Tag Archives: Alberto Vargas

The results of Heritage Auctions’ Illustration Art auction, October 12, 2018

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I am now publishing once a week, on Monday.

Heritage Auctions, Dallas, Texas, held an Illustration Art sale on October 12, 2018, with total sales of $1,745,893 for the 398 lots offered. Works by Patrick Nagel and Alberto Vargas led the sale, taking the first five places.

Patrick Nagel Untitled, Heritage lot #71155

The top lot of the sale was #71155, an untitled acrylic on canvas painting by Patrick Nagel. It sold for an incredible $162,500, including buyer’s premium — approximately double its high estimate of $80,000. I continue to be befuddled by his desirability and prices. I just don’t see it.

Alberto Vargas Trick or Treat, Heritage lot #71151

On the other hand, I understand Alberto Vargas. Lot #71151, a mixed media painting on board entitled Trick or Treat, a Playboy interior illustration from the October, 1967 issue, sold for $100,000, including buyer’s premium, against a pre-sale estimate of $40,000 – $60,000.

Gil Elvgren Vision of Beauty (Unveiling), Heritage lot #71115

While the prices of works by Patrick Nagel is on the upswing, prices for Gil Elvgren’s works are on the downswing. A beautiful 1947 painting by Elvgren, entitled Vision of Beauty (Unveiling) sold below its pre-sale estimate of $60,000 – $80,000, realizing only $45,000, including buyer’s premium.

For the complete results of the sale, click here. You will have to sign in for the prices (free).

No shows until January 18, 2019, when we’ll exhibit at the Miami Antiques + Art + Design Show at the Miami Airport Convention Center (MACC). It precedes the Original Miami Beach Antiques Show.

I’ll be listing new items soon, especially Tiffany desk set items, which make great Christmas gifts. Look for them soon.

I recently listed some of the new items on my website and will list more every week. Click Philip Chasen Antiques to take a look. I will make every effort to actively list new items as often as time permits. I always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on my website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. And remember to keep reading my blog.

Works by Patrick Nagel led Heritage Auctions’ Illustration Art sale, April 24, 2018

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For the foreseeable future I will publish once a week on Mondays.

Heritage Auctions, Dallas, Texas, held an Illustration Art sale on April 24, 2018, with total sales of $1,357,487 for the 451 lots offered. Works by Patrick Nagel led the sale, taking the first and fourth places.

Patrick Nagel acrylic on canvas painting Nude on Back with Black Stockings, Heritage lot #71150

The top lot of the sale was #71150, a 1983 acrylic on canvas painting by Patrick Nagel entitled Nude on Back with Black Stockings. It sold for $106,250, including buyer’s premium — approximately double its low estimate of $50,000. I don’t understand Nagel’s work or why it’s so desirable, but someone does.

Alberto Vargas, Martini Time, Heritage lot #71202

I do understand the appeal of Alberto Vargas. His paintings scored the second, seventh and eleventh highest prices of the sale, $87,500, $27,500, and $18,750, respectively. Lot #71202, Martini Time, a watercolor and pencil on paper from 1935, sold for $87,500, including buyer’s premium, well above its high estimate of $50,000.

Gil Elvgren Perfection, Heritage lot #71058

Gil Elvgren has scored the top slots in other illustration art sales, but had to settle for the fifth and eighth ones in this sale. His 1948 painting Perfection sold for $57,500, below its pre-sale estimate of $60,000 – $80,000. Recent results for Elvgren’s works have weakened.

For the complete results of the sale, click here. You will have to sign in for the prices (free).

The Chicago Antiques + Art + Design Show at the Chicago Merchandise Mart will open next week, May 18-20, 2018. We’re pretty excited about it and you should be too. Please make your plans to attend!

We’re still very much in business between shows, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. I recently listed some of the new items on my website and will list more every week. Click Philip Chasen Antiques to take a look. I will make every effort to actively list new items as often as time permits. I always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on my website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. And remember to keep reading my blog.

Norman Rockwell painting, The Song of Bernadette, to be sold at Heritage Auctions’ Illustration Art Signature ® auction, October 26, 2013

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My goal is to 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.

Norman Rockwell's The Song of Bernadette, Heritage lot #78138

Norman Rockwell’s The Song of Bernadette, Heritage lot #78138

Heritage Auctions’ will hold their Illustration Art Signature ® auction on October 26, 2013. Included in the sale will be Norman Rockwell’s famous painting The Song of Bernadette, which was originally commissioned to publicize the 1945 movie of the same name, starring Jennifer Jones. It is one of Rockwell’s most reproduced works. The painting is expected to be the top lot of the sale, selling for millions.

Jesse Wilcox Smith's A Child's Prayer, Heritage lot #78153

Jesse Wilcox Smith’s A Child’s Prayer, Heritage lot #78153

Other important artists included in the sale will be J.C. Leyendecker, Jessie Willcox Smith, Stevan Dohanos, Dean Cornwell, Gil Elvgren and Alberto Vargas.

Gil Elvgren's Lucky Dog, Heritage lot #78071

Gil Elvgren’s Lucky Dog, Heritage lot #78071

Gil Elvgren’s works are usually met with enthusiasm and spirited bidding. Lot #78071 will feature Elvgren’s 1958 painting, Lucky Dog, considered by many to be one of his best. It is likely to exceed its pre-sale estimate of $50,000 – $75,000.

For more information on the sale, click here.

Wonderful 12" Daum rain scenic vase, just in

Wonderful 12″ Daum rain scenic vase, just in

Click here to view my new website and look around. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps.

Mixed results at Heritage’s Illustration Art Auction, August 17-18, 2010

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Heritage Auctions of Dallas, TX, held an Illustration Art Auction on August 17-18, 2010, with mixed results. Prices were strong for the best known artists and fairly weak for lesser known artists.

HUGH JOSEPH WARD, The Evil Flame, Spicy Mystery Stories pulp cover, August, 1936, Heritage lot 78330, 8/17/2010

The top lot of the sale was #78330, a wonderful pulp fiction oil on canvas illustration by Hugh Joseph Ward, for the cover of Spicy Mystery Stories in August 1936, entitled
The Evil Flame. It nearly tripled its pre-sale estimate of $30-50,000, realizing $143,400.

Gil Elvgren, A Fast Takeoff (A Speedy Takeoff), 1954, Heritage lot 78097, August 17, 2010

Gil Elvgren was well represented in the sale, with superb results for many of the thirteen items. Prices ranged from $1,314.50 for a portrait of a dog to $95,600 for a painting of a sexy woman in a motorboat (lot 78097). Five of the thirteen paintings of beautiful, sexy women sold in the $47,800 – $95,600 price range.

ALBERTO VARGAS. Varga Girl, Esquire calendar illustration, February 1946. Watercolor on board. Heritage lot 78321, August 17, 2010

Another big name in American illustration is Alberto Vargas. Six original paintings were offered, with results from $10,157.50 – $77,675. The top Vargas lot was #78321, a watercolor on board Esquire calendar illustration of a Varga Girl, February, 1946. It sold for $77,675, against a pre-sale estimate of $20-30,000, 2½ times the high estimate.

There were also bargains to be had. Almost half of all the lots offered (352 out of 723) sold for less than $1,000.

For the complete results, you will have to register (free) with Heritage. You can view all of the paintings without results if you don’t register. Here is the link. Results for the Heritage Illustration Art auction, August 17-18, 2010.

I recently added over 10 Galle vases to my website, 7 Tiffany lamps, 1 Grueby vase, 1 Newcomb vase, Daum Nancy glass and a fabulous Burgun & Schverer internally decorated vase. This coming week, I’ll be adding many new items. Please take a look. Click on this link chasenantiques.com.

Please send me your comments or questions about art glass, lamps, Louis Icart, shows, auctions, etc. If it’s interesting, I’ll answer you in a future blog.