Artworks by Escher, Stanczak, others sail past high estimates in Neue Auctions' Art in Bloom sale

BEACHWOOD, Ohio - May 7, 2024 - PRLog -- Eager bidders blew past high estimates for many of the lots in Neue Auctions' online-only Art in Bloom sale held on April 27^th. The top achievers of the 363 lots that came up for bid were a lithograph by M.C. Escher (Dutch, 1898-1972) that sold for $33,825 and an untitled acrylic on canvas by Julian Stanczak (American, 1928-2017) that finished at $27,675.

The catalog was packed with contemporary art glass, including pieces by Chihuly, Kirkpatrick, Mace, Scanga, Brock, Weinberg, Carlson, Francis, Leppla, Novotny, Roubicek and Smith; as well as many pieces of contemporary artwork, sculpture and fine objects. "It was a solid sale from start to finish, with high prices realized," said Cynthia Maciejewski of Neue Auctions.

The 1932 lithograph on paper by Maurits Cornelis (M.C.) Escher was titled Castel Mola and Mount Edna, Sicily. It was a rare early litho from Escher that was signed lower left, numbered ("8/24"), and signed and dated in the plate with an "MCE" monogram and date ("12-32"). It measured 9 inches by 12 inches (minus frame) and easily surpassed its $18,000 high estimate.

The early acrylic on canvas painting by Polish-born American artist Julian Stanczak was an untitled work done in 1965, measuring 38 inches by 37 inches as framed. It was artist inscribed in pencil en verso and nicely framed. The painting was hand-done, before the use of tape and, like the Escher litho, it had a high estimate of $18,000 that bidders happily ignored.

Someone got a great deal on a mixed media glass construction collaboration between Dale Chihuly (American, b. 1941) and Italo Scanga (Italian/American, 1932-2001), a 1995 work titled Pinball Machine. It incorporated painted cast iron, blown glass and painted found objects, including Chihuly blown glass Ikebana Flowers and floats, as well as gilded putti.

Another unexpected bargain was the oil on canvas Portrait of Henry David Inglis by Sir Henry Raeburn (British/Scotland, 1756-1823). The portrait of the Scottish travel writer and journalist had a canvas size of 30 inches by 25 inches (42 inches by 35 ½ inches as framed). It was supposed to sell for $12,000-$18,000, but a savvy bidder pounced on it for just $10,455.

Next up for Neue Auctions is an online-only auction slated for Saturday, June 29^th. The deadline for consignments is Thursday, May 30^th. To learn more, please visit www.neueauctions.com.