The 2024 Scottsdale Art Auction achieves 97 percent sell-through rate across its two sessions, April 12 and 13.
There were many things about the 2024 Scottsdale Art Auction that stood out for auction partner Brad Richardson, owner of Legacy Gallery and Manitou Galleries. He says, “First of all, we saw many new faces in the room who were quite active in the sale. Secondly, our online bidding was higher than it has ever been, and lastly, we sold 99 percent of the lots during the first session and 97 percent overall.” The sale, which happened April 12 and 13 at Legacy in Scottsdale, Arizona, totaled $10,488,548.
Collectors were charmed by the Tom Lovell painting COTTONWOOD GAZETTE, which was the top lot of the sale at $339,000. The work by the early Cowboy Artists of America member had an estimate of $200,000 to $300,000 and was accompanied by its original oil study. The second and third highest grossing lots were by John Ford Clymer, a longtime friend of Lovell. Both paintings—CLEARING THE PALO DURO at $304,200 and TRADING DOWN THE SWEETWATER at $292,500—sold above their high presale estimates.
Other Cowboy Artists of America members that had strong results in the two-day sale were Bill Owen and Martin Grelle. A world auction record was set for Owen when his painting ON THE DRAG sold for $81,900. Grelle’s DISTANT SIGNAL also landed above its presale estimate of $150,000 to $200,000 to become the sixth highest earning lot of the sale at $257,400.
Paintings by members of the Taos Society of Artists continued to show their dominance. KACHINA DOLL MAKER and THE SCULPTOR, by E.I. Couse, sold for $245,700 and $117,000, respectively. Joseph Henry Sharp’s INDIAN BY FIRELIGHT landed at $152,100, while the portrait CARMELITA by Nicolai Fechin achieved $292,500.
C.M. Russell’s bronze A BRONC TWISTER had a notable showing when it sold for $222,300. As did a landscape by Birger Sandzén that has his signature thick brushwork and bold colors. The painting, titled SUMMER IN THE MOUNTAINS, sold within its presale estimate at $280,800.
Contemporary works included 10 by Mark Maggiori, with his 2018 painting AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOED selling for nearly double its high estimate at $222,300. Five paintings by Western still life artist Kyle Polzin sold for a combined $330,575. OAK AND AMBER, depicting antique liquor bottles, was the top seller of the group at $93,800 against a presale estimate of $35,000 to $55,000.
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