Achieving a sell through rate of 96%, Dallas Auction Gallery’s Fine Art Auction achieved strong results from top American artists. The sale, which featured the collection of Dallas’s Sam Wyly, achieved $5.9 million in sales and was led by Thomas Hart Benton’s “Roasting Ears” (est. $700,000-$900,000) which sold on the phone for $1,877,000. “We were not surprised by the amount of interest or the result as this is a wonderful example of how Benton was at the forefront of the American realist modern art movement. The two Benton works on paper also had strong demand and sold for $200,000 including premium.” said Scott Shuford, President of Dallas Auction Gallery.

David Martin’s “Portrait of Benjamin Franklin”, (est. $250,000-$450,000), is one of three portraits of Benjamin Franklin by the artist. The other two reside in the collections of the White House and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. The painting sold for $785,000.00 to a private buyer on the telephone.

Other historic paintings from the sale included, Charles Bird King’s 1825 portrait “Timpooche Barnard, a Yuchi Warrior” (est. $60,000-$80,000) selling on the auction floor for $665,000.00. The sale also featured works by N.C Wyeth which attracted collectors and galleries alike. Spirited bidding on the floor and phones produced strong results for “Stirling Castle” (est. $100,000-$150,000.000) which sold for $485,000.00 and “Black Arrow Endpapers” (est. $60,000-$80,000) which sold for $365,000.00. “Autumn Woods”, by Maxfield Parrish was another great example of the passion Mr. Wyly had for American Art, selling for $425,000.00 against a presale estimate of $200,000-$300,000.00.

Three unique Picasso ceramic pieces were highly sought after and achieved premium prices selling for a total of $261,500. Françoise Gilot’s “Le Citron et les Poissons (Lemon and Fish)” oil on canvas ended the sale on a high note, selling for $137,000.00 against an estimate of $25,000-$35,000.00.

“We were honored to offer important artwork from the collection of Sam Wyly in our October 5th Fine Art Auction. It was more than just a collection of Sam Wyly; it personified Sam Wyly as the man. Numerous significant works of art with outstanding provenance and fresh to the market appeal well exceeded their estimates. American Art led the prices realized with phenomenal results across the board. It was an exciting evening marked by competitive bidding.”

                                                                        -Scott Shuford, President of Dallas Auction Gallery