On January 23, Christie’s held two sales of American art: American Sublime: Property from an Important Private Collection and 19th Century American and Western Art. The 167 lots across the two sales featured paintings and sculptures by some of the most important American artists in the last two centuries and together totaled $19,230,950.

Above: Thomas Cole (1801-1848), Mount Chocorua, New Hampshire, 1827. Oil on gessoed panel, 23 x 32½ in., signed and dated lower center: ‘T. Cole./1827’. From American Sublime: Property from an Important Private Collection. Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd. Estimate: $800/1,200,000 SOLD: $1,623,000

 

As anticipated, Hudson River School offerings performed well, landing among the top four lots, led by Thomas Cole’s Mount Chocorua, New Hampshire, which sold for $1,623,000 against its $1.2 million high estimate. Cole first visited the White Mountains in 1827 and painted the work the same year. Mount Chocorua went on to become one of Cole’s favorite subjects to paint.

Left: Thomas Moran (1837-1926), Grand View Trail, 1904. Oil on canvas, 14 x 20 in., signed with initials in monogram and dated in lower left: ‘TMoran. 1904.’ From 19th Century American and Western Art. Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd. Estimate: $600/800,000 SOLD: $1,134,000

 

The second top lot was Martin Johnson Heade’s floral still life Magnolias on a Shiny Table, which achieved $1,502,000, surpassing its high estimate by half a million.

Thomas Moran’s Grand View Trail, a sweeping Grand Canyon scene from 1904, was expected to lead the sale in the Western art offerings, and was the third top lot, soaring above its high estimate of $800,000 when it achieved $1,134,000. Grand View Trail was painted in 1904 from the Grand View Trail on the Grand Canyon’s South Rim.

Martin Johnson Heade (1819-1904), Magnolias on a Shiny Table. Oil on canvas, 14 x 22., signed lower left: ‘MJ Heade’. From 19th Century American and Western Art. Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd. Estimate: $700/1,000,000 SOLD: $1,502,000

 

Two works by Albert Bierstadt also landed in the top 10, with A Rest on the Ride also selling for $1,134,000; and the bucolic Western landscape Dawn in the Rockies ($529,200). Other Western works also saw success, including two bronzes by Frederic Remington, and paintings by Henry Farny and Joseph Henry Sharp.

Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902), A Rest on the Ride ca. 1863-64. Oil on canvas, 30 x 50 in., signed with conjoined initials lower left: ‘ABierstadt’. From 19th Century American and Western Art. Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd. Estimate: $800/1,200,000 SOLD: $1,134,000

 

About the sale, head of Christie’s American Art Department Tylee Abbott, commented, “Today was an exciting moment for American Art. Rare and important paintings and sculpture by our nation’s leading artists invigorated collectors both old and new, driving impressive results. We are delighted once again to achieve the highest sale total for this sale platform.” —

Top 10 LOTS

American Sublime: Property from an Important Collection and 19th Century American and Western Art, January 23, 2025 (including buyer’s premiums)
Artist    Title    Low/High ESt.    SOLD
Thomas Cole    Mount Chocorua, New Hampshire    $800/1,2,00,000    $1,623,000
Martin Johnson Heade    Magnolias on a Shiny Table    $700/1,000,000    $1,502,000
Thomas Moran     Grand View Trail    $600/800,000    $1,134,000
Albert Bierstadt     A Rest on the Ride    $800/1,2,00,000    $1,134,000
Frederic Remington     The Mountain Man    $150/250,000    $630,000
Henry F. Farny     Nest of Rattlesnakes    $300/500,000    $567,000
Raphaelle Peale     Still Life with Raisin Cake    $250/350,000    $567,000
Albert Bierstadt    Dawn in the Rockies     $500/700,000    $529,000
Frederick Remington    Broncho Buster    $200/300,000    $504,000
Joseph Henry Sharp     An Insurgent    $250/350,000    $403,200

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