Art at Auction: Why the heck didn’t this sell?!
Among the unsold lots from Treadway Gallery‘s Sept. 13 sale are some fantastic pieces that are worth sharing. The auction overall had a very nice selection; although I haven’t been following their auctions closely for the last couple of years (but having been a frequent buyer and consignor before then), the selection struck me as uncommonly good. As with any auction, however, there are lots that go unsold, and Treadway is kind enough to post these online along with purchase prices.
Paging Walker Evans? This is a fantastic image, and although the photographer is not a particularly well-known one, the purchase price is dirt cheap. How did this beauty go unsold in the first place?
I’m bullish on Caser. Because he’s associated with Illinois, I see his work on a regular basis. And Treadway is an auction house that frequently offers his work. His beautiful, delicate art nouveau style of painting is consistently top notch, regardless of subject matter. And lovely young nude ladies, as far as subject matter, is golden. His auction records have only recently begun to pick up the requisite steam, yet oddly this beauty did not sell. As icing on the cake, the frame, at least from the front, looks an awful lot like a Carrig Rohane, which would be worth the asking price all by itself. Totally fallen between the cracks, this one.
I heart Brown County art. Especially that of the heavy hitters such as Griffith. This painting has all the glory of his best pieces; the only reason I can imagine that it didn’t sell (because Griffith’s work almost always sells) is that the estimate might have been a tad high (though perfectly reasonable) for this market at 10-15k. The purchase price, however, is a bargain, and a fine investment.
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