Earning the distinction of top lot was “Cosmos & Mallows” by Jane Freilicher (American, 1924-2014), 1965, pastel on paper, 16¼ by 19¾ inches framed, signed and dated lower right, which sold for $4,750, more than double its high estimate ($1/2,000).
Review by Kiersten Busch
CLINTONDALE, N.Y. — On May 20, Kensington Estate Auctions conducted its Estate Fine Art & Antique Online sale. Nineteenth through Twenty-First Century art, bronze and stone sculptures, antiquarian books, wood carvings, urban graffiti tagged art, animation cells, jewelry and Native American, Chinese and Japanese ethnography were just some of the categories featured in the 175-lot sale.
A pastel on paper work by American artist Jane Freilicher, titled “Cosmos & Mallows” (1965) was the first lot offered, and the highest-selling lot of the day. Signed and dated lower right with its original gallery label from Tibor de Nagy (New York City) verso, the artwork sold for more than double its high estimate, at $4,750. The catalog noted that Freilicher’s work is in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art.
A Nineteenth Century French musical cat automaton was singled out by the auction house as one of the highlights of the auction, and it did not disappoint, crossing the block for $4,688, the second-highest selling lot of the sale. The automaton was made up of two fur-covered, glass-eyed cat musicians, a singer and cellist, who were housed inside a removeable custom wood trimmed glass case enhanced with an interior mirror. When the crank is turned, music begins to play, and the heads and paws of both cats move. The singer cat, who is standing on a table with a music sheet in its paw, also meows. The automaton was in good working condition and had provenance to a private estate.
At $4,688, this French musical cat automaton, Nineteenth Century, 10 inches tall, case 25½ (height) by 19¼ (width) by 14 inches (depth), in good condition, was the second-highest selling lot, falling comfortably near the high end of its estimate ($2,5/5,000).
Three pieces by New York City graffiti and visual artist Angel Ortiz (known publicly as LA II), intrigued bidders enough to push them into the top selling lots of the sale. LA II is best known for his collaborative work with Keith Haring (1958-1990), which consisted of various sculptures, paintings, murals, vases and other forms of media. Their works are in museums around the world and have been extensively documented. A graffiti painted plaster statue in the form of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, tagged “Larock” throughout, rounded out the top three lots, exchanging hands for $3,250, above estimate. The statue’s tags were done in metallic silver paint marker on a reddish-brown acrylic paint foundation. The other two notable LA II works offered were a graffiti painting tagged “N.Y.C.” throughout, which realized $1,625, and a graffiti painted found pottery vase tagged “LA2” throughout, which sold for $1,250. All three artworks were acquired directly from the artist by the seller in the 1990s.
An early Twentieth Century Impressionist oil painting titled “The Promenade,” by P. Lauson sold for around five times its high estimate. Signed by the artist lower right, it depicted figures along a promenade with the American flag in the distance. It was in good condition and had provenance to a private estate.
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For information, www.kensingtonestateauctions.com or 917-331-0807.
