Childe Hassam Watercolor Among 300 Works of Art to be Sold in NH

EXETER, N.H. - A gorgeous oil on canvas marine rendering by Thomas Buttersworth (Br., 1768-1842) and a diminutive watercolor work by Childe Frederick Hassam (Am., 1859-1935), mounted to the flyleaf of his 1899 book Three Cities, are expected top lots at a fine art estates auction planned for Friday, November 4th, at 5 pm Eastern time by John McInnis Auctioneers.

The event will be held at the historic Exeter Inn, located in the center of Phillips Academy, at 90 Front Street in Exeter. Around 300  market-fresh, original works of art will come up for bid, to include 19th and 20th century American and European paintings, watercolors and works on paper. Previews will be held Thursday evening, Nov. 3, from 6-8 pm, and on auction day from 1 pm on.

“Everyone is invited to join us for a fast-paced and entertaining evening, with some wonderful opportunities to acquire original fine art at attractive price points through auction,” said John McInnis of John McInnis Auctioneers, based in Amesbury, Mass. “Come early and enjoy a meal at the Epoch Restaurant, known for its fine dining and relaxing lounge. It’ll be a great night out.”

The Buttersworth oil painting is a signed work titled H.M.S. Queen Charlotte 11 Guns Passing Through the Straits of Messina. It measures 31 inches by 43 inches (framed) and is estimated to bring $20,000-$30,000. The Hassam watercolor, just 6 ½ inches by 6 inches, is titled Dandy and was a gift from Hassan to his close friend and artist, Rose Lamb. It should hit $10,000-$15,000.

Two paintings could conceivably top the $10,000 mark. The first is an oil on board by Gertrude Fisk (1878-1961), titled Falling Tide, signed twice and titled verso, in very good untouched estate condition (est. $8,000-$12,000). The second is an oil on canvas by George Inness (1825-1894), 24 inches by 29 inches, titled Landscape with Cow and a Figure (est. $8,000-$10,000).

A pair of works by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) is in the auction. One is a lithograph, titled L’Ecuyare, signed in plate by Picasso and measuring 29 inches by 34 inches (framed). It’s expected to fetch $1,000-$1,500. The other is a linocut titled Exposition Vallauris 1952, signed in plate and in pencil by Picasso. The 29 ½ inch by 23 ½ inch piece should reach $500-$1,000. 

An oil on board by Anthony Thieme (1888-1954), titled Boston Harbor, that appears to be in its original 11 ½ inch by 9 ½ inch frame and under glass, is expected to sell for $5,000-$7,000; and an oil on canvas by Victor DeGrailly (1804), titled Hudson River Crow Nest from Bull Hill, West Point, unsigned and housed in a 29 ½ inch by 37 ½ inch frame, is estimated at $5,000-$8,000.

Two harbor-themed paintings carry identical estimates of $2,000-$3,000. The first is an oil on paper board by Samuel L. Gerry (1813-1891), titled Lake Winnipesaukee from Center Harbor, 9 ½ inches by 12 inches, signed and housed in an oval frame. The second is a 23 inch by 27 inch (framed) oil on canvas by Theodore Valenkamph (1868-1924), signed, titled Harbor in Winter.

Fans of the American School will be able to choose between an oil on board painting by Frank Anderson (1844-1891), titled Family at Rest, signed and 14 ½ inches by 16 ½ inches (framed), expected to rise to $2,000-$3,000; and a 24 inch by 30 inch (framed) oil on canvas work, signed “Cook” and titled Coastal Village, in good condition and with a pre-sale estimate of $500-$700.

A pair of artworks by Sonia Delaunay-Terk (1885-1979) will cross the auction block. One is a color lithograph titled Sans Titre, signed and dated 1969 and 20 inches by 17 inches in the frame (est. $800-$1,200). The other is a color etching, signed in 1970 and titled Color Abstraction, 29 inches by 25 inches (framed), with just some minor toning. It should command $500-$1,000.

An oil on canvas painting by Samuel Halpert (1884-1930), titled Fruit on a Table, signed and in a 21 inch by 28 inch frame, in good condition, is expected to realize $2,000-$3,000, and so is a gouache and ink painting by Theo Tobiasse (1927-2012), titled Arriving Immigrants, signed and in a 16 inch by 20 inch frame. Both works estimated alike and both are in very good condition. 

An oil on canvas by Suzanne Eisendieck (1908-1998), titled Petite Fille d’Honneur, presented in a 27 inch by 24 inch frame and in very good condition, should change hands for $2,000-$3,000; while an oil on wood composite by John Terelak (b. 1942), titled Hunter in a Marsh, signed and dated 1979 and in a 19 inch by 23 inch frame, in very good condition, should hit $1,000-$2,000.

A 19th century British School depiction of horses, titled The Country Farm, signed (possibly by “S. Allman”), 30 inches by 38 inches in the frame and exhibiting some scattered inpaint and loss, should still bring $800-$1,200; and an oil on paper board by George W. Whitaker (1841-1916), titled Road to the Shore, signed and in a 17 inch by 13 inch frame, should finish at $400-$600.

For those people unable to attend the exhibition, sale and auction in person, internet bidding will be provided by LiveAuctioneers.com. The full catalog, showing all the artworks being offered in the auction component, may be viewed online now, at www.mcinnisauctions.com. For those who do plan to attend, Exeter is located in southeastern New Hampshire, not far off of Interstate 95.

John McInnis Auctioneers is the largest full-service auction house on Boston’s North Shore. The company’s 12,000-square-foot gallery in Amesbury, Mass., is a retrofitted 1930s-era brick Art Deco building that once housed a grocery store. A staff of experts is proficient in 18th, 19th and 20th century fine art and decorative arts. The firm is a specialist in fine art, antiques and estates.

John McInnis Auctioneers is always accepting quality consignments for future auctions. To consign a single piece, a collection or an estate, you may call them at (978) 388-0400; or, you can e-mail them at mcinnisauctions@yahoo.com. To learn more about John McInnis Auctioneers and the upcoming November 4th auction in Exeter, N.H., please visit www.mcinnisauctions.com.

Image: Watercolor by Childe Frederick Hassam (Am., 1859-1935), mounted to the flyleaf of his 1899 book Three Cities (est. $10,000-$15,000).