Evening star., 1937-06-19
SALES OF ART AT AMERICAN AUCTIONS SCALE PRICE PEAKS
Living Printmakers Figure
in Popular Recognition
as Well as Masters.

group by Barge. Hercules and the
Boar" sold for $3.50.
ues have been maintained, appar-
emily, for the works Of living print
makers. as we'll as the masters Of the
past. For instance, D. Y. Cameron's
etching OF the Five Sisters. Window,
York Minister" sold for $l,450, and
McBey's Camel Patrol" fetched
$500. Etchings by Whistler and by
zorn changed hands At prices quoted
in four figures, and prints by Muir
head Bone, living and producing today,
sold, in several instances. for 5000 to
5000, the latter price being given for
very flne proof of Spanish Good
Friday" Practically all of these works
were originally published At prices
which even comparatively slender
purses could afford OF course, how
ever. it was works Of the masters OF
the past which brought the spectacu-
lar amounts, such As the $10,500 paid
for Rembrandt's Hundred Guilder
IAhbs . cSCOliO &bhUC, nv tIlc ulSROchl
Of the Leonard l. Stein collection, sold
by the American Art Assodation-An-
derson Galleries on April 2. The buyer
was Kansas City dealer. This print.
cataloEued by both Hind and by
Bartsch. was acquired by Mr.. Stein
some years ago from a German COL
lector. 1t derives its name from hav-
ing brought 100 guilders, the equiva.
lent Of $40, when sold at an auction
in Rembrandt's lifetime. Another
copy Of this same print was sold the
last Of April in the same salesrooms
for 81, l,750-presumably less brilliant
impression. Other leading prices OBJ
tanned at the sale Of the Stein collec-
ton were etchings by Rembrandt, as
follows: "Dr. Faustus in His Study"
$2,500; Christ Cruciied Between
Thieves" and Christ Presented to the
People," $500 each: engravings by
Durer, Adam and Eve" very fine
impression, $500; The Coat of Arms
With Skull" brilliant proof, $4,000,
and "Melancholia," $4,000.
The demand for Currier Il Ives
prints evidently continues, whether
from admiration on the part of the
collectors or the conviction that they
are good investments" 1t Is hard to
say. At any rate, Home to Thanks
giving" fetched at the H. @. Trow-
bridge sale $l,0lo. which was within
$40 Of record price, and other prints
by these print publishers sold for from
$265 to $525. Another item of general
interest in this report was the sale of
= folio first edition of Audubon's
Birds of America" for IS 800. These
prints were. 1t will be recalled. colored
by hand.
A NY one who has not attended one
\ Of the great auction sales Of art,
either In New York or London, has
missed . very exciting and interest,"
ing experience. The procedure u es-
sentiAlly by rule, strictly observed, and
the audience is very sympathetic and
attentive. When bids are closely con-
tested, feeling runs high, and when
4 record price Is obtained 1t Is not
uncommonly greeted with applause.
The exchange Of ownership Of works
of art thus effected Is beneficial,
broadening interest and establishing
values. The bidders, Is rule. are
private collectors (or their agents.
who enjoy the element Of chance and
are willing to take reasonable risks.
Art museums, in most instances, in
this country buy through dealers, be-
cause Of greater convenience-but to
the museums, in the long run, many
Of the notable works bought and sold
in the open market 60. The greatest
Of our American public collections
have been built up through private
muntdcence and gift.