January 27th 2013 - The Jackson auction in Indianapolis In. opened with two Hoosier Group artists who studied together in the early 1800’s at the Royal Academy in Munich Germany. John Ottis Adams (1851 to 1927) and fellow artist Theodore C. Steele (1847 – 1926) were part of a group of well known Indiana Impressionist painters that worked in the late and early 19th century. The Hoosier Group consisted of five artists; the remaining three were Richard Gruelle, William Forsyth and Otto Stark. The group first received their name in 1894 by Chicago art critic Hamlin Garland during an exhibition at the Denison Hotel in Indianapolis Indiana. Garland named them the Hoosier Group and sponsored the same show in Chicago. In addition to being members of the Hoosier Group John Adams, William Forsyth and Steele joined with other regional artists to form the Society of Western Artists.
The Adams painting up for auction appeared to be painted around the Brookville Indiana area where Adams and T.C. Steele purchased a house in 1898, later known as the Hermitage. The painting measured 26 x 32 was an O/C and Signed Lower Right. With an auction estimate of $30,000 to $50,000 and a lot of interest among buyers the final price reached the low end of $30,000. Perhaps because the painting had been repaired due to what appeared to be a small puncture in the sky. The T. C. Steele landscape painting of Cattle grazing in a valley reached the high end of its $25,000 to $35,000 estimate; selling at $35,000. Measuring 30 x 45 and signed lower right 1914 the painting was another nice Steele that has come up for auction in the last year.
Six paintings from the husband and wife artist Neil (1921 to 1997) and Lillian (1921 to 2010) Dunnigan were offered for sale. Neil was a
resident of Brown County Indiana from 1962 until his death. He married Lillian Raney who also became an artist both had a studio in the Village green at Town Hill Rd in Nashville In. Paintings by Lillian included “Owens Farmstead” 18x24 O/C SLR $100 estimated at $200 to $400, “Paoli” 12x16 WC SLR that was a no sale estimated at $200 to $400. Paintings by Neil “Red Umbrella 19x22 WC SLL $150 with a pre-auction estimate of $200 – 400 and “The Farm in Winter” 11x15 WC SLR $175 estimated at $150 to $300.
Jackson has also been representing living artists in their auctions with two nice paintings from Painting Indiana II “The Changing Face of Agriculture”. Scott Sullivan painting titled “Inquistive” 30 x 36 O/C SLR with an estimated price of $3,000 to $6,000 brought a final bid price of $2,250. Another painting from the same book was by artist Robert Farlow www.robertfarlow.com. It was a very nice painting of horses titled “Discing Amish Style” SLR and 24 x 30 o/c reached $4,000 about the midpoint of its $3,000 to $6,000 estimate.. Wayne Manns www.waynemanns.com the Bloomington Indiana artist had several music themed painting for sale. A 40 x 33 musical collage O/S SLR ‘00 reached $525 of its $500 to $1,000 estimate. There were also several other nice paintings by Mann that were sold to collectors of his works.
Other Indiana Art Auction Prices of the day included:
Ida Gordan, 8x10, O/C, SLR, Winter Landscape sold for $1200
Ida Gordan, 24x20, O/C , SLL, Daisies $800
Robert Selby, 24x36, O/B, SLR 86 “Hill Country Ranch” $550
Frank Vietor, 11x14, Acrylic, SLR, Locomotive, $350
George Herbert Baker, 18x24. SLR, “Autumn at its Best” $500
Harry Davis, 29x21, Mixed Media, SLR, “The Opening” Murphy’s 10 cent store, $2,250
September 9th 2012 – Bidding was brisk for the Theodore Clement Steele (1847 – 1926) painting that opened the Jackson auction in Indianapolis In. T. C. Steele and his wife Selma Neubacher Steele purchased 211 acres in Brown County Indiana in 1907, constructing a house they subsequently named “The House of the Singing Winds” The 20x24 oil on canvas, SLR depicted Steele’s House reached and final bid of $50,000.
wife of Carl Graf studied at the John Heron Institute in Indianapolis, In. and was a member of the Brown County Art Gallery from 1935 to 1954. Both paintings were oil on board, signed lower right and measured 20x24, receiving a final bid of $2,500 and $1250.
There were six small paintings by Mary Frances Overbeck (1876 – 1975) who was one of the four Overbeck sisters that founded the Overbeck pottery and studio in Cambridge Indiana. All of the oil on board paintings depicted various types of birds with the exception of one which was titled “The Busy Body Squirrel”. Paintings ranged in size from 5x7 to 8x10 with the highest price being paid by bidders was $525 to low of $250. The sisters were part of the Arts and Crafts movement which was reflected in the style of pottery they produced with a distinctive matte finish. In later years they transitioned to a more modern style with shiny glazes and small figural pieces of people and animals. Of which fourteen of these figurines were up for sale. Ranging in size from 4.5 inches to 1.5 inches the small figure were mostly of animals with prices ranging from $300 for a dog and $100 for a small rabbit.
The Overbeck sisters were not the only potters represented at the auction. Two works by the Brown County potter Carl Martz (1912 – 1997) and two by his wife Becky were available for auction. The couple produced pottery in their Nashville Indiana studio from 1936 to the early 1990’s. Karl founded the Ceramics Arts program at Indiana University in 1945 and taught studio ceramics until he retired in 1977. The following were auctioned to the highest bidder.
March 25th 2012 – The March Art auction was held at Jackson’s new location at Arch at Chatham in downtown at Indianapolis, In. and just one block south of Massachusetts Ave. There was an exceptional painting by Ada W. Shulz (1874 to 1954) that was the highlight of the afternoon. The painting was a 14x16 oil on canvas titled “My Garden”, signed lower left and sold at the mid-point pre-auction estimate for $75,000. A second Ada Shulz oil painting was very nice as well, measuring 20x24 and signed lower right received a final bid of $12,500.
Bloomington Indiana artist Hallie P. Prow (1868 – 1945) was offered for sale. Hallie lived in Bloomington, In with her husband Dr. Prow and her children and did not start painting professionally until she was in her mid fifties. Her paintings do not come up for auction as often as other artists, which sparked a lot of interest by bidders. The lucky bidder took home the painting for $5,500 the mid-point for its $3,500 to $7,000 auction estimate.
Painters and Sculptors of Chicago, Joliet Art League, Palette and Chisel Club of Chicago, Scarab League of Detroit, Hoosier Salon, Brown County Art Gallery Association, Charter Member of Brown County Art Guild. Three paintings by the artist were offered to collectors of his work. A 20x22 O/B SLR, depicting a Brown County landscape brought $1,000. Also available were two 8/10 oil on boards, SLR, the first of a winter scene reached $350.
