Dynamite prices at Heritage Illustration Art auction, October 22, 2011

Recently I’ve had more time to write about the interesting things happening in the antiques world. When there’s no one in my booth at a show, I keep busy by writing blog posts. So for the next few weeks, I will publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. However, if you don’t see a new post on Thursday, it’s because I was too busy, so please look for a new one the following Monday.

Superb 1946 Howard Chandler Christy painting, 60½ inches x 72 inches, Heritage lot #78158

Heritage Auctions held the New York portion of their Illustration Art auction on October 22, 2011. Included in the sale was a wonderful painting of nudes by Howard Chandler Christy. It sold as lot #78158 and realized the impressive price of $179,250, against a pre-sale estimate of $60,000 – $80,000. The painting is in the same genre as the famous Christy murals on the walls of the venerable New York restaurant, Cafe des Artistes. The restaurant went out of business in 2009, but has recently reopened as The Leopard at des Artistes. The restaurant has undergone extensive renovation, as well as cleaning and restoration of all of the murals, which are now fresh and bright.

1956 Gil Elvgren painting, Fire Belle (Always Ready), Heritage lot #78204

Works by Gil Elvgren continued strong, with lot #78204 selling as the top lot of the sale. It carried a pre-sale estimate of $50,000 – $75,000 and sold for more than triple the low estimate, realizing $191,200, including buyer’s premium. In total, Heritage offered ten works by Elvgren, with prices starting at $5,078.75 for a non-illustrator-looking nude. Six of the ten sold for more than $50,000.

Alberto Vargas, Heritage lot #78399

Other important artists doing well at the sale included Alberto Vargas, lot #78399, $95,600; Jessie Willcox Smith, lot #78383, $71,700; Earl Moran, lot #78312, $53,775 and J.C. Leyendecker, lot #78280, $41,825. The sale totaled $3.725+ million.

For the complete results of the sale, click on the following link. Heritage Illustration Art results.

A fine Martin Bros. grotesque vase from 1903

In the meantime, check the listings on my website, which I will update as often as I can. I’ll be photographing all my new Gallé and Daum purchases and listing them on my website. Recently I listed quite a few Tiffany, Handel and Pairpoint lamps and a very rare Louis Icart etching, Mardi Gras. There are also several fine Daum vases; a Daum lamp; several Galle vases; and several more Tiffany Favrile vases. Coming soon will be several wonderful European ceramic items by Clement Massier, Zsolnay and Amphora. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com

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