NEW YORK.- Sotheby's Sporting Sale: Equestrian, Wildlife & Maritime Art totaled $7,216,027. The top three lots were all by Sir Alfred J. Munnings, and two of the top ten works were by Montague Dawson. The top lot, Munnings’ The Start Newmarket, achieved a price of $937,000 (est. $800,000/1.2 million), which is the most expensive sporting painting sold in America this season.

John Robbins, the Sotheby’s specialist in charge of this sale, said, “Today, our annual sporting art auction in New York attracted top collectors and dealers who competed for paintings by the most popular artists known for this genre, such as Sir Alfred J. Munnings and Montague Dawson. Works by Munnings represented the top three prices in the auction, with $937,000 being paid for The Start Newmarket, making this the most expensive sporting painting sold in America this season. There was also a strong demand for depictions of African wildlife, continuing a trend we have been seeing for two years, and a wonderful tribute to Bob Kuhn, who passed away in October 2007.”