A Southern California trade buyer paid $512,500 for this platinum and diamond ring that had a central pear-shaped 20.05 carat diamond flanked by two triangular diamonds that weighed an additional 1.90 carats. It was the top lot of the two-day sale ($300/500,000).
Review by Madelia Hickman Ring
LOS ANGELES, CALIF. — Abell Auction’s two-day auction on October 5-6 was billed as “Prestigious Estates and Fine Art;” one such prestigious estate in the 667-lot sale was that of pop vocal duo Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé. Several of the couple’s nearly 100 lots in the sale appeared in the highest ranks, including Ernie Eugene Barnes, Jr’s (1938-2009) “Shootaround,” which bidders dribbled from a $100/200,000 estimate to a $262,500 finish. The 1973 oil on canvas painting will be added to the Ernie Barnes catalogue raisonné and sold to a buyer in California. The catalog’s entry for the lot included a comment from Steve Lawrence’s son, David, who wrote, “In the mid-1970s, Eydie Gormé and Steve Lawrence met artist Ernie Barnes and became admirers of his work. As avid basketball fans, they were especially captivated by his piece ‘Shootaround,’ which gracefully portrays a young man shooting a hook shot toward a wooden basket. The artwork’s simple yet striking colors, combined with a barn-like wooden frame, enhance its timeless appeal. After over 50 years in their collection, ‘Shootaround’ is now being placed in a new home, with the hope that it will bring as much joy to its next owner as it did to the Gormé-Lawrence family.”
Another lot from the Gormé-Lawrence estate that outperformed expectations was an untitled abstract oil on canvas by actor, singer, producer — and artist — Frank Sinatra (American, 1915-1998), who had been friends with the couple. David Lawrence noted of this work, “Eydie and Steve became close friends with Sinatra after he became a fan of their recordings in the late 1950s. Their friendship endured until his passing. [He] was also a talented painter and the geometric artwork now on auction was a personal gift to commemorate the beginning of that tour, coinciding with his 75th birthday. This piece holds deep sentimental value in the estate collection of Eydie and Steve, symbolizing an important chapter in their friendship with Sinatra.”
It found a new home for $75,000.
This untitled abstract by Frank Sinatra, oil on canvas, 1990, 33 by 33 inches (framed), from the estate of Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé, soared to $75,000. A decorator, bidding on behalf of a client, had the prevailing bid ($10/15,000).
Jewelry from some unidentified sellers led the sale, notably a platinum and diamond ring that weighed nearly 22 carats and beat its high estimate and sold to a California buyer for $512,500. A stunning 14K white gold and color treated pink diamond ring that matched its high estimate at $300,000 followed in value.
An estate from Big Canyon in Newport Beach, Calif., — unidentified but described as “important” — consigned a Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973) linocut in colors titled “Grande Tete de Femme au Chapeau Orne (Large Head of a Woman with Decorated Hat)” that topped off at $81,250, also exceeding expectations.
“High Sky” by John Harvey McCracken (1934-2011), which came to auction from a Beverly Hills, Calif., estate, rose to $68,750. It had been made in 1996 in wood, fiberglass and polyester resin and stood out with its bold red color.
For visual impact, it would be hard to beat Ernst Neizvestny’s (1925-2016) “Falling Man,” an 87-inch tall bronze, which came to Abell from a private collection in Laguna Beach, Calif. The model was from an edition of seven and landed at $56,250.
“Falling Man” by Ernst Neizvestny, bronze, 87 inches tall, nearly doubled its estimate when it realized $56,250 from a Delaware bidder ($20/30,000).
An Italian School oil on panel painting of the Mother and Child from the estate of Francis and Marion Lederer appealed to Abell’s old school collectors, who elevated the piece to $31,250.
There was more to the sale than fine art and jewelry. The same result of $43,750 was shared by two lots, on each day. Selling for that price on the first day was a set of eight circa 1970 dining chairs made by Paul Evans for Directional, USA, that came to auction from the collection of Japanese actress, producer and manager Yasuko Austin Nagazumi. It was matched the following day by a 2004 Satin Pyramid model Bosendorfer grand piano that was from an unidentified seller.
With a sell-through rate of nearly 93 percent and a total realized of $3.1 million, Abell’s vice president Todd Schireson was pleased with how the sale did.
“The art market continues to show resilience, with strong demand across various categories. In our last auction, art pieces maintained solid prices, reflecting sustained interest from collectors and investors alike. The market’s strength was evident in competitive bidding, especially for modern and contemporary works.
“Meanwhile, despite much discussion on recessed prices of large diamonds, the jewelry market also exhibited positive trends. The prices for jewelry lots were encouraging, with a notable interest in classic and contemporary pieces. The auction demonstrated that while art remains a focal point for many collectors, jewelry also retains its appeal as a valuable and attractive investment.”
Dates of upcoming auctions have not yet been announced.
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For information, 323-724-8102 or www.abell.com.
