Horace Clifford Westermann Sculpture Breaks World Auction Record at Cowan's Fine and Decorative Art Sale

Cowan’s held its highest-grossing Fine and Decorative Art auction of the year on October 2-3, 2009 in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Proceeds from the comprehensive sale totaled just over $1 million, with 1,045 bidders from 17 countries vying for 922 lots.

Twentieth-century art, buoyed by works from the collection of the late Betty Asher of Los Angeles, California, prompted enthusiastic bidding both on the floor and from remote bidders.  A 1959 mixed-media sculpture from the Asher collection by Horace Clifford Westermann, titled The Unaccountable, broke the world auction record for a Westermann piece when it sold for $85,188, far exceeding its $20/30,000 estimate.  The previous record was held by a mixed-media sculpture which Sotheby’s sold for $68,712 in 2002. 

Other highlights from the offered group of twentieth-century art include Viola Frey’s 1983 oil on canvas titled Man with Figurines, which brought $9,988.  Frey is best known as a ceramicist and sculptor, though collectors also seek her paintings for their vibrancy and rich compositions.   Ken Price’s 1963 oil on fish-shaped board with stand titled Specimen G 2310.03 realized $4,700, well above its $6/800 estimate.

“The success of these works clearly indicates a new and exciting area of the market for us,” noted Diane Wachs, Cowan’s Director of Fine and Decorative Art. “We expect to be offering more great twentieth-century paintings, sculpture, and works on paper in future auctions.” 

Graydon Sikes, Director of Paintings and Prints, added "This is evidence that prominent collections that are fresh to the market and carry extensive history are going to command the highest prices no matter where they sell."

Collectors with varied interests were drawn to a group of items related to William “Billy” Walker, who in 1877 became the first African-American jockey to win the Kentucky Derby.  The highlight of the group, a 19th-century Kentucky coin silver racing presentation pitcher by John Kitts & Co. of Louisville, sold for $25,850, blowing away its $2500/5000 estimate.  Similarly, a sixth plate tintype of Walker which sold with a group of racing paraphernalia realized $6,463, far exceeding its $800/1000 estimate.  Other important lots from the group included an outstanding briarwood cane with ivory knob carved with jockey’s bust and horse’s head, which brought $1,763, over its $4/800 estimate, and an oil painting of Baden Baden, the horse that Walker rode to victory in the Derby, which realized $3,055, far above its $3/500 estimate.   

“This group of items represented the ‘perfect storm’ that you hope for in an auction; collectors interested in African-American history and the importance of African-Americans’ involvement with early racing, institutions, and Kentucky coin silver collectors were all bidding on these lots, and realized prices reflected this,” commented Wachs. 

An important collection of antique scrimshaw, totaling over 50 lots, also garnered significant interest from collectors.  A scrimshawed whale’s tooth featuring a whaling scene and American ship sold for $15,275, above its $10/15,000 estimate, and a very rare circa 1840-60 whale’s tooth with scrimshawed boy, dog, and squirrel brought $8,225, nearly tripling its $2/3000 estimate.