The top price of $24,375 was awarded to this abstract oil on newspaper by Willem de Kooning (Dutch, 1904-1997), 19 by 21½ inches framed, which had well-documented provenance ($20/40,000).
Review by Kiersten Busch
SARASOTA, FLA. — An even 300 lots comprised Helmuth Stone Gallery’s Modern, Fine Art, Glass, Antique Auction, which was conducted August 17. Featuring works by numerous blue-chip artists and more than 25 pieces of an Italian modern glass collection, the auction ended with a total of $339,468.
Following the sale, co-owner Austin Helmuth reported, “We were overall very happy with the results. With the uncertainty of the market right now, we saw good overall results across the board with the different genres of artwork that we offered.” In terms of the bidding pool, Helmuth noted, “With the online platforms, we had registered bidders from approximately 50 different countries, a majority of them coming from the US and Canada.”
The day was led by an untitled abstract work by Dutch artist Willem de Kooning. Pencil signed lower left, the oil painting, made up of mostly warm tones, had a copy of the Friday, January 26, 1973, issue of The New York Times as its base. The lot was accompanied by a letter of authenticity from master printmaker Daniel Welden, who worked directly with de Kooning. With detailed provenance to multiple private collections and a February 2007 Bruun Rasmussen Auctioneers sale, the work earned $24,375. A second work from this series, which used mostly orange and red tones, was bid to $21,875, to secure the second-highest price of the sale.
Wifredo Lam’s (Cuban, 1902-1982) “Femme,” charcoal and watercolor on paper, 9½ by 6½ inches framed, was inscribed “Para Mi Amigo Alejo – Paris – Sept 11, 1956” and earned $21,250 ($3/6,000).
Cuban artist Wifredo Lam was represented by two works in the sale, with the charcoal and watercolor on paper work “Femme” earning the higher of the two prices. The work was inscribed “Para Mi Amigo Alejo – Paris – Sept 11, 1956” and was a gift to Alejo Carpentier, a Cuban novelist and essayist. The painting had additional provenance to Galeria Habana and the Gerald M. Normal collection; it also came with a 1973 certificate of authenticity from Ohana Gallery. “Femme” defied it’s $3/6,000 expectations and realized $21,250.
Lam’s other work, a color lithograph on paper titled “The Regard Vertical,” was pencil signed and numbered “71/99” on its lower margin. The illustration just surpassed its $600 high estimate to make $688.
French artists attracted a lot of bidder attention, with works by Maximilien Luce, Achille Emile-Othon Friesz and Pierre-Eugene Montezin earning high results. Luce’s “Constructeurs,” an oil on canvas painted in 1905, was bid to $19,375. Signed lower left, the painting also had a LewAllen Galleries (Santa Fe) label affixed verso. Luce had one other work in the sale, an untitled nature scene with three figures, which included a Wildenstein Institute authentication document and made $11,875.
Friesz and Montezin, both students of the Impressionist movement, each had one painting in the sale. “Femmes a La Fontaine,” a circa 1932 oil on canvas by Friesz, was the higher earning of the two, finishing at $13,750. Its authenticity was confirmed by Odile Aitouarres, who will be arranging volume two of the artist’s catalog raisonné, of which “Femmes a La Fontaine” will be a part. “Cavaliers Au Bois” by Montezin had a Waterhouse & Dodd label verso and trotted to $9,063.
Made at Pablo Picasso’s (Spanish, 1881-1973) Madoura studio, this partially glazed and engraved terracotta plaque titled “Tete de Lion,” 12-3/8 inches square, was executed in a numbered edition of 50 and made $7,500 ($8/16,000).
“Tete de Lion” by Pablo Picasso was the first lot of the day to cross the block, and it roared to $7,500. Conceived in December 1968-January 1969, the partially glazed and engraved terracotta plaque was stamped, marked and numbered “Madoura Plein Feu / Empreinte Originale de Picasso / J 118A / 24/50” on its reverse, marking that it was made at Picasso’s Madoura studio. Later on in the sale, the aquatint and etching “Peintre et modele accoude” (1964) sold for $5,313, and the color lithograph “Verve” earned $688.
American artists Hunt Slonem and Andy Warhol were represented by one work each, with both earning some of the highest prices of the day. Slonem’s “Blue Pearly Doves Score” was an original oil on canvas painting completed in 2024 and was acquired directly from the artist. It sold for $13,115, higher than its $6/12,000 estimate. Warhol’s color screenprint “Hans Christian Andersen” was part of his 1987 series of the same name. Numbered “AP (3/8),” the work was printed by Rupert Jansen Smith (New York) and published by Art Expo Danmark (Odense, Denmark); it was also hand-signed by the executor of the Estate of Andy Warhol. Selling within its $6/12,000 estimate, the print made $6,875.
The Italian modern glass collection was led by a Murano peacock art glass sculpture by Afro Celotto that was signed near its base and made $1,875. Three more pieces by Celotto were offered in the sale, including a one-of-a-kind spherical Murano art glass sculpture “made custom for the consignor, who is a friend of the artist” ($563) and a Murano art glass bud vase ($219); an art glass fedora by Celotto did not sell.
This artist’s proof of “Hans Christian Andersen” by Andy Warhol (American, 1928-1987), 1987, color screenprint on Lenox museum board, 43 inches square framed, was hand-signed by the executor of Warhol’s estate and was bid to $6,875 ($6/12,000).
Six works by murrine glass master Vittorio Ferro (Italian, 1932-2012) were sold, with prices ranging from $188 for a 4¾-inch-high rounded vase, to $500 for a 12-inch-high vase with red rose detailing, signed and dated “2000” on its base. According to catalog notes, “The vases here were made by Ferro personally for the consignor, with sparkling aventurine and murrine. These are relatively rare artworks as he primarily made colorful designs in murrine.”
“The buyers [of the top lots] were a mixture of phone and online bidders,” remarked Helmuth. “A majority of them were here in the states with a couple of the pieces going overseas to both the UK and Spain. The buyers are a mixture of both private collectors and two institutions.”
Helmuth Stone’s next auction will take place on September 28. Prices quoted include buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For information, 941-260-9703 or www.helmuthstone.com.
