Bidders find Women in Art Auction enticing
John Moran Auctioneers’ inaugural Women in Art auction offered works by 93 women artists. By sale’s end, new records had been set for three artists.
Women in art
MONROVIA, Calif. – During the summer of 2018, John Moran Auctioneers was excited to announce they had begun to consign property for their inaugural Women in Art Auction. The resulting catalogue featured works by 93 women artists, many California-based.
Dating from the 19th century through to the contemporary, the works, media, and styles represented were diverse and appealed to a wide swath of collectors.
At the sale’s start, the auction floor was very nearly full with attendee bidders, who had come out to preview and bid on the 124 lots. By the end of the auction, records had been set for three artists: Susan Hertel, Ethel V. Ashton and Dora Gamble.
Top lot of the women in art auction
The top lot for the evening was a dark horse entry by French/Mexican poet and artist Alice Rahon (1904-1987). She became involved in Surrealism when she lived in Paris, and her 1945 composition “Boîte à Musique III” is an excellent example of her surrealist work. Offered for a conservative $6,000 to $9,000, the work brought $23,750.
All prices realized quoted include Moran’s 25 percent buyer’s premium.
Directly following the Rahon, a surrealist composition depicting an elephant-esque tightrope walker titled “I Looked into a Dream” by Illinois artist Julia Tecla (1896-1973) also inspired a healthy amount of bidding, selling for $7,500 (estimate $1,000-$2,000).
The cover lot for the auction catalogue, Kathryn Leighton’s (1875-1952) “The Young Chief” is a stunning example of the artist’s Native American portraiture.
Leighton began painting Native American portraits after her 1910 move to Los Angeles, and generally brought her subjects in to her studio to paint them.
Arguably one of the strongest works by the artist ever to come up at auction and estimated to earn $18,000 to $22,000, “The Young Chief” realized $22,500.
John Moran Auctioneers is headquartered at 145 E. Walnut Ave., Monrovia, CA 91016. Visit www.johnmoran.com for more information.
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