New-York tribune., 1899-02-15

PART OF THE CLARKE COLLECTION
DISPOSED OF LAST EVENING.
PRICES WERE GOOD AND THE OWNER SAID
HE WAS sATIsFIED-THE SALE TO BE
CONTINUED on THIS AND FOL-
LOWING EVENINGS

II IS too early az yet TO decide whether the
nictures bv American artists collected by Thomas
D. Clarke will prove a satisfactory investment or
otherwise The sale by auction OF the collection
was begun at Chickering Hall last evening and VIII
be continued this and the two following evenings
and many ot the most important pictures IN uHe
collection will be offered at the last sessions o. the
sale. Judging, however from the prices rtaHzed
last evening Mr. Clarke will not be loser by MS
appreciation for and patronage OF American art
Il is true that a good many OF the less important
pictures brought low prices. thirty-one OF the lot
going for less than Mr. Clarke paid for them
But on the other hand. the important works sold
the Illnesses in particular, brought excellent hEures
This sale. whatever its result may be, VIII be
the measure by which the value Of works by Amer
lean painters viii be Judged FOR some time 70 come.
The American Art Association has neid many i'm
portant sales this season, but IN some ways the
disposal Of the Clarke collection IS the most note
worthy affair OF its kind this year. Thomas Z.
Kirby the auctioneer only echoed the general opin-
ion when. departing from his usual custom. and
saying a few words about the collection before the
sale he declared that Mr Clarko's pictures formed
the most remarkable collection Of representative
American works OF art ever brought together. Mr.
Kirby added that he trusted that every museum IN
the country and every buyer who loved his cOuu-
Try would be represented among the purchasers. so
that at last might be said that American art had
received the recognition due TO its merits
by the public while Il was view at the galleries
a. the American Art Association. the attendance
a the sale not remarkably large. The
weather doubt responsible for this but It
was not responsible for another significant cir
cumstance about the sale, namely, the absence OF
Of the dealers who are TO be seen at CHECKER
ing Hall al every important sale OF foreign pictures
The best price OF the sale was s. 800 for "Adiron-
dack Scenery" by Homer Martin. It was started
at only $50. and was taken 10 $500 in few min
utes by slCO bids from all over the hall. Samuel
Untermyer secured the picture for the figure
All Of the works by George Inness brought good
prices the highest being for the last lot sold in
the evening. l. was for the large painting known
il for So 60 Nine O'clock which was greeted
platform was bought by George 3. Torrey for
Sampson il'1 for SW6.te MonHtain Vale" MIS- 4
= Cheney secured Autumn Near Marshhed" for
Emerson McAillin for So. and the same buyer
also bought the next lnness on The catalogue.
Sunset in ihe Old Orchard. Montclair." was Sc
cqr@d Ny 2y i l5 B Thomas mas; for 500 -. No.. -
greeted with much applause It was bought for the
CorcOran Art Gallery, Washington, for S2oJJ. Al
bert p kyders The Temple OF the Mind realized
oi the best prices OF the sale. u started
80" only bat three buyers tried 70 secure H. Cot
The picture for g go. Nj Untermyer bought Wins
low H2mer e Ihe West Wing ior yS,9 ana On me
Edward W Hooper. Of Boston, was the buyer.
cured by J. Harsen Rhoades for 1920 and Winsow
Homer's "COast n Winter went 10 &. j. Blair Of
Chicago for s2625 The only picture by Boushton in
the collection must have proved disappointment
for Mr.. Clarke. bringing only sl75. The black-and-
white by T. 4. Abbey was also considered 10 have
gone cheapy. fetching only $40 T. O.. Humphreys
secured r. s. Church's a Surf Phantom" for $3.50
which was less than most OF The judges in the
room expected 1t would bring "Rent Day" by Al
fred Kappes must have been another loss 10 Mr.
Clarke. II q. Braker bought II for $500
Among other buyers We're 7. s. Sm'thers. J. G.
Moore Edward Weston W y. Lockwood Frank
Rockefeller Burton Mansfield Charles I. Freer.
G. +. Armstrong. W. T. Evans and Mrs G.. II
Lewis j IS remarkable that nearly all the buy
ers are little known at New-York sales. +. A
Bel who Is usually o heavy buyer. bid FOR q few
Of the lots but did not secure any OF them.
The total amount realized by the evenings sale
was S5f 90 Mr. Clarke said after the SAFE that ne
was well satisfied with the result, and regarded II
as the beginning OF q new era Of appreciation for
me y