James Cox Gallery – Call For Consignments
May 21
4666 State Route 212, Willow,NY12495
www.jamescoxgalery.com
info@jamescoxgalery.com
845-679-7608
WILLOW, N.Y. — The upcoming Collector’s Exchange fine art auction at the James Cox Gallery will offer bidders a wide variety of fine art selections. Slated for Sunday, May 21, at 1 pm, the sale is distinctive for its eclectic array of paintings, sculpture, photographs and porcelain.
Among the historic oil paintings featured in the sale are two Colorado mountain scenes by Woodstock artist Ethel Magafan (1916-1993). “Mountain Meadow” and “Lone Horse” were likely painted during Magafan’s annual trips on the Colorado, where she and her twin sister Jenne spent their adolescent years. A small oil by another prominent Woodstock artist and member of the Maverick Art Colony, Lucile Blanch (1895-1981) features two nude women languishing on a plush sofa, a piece James Cox referred to as “a little gem.”
A selection of works on paper includes a watercolor by popular Woodstock artist Dick Jeffery. “Trout Fishing” depicts a fly fisherman struggling to reel in his catch.
“Boy with a Staff” by James Chapin (1887-1975) is provocatively subtitled “Sentimental Recall of a Lost Innocence.” The large oil on canvas is a powerful image of a slender young man grasping a birch limb, his penetrating blue eyes staring directly at the viewer. The James Cox Gallery has represented the Chapin estate for more than 30 years. Cox noted that he considers this painting a particularly fine example of the artist’s compelling compositional style.
“Tea in the Garden” by Allen Tucker (1866-1939) is a small oil by an artist noted for his wide ranging technique. In this figure painting, Tucker uses an impressionistic style to depict a woman enjoying a quiet afternoon respite.
Cox points to “Child Sleeping with Cat” (1846) by Nineteenth Century artist H.W. Todd as one of the most charming pieces in the sale. The oil on wood panel depicts a baby peacefully slumbering while gently embracing a black kitten. “An irresistible image,” Cox noted.
Kedzi is an acrylic on wood sculpture by French-Hungarian artist Victor Vasarely (1906-1977), who is credited with having a huge influence on the Op Art movement. Kedzi is painted in dazzling color on the front, back and sides of a large geometric shaped wooden hexagon. “An especially fine example of Vasarely’s work,” Cox observed.
Classical sculpture is also featured in the upcoming sale, including a 28-inch bronze titled “Cruel Nature” by Alexander Stirling Calder (1870-1945) and a Frederick MacMonnies (1906-1977) statue called “Bacchante and Infant Fawn.” Representing a more contemporary style is “Fish,” a 1950s stabile by Woodstock artist James Turnbull (1909-1970) whose kinetic sculptures are widely acclaimed for their charm and originality.
Among several photographs in the sale is a portrait of Tyron Power and Loretta Young by renowned Hollywood photographer George Hurrell (1904-1992). The print is inscribed on verso by Hurrell verifying that it was taken in his Hollywood Hills studio.
“We will be selling some extraordinary porcelain in this sale,” Cox said, pointing to a Palissy majolica charger as an example. Palissy porcelain is distinguished by its elaborate three-dimensional depictions of sea creatures and reptiles. Cox explained that he has never seen a piece of Palissy as elaborate as the one in the upcoming auction. Another porcelain is a delicate Eighteenth Century Meissen piece titled “Satyrs,” which depicts two dainty figures in an elaborate doré bronze mount.
Several folk art items round out the eclectic character of pieces in the sale. Included in this group is an early miniature lead sculpture of a banjo player, a collection of hand-carved santos, a group of Southwestern pottery and an eccentric wooden bas relief of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Also worth noting is a striking image by self-taught artist Joseph Garlock (1884-1980) of two desperate Black swimmers, possibly awaiting rescue from a ship pictured in the distance.
The sale will feature 155 lots. Cox pointed out that works of art typically sell at a rate of one per minute, using two proven online platforms, LiveAuctioneers and Invaluable.
A preview party will be conducted at the James Cox Gallery, 4666 State Route 212, on May 19 from 5 to 8 pm. For information, 845-679-7608 or www.jamescoxgallery.com.
JamesRosenquist
LucileBlanch
H.W.Todd,1846
CharlesFrankArcieri
Palissy Ware Platter
5 Church Hill Road / Newtown, CT 06470
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(203) 426-8036