Photo courtesy Christie’s Images.
When a Christie’s press release advertising “the most valuable Western American art auction in history” crossed our desk, our interest was piqued. Tylee Abbott, Christie’s head of the American art department, was kind enough to give us a few insights into this superlative-worthy collection of William I. Koch, who is, among other things, an industrialist, scientist and winner of the America’s Cup. Titled Visions of the West, the sale will be crossing the block in the third week of January.
How will Christie’s be handling this collection?
Visions of the West will be a two-part series taking place at Rockefeller Center, beginning with an evening sale on January 20, followed with a day sale that starts at high noon on January 21.
What can you us about what inspired Koch to collect American art?
Mr Koch has said that he grew up in a family of collectors with a passion for the history and atmosphere of the American West. We note in the catalog that he has said, “With hard work, business success and a great deal of luck, I have been fortunate to collect things that resonate with me. The treasures in the sale are among my favorites, but it is time to pass along these pieces of history to other collectors who share my passion for the West — a place of great beauty, simplicity and codes that have strongly influenced my life. I do hope that art lovers around the world, old and new, can take the same enjoyment as I have, in collecting these works. My hope is that in this sale collectors will find something that speaks to their passion and that they are able to share it with their friends and loved ones.”
“Coming to the Call” by Frederic Remington (1861-1909), circa 1905, oil on canvas, signed lower left, 27 by 40 inches, is the lead lot of the sale ($6/8,000,000). Photo courtesy Christie’s Images.
Was he acquiring works over a lifetime? Is there a period that stands out as being his most busy acquisition period?
What’s especially impressive is the length of his commitment. This has been a long-term passion extending from the 1980s almost until the present.
Aside from quality, are there apparent throughlines [prominent provenance/exhibition and/or publication history/early or later works] to what he collected?
Every collection has its own style. This one, in my opinion, clearly represents a deep interest in narrative, and the storytelling of the West. It features works by many of the greatest storytellers and mythmakers of the genre, including Remington and Russell.
Did he collect across all subcategories of the genre?
He did. There is impressive breadth in the collection from early Nineteenth Century explorer works, to Nineteenth Century landscape paintings, to narrative pictures by Remington and Russell, to Taos Society works by Couse and Dunton, all the way to contemporary works by Turpening and Andy Thomas.
“The Horse Thief” by Frederic Remington (1861-1909), copyright 1907, bronze with brown patina, stamped with Roman Bronze Works NY foundry mark, 27 inches high ($3/5,000,000). Photo courtesy Christie’s Images.
What are some of the collection’s highlights?
It’s fair to say the top seven works are by Frederic Remington and Charles Marion Russell. These are masterpieces of painting and sculpture that stand at the pinnacle of Western Art. Then there are outstanding examples of so many other leading figures.
Can you specify some of the highlights?
The lead lot in the sale is Frederic Remington’s stunning sunset painting “Coming to the Call,” which critics hailed during the artist’s day as one of his four best paintings. Other important works by Remington to be offered include both a large and small version of “The Broncho Buster,” his most iconic sculptural work ($250/350,000).
Other world-class Remington pieces include the cinematic nocturne “Argument with the Town Marshall” ($4/6,000,000), his bronze “Coming Through the Rye” ($4/6,000,000) and the only cast of the rare sculpture “The Horse Thief” remaining in private hands from the limited edition of three ($3/5,000,000).
Charles Marion Russell is represented by the magnificent and sweeping canvases “The Sun Worshippers” ($4/6,000,000) and “Dust” ($5/7,000,000).
Your press materials advertise this as being the ‘most valuable Western American art auction in history’; what is the estimate for the sale?
The low estimate of this landmark sale is in the range of $50 million, which more than doubles the previous record for any American Western art auction in history.
—Madelia Hickman Ring
