(MILFORD, Conn.) – What was originally planned as a fall sale of perhaps 250 works of art spanning several genres at Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers has turned into a 300-lot colossus, as quality last-minute consignments continued to pour in. The auction will be held in Shannon’s spacious gallery, located at 354 Woodmont Road in Milford, starting promptly at 6 p.m. (EST).

Several blockbuster lots have been added to a roster that already boasted noted, listed artists such as Charles Courtenay Curran, Franz Kline, Jane Peterson, Dwight Tryon and others. One of the latest is a gorgeous rendering by William Harnett (1848-1892), one of America’s most important still life painters of the 19th century. It’s titled A Dutch Jar With a Bust of Dante.

The painting is expected to realize $200,000-$300,000 and could easily end up being the top lot of the sale. Rivaling it will be an untitled oil on paper collage by the American abstract expressionist Franz Kline (est. $100,000-$150,000); an oil on canvas titled Far Away Thoughts by Charles Courtenay Curran (est. $120,000-$180,000); and an oil on canvas depiction of a lady seated on her vanity by noted Spanish realist Raimundo de Madrazo (est. $100,000-$150,000).

Those three consignments were secured some time ago. Other last-minute surprises, in addition to the Harnett, will include an amazing pair of mural-sized works of Asian performers backstage by the young Israeli artist Roy Nachum (b. 1979, est. $60,000-$80,000 and $40,000-$60,000). Nachum has become very popular in the Hollywood scene during his meteoric rise. His work is in the collections of such notables as Justin Timberlake, Kanye West and Leonardo DiCaprio. His art is also very prominent at 1 OAK, a nightclub at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas.

A pair of large and rare views of Niagara Falls by Ferdinand Richardt (Am., 1819-1895) will be sold. They carry pre-sale estimates of $30,000-$50,000 and $20,000-$30,000. The paintings hung across from each other at one time in the exclusive Niagara Club (now an Indian restaurant). Patrons could simultaneously enjoy Richardt’s paintings and view the actual Falls.

Four recent additions to the auction all carry pre-sale estimates of $50,000-$75,000. The first is a painting by Julius LeBlanc Stewart (Am., 1855-1919), titled Portrait of Marie Renard. Stewart was a figure and genre painter from Philadelphia who spent nearly his entire life in Paris, where he was as popular an American expatriate artist as the portrait painter John Singer Sargent.

The second is a work by Nicolai Fechin (1881-1955), a Russian émigré who became an important member of the Taos School in New Mexico. The painting to be sold, Still Life With Plant and Sculpture, was executed in Santa Fe, N.M., in 1927. Fechin, born on the banks of the Volga River, became one of America’s foremost ethnic portrait painters in the early 20th century.

The third is an important Impressionist landscape by the Virginia-born artist Elliott Daingerfield (1859-1932). Daingerfield was a talented watercolorist who painted his colorful, mystical landscapes mainly from memory. He built a strong reputation and following at a young age, and is best known for his depictions of the Grand Canyon, which he first visited in 1911.

The fourth is a work by the renowned plein-air Impressionist painter Fern Coppedge (Am., 1883-1951), titled A New Hope Snow Scene. Coppedge, born in Illinois, was active in Pennsylvania and was the only major female painter in the New Hope School (along with M. Elizabeth Price). Coppedge was especially noted for her snowscene landscapes of New Hope.

Three names that need no introduction to art enthusiasts are Andy Warhol, Marc Chagall and Roy Lichtenstein. Rare graphics by Warhol (Am., 1928-1987) will include three works from the Martha Graham Series (est. $30,000-$75,000), Flowers, 1964 (est. $12,000-$18,000) and Self-Portrait 1966 (est. $3,000-$5,000). The market for works by Warhol continues to be strong.

Marc Chagall (Russ./Fr., 1887-1985) will be represented with three works, titled Couple de Paysans, Moses and the Table of the Law and The Tribe of Levi. Chagall was born Moishe Shagal, but when he became a foremost member of the Ecole de Paris, he adopted French citizenship and the French spelling of his name. Interest in Chagall shows no signs of abating.

Three nice screenprints by Roy Lichtenstein (N.Y., 1923-1997) will also cross the block. From his studio in New York City, Lichtenstein did cartoon-inspired paintings that helped launch the Pop Art movement He was unique in that he developed a new visual language in an avant-garde style that was disruptive to viewers and yet was accessible and popular with them as well.

Previews will be held daily starting Monday, Oct 14, and run through auction day, Oct. 24 (except Sundays, when Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers is closed). Preview hours are 11-6 (EST), except Wednesday, Oct 23, when the preview will end at 7 p.m., and Thursday the 24th, when the preview will end at 5:30, a half-hour before the auction start time. Online bidding will be facilitated by Artfact.com. Phone and absentee bids will also be accepted.

Historically, Shannon’s has specialized in American and European art executed between 1840 and 1940. In recent years the firm has expanded more into post-war modern and pop art. Shannon’s produces an extensive 180-page, color catalog, which is available for sale on their website (shannons.com). A large, 8-page color brochure will also be mailed to 18,000 clients.

Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers is always accepting quality consignments for future auctions. To consign a single piece of artwork, an estate or an entire collection, you may call them at (203) 877-1711; or, you can e-mail them at info@shannons.com. To learn more about Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers and the Oct. 24 auction, please log on to www.shannons.com.

30 -