“Desert Moon” by Frank Tenney Johnson (American, 1874-1939), 1937, oil on canvas, 31½ by 37¼ inches framed, was lassoed by a private buyer for $118,750, the highest price of the two-day sale ($100/150,000).

Review by Kiersten Busch

LOS ANGELES — Abell Auction bridged the gap between May and June with its Fine Art, Jewelry and Important Estates auction, which was conducted over the course of two days, May 31 and June 1. “I was extremely happy with the results. It showed the art market was still strong,” shared vice president Todd Schireson. “Jewelry and furniture also did very well, with antique furnishings and decorative arts all doing exceptionally well.” With 625 lots offered, the auction’s sell-through rate was 88 percent and it totaled $2.7 million.

Schireson continued, “Our online bidding was extremely high. Day one saw over 1,600 active bidders with 25,000 registered bidders in 88 countries. We had a lot of galleries bidding worldwide and many collectors.”

The first day was led by the oil on canvas “Les Tulipes” by French/Vietnamese artist Le Pho, which bloomed past its $20/30,000 estimate to achieve $60,800. Along with an inscription of the artist’s name, the work was marked “No. 36 New York 10 M W.F Les Tulipes 9132-Les Tulipes” in ink on its stretcher.

Twenty-one additional oil on canvas paintings crossed the block on the first day, which saw a new world auction record for Witold Kaczanowski’s (Polish-American, 1932-2025) untitled oil depicting figures walking towards a hallway or door. The work’s $20,000 finish was “a record-setting price by about four to five times previous highs,” explained Schireson. While not an oil on canvas, an acrylic on canvas work by Norman Zammitt (American, 1931-2007) also set a new world auction record at $40,625.

“We set a record on the Norman Zammitt work by a substantial amount, which was wonderful. Light and Space art is doing very well” shared Todd Schireson of the American/Canadian’s June 1987 untitled acrylic on canvas work, 37 by 60½ inches, which earned $40,625 ($15/20,000).

Henri Hecht Maik’s “Un Bond Avec Maman” also performed very well, prowling to $40,625 thanks to a private collector from New York. The work was signed and dated lower right and had the same provenance as “Les Tulipes.” “I was really happy with the result of the Henri Maik,” said Schireson. “This was a fantastic work.”

Roger Muhl (French, 1929-2008) and Orville Bulman (American, 1904-1978) were each represented by two oil on canvas works. Muhl’s “Jardin a Cannes” made $40,625, while “Provence” was bid to $22,500; each sold to private collectors. Both of Bulman’s works, “La Barque a Demain” and “Un Tres Jouyeux Groupe,” were each purchased by a collector and expert of the artist’s works for $37,500.

“Night Shadows” by Edward Hopper led a group of 10 etchings at $40,625. The work was inscribed with a message “For Charlotte” and signed in pencil to the lower right.The iconic work, which appeared in Time Magazine’s.December 24, 1956, issue, was likely recognizeable to bidders. It was also exhibited at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1963.

The decorative arts were well represented on the first day, with 93 lots offered and only one lot, an early Émile Gallé enameled glass tray, not finding a new home. The category’s prices ranged from $219 for a Tiffany & Company Roccoco-style sterling vide poche, or trinket tray, to $11,875 for a 35-piece Hermès Africa porcelain service.

“Night Shadows” by Edward Hopper (American, 1882-1967), 1921, etching, 17½ by 20½ inches framed, crept to $40,625 ($20/30,000).

An occasional table by Pepe Mendoza topped 59 lots of furniture offered at $10,000; it was made in Mexico circa 1960 from brass, ceramic and lacquered wood. Mendoza was represented by one other lot, a Peacock Box, which flew to $1,188.

Frank Tenney Johnson’s oil on canvas “Desert Moon,” led both day two and the sale as a whole for $118,750. Completed in 1937, the painting was signed and titled to its stretcher and had provenance to the Indian Wells, Calif., estate of Arline Francis Banna. Two more works by Johnson also sold: “Moonlight Reverie” ($53,125) and “Man on Horseback” ($1,500).

Four works by Israeli artist Reuven Rubin had some of the highest prices of the day. “Crowning of the Torah” made the most, landing at $100,000. The oil on canvas, which was completed between 1968-69, was featured in Sarah Wilkinson’s Reuven Rubin (New York City: Harry N. Abrams, 1971). “Red Horses (Biblical Vision)” ($87,500), “Old Olive Trees” ($62,500) and “Riders in the Negev” ($50,000) also found new homes.

Jewelry was represented well on the second day, with 111 lots on offer, making up just over 33 percent of the 330 total lots. Popular luxury brand Van Cleef & Arpels had three pieces of jewelry in the sale, with a pair of platinum, diamond and emerald drop earrings securing the highest price for the category at $56,250. The earrings featured two pear-shaped, cabochon-cut emeralds and 28 brilliant- and full-cut diamonds and sold to a jeweler.

Abell’s next fine art sale will take place in the fall. In the meantime, the firm will conduct a weekly sale on June 26. Prices quoted include buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For information, 323-724-8102 or www.abell.com.