Quality Offerings, Strong Sales

Shannon’s experienced a productive spring Fine Art Auction, yielding $2.1 million in sales

Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers celebrates after its successful Fine Art Auction, selling 85 percent of 168 lots. The spring auction featured paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture from around the world, and totaled an astonishing $2.1 million in sales. While a plethora of top international artworks sold, many noteworthy historic American artworks also found homes.

Robert Henri (1865-1929), Patience (Laughing Youngster), 1915. Oil on canvas, 24 x 20 in. Estimate: $80/20,000 SOLD: $88,900

Auction house owner, Sandra Germain, adds, “Over 600 viewers live streamed the auction while Shannon’s in-house contacted registered bidders with a bank of 20 telephone bidders, and executed absentee and live online bids. As a result of an extensive, targeted marketing strategy, [we] attracted interest from 13 different countries and 43 states.”

On a national level, Shannon’s excelled with quality offerings of American art. “The top lot in this category was a charming portrait of a young girl, Patience, 1915, by Ashcan artist Robert Henri (1865-1929),” shares Germain. The 24-by-20-inch oil on canvas sold for $88,900 (est. $80/120,000).

Jane Peterson (1876-1965), Campo Santa Margherita, Venice. Oil on canvas, 24½ x 29¾ in. Estimate: $30/50,000 SOLD: $56,250

The second highest selling lot among the American art offerings, includes a collection of four works by Jane Peterson (1876-1965), all sold to private collections. Of the four pieces, the highest sale was the exceptional Campo Santa Margherita, Venice—a scene from a Venice, Italy, plaza—selling for an impressive $56,250, exceeding its estimate of $30,000 to $50,000.

The contemporary American painting genre was led by the abstract expressionist work Abstract Blue and Yellow by Mary Heilmann, selling for $56,250 (est. $30/50,000), while American impressionist masters like Laurence A. Campbell (1939-2024), was featured with two impressive New York City scenes. “The larger painting titled The City in Winter (5th Avenue New York), sold for $50,000 (est. $40/60,000),” says Germain, “while the smaller painting, view of Lower Broadway decorated with waving American flags, sold for $36,250 (est. $20/30,000).” Shannon’s featured The City in Winter as an homage to the artist who passed away in 2024.

Laurence A. Campbell (1939-2024), The City in Winter (5th Avenue New York). Oil on canvas, 30 x 24 in. Estimate: $40/60,000 SOLD: $50,000

Charles Wysocki (1929-2002), The Wharf Rats Club (Nantucket). Oil on canvas, 26 x 30 in. Estimate: $12/18,000 SOLD: $47,375

“Other notable American art lots,” Germain continues, “includes a painting by Charles Wysocki (1929-2002) of Nantucket’s The Wharf Rats Club, that sold for $47,375 (est. $12/18,000) easily doubling the high estimate; a photo-realistic view of Portland Water District in Maine by Rackstraw Downes that sold for $37,500 (est. $30/50,000); a masterpiece quality painting of Rockport by Anthony Thieme that sold for $31,750; and a small but impressive seascape by William Trost Richards that sold for $31,250.”

Overall, Shannon’s feels very encouraged by the sale results, while looking forward to another successful Fine Art Auction in the fall—slated for Thursday, October 30. “Collectors continue to seek fresh-to-the-market, unique artworks. We work hard to bring quality offerings to our buyers,” says Germain. —