NEW YORK CITY — Doyle’s single-owner sale of the Nelson Doubleday Jr Collection January 11 saw marine art sail to the top of the sale. The top lot in the auction was renowned painter James Buttersworth (1817–1894) whose “Yacht Racing Off Sandy Hook” attained $348,500. The oil painting captures the drama of the annual regatta of the New York Yacht Club in June 1877, showing victory of the Active and was likely commissioned by her skipper, Frank W.J. Hurst, a longtime treasurer of the club.
A complete report on the auction will appear in a future edition.