LOS ANGELES, CA.- John Moran Auctioneers presented their bi-annual California and American Fine Art auction on Tuesday, May 7th, 2024 at 12:pm PDT. This sale featured 140 hand-picked works by noted California & American artists such as Alson Clark, Maurice Braun, Elmer Wachtel, Hanson Puthuff, Armin Hansen, Angel Espoy, Mischa Askenazy, Phil Dike, and Emile Gruppe. Post-sale highlights were led by Jessie Arms Botke, Eyvind Earle, Franz A. Bischoff, Charles Rollo Peters, Marguerite Stuber Pearson, Jane Peterson, and five works by Edgar Payne.
This sale included multiple works by one of the United States’ preeminent Impressionist painters, Edgar Alwin Payne and collectors took notice. Leading the auction was lot 21, Riding Near Canyon De Chelly, that sold for an impressive $76,200. Then, came lot 22, Brittany Boats, bringing in $44,450. Lot 58, Italian Boats (Chioggia) achieved $22,860 and his “Young Sycamores In Autumn”, lot 41, brought in a price realized of $17,780. Lot 34 garnered extra attention. After many phone and online bids, Chioggia Boats sold for $16,510, doubling its low estimate.
A beautiful work by the Illinois and California painter, Jessie Arms Botke titled, “White Peacocks And Wisteria”, lot 15, sold for a whopping $24,130. She is noted for her bird images and use of gold leaf highlights and this example did not disappoint.
Lot 102 was by the influential, Eyvind Earle, whose original paintings and work done for Walt Disney Animation remain some of his most sought-after pieces by collectors. Selling for $20,320 was “Sea, Wind and Fog,” 1986, reminiscent of his background work seen in Disney’s Sleeping Beauty.
The American artist, Franz A. Bischoff was featured in this sale with his work, “Santa Rosa Island [At] San Pedro Harbor”. Lot 35 exceeded its estimate of $6,000-8,000 and sold for a staggering $19,050.
Lots 68 and 90 presented works by the California oil painter known for his nocturnes scenes, Charles Rollo Peters. “The Old Customs House, Monterey, California,” lot 90, achieved $12,065, and lot 68, “Moonlight Adobe,” earned a winning bid of $9,525.
Other female artists bidders took particular interest in were Marguerite Stuber Pearson and Jane Peterson. Marguerite Stuber Pearson was an American artist, specifically a painter in the style of the Boston School. Lot 72 presented Pearson’s work, Young Girl Seated, which sold for five times its $1,000-2,000 estimate, bringing in $10,560. Jane Peterson was also an American painter, both well-known and highly regarded for her impressionistic depictions of landscapes and floral still lifes. Selling for $10,160, and doubling its $3,000-5,000 estimate, was lot 31 titled, Zinneas.
