“Still Life” by Michael Goldberg, 1955, oil, paper and tape on canvas, 76 ¼ by 62 ¼ inches, was at the apex of the sale, bringing $375,000 from a buyer in Southern California who prevailed against several phone bidders and was one of the most-watched lots of the event ($50/70,000).
Review by Madelia Hickman Ring; Photos Courtesy Abell Auction
LOS ANGELES — Jewelry, fine art and furnishings were on the menu at Abell Auction May 20-21, with more than 550 lots spanning a broad variety of styles to tempt any palate and a range of estimates to further whet one’s appetite. Selling not only to a local Southern California audience but to buyers around the world, the two-day event achieved an overall sell-through rate of more than 95 percent and an aggregate yield of more than $3.5 million.
“The results exceeded our expectations,” confirmed Todd Schireson, the firm’s vice president. “The furniture market is still strong and we’re seeing a very broad audience, both internationally and in the United States. We register a significant number of buyers on three platforms and are still getting a lot of new ones. We advertise digitally and in the LA Times and with Antiques and The Arts Weekly among others; it’s paying off! Our sales often have 1,500 bidders watching online, which are great numbers.”
The highest price of the weekend was $375,000, achieved by Michael Goldberg’s (American, 1924-2008): “Still Life,” a 1955 oil, paper and tape on canvas abstract composition that measured 76¼ by 62¼ inches. Though not the world auction record for the artist — a value that has stood at $461,000 since 2014 — the result matches the second highest auction value ever achieved. Galleries in Chicago, New York City and Los Angeles were listed in the provenance for the unframed work, as was a private collection where it was installed by celebrity interior designer Michael Smith. Schireson noted that it was one of the most watched lots during the sale and had competition on five phone lines. The buyer was identified only as being in Southern California.
Rising to a third-place finish at $137,500 was “Sunset” by Andy Warhol, 1972, screenprint in colors on smooth wove paper and published by David Whitney. It had previously been offered at Sotheby’s London in 2013 ($70/100,000).
Modern and contemporary art — by blue chip artists and those whose names may be less well known to readers — captured a significant portion of the top results. Among these was “Sunset” by Andy Warhol (American, 1928-1987), a 1972 screenprint in colors on smooth wove paper that was numbered 5 of 40 and from an edition of 632 unique impressions, earned the sale’s third highest price of $137,500, nearly double the lot’s low estimate.
A growing demand for work by women artists may have fueled interest in those that Abell offered. Among those in the sale and achieving a category high of $87,500 was Alice Baber’s (American, 1928-1982) “Storm of the Rainbow,” a colorful 1977 oil on canvas composition that nearly tripled its high estimate. Nancy Lorenz’s (American, b 1962) 12-panel “Moon Gold Wave Screen” that featured mother of pearl, gilder’s clay and moon gold leaf and measured 8 feet 8 inches tall by 18 feet 6 inches wide realized $53,125, another lot that multiplied its high estimate. The screen had been commissioned for a private collection — also installed by Michael Smith — and was, in Schireson’s words, “just beautiful…and stunning in person.”
The size of a work can be a deterrent to buyers, who may have a collection with limited wall or floor space, and underscores the adage, “The bigger the piece, the smaller the market.” However, that did not seem to be the case with an unattributed six-part carved wood relief panel — monumental at an overall 80 by 170 inches — that sold to a decorator for $68,750, more than 13 times its high estimate. Like the Lorenz screen, Schireson noted it was also massive and impressive in person.
Of the two Alexander Calder tapestries in the sale, this example, numbered 53/100 and made in 1975 from dyed and handwoven jute Maguey fiber, 72 by 96 ½ by 4 inches, did the best, garnering $59,375, a value Todd Schireson happily said was “a very high price” for the edition ($20/30,000).
Three-dimensional works by marquee-name makers also found favor, notably with the $59,375 realized by an Alexander Calder (1898-1976) tapestry, made in 1975 with dyed and handwoven jute Maguey fiber, 72 by 96½ by 4 inches. Though Schireson noted the market for Calder’s tapestries can be “hit or miss,” he was very happy with the result, as well as for another of the artist’s tapestries, “No. 9,” which finished at $31,250.
Pablo Picasso’s (Spanish/French, 1881-1973) Madoura pottery vessels are perennial favorites among collectors and Abell offered eight examples, which ranged in price between $2,500 for a 6½-inch diameter terracotta “Picador” bowl, to a “Visage au Nez Noir” earthenware pitcher with colored engobe and glaze, dated 1969,” which stood 13 inches tall and realized $59,375, a value Schireson noted was “in the top range” for the form.
Consigned to Abell from an estate in Pacific Palisades, Calif., this white earthenware pitcher, Pablo Picasso’s “Visage au Nez Noir” from 1969 topped off at $59,375, a strong result for the form ($15/20,000).
Lots of Nineteenth Century and earlier ceramics were sold alongside Twentieth Century offerings and both saw interest from Abell’s buyers. A Berlin KPM porcelain plaque from the Sherman Oaks, Calif., estate of Harvey and Sugar Byron that was titled “The Dancing Lesson” waltzed out the door for $46,875, more than twice its low estimate. Bearing scepter marks and impressed both “KPM” and “H,” the 18-by-25½-inch framed piece also featured a paper label with an ink inscription “Toby Rosenthal.” It was one of a half-dozen KPM plaques from the estate, which otherwise achieved prices ranging from $2,500 to $9,375.
The Byron’s estate featured a 22-inch-tall Tiffany Studios bronze and glass table lamp with Pansy shade that brightened the sale and brought one of the highest prices of the weekend: an even $100,000, five times its high estimate.
Offered on the second day, the selection of Asian works of art was comparatively small at just 15 lots but two pieces attracted enough interest to push them onto the leaderboard. A pair of Chinese carved zitan and hardwood, bronze and cloisonné standards, Eighteenth or Nineteenth Century, on elephant-form carved bases that had been in the personal collection of Beverly Hills, Calif., designer Barbara Lockhart, finished at $53,125, significantly exceeding the $4/6,000 estimate. Also from Lockhart’s collection was a similarly estimated 17¾-inch-tall Chinese famille rose porcelain “Hundred Deer” vase, cataloged as Qianlong period with Qianlong six-character mark, that a lucky bidder bagged for $28,125.
Setting the high bar for the collection of Jeff Schuerholz was this custom mosaic-top coffee table designed by Edward Wormley for Dunbar. Bidders took it to $25,000 ($1/2,000).
The market for modern furnishings — think midcentury and later — proved resilient and strong enough to accommodate nearly 140 lots from the collection of Jeff Schuerholz, who established Fat Chance, the iconic Los Angeles furnishings store that was a destination for Hollywood’s elite. Schireson noted it attracted widespread interest, including some international buyers on a couple of pieces. Topping the selection at $25,000 was a custom mosaic-top coffee table, designed by Edward Wormley for Dunbar, followed by “Harlequin in the Sun” by Ellamarie and Jackson Woolley, made in 1959 in enamel on copper repoussé that had been included in the Long Beach Museum of Art’s 2007 exhibition, “Painting with Fire: Masters of Enameling in America, 1930-1980” and included in the show’s catalog; it brought $20,000, four times its estimate.
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house.
Abell Auction Company will sell an important collection of Indigenous Australian art on June 22 and its “Abell Presents California Interiors” on June 28-29. For information, 323-724-8102 or www.abell.com.
