5 Records Established 
John Marin | Virginia Berresford | Harry Lane | Charles Goeller | August Mosca

NEW YORK – The first-ever, stand-alone Modern American Art sales produced strong results at Christie’s Rockefeller Center on Friday. In total, the two sales achieved $26,490,132, and Christie's set records for five artists: John Marin, Virginia Berresford, Harry Lane, Charles Goeller, and August Mosca. The day began with a single-owner sale, Modern American Masterworks from the Ted Shen Collection, which totaled $12,124,930. The sale was 127% sold by low estimate, and 100% sold by lot. Charles Sheeler’s Precisionist watercolor, Home Sweet Home, was acquired by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. The day continued with a strong various-owner auction, Modern American Art, which made $14,365,202 was 139% sold by low estimate, and 93% sold by lot. The Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum added John Sloan’s striking Ashcan painting Cornelia Street to its permanent collection.

John Marin’s Lobster Boat, Cape Split, Maine led the Shen Collection sale, realizing $1,925,500. Other highlights of the sale include, Arthur G. Dove’s Through a Frosty Moon made $1,744,000. A landscape by Georgia O’Keeffe, Lavender & Green Hill—Ghost Ranch, realized $1,071,000. Marsden Hartley’s seminal abstract composition from 1916-17, Trixie, $1,008,000.

Tylee Abbott, Head of American Art said: "Ted Shen's commitment to collecting the best of American Modernism, especially by artists in the circle of Alfred Stieglitz, resonated with a broad spectrum of collectors, driving strong results and remarkable sell through. This 100 percent sold, ‘white glove’ auction is a testament to Mr. Shen’s eye, and the growing appreciation for this era in our nation's artistic history."

The Modern American Art sale produced the most expensive lot of the day, Milton Avery’s Woman by the Sea, which sold for $1,986,000. Other standout results include, Edward Hopper’s 1942 watercolor, Four Dead Trees, which fetched $1,502,000; Nicolai Fechin’s Cesarita in Violet, which made $1,134,000; and John Marin’s New York Abstraction, which made $913,500.

Caroline Seabolt, Head of Sale said: “We are thrilled to see such strong results in our inaugural Modern American Art sales, which realized our strongest sell-through rate by lot since the 1990s. Engagement from new and existing clients as well as strong institutional participation realized exceptional prices for our consignors, with more than 55 percent of lots selling above the high estimate.”