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Soft as a memory, an impressionistic oil on board titled simply “Dad” by Alex Katz sold for more than nine times its high presale estimate to reach $43,920, leading the sale. Circa 1961, the 12-by10 ¾-inch painting depicted an adult figure holding a small child while walking through a tree-lined allee. The child is Vincent, the artist’s son, born in 1960 and, like Katz’s wife Ada, a regular model in Katz’s paintings.
Review By W.A. Demers; Photos Courtesy Butterscotch Auction
BEDFORD, N.Y. — With provenance to the Vincent Price Gallery & Vincent Price Sears Roebuck Collection and by descent through the consignor’s family, an impressionistic oil on board titled simply “Dad” by Alex Katz (b 1927) sold for more than nine times its high estimate to reach $43,920, leading Butterscotch Auction’s July 16 summer estates sale. Circa 1961, the 12-by10¾-inch painting depicting an adult figure holding a small child while walking through a tree-lined allee was numbered GQ 40191, inscribed “Vincent” in pencil, with Vincent Price and Sears labels on verso and presented in the original frame. Vincent, the artist’s son, was born in 1960 and, like Katz’s wife Ada, is a regular model in Katz’s paintings, appearing as an adult in Katz’s 1996 painting “Vincent” in the Tate collection.
Many items in this sale came from the estates of area families. From descent through a South Salem, N.Y., family came a 12-piece set of Arthur Stone sterling and gold demitasse spoons with reticulated handles. Appearing in excellent condition, they easily surpassed their $200/300 estimate to finish at $21,960.
Similarly, a North Salem, N.Y., estate contributed Charles Dickens’s own copy of Vanity Fair, 1848, a first edition with both Dickens’ bookplate and the Gadshill Place, June 1870, label, plus a memorandum from Charles Scribner’s sons, stating, “This copy of Vanity Fair is from the library of Charles Dickens and bought especially for us by our agent in London.” Signed Charles Scribner, the volume was accompanied by its red Moroccan leather slip case. The lot more than tripled its high estimate, selling for $18,300.
Another literary performer was Theatre d’Agriculture, also a first edition and the first major work on French agronomy, which found a buyer at $13,420. Divided into eight books, it included information on viticulture, gardens, food, crops and livestock. Its author Olivier de Serres (1539-1619) was an early advocate of crop rotation and had 20,000 mulberry bushes planted in the Tuileries Gardens to increase the breeding of silkworms.
Theatre d’Agriculture, a first edition and the first major work on French agronomy. The eight-volume set included information on viticulture, gardens, food, crops and livestock. Its author Olivier de Serres (1539-1619) was an early advocate of crop rotation. It found a buyer at $13,420.
Returning to fine art, a drawing attributed to Marsden Hartley (American, 1877-1943) “Still life with Zinnias,” circa 1926, India ink with dry brush on buff paper, bore no artist’s signature so went out under its estimate for $19,520. The 21¼-by-19¼-inch drawing had descended through a Park Avenue, New York City estate.
Known for his abstract landscapes and watercolors, American Modernist John Marin (1870-1953) was introduced to the rugged beauty of coastal Maine when he spent his first summer there in 1914 and it became one of his favorite subjects as he captured the many moods of the sea and sky. “Rocks, Trees & Water, Stonington, ME,” a watercolor on paper, 21 by 33¾ inches, was bid to $15,860. It was signed lower right and dated 1919, verso signed, titled and numbered “19” within a circle in pencil, and had descended through an Armonk, N.Y., family.
The first lot across the block was an oil on canvas by John Edward Heliker (American, 1909-2000) depicting a boatshed in summer light. Signed lower right with Kraushaar gallery label on verso, it had indeed been purchased there by the Park Avenue, New York City, family of the consignor in 1974. The 52-by-48-inch painting earned $8,890.
John Edward Heliker’s “Boatshed and Summer Light” signed lower right with a Kraushaar gallery label on verso had been purchased there by the Park Avenue, New York City, family of the consignor in 1974. The 52-by-48-inch painting earned $8,890.
One of Joan Miro’s (1893-1983) playful abstracts, “Paroles Peintes III,” 1967, an etching with aquatint, realized $6,100. It was signed in pencil and numbered 24/50, from the total edition of 219, published by Éditions O. Lazar-Vernet, Paris, 1967, overall 20½ by 18½ inches.
From the same Park Avenue consignor as the John Heliker painting came an oil on canvas “In the Woods by the Sea,” 1989, by Robert Lewis Lahotan (American, 1927-2002), who specialized in Impressionist landscapes, water scenes and still lifes painting. He was a life partner to Heliker and was influenced by the works of Edouard Vuillard. This 38½-by-43-inch work depicting a woodland scene by the water left the gallery at $6,100.
A social realist with distinct liberal political views, Ben Shahn (American, 1898-1969) was represented in the sale by an ink on paper drawing titled “Puerto Rican Immigrant,” 1957, a mustachioed gentleman, hat in hand standing with pensive female behind him. It drew a winning bid of $5,500.
A sculpture highlight was a big blue “Bow” made of corten steel, 94 by 125 by 9 inches by Linda Scott (American, 1938-2015. Bringing $5,842, it had originally been commissioned from the artist in 1994 and delivered to Amagansett, N.Y., in 1995. Its most recent owner was a Pound Ridge, N.Y., resident. Scott was an important East Hampton (Long Island, N.Y.) sculptor and artist most well-known for creating “The Stargazer,” a 50-foot sculpture that has served as “the unofficial gateway to the Hamptons” since its erection in 1991.
A big blue “Bow” made of cor-ten steel, 94 by 125 by 9 inches by Linda Scott brought $5,842. It had originally been commissioned from the artist in 1994 and delivered to Amagansett, N.Y., in 1995. Its most recent owner was a Pound Ridge, N.Y., resident.
A couple of notable jewelry lots were a diamond and a man’s vintage wristwatch. The diamond was a 1.68-carat round brilliant, H color, VS1 clarity stone that had been removed from the setting. Accompanied by a GIA report, it rose to $9,760. The watch was a Heuer Solunar from Switzerland, circa 1950, with a chromed metal case and bi-color band. According to catalog notes, these watches were introduced in 1949 as the product of a collaboration between Charles-Edouard Heuer, his son Jack Heuer, then only 15, and Dr Heinz Schilt. Dr Schilt was Jack’s school physics teacher and together they answered the request of Abercrombie & Fitch to create a wristwatch suitable for tracking tides to assist hunters and fisherman in their endeavors. The tide indicator function operates on the solunar theory by which tides and animals are affected by the movement and location of the moon. It went out at $12,700.
Furniture lots were scarce, one notable group being an eight-piece set of Thomas Moser continuous Windsor chairs from a North Salem, N.Y., estate that took $6,100.
Among decorative arts, a regal looking English imperial brass measure, ex Mellon collection, sold for $5,612, while a Grace Young for Rookwood Pottery standard glaze vase with a portrait of a Native America also captured $5,612. The brass measure was a William IV brass alloy imperial standard half bushel measure dated 1824. It was engraved “Suffolk Ipswich Division” with multiple exchequer and verification marks. Also engraved at the bottom front was Bate London Maker of the exchequer standards numbered 334. The year 1824 was the first year the weights and measures act was established. This measure sold at Sotheby’s New York in November 2014 as part of the estate of Bunny Mellon.
The Rookwood vase, titled “Kiowa Brauc,” on underside, with 1901 flame mark bore the artist’s monogram, and stood 10¼ inches high.
Prices given include the buyer’s premium as stated by the auction house. The next auction is scheduled to be conducted November 19. For information, www.butterscotchauction.com or 914-764-4609.
