The top lot of the sale was this oil-on-canvas piece by Charles Courtney Curran, titled “Far Away Thoughts,” which sold for $192,000.
MILFORD, Conn. — An oil-on-canvas painting titled “Far Away Thoughts” by the American genre and landscape painter Charles Courtney Curran (1861-1942), sold for $192,000 at Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers’ fall fine-art auction held Oct. 24.
Curran was a prolific painter, known for his light-filled renderings, often of young women. This painting was a prime example of his work. It was also the top lot of the auction.
The painting, which depicts a young woman striking a wistful pose, was signed by the artist and has been slated for inclusion in the upcoming catalogue raisonne of Curran’s works by Kaycee Benton.
In all, 300 paintings came up for bid in a sale that grossed more than $2.4 million. About 80 people attended the auction in person, while another 600 registered to bid online via Artfact.com. A full bank of 20 phones saw heavy use throughout the evening. “Overall we were quite pleased,” said Gene Shannon of Shannon Fine Art Auctioneers.
Following are additional highlights from the auction. All prices quoted include a 20 percent buyer’s premium:
A rediscovered abstract collage by the abstract-expressionist master Franz Josef Kline gaveled $120,000.
• A rediscovered oil-on-paper abstract collage by American abstract-expressionist master Franz Josef Kline (1910-1962) realized $120,000, and a 1951 oil painting by Fernando Amorsolo (1892-1972) of a young woman bathing in an outdoor stream with a female attendant went for $60,000;
• A one of a pair of large and rare oil-on-canvas views of Niagara Falls by Ferdinand Richardt (1819-1895), titled “View of Niagara Falls,” hit $66,000;
• Guy Carleton Wiggins (1883-1962) was famous for his snowy Manhattan street scenes. One such work, a oil-on-canvas piece titled “St. Patrick’s in Winter,” brought $60,000;
• Also, an untitled oil-on-paper work from American artist Michael Goldberg, made $50,400;
• An oil-on-canvas painting by John Koch (1909-1978) titled “Christmas Tree” breezed to $42,000;
Two scenes of Niagara Falls by Ferdinand Richardt came up for bid. This one, titled “View of Niagara Falls,” brought $66,000.
• Two marine paintings by Antonio Jacobsen (1850-1921), titled “Defender” and “Tidal Wave and the Dreadnought,” both oil-on-board works, commanded $40,800 and $24,000, respectively;
• An oil-on-panel marine painting by James Edward Buttersworth (1817-1894), titled “Off Sandy Hook,” one of about 600 works by the artist depicting subjects he observed in the waters off New York, rose to $36,000, and an oil-on-canvas coastline scene by Emil Carlsen (1848-1932), titled “Full Tide Coast of Maine,” brought $36,000;
• Multiple offerings from the iconic pop artists Andy Warhol (1928-1987) and Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1977) were in the sale. Five Warhols came up for bid, including three from his Martha Graham series. One of those, titled “Letter to the World (The Kick)” gaveled for $38,400. Three Lichtensteins were offered; the top achiever titled “Crak!,” which sold for $26,400.
For more information, visit Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers’ website.
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