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RELEASE: OUTSTANDING WORKS FROM THE WESTERVELT COLLECTION OF AMERICAN ART TO HIGHLIGHT MAY 18 SALE AT CHRISTIE’S NEW YORK
Selection of Works by Bierstadt, Burchfield, Hartley, Hassam and Wyeth
Is Expected to Realize More Than $10 Million
New York — Christie’s is honored to announce it has been entrusted with the sale of selected works from one of the most important corporate collections of American paintings ever to appear at auction. On May 18, as part of its sale of Important American Paintings, Drawings, and Sculpture, Christie’s will offer 29 paintings from the private collection of The Westervelt Company, formerly Gulf States Paper Corporation, based in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Amassed over four decades by Jonathan (Jack) Westervelt Warner, the former chief executive of Gulf States Paper Corporation, the selection includes masterworks by the leading American artists of 19th and 20th centuries, including Albert Bierstadt, William Trost Richards, Childe Hassam, Frederick Carl Frieseke, Marsden Hartley, Thomas Hart Benton, Charles Ephraim Burchfield, and Andrew Wyeth, among others. The complete group is estimated to achieve in excess of US$ 10 million.
Eric Widing, Senior Vice President, American Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture, stated: “The Westervelt Company collection is one of the most celebrated in the field of American art. The selected works represent a cross-section of American art at its finest, from the landscapes of the Hudson River School to the vibrant experiments of the Early Modernists and the Stieglitz Circle. For years, collectors, dealers and curators have anticipated art from this storied collection becoming available, and the sale is expected to be one of the high points of the year.”
More highlights of the May 18 sale of American Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture will be announced in the coming weeks.
The complete e-catalogue for this sale will be available online at www.christies.com
Auction: Important American Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture May 18, 2011
Viewings: Christie’s Rockefeller Center Galleries May 14-17, 2011
High-res images are available for download at
(user ID and password: christies)
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Related Departments American Art
Christie’s, the world's leading art business, had global auction and private sales in 2011 that totaled £3.6 billion/$5.7 billion. Christie’s is a name and place that speaks of extraordinary art, unparalleled service and expertise, as well as international glamour. Founded in 1766 by James Christie, Christie's has since conducted the greatest and most celebrated auctions through the centuries providing a popular showcase for the unique and the beautiful. Christie’s offers over 450 auctions annually in over 80 categories, including all areas of fine and decorative arts, jewellery, photographs, collectibles, wine, and more. Prices range from $200 to over $100 million. Christie's also has a long and successful history conducting private sales for its clients in all categories, with emphasis on Post-War and Contemporary, Impressionist and Modern, Old Masters and Jewellery. Private sales totaled £502 million / $808.6m in 2011, an increase of 44% on the previous year.
Christie’s has a global presence with 53 offices in 32 countries and 10 salerooms around the world including in London, New York, Paris, Geneva, Milan, Amsterdam, Dubai, Zürich, and Hong Kong. More recently, Christie’s has led the market with expanded initiatives in growth markets such as Russia, China, India and the United Arab Emirates, with successful sales and exhibitions in Beijing, Mumbai and Dubai.
*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium. Sales totals are hammer price plus buyer’s premium and do not reflect costs, financing fees or application of buyer’s or seller’s credits.
Complete catalogue available online at www.christies.com or via Christie’s Mobile, iPhone, iPad and Android apps.
- Erin McAndrew
Tel 212-636-2680
emcandrew@christies.com
Childe Hassam
Celia Thaxter’s Garden Oil on canvas Painted circa 1890
Estimate: $1,000,000-1,500,000
Frederick Carl Frieseke
Sunspots Oil on canvas Painted circa 1915
Estimate: $800,000-1,200,000
Thomas Hart Benton
Shipping Out Oil on canvas
Estimate: $600,000-800,000
Marsden Hartley
Autumn Cascade Oil on board Painted circa 1910
Estimate: $350,000-550,000