At least 11 important paintings, all but one by American artists, are coming to light for the first time in half a century or more, and some for the first time since they were first painted, at the Barridoff Galleries auction on August 6, 2010. We'll highlight three of them here, but the eleven previously unrecorded consignments include work, in alphabetical order, by Reynolds Beal, Thomas Birch, Paul Cornoyer, William Wallace Gilchrist, Jr., Alexis Gritchenko, William Formby Halsall, John La Farge, Frank Stella , Zao Wou-ki, Marguerite Zorach, and William Zorach.
We highlight four of the above here.
Ivy League Rowing Regatta, Poughkeepsie, N Y, Columbia Boat Club Wins, 1914, oil on canvas 26 x 36 in. (66.0 x 91.4 cm) by Reynolds Beal is not only a spectacular American Impressionist painting from the early 20th Century, it is a stunning historical record of a great sporting event on the Hudson River. According to the the home page of Marist College, in 1894 representatives from Columbia University, Cornell University, and the University of Pennsylvania selected the Hudson River at Poughkeepsie as the site for regattas for their newly formed Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA). Poughkeepsie soon became known as the "Rowing Capital of the World," hosting IRA regattas from 1895 to 1949. Wrapped up and under a bed for longer than anyone cares to remember, this canvas may well be the most beautiful Reynolds Beal ever to appear at auction. It is estimated at $80,000 to $120,000.
Zao Wou-ki, whose early work stands out among the great Abstract Expressionists, who influenced him during his tenure in the United States at the height of the movement, had moved to Paris in 1947, later visited the States where he was exhibited, and then returned to Paris where he now lives. The following copy of an email from the artist's assistant to Meghan Boyle of Marlborough Gallery was forwarded to Barridoff Galleries in response to a request to Marlborough for help in contacting the artist for confirmation of authenticity (printed here as written) of “Bateaux Bleus,” oil on canvas, 15 x 18 in. (38.1 x 45.7 cm)” “Dear Meghan, Thanks for your email but I am now in Hong Kong until March 30. I will then check when back at office. There will normally be no problem as, if I have a good memory, this painting went through Patti Birch Gallery, was published in Life Magazine in 1951 or 1952, is unknown of our archives for the moment as we did not have any other mention of it instead the Life publication. If this is the same painting [it is], that will be a good point for the archives. Best regards, Yann.” “Bateaux Bleus” was in fact purchased from Cadby Birch, in 1952 by a doctor from Minot, North Dakota, who later sold it to the parents of the current owner. It is estimated at $125,000 to $175,000.
A single oil each by Marguerite and William Zorach have descended since early in the 20th Century in the family of William Holley. Neither the Zorachs’ galleries in New York nor the living members of the Zorach family at the family home, Robinhood, here on the coast of Maine have had any awareness of either oil until now. Mr. Holley, according to Peggy Zorach, was a "creative, thoughtful, receptive, generous, sophisticated and beloved man," who worked in many capacities for Marguerite and William Zorach and their family. According to members of the Holley family, the current lots were Christmas gifts to Mr. Holley. “The Expulsion” by Marguerite, oil on canvas, 20 3/4 x 25 in.(52.7 x 63.5 cm) and “The Rose” by William Zorach (same size as the Marguerite) are early examples showing the strong influence of the art movements of their time (Cubism, Fauvism) but bearing their own distinctive styles. The former is estimated at $20/30K and the latter at $30/50K.
_Untitled_o56x101_c.jpg?1328651573 "Berninghaus, Oscar, (1874-1952), Untitled, oil on board, 16 x 20 inches")
