Evening star., 1936-06-27
Bv Leila MeChLin.

a rule, paintings and prints bring
higher prices al private sale than at
auction, but it is the amounts brought
at these public sales which actually
serve as an index of value and sala-
bility.
The greatest three art auction
houses are Christies in London, the
Hotel Drouot in Paris, and the Amer
ican-Anderson Galleries in New York.
In these salesrooms, millions of dol
lars worth of works of art change
hands annually. The sales conducted
therein are widely advertised and
leading events of the season. In some
instances, attendance is only by invi-
tation and catalogues sell at a high
price.
To attend one of these great auc-
tions is an interesting and exciting
experience. Attention at times is
breathless, bidding spirited, feeling
tense. When work brings a record
price, the audience has been known
spontaneously to burst into cheers.
The appointments of the salesrooms
are Sumptuous, the works offered are
effectively and sometimes dramatically
shown, the auctioneer is trained and
gifted. He it is that feels the temper
Of the bidders and runs the show"
In the Corcoran Gallery of Art,
Clark collection, is small painting by
Daumier showing a painting being
auctioned in the Hotel Drouot Paris.
The auctioneer is seen to be keenly
alert, the would-be buyers all eager
ness and attention.
In recent years some very notable
sales have been held at Christies in
London, among which have been those
Of collections-such as that Of the
Morgan miniatures-which have been
assembled and owned by Americans.
But also some British collections have
been brought to this country for dis
persal in our great Salesrooms in New
York.
THE American Art Association
Anderson Galleries has Just an
nounced that from 79 public sales
during the past season, the first held
October 8, 1885, and the last June 4,
1886, works of art and literary prop
erty brought total of $3,218. .283 so.
OF this amount, which is IA psr cent
greater than that realized the pre-
vious season, $370,63 was for paint
ings and $3.50, SIT for prints. Furniture,
tapestries, rugs, sculpture, porcelains,
jewelry and other art objects brought a
foI F,F
lied for books and prints was higher
than in any season since 1929.
The highest price paid for painting
In these auction rooms last season was
$3.50 for the painting, "Printemps;
Pres d'Arles," by Vincent Van Gogh,
which for work by this great post
impressionist was loVs incidentally, a
30-carat emerald-cut diamond, set in
platinum mounting, brought an equal
amount. An important Brussels
Gothic tapestry, ''The Court of King
David" after Maitre Philippe, woven
about the year 1910, fetched 10000,
while "Nocturne; the Solent," paint
ing by James Mcneil Whistler,
brought $4,000, and proof Of Albert
Durer's engraving, Adam and Eve"
$4,000
At the Cortlandt F. Bishop sale, in
November last, an etching by Whistler,
'Weary'-a superb proof-brought
$4,000. This collection, especially rich
in prints, netted the highest sum of
any during the season, totaling S276,-
145. The French eighteenth century
color prints included in its catalogue
were said to be the finest ever offered
at public sale in this country. In
cluded were the lovely La Joucuse de
Guitare," by Francois Janinet, which
brought $4,000, and the famous ia
Promenade Publique: 1892" by Phili-
bert Louis Debucourt, which brought
$500. At this same sale two por-
traits by Hoppner, Miss Rich" and
Thomas, Lord Pelham, I'd, Earl of
Chichester" realized 300 and So 500,
respectively, and S2,500 was given for
a portrait Of Lady Cholmondeley,"
by Sir Joshua Reynolds. 1t is inter
esting to note that at the same time
q silver tankard with cover, early
American, by Tobias Stoutenburgh,
n
S4,100 more than the Reynolds por-
trait or one Of those by Hoppner) and
that 5000 was paid for pair of
K'ang-hsi blue and white Hawthorne"
ginger jars with covers.
The Van Gogh painting, which
fetched top price, came from the New
man collection, included in which
were other important canvases such
as Monets Femme a TOmbrelle:
Jardin de Monet, Argenteuil," which
sold for $1,000; Renoir's La Jeune
Mere" which brought S4,10O, and
portrait by Sargent of Madam Ezra
Euriz (the Lady in Black, which sold
for $4,000.
In the James G. Shepherd sale,
which incidentally included 35 Barye
bronzes, $1,000 was paid for I'm
Pecheur la Ligne: Souvenir du Pont
de Nantes" by Corot: $1,000 for
'LEnfant Couchee,' by Matthys
Maris: $4,000 for La Loire a Nantes"
by Daubingy, and S4l00 for "Envrons
de Chatillon-sur-Seine," by Corot.
In the sale Of the William H. Sage
eollecuon, a portrait by Galnsborough
Of Phillip Dupont Esq" sold for
5000, and portraits by Hoppner for
$1,000 and $4,000 each. On the other
hand an Ispahan carpet IN the Tab
bach sale brought sI5,20o and for
unique Persian carpet $4,000 was
paid.
THE remarkable record for print
sales this season may be credited
10 the Bishop and Graves collections,
both Of which were extremely fine.
The latter, which was sold in April.
included not only the $4,000 Duhrer,
but a brilliant proof Of Renbrandt's
Hundred Glider Print" Christ
Among the Sick. Receiving Little
Children" which sold for $1,000. For
this masters portrait Of Jan Lutma,
the Elder" $500 was paid and for
his Three Trees" $4,000, while one
OF his landscapes Three Gabled Cot
p~nN