“Tetons Study For The Sheepherder” ($47,600).

Photos Courtesy Circle Auction

KANSAS CITY, MO. — On Saturday, December 2, Circle Auctions presented 113 lots from the Campanella Collection, one of the most extensive single-owner collection of the work of Thomas Hart Benton (American, 1782-1858) outside the Benton Trust. The auction saw strong bidder participation from the start to finish with 50 percent of the lots selling above the high estimate. The auction total landed at $427,864.

“Woodland Stream” ($19,635).

Strong local collector interest was bolstered by national participation in the auction, with bidders all across the United States, from Washington DC to Los Angeles, with 20 states represented in total. Bidders also joined in from overseas, as far away as England and Germany.

The top lots in the auction included an oil and gouache “Tetons Study For The Sheepherder” which achieved $47,600, while the oil on board “Study For Wyoming Hay,” ran to $34,510. One of the biggest surprises of the auction, a graphite on paper titled “Woodland Stream,” sold for $19,635 against an estimate of $2/3,000.

“Study For Wyoming Hay” ($34,510).

“This project has been an absolute pleasure to work on,” said James Fry, co-founder at Circle Auction.

“This group of works has been in the hands of two families up until now. From the open house preview to the auction, we’re excited to take part in increasing the number of Benton fans who can now enjoy this collection.”

Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For information, www.circle-auction.com or 913-408-0032.