Heritage Fine Arts Auction Posts Outstanding Results!

Dallas, Texas: Heritage Galleries & Auctioneers (HG&A) latest Fine & Illustrative Arts auction, held November 17 & 18, 2005, in their Dallas, Texas headquarters, posted results of $3,416,295, including $478,000 paid for Norman Rockwell's Song of Bernadette. After auction sales are still ongoing, and are expected to push the total even higher."

"It was thrilling to watch the bidding frenzy created by this outstanding work," said Ed Jaster, Vice-President of HG&A. "It opened at $100,000, and within minutes had easily exceeded our pre-auction estimate of $200,000 - $300,000. Phone bidders and floor bidders alike competed for this iconic painting, aggressively shouting out their bids in the hopes of capturing this exceptional prize. When the dust cleared, a private West Coast collector emerged as the new owner of one of Rockwell's best known, and most important, paintings."

"Another exciting highlight of this auction was David Johnson's Catnip Island, Near Greenwich, CT," said Jaster. "A lovely work, we had estimated the piece at $50,000 - $70,000. When all was said and done, this wonderful landscape realized an impressive $262,900."

"There were a number of pieces that exceeded our expectations," Jaster said, "including Guy Wiggins' Winter at the Library. We anticipated that this piece would bring $80,000 - $100,000, so you can imagine how thrilled we when it finished at $119,500. Another work by the same artist, Snow Storm, brought even more outstanding results. This is a small piece, without the flags that typically mark Wiggins' most popular works, was estimated to fetch $20,000 - $30,000 and brought an apparent record price of $83,650 for a Wiggins of this size.

"All in all, we couldn't be more pleased with the results of this auction," Jaster said. "The field of Fine and Illustrative Arts is one to which Heritage is passionately dedicated. I eagerly anticipate our next auction, scheduled for May, 2006, which will be a Simulcast event, with salesrooms in both Dallas and New York City, so that interested parties in both locations can bid live against each other. It should be an exceptionally exciting event."

Additional auction highlights included:

FREDERIC SACKRIDER REMINGTON (American 1861-1909)
Bronco Buster
Bronze
22.75in. tall
Signed on base
Roman Bronze Works, New York, Ed. #150
Estimate: $90,000 - $120,000.
REALIZED: $107,550.

JACK LORIMER GRAY (American 1927-1981)
Eastern End, Winter
Oil on canvas
30in. x 50in.
Signed lower left
Estimate: $75,000 - $100,000.
REALIZED: $95,600.

WILLIAM ROBINSON LEIGH (American 1866-1955)
The Killer
Oil on canvas
27.5in. x 21.5in.
Signed lower right
Estimate: $50,000 - $70,000.
REALIZED: $71,700.

GIL ELVGREN (American 1914-1980)
They're Easy to Handle If You Know How, 1948
Oil on canvas
30in. x 24in.
Signed center right: Elvgren
Estimate: $30,000 - $40,000.
REALIZED: $71,700.

HENRI GASTON DARIEN (French 1864 - 1926)
Woman Reclining in a Garden
Oil on canvas
38.5in. x 52in.
Signed lower right
Estimate: $60,000 - $80,000.
REALIZED: $71,700.

GIL ELVGREN (American 1914-1980)
Neat Trick, 1953
Oil on canvas
30.5in. x 24in.
Signed lower right: Elvgren
Estimate: $20,000 - $30,000.
REALIZED: $56,762.

BIRGER SANDZEN (American 1871-1954)
On the Wild Horse Creek
Oil on canvas
16in.x 24in.
Signed lower right
Estimate: $20,000 - $30,000.
REALIZED: $44,812.

JAMES EDWARD BUTTERSWORTH (American 1817-1894)
Clipper Ship At Cape Horn
8in. x 12in.
Oil on board
Signed lower right
Estimate: $30,000 - $50,000.
REALIZED: $41,825.

GIL ELVGREN (American 1914-1980)
Stepping Out, 1953
Oil on canvas
30.5in. x 24in.
Signed lower center: Elvgren
Estimate: $20,000 - $30,000.
REALIZED: $40,032.

JEAN ANDRE CASTAIGNE (French 1861-1930)
Underdeck, Voyage to America, 1913
Oil on canvas
25.5in. x 34.5in.
Signed lower left
Estimate: $35,000 - $45,000.
REALIZED: $38,837.

For more information about Heritage's auctions, and a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit HeritageGalleries.com.

Prospective consignors and sellers of top-end illustration and fine art are invited to call Scott Barber at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 521 or Edward Jaster at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 288 to discuss their material. Or visit HeritageGalleries.com and click on the "Sell Now" tab. Or simply email Scott Barber at SBarber@HeritageGalleries.com or Edward Jaster at EdJ@HeritageGalleries.com.

To reserve your copy of any Heritage auction catalog, please contact Nicole Jewell at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 272, or visit HeritageGalleries.com to order by email.