Opening for bids on October 30, is the robust Fine Art Auction brought to you by Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers. The sale, comprised of roughly 200 lots, is another fine example of the auction house’s commitment to offering high quality American art. Collectors can expect to find paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture from the Hudson River School, as well as examples of American impressionism and modernism. “As larger auction houses scale back their offerings in American art, Shannon’s remains a dedicated leader in this category,” says Shannon’s owner, Sandra Germain. “Since our founding in 1997, we’ve consistently showcased high quality historic American art. We continue to produce full-color auction catalogs with detailed biographical essays, and our clients trust us for our expertise and longstanding commitment to the field.”
Emily Mason (1932-2019), Blue Angel. Oil on canvas, 42 x32 in., signed. Estimate: $30/50,000
Germain also notes that while market conditions may shift, collectors consistently seek top-tier examples. “This demand is reflected in pricing, even during times of fluctuation,” she says, adding that last fall, Shannon’s achieved a new world auction record for Alfred T. Bricher—nearly $100,000 above the previous record—with Morning at Narragansett – The Turn of the Tide, 1871.
For the fall sale, highlights include the Emily Mason (1932-2019) abstract oil painting Blue Angel, with an estimate of $30,000 to $50,000. “Mason’s work can be deceiving as it looks spontaneous and gestural,” Germain says. “However, the artist was very deliberate in her choices of color and the layout of her compositions. Many were first drawn on paper with specific plans as to color and placement of different elements. She wanted to capture the feeling of a place or the beauty of her subject through a thoughtful, expressive approach.”
Wolf Kahn (1927-2020), Boating Scene, oil on canvas, 26 x 34 in., signed. Estimate: $20/30,000
Another top lot, expected to fetch between $20,000 and $30,0000, is Boating Scene by Wolf Kahn (1927-2020), husband to Emily Mason. “In contrast to his wife, Kahn painted representational landscapes,” Germain says. “He was a student of Hans Hofmann, and his work displays a deep understanding of color. Although somewhat abstract, his paintings usually include identifiable landscape elements. In this boating scene, the composition clearly depicts a lakeshore with a docked boat, bathed in purples and yellows evocative of a summer sunset.”
Elliott Daingerfield (1859-1932), The Golden Hour of Day. Oil on canvas, 30 x 45 in., signed. Estimate: $20/30,000
Other noteworthy pieces include David Johnson’s (1827-1908) bucolic, romantic scene, Evening (est. $8/12,000); and Elliott Daingerfield’s (1859-1932) luminous painting The Golden Hour of Day (est. $20/30,000), exemplifying the artist’s tonalist approach to convey mood and atmosphere. “Daingerfield was one of North Carolina’s most notable artists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries,” says Germain. “He studied at the National Academy of Design in New York under George Inness, and later maintained studios in both New York and Blowing Rock, North Carolina. Like Mason and Kahn, Daingerfield focused more on the emotional impact of a landscape than on exact realism.”
David Johnson (1827-1908), Evening, 1877. Oil on canvas, 16 x 26 in., signed and dated. Estimate $8/12,000
Tune into the auction online for absentee and telephone bidding on October 30, at 6 p.m. ET. Interested parties can also preview the lots in person at Shannon’s Connecticut showroom two weeks prior to the sale. Contact Shannon’s for details.—
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