RESULTS: Swann's African-American Fine Art Sale 2442

There was a standing-room only crowd at Swann Galleries' spring auction of African-American Fine Art on Thursday, April 6, 2017. Sale 2442, the most recent Swann Auction Galleries' African-American Fine Art Sale brought in $2,522,705 with Buyer’s Premium, exceeding its pre-sale low estimate of $1,982,300 by over $540,000. Of the 181 lots that were offered at auction, 138 sold (76% sell-through rate by lot). Nigel Freeman, founder and director of the African-American Fine Art department at Swann Galleries, said “I am thrilled with this sale’s strong results. We saw great activity with bidding often exceeding the high estimate, and several record prices. We continue to build on our strengths with both modern and post-war artists, surpassing our previous records with artworks from the 1930s through the ‘70s.” 

Lot 102: David Hammons, Untitled (Double Body Print Collage),

pigment and ink on paper and printed  paper collage on cardboard,

1976. 30"x 40". Photograph: Swann Auction Galleries

  

Six of the top lots either reached or exceeded $100,000; this post will focus on those lots. Lot 102, David Hammons' Untitled (Double Body Print Collage), had a pre-sale estimate of $200,000 - $300,000 and sold for $389,000 with Buyer's Premium. "This striking body print is an excellent example of David Hammons' mid-1970s incorporation of collage, and only the second double body print by the artist to ever come to auction." The Double Body Print Collage was purchased by a collector. 

 

Lot 101: David Hammons, Untitled (Body Print), pigment and graphite on wove paper,

circa 1975-77. 26" x 21". Photograph: Swann Auction Galleries

Another piece of art by David Hammons appeared in the top selling category of artworks sold in sale 2442. Lot 101, an Untitled (Body Print), dating circa 1975 -1977 had a pre-sale estimate of $60,000 - $90,000; it sold with a Buyer's Premium for $161,000 to a collector. This body print which is a colorful work on paper includes three impressions of the artist's face.

  

Lot 112: Alvin D. Loving, Jr. Untitled, diptych of acrylic on shaped cotton canvas, 1968. Approximately

59½" x 69" and 62"x 69" (two irregular hexagons); together 62" x 138". Photograph: Swann Auction Galleries

All five works by graphic abstractionist Alvin D. Loving, Jr. found homes, with nearly all selling above their estimates. A monumental untitled diptych of two hexagonal canvases broke the artist’s previous auction record, selling to a phone bidder (collector) for $161,000. Lot 112 had pre-sale estimate of $80,000 - $120,000. 

Lot 139: Frank Bowling, Morning Light, acrylic on cotton canvas,

1974. 76½" x 46½". Photograph: Swann Auction Galleries

Morning Light, a brilliantly colored abstraction by Frank Bowling, is an early example of his mid-1970s series of poured paintings. Lot 139, which was a luminous poured painting, sold for $161,000 and was a record for the artist. Morning Light, an acrylic on canvas, had a pre-sale estimate of $60,000 - $90,000; it was purchased by a collector. 

Lot 169: Hughie Lee-Smith, Silhouette, oil on  linen canvas,

1995. 42" x 50". Photograph: Swann Auction Galleries

Lot 169: Silhouette, a large oil on linen canvas, epitomizes the Surrealism found in Hughie Lee Smith's late-career painting. This paining had a pre-sale estimate of $60,000 - $90,000; it sold to a dealer for $161,000. 

Lot 13: Sargent Johnson, Untitled (Negro Mother), copper with paint,

1935 -36. Approximately 12" x 6½"x 2". Photograph: Swann Auction Galleries

"Untitled (Negro Mother) is an excellent and very scarce work in copper repoussé by Sargent Johnson from the mid-1930s. In this defining mid-career body of work, Johnson incorporated themes from African sculpture and modernist design to create powerful representations of African-American womanhood...." Lot 13, Untitled (Negro Mother), had a pre-sale estimate of $80,000 - $120,000. Attaining an artist record, it was sold to a dealer for $100,000.  

The next sale of African-American Fine Art at Swann Galleries will be held in October 2017. For more information, contact Nigel Freeman at nfreeman@swanngalleries.com. 

RESULTS: Swann's African-American Fine Art Sale 2409

The most recent Swann Auction Galleries' African-American Fine Art Sale was held on April 7, 2016. Sale 2409 brought in $1,831,747 with buyer’s premium, exceeding its pre-sale low estimate of $1,333,000 by nearly $500,000. Of the 121 lots that were offered at auction, 99 sold (81% sell-through rate by lot). According to Nigel Freeman, Swann Galleries’ Director of African-American Fine Art, “This sale continued to build on many of our department’s strengths. Burgeoning interest in post-war abstraction continues to rise, with record prices for Frank Bowling and Felrath Hines, as well as high prices for works by Norman Lewis and Sam Gilliam. This sale we saw success for works on paper by Norman Lewis: Untitled (Processional Figure Composition) set a record for a work on paper by the artist, and several other lots eclipsed their high estimates.”

Select highlights from Swann's African-American Fine Art Sale 2409 are featured in this post, focusing on a selection of the top selling lots in the auction. All price quotes for art sold include buyer's premium.

Lot 94    Faith Ringgold (1930 - )
Double Dutch on the Golden Gate Bridge
 

Acrylic on canvas and painted, dye and pieced fabric, 1988; 68½" x 68¼". From the 1988 Woman On A Bridge Series.

Image: Swann Galleries

Double Dutch on the Golden Gate Bridge is a joyous and fantastic image of young girls playing together in this popular jumping rope game. They float elevated above the iconic bridge with the facades of brownstones of the city of San Francisco. This lot had a pre-sale estimate of $150,000 - 250,000; it surpassed its low estimate, and was acquired by a collector for $209,000. 


Lot 18  Norman Lewis (1909 - 1979)  
Untitled. 

Oil on masonite board, 1947; 17¾"x 14¾". Signed and dated in oil, lower right. Image: Swann Galleries

This beautiful oil reveals the range of Norman Lewis' early experimentation within the abstract idiom in the late 1940s. In 1947 Norman Lewis did a series of these small abstract paintings on board. Two other paintings from this series - Florence and Shapes - were included in the exhibition From the Margins: Lee Krasner / Norman Lewis, 1945 - 1952 at the Jewish Museum. Lot 18, Untitled, had a pre-sale estimate of $60,000 - 90,000; this piece surpassed its high estimate, selling to a dealer for $149,000.  

Lot 38  Hughie Lee-Smith (1915 - 1999)
Untitled (Young Man in a Slum).

Oil on linen canvas, circa 1960; 26"x 36". Signed in oil, lower right. Image: Swann Galleries

This striking and large canvas is a wonderful example of Hughie Lee-Smith's mid-career painting. It appears very closely related to his Slum Lad, circa 1960, in the collection of the Flint Institute of Arts. This painting depicts the same young man a in long-sleeved white shirt, and the same background of crumbling urban decay. Here the figure has turned and is walking away from the viewer - while in Slum Lad he is facing the viewer. Young Man in a Slum, lot 38, sold to a collector for $106,250; it exceeded its pre-sale estimate of  $40,000 - 60,000.


Lot 84  Sam Gilliam (1933 - )
Rondo IX.

Acrylic and canvas collage on cotton canvas, 1983; 44" x 60" with beveled edges. Signed, titled and dated in acrylic, center verso. Image: Swann Galleries

This large painting is an excellent example of Sam Gilliam's Rondo series, a breakthrough new series of paintings in the early 1980s. Thirteen panels from this series were hung together in the rotunda of the Corcoran Gallery of Art in his 1983 solo exhibition Modern Painters at the Corcoran: Sam Gilliam. Rondo IX had an estimate of $50,000 - 75,000; it sold to a dealer for $93,750. 


Lot 32     Norman Lewis (1909 - 1979)
Untitled (Processional Figure Composition).

Oil, pen and ink on cream wove paper, 1956; 26" x 40" inches. Signed and dated "June, 1956" in ink, lower left. Image: Swann Galleries

This complex and expressive work on paper is a superb example of Norman Lewis' evolving calligraphy of "little figures" in the mid-1950s. Lot 32, an untitled piece, had an estimate of $40,000 - 60,000; it sold to a dealer for $87,500, which was a record for a work on paper for Norman Lewis.


Lot 87   Frank Bowling (1936 - )
Irv Sandler's Visit.

Acrylic on cotton canvas, 1977; 46½" x 28". The artist's name spray-painted with stencil, lower left verso. Titled, inscribed and dated "27 Aug. 1977" in purple ink, upper right and lower left verso. Image: Swann Galleries

This richly colored and sumptuous abstraction by Frank Bowling is the first canvas from his 1970s series of "poured paintings" to come to auction. Beginning in New York in 1973, the artist used a tilting board platform to controlled the flow and descent of the acrylic paint vertically down the canvas. This lot sold to a collector for $81,250; it had an estimate of $35,000 - 50,000. In this sale, lot 87 was an auction record for Frank Bowling.


Lot 17   Norman Lewis (1909 - 1979)
Untitled (Figurative Abstraction).

Oil on linen canvas, 1945; 28"x 17". Signed and dated in oil, lower left. Image: Swann Galleries

 This intriguing, modernist composition is the earliest abstract painting by Norman Lewis to come to auction. 1945 is the first full year of his foray into abstraction, and his oil paintings from that year are very scarce. Norman Lewis was painting linear figurations with diagonals and curves, bisecting vertical lines and grids - abstracting figures in the city. Figurative Abstraction had an estimate of $75,000 - 100,000, and it sold to a dealer for $75,000.


Live online bidding was available via invaluable.com. Thanks to Swann Galleries for the use of images and written material in the catalogue. 

RESULTS: Swann's African-American Fine Art Sale 2402

Swann Auction Galleries' African-American Fine Art Sale 2402 held on December 15th brought in $3,117,132 with buyer’s premium, surpassing its pre-sale high estimate ($2,911,300) for the sale as a whole. Of the 150 lots that were offered at auction, 117 sold (78% sell-through rate by lot). According to Nigel Freeman, Swann Galleries’ Director of African-American Fine Art, “This sale was our department's best auction to date­–with our highest level of sales and a new record price at auction for Norman Lewis with the sale of his 1958 Untitled oil on canvas for $965,000. It smashed our previous record and demonstrates the rising stature and value of this important American artist. Also notable was a record for the highest price for a non-sculpture work by Elizabeth Catlett with Friends, her first painting to come to auction. ”

Select highlights from the African-American Fine Art (Sale 2402) are featured in this post, focusing on those lots which surpassed their pre-sale high estimates. All price quotes for art sold include buyer's premium.

Lot 49  NORMAN LEWIS (1909 - 1979)
Untitled. (Oil on linen canvas, circa 1958. 1295x1625 mm; 51x64 inches. Signed in oil, lower left.)

This masterful mid-century composition is a newly discovered and important example of Norman Lewis' painting. This previously unrecorded painting reveals yet another dimension to his late 1950s body of abstraction. Lot 49 had a pre-sale high auction estimate of $350,000; it sold for $965,000, setting an auction record for the artist. 


Lot 85  ALMA W. THOMAS (1891 - 1978)
Fall Atmosphere. (Acrylic on cotton canvas, 1971. 457x610 mm; 18x24 inches. Signed and dated in acrylic, lower right recto. Signed, titled, numbered "(10)" and inscribed "1530 15th Street, N.W." in orange ink, verso.) 

Fall Atmosphere is a wonderful example of Alma Thomas' vertical stripe abstractions from the late 1960s and early 1970s. This study of light and color is distinguished by its palette of beautiful fall colors. Lot 85, Fall Atmosphere, had a high estimate of $75,000; it sold to a collector for $87,500. 

Lot 86  SAM GILLIAM (1933 - )
Scatter Pisces. (Acrylic and flocking on cotton canvas, with canvas collage, 1973. 1016x762x51 mm; 40x30x2 inches, with beveled edges. Signed, titled and dated in ink, upper right verso.)

This richly textured painting is a fascinating and scarce example of Sam Gilliam's work between the stained beveled-edge paintings of 1970-72 and the collaged paintings of mid-1970s. Scatter Pisces, Lot 86, had a high estimate of $25,000; it sold to a collector for $67,500.


Lot 104   BARKLEY L. HENDRICKS (1945 - )
Tuff Tony. (Oil and acrylic on linen canvas, 1978. 1829x1220 mm; 72x48 inches. Signed in oil, upper right.)
 

Tuff Tony is an excellent example of Barkley Hendricks' striking portraits, and one of his most widely exhibited paintings. Tuff Tony embodies the look and attitude that Barkley Hendricks famously captured in his late 1970s life-size figures against solid color backgrounds. Lot 104 sold for $365,000 to a collector, selling for twice its high pre-sale estimate of $180,000. This sale tied the auction record for Barkley Hendricks (Swann Galleries, April 2, 2015). 

Lot 125    HUGHIE LEE-SMITH (1915 - 1999)
Performers. (Oil on linen canvas, 1990. 1168x1016 mm; 46x40 inches. Signed in oil, lower right.)

Performers is a significant later work by the artist, and the largest painting yet by Hughie Lee-Smith to be offered at auction. The evocative painting demonstrates Lee-Smith's consistent exploration of narrative and identity in a 1990s series of paintings with figures on stage or in a theatre. This work has a high estimate of $90,000, and sold to a collector for $143,000.

SEE Final Results for all lots in Sale 2402. 

Live online bidding was available via invaluable.com. Thanks to Swann Galleries for the use of images and written material in the catalogue.

Results of Swann's African-American Fine Art Sale 2353

Swann Auction Galleries' African-American Fine Art Sale 2353 held on June 10th brought in $1,242,626 with buyer’s premium, almost reaching its pre-sale low estimates ($1,251,700) for the sale as a whole. Of the 157 lots that were offered at auction, 118 sold (75% sell-through rate by lot). According to Nigel Freeman, Director of African-American Fine Art at Swann Galleries, “This was an exciting auction with enthusiastic bidding on scarce works. We are very happy to continue setting benchmarks for artists long overdue, including significant records for Noah Purifoy and Walter Williams. The sale also built on previous prices with strong results for William T. Williams, Sam Gilliam, Hughie Lee-Smith and Norman Lewis.”

Select highlights from The Shape of Things to Come: African-American Fine Art (Sale 2353) are featured in this post, focusing to a large extent on the lots featured in a May 25th post introducing this Sale.  All price quotes for art sold include buyer's premium.

Lot 22 Hughie Lee-Smith, Rooftops
 

Hughie Lee-Smith, Rooftops, Oil on linen canvas, 1961, 24"x 18". Image: Swann Auction Galleries

Rooftops had a high estimate of $35,000, and it sold to a collector for $37,500, including buyer's premium.  


Lot 45 Noah Purifoy, Untitled: Standing Figure  

Noah Purifoy, Untitled: Standing Figure, Assemblage construction, circa 1968-70, 51½"x 15"x 12". Image: Swann Auction Galleries

The figurative sculpture, Standing Figure, which was acquired directly from Purifoy by sculptor Artis Lane, had a low estimate of $60,000; it sold to a collector for $62,500. This was an artist record for Noah Purifoy.


Lot 61 William T. Williams, Truckin  
 

William T. Williams, Truckin, Acrylic 0n cotton canvas, 1969, 84"x 60". Image: Swann Auction Galleries

Truckin, a significant early painting by William T. Williams, is his earliest painting to date to come to auction. Truckin had the highest selling price for piece of art in this sale, capturing an artist record for William T. Williams. Lot 61 had a high estimate of $100,000, and it sold to an institution for $137,000.



Lot 80 Barkley L. Hendricks, Sergio 

Barkley L. Hendricks, Sergio, Oil and acrylic on linen canvas, 1972, 60"x 44". Image: Swann Auction Galleries

Sergio has an extensive museum exhibition history, extending from early 1970s through 2010. Sergio was the second highest piece of art sold in this sale; it had an estimate of $80,000 - $120,000.  Lot 80, surpassing its low estimate, sold to a dealer for $106,250.


Lot 119 Elizabeth Catlett, Standing Figure and Lot 144 Reclined Figure

Elizabeth Catlett, Standing Figure, Carved tropical wood and black enamel, 1986, 18"x 7"x 4¼". Image: Swann Auction Galleries

Elizabeth Catlett, Reclining Figure, Black marble, 2005, 32"x 15"x 11½". Image: Swann Auction Galleries

Lot 119, Standing Figure, one of the two important late-career sculptures by Elizabeth Catlett in Sale 2353 was unsold. The second, Reclined Figure, in black marble, surpassed its high estimate of $90,000, and sold to a collector for $93,750. 

Lot 27 Walter Williams, Southern Landscape

Walter Williams, Southern Landscape, Oil and collage on masonite board, 1963-64, 33"x 29". Image: Swann Auction Galleries

Southern Landscape could be described as Walter Williams' most important painting, as it is one of his best known artworks and a seminal one in his career. Lot 27, Southern Landscape, had an estimate of $20,000 - $30,000; it sold for $81,250 to a collector. Doubling its high estimate, this work set an artist record for Walter Williams. Southern Landscape was one of the three works that set an artist record; the other two were Standing Figure (Purifoy) and Truckin (William T. Williams). 

SEE Final Results for all lots in Sale 2353.