December 2011

Charleston Art Auction Sets New Sales Record in Charleston, SC

The Charleston Art Auction set a new sales record on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011, when enthusiastic bidders, including recognized collectors from the Lowcountry as well as telephone and absentee buyers throughout the United States, pushed the total above $700,000.

Phone lines were filled for several lots of contemporary masterworks including Clark Huling’s The Sugar Cane Vendor (estimated $200,000 - $300,000) that brought $218,000, San Miguel (estimated at $70,000 - $90,000) that fetched $88,550 and The Bread Wagon (estimated at $35,000 - $45,000) that hammered down at $51,750; Stephen Scott Young’s The Blues (estimated at $75,000 - $100,000) sold for $86,250 and a very rare portfolio of eighteen gelatin silver prints by Eudora Welty (estimated at $40,000 - $50,000) achieved $44,850.

Two highly prized bronzes by the noted American sculptor, Glenna Goodacre were eagerly sought through heated competition between the telephones and the audience. A maquette for Carefree (estimated at $5,000 - $7,000) sold for $14,950 in the sale room and a maquette for Olympic Wannabees (estimated at $7,000 - $9,000) hammered down at $13,800 to a Virginia collector.

Mary Whyte’s Hidden, a sensitive watercolor that places Whyte in the ranks of Andrew Wyeth and Stephen Scott Young, (estimated at $20, 000 - $30,000) sold on the telephone to a Connecticut bidder for $26,450. Whyte’s work was recently featured on CBS Sunday Morning and an exhibition of her paintings, Working South, is the subject of a recently released book and exhibition touring five museums in Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia.

Other leading artists from the Charleston Fine Art Dealers’ Association network (CFADA) included, William Berra, James Calk, John Carroll Doyle, Ted Ellis, Kim English, Russell Gordon, John Austin Hanna, Evan Harrington, Betsy Havens, Earl B. Lewis, Susan Lyon, George Pate, Robert Palevitz, Guido Petruzzi, Joan Potter, Jennifer Smith Rogers, Betty Anglin Smith, Shannon Smith, Rhett Thurman and Karen Larson Turner.

Bid caller for the evening event was Gerald Bowie who kept the audience alert with his quick pace and engaging manner as he, with son Mark and grandson John Mark serving as ringmen, represented three generations of auctioneers from the nationally acclaimed Auction Way Company in Georgia.

“Entertaining and exciting” was how spirited bidders described the sale as they exited the DoubleTree Guest Suites Historic Charleston on Saturday evening.

Attendees also noted a more diversified offering this year and solid bidding for premium works throughout the evening suggested that, despite rumors of a soft economy, the art market in Charleston is alive and healthy.

Sale date for 2012 has been set for Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012.

For complete results of the auction visit (www.charlestonartauction.com).

For further information call Jack A. Morris, Jr. at 843/842-4433 or e-mail to (jack@morris-whiteside.com).

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