. Lejambre that closed at $1,534.
A palatial pair of Chinese planters topped offerings of Asian works of art when it met expectations, selling for $3,835. Surprises included a Chinese low table that brought $3,540; bidders pounded away at a Chinese Longquan-style celadon mallet vase that closed at $1,180 and a Chinese Qing dynasty ancestral portrait made $944.
Amero Auctions’ next sale is scheduled for August 16.
All prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as advertised by the house but may not include surcharges for payment or bidding method.
Amero Auctions is at 1502 North Lime Avenue. For more information, 941-330-1577 or www.ameroauctions.com.
