Evening star., 1943-07-18

Lively Art Market
Is Indicated by
Past Season Sales
Bv Leila Mechin.

WIFI Vic llld1ly 4CooA ASoASAAS kAesSSN
on acquisition by wartime economy
1t is more than a little surprising tc
learn. through the report just issued
by the farke- -Bernet Galleries, Inc.
New York, the largest art auction
house in this country, comparing
with Christie's in London, that the
season Just closed was, in receipts
the second best in 10 years. The
amount received was the astounding
sum OF $3,611,847.
The 80 sales which In the aggre-
gate brought in this total included
paintings, prints, furniture, porce-
lains, silver and other objects OF
art, as well as, in some instances,
jewelry and books in fine and rare
editions. Many of the works sold
were in liquidation Of estates. 9TH
ers because of a status of living so
changed that their retention had
become impossible.
In both instances these sales sig
nalized the breaking up Of collec-
tions assembled with care, taste and
enthusiasm, with which will always
be associated note of sadness; but
their dispersal, on the other hand.
meant a scattering of interest and
through such scattering an exten-
sion of art knowledge and appre-
citation. Supporting this conviction
Is the fact that books on art and
artists were in especial demand this
past year in all the book sales. 1t
is interesting also to learn that many
Of the purchasers were foreign col
iectors who have sought and found
sanctuary in this country during
the war.
Sales We'll Attended
Another symptom OF the times,
noted by the president OF the Parke-
Bernet Galleries, Hiram H. Parke,
Is the diversity of the works pur-
chased and the especial popularity
of those-such as furniture. china
and silver-which may be regarded
S concrete examples of our cultural
past, not borrowed but created in
this country.
The attendance at the sales
was, despite blackouts and poor
transportation facilities, excellent,
amounting to 125, ,000, whereas for the
previous season it was 100000
comparatively small reduction.
The highest amount realized by
any one collection was S226,2O7 paid
for the collection of the late Mr..
and Mrs. Charles F.. McCann, which,
incidentally. included gold tea and
coffee service, consisting Of 13 pieces
and tray, given by Paul of Russia
to his daughter, the Grand Duchess
Helen Pavlovna, for which $11 900
was paid.
Two collections of jewelry brought
good prices-one $146,625, the other
s118,406, each formerly owned by a
single individual, and gave indica-
ton of money to spare for pure non
Understanding luxuries. The art
and book collection of the late Conde
Mast, publisher of Vogue, Vanity
Fair, etc, sold for s122,135.
One of the most notable sales OF
the season was that of American
furniture and objects of art as
sembled by Mr.. and Mrs. Vincent
Lockwood, the former a leading au-
thority on the sutherland, by the
way, adviser to the Board OF
Regents of Dumbarton House, the
National Society of Colonial Danes
beautiful headquarters in this city.
At this sale the highest price, $3.50,
was given for New Hampshire
maple block-front secretary, made
in 1882. For a child's inlaid walnut
scrutoire on frame, the Metropolitan
Museum of Art, New York, paid
$1,000.
All this shows a wide and lively
interest in works of art of merit
and esthetic appeal. The amount
paid does not actually fix value but
it does indicate desirability. Also
1t should go to show standard of
merit and taste which bespeaks cul-
ture.
Whereas the totals recorded for
art auction sales in New York last
season were higher than might rea-
sonably have been anticipated, the
prices paid for individual pieces
showed a slight but definite decline.
The fantastic prices that works by
the great masters fetched, under like
circumstance, quarter of century
ago, are, it would seem, thing
of the past. These prices were
established by a group of enor-
mously wealthy American collectors
to whom the sky was the ceiling.
The result as seen today is the en-
richment of our public art collec-
tions by which we profit enor-
mously.
Highest Single Price
The highest price paid for single
example at auction last season was
$4,000 given by Billy Rose, the
atrical producer, for small paint
ing. 10 by 9k inches, a portrait
of "The Reverend Caspar Sibelius,
Preacher at Deventer," the work of
Frans Hals-a little masterpiece.
A canvas by .Velasquez, THE
Vintage" sold for $4,000. An en-
craving, Adam and Eve" by Durer,
brought $4,000; Rembrandt's famous
etching, THE Three Trees" $4,000,
and a stipple engraving by Bar
tolozzi of. Miss Farron after Law
renee, $1,000. In 1910 a similar i'm
preston Of THE Three Trees"
brought $6,700.
The French Impressionists con-
tinue, 1t would seem, to hold their
own, although not at the level some
have previously reached. Renoir's
'Fleur ct Chat" for instance,
brought $4,000; his "Mosquee a
Algier," 1880. and his "Anemones. /"
Sl0,500. Manet's "Lilas Blancs dams
I'm Vase de Verre" changed hands
1 Quality