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. This week we’ll go hiking and white water rafting before our shows in the greater LA area, so there won’t be a Thursday post.
Heritage Auction held their Illustration Art auctions June 27-28, 2012, proving that Gil Elvgren is still King of the Hill. Heritage sold seven works by Elvgren that ranged in price from $11,875 to $176,500, for an average of $82,036, far surpassing the results for any other artist in the sale. Of course there are other illustration artists that can sell for more, like Norman Rockwell, but they weren’t represented in the sale. Besides, Elvgren is noted for pinup art, whereas the other big shots are not.
Gil Elvgren, Skirting the Issue (Breezing Up), Heritage lot #78139
Lot #78139 was an Elvgren painting titled Skirting the Issue (Breezing Up), from 1956. It took the prize for top lot, selling for $176,500, against a pre-sale estimate of $30,000 – $50,000.
Al Buell painting, Brunette Pin-Up, Heritage lot #78110
After Elvgren, second prize, (really 7th prize after six Elvgrens) went to Al Buell. His painting, Brunette Pin-Up, circa 1940, sold for $32,500, against a pre-sale estimate of $1,000 – $2,000 — truly an impressive result. The most a Buell painting has sold for in recent Heritage auctions was $10,000 in March of 2012, so this was quite a jump. Let’s see over the next few auctions if a new level has been set for Buell, or this result was just a fluke.
Hy Hintermeister painting, The Last Word, Heritage lot #78314
One of my favorite artists, Hy Hintermeister, sold very reasonably. Lot #78314, The Last Word, sold for $4,062.50, against a pre-sale estimate of $3,000 – $5,000. A similar painting, Hold Everything, sold for $20,000 in Heritage’s March, 2012 Illustration Art auction.
For the complete results of the sale, click on the following link. Heritage’s Illustration Art results. You’ll have to sign in to view the prices.
We’ll be exhibiting at a show at the end of next week in Redondo Beach, CA, July 27-29. Please come and visit us and show support by considering purchasing something. This will be our last time exhibiting in the greater LA area if we don’t sell enough to make it worth our while.
In the meantime, we’re still very much in business. Don’t hesitate to call or write, and let us know what you’d like to buy, sell, or trade.
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Come visit us in Redondo Beach, July 27-29
Look around my website. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. I regularly add Tiffany vases, lamps and desk accessories, as well as French cameo glass by Galle and Daum Nancy and Louis Icart etchings. Just recently, I added about 15 new items. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com
