A wide variety of paintings, bronzes and sculpture made for interesting fare at Trinity International Auctions on October 23. Auction house principal Stephen Gass was pleased with the results of the auction, citing a great deal of Internet and phone bidding attributing to good prices realized for the select works.
The sale got off to a brisk start, with the first lot generating substantial interest as a work by Russian artist Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky was sold. A seascape titled “Ship’s Wake” sold after a strong bout of bidding for $5,975, going to a phone bidder. A Rolph Scarlett abstract oil was offered a couple lots later, with it bringing $4,182.
The top lot of the auction came from the selection of sculpture as a work attributed to Russian artist Naum Gabo was offered. Gass reported strong interest from a couple of British museums for the metal plate construction titled “Head of a Woman,” including serious interest from the Tate London, yet the auctioneer stated “the fact that it carried only an attribution” limited their interests. Estimated at $80/120,000, the lot opened for bidding at $15,000 and bounced back and forth between a phone bidder and a buyer in the room. The in-house buyer eventually won the lot at $86,637. A Diego Giacometti bronze was offered next, and it sold reasonably at $4,182, going to the same buyer.
Other bronzes in the auction included two Cyrus Dallin works; “Appeal to the Great Spirit” brought $6,572, while “Signal of Peace” realized $7,767. “Man on Horse,” a bronze by Mexican sculptor Javier Marin, sold to a buyer on the floor for $15,535.
Another of the top lots from the selection of paintings included an Oscar Bluemner gouache titled “Late Moonrise, N. Bloomfield.” The circa 1919 work had several New York City Gallery labels on the back, as well as listing a provenance of Madison Avenue gallery James Graham and Sons. Estimated at $17/24,000, the lot opened at $11,000, eventually selling to an Internet bidder at $17,925.
A color etching by Chilean artist Roberto Matta attracted attention, garnering $10,157, while a still life of a vase filled with flowers in a landscape by Italian artist Michelle Cascella brought $10,755 from an Internet bidder.
Classic early American art was best represented by a timeless Levi Prentice still life depicting a basket of peaches with a melon, banana, grapes and a pear alongside. Bidding on the lot was active, with it selling at $11,325.
Contemporary works included a Keith Haring gouache that realized $5,676.
Prices include the buyer’s premium charged. For information, www.tiauctions.com or 860-677-9996.
