Modern & Traditional

Western art in varying styles and genres exceeds estimates
at the annual Lone Star Art Auction.

By Michael Clawson

Charlie Dye and Andy Warhol could not be further from each other on the art spectrum, and yet through the magic of the art auction they are united, albeit briefly, as artworks they created exchange hands. Both artists had strong showings at the Lone Star Art Auction on October 12 in Dallas. The sale brought in $4.2 million in sales with a 91 percent sell-through rate.

Dye, who was a cofounder of the Cowboy Artists of America, and one of the more traditional Western painters of the 20th century, was represented in the sale with Cutting Out Mexican Cows, a cowboy scene estimated at $80,000 to $100,000. It sold over estimates at $138,000 after sustained bidding.

On the other side of the art world is Warhol, the celebrated visual artist who was prominent in the Pop Art movement, who was represented in the sale by Bald Eagle, a hand-pulled screenprint from the artist’s Endangered Species portfolio completed in 1983. The pieces are hugely popular among Warhol collectors and Bald Eagle is one of the rarest prints from the series. Bidders took the price to $228,000, just over the high estimate of $225,000. A second Warhol, Teddy Roosevelt, sold for $96,000, clearing the high estimate of $90,000 with a little room to spare.

The top lot was Howard Terpning’s Trail in the Bitterroots, a dramatically composed nature scene with Native American riders entering a tall forest from a hillside trail. The work sold for $384,000, just missing the low estimate of $400,000. Not far behind the Terpning was Nicolai Fechin’s Self-Portrait, which nearly doubled its high estimate of $175,000 when it sold for $348,000.

“This year’s fall auction was the third event for the new Texas auction house in the last 24 months, and it continued to build upon the success of the previous two auctions catering to both new and seasoned collectors of American, Western and Texas fine art,” says sale owner Phil Berkebile. “ This year’s auction set an in-person attendance record, and the number of telephone, absentee and online bid registrants was significantly increased over 2022 and 2023 totals. Bidding for the over 200 auction lots in the sale was competitive, and the sell-through rate of 91 percent was a good indicator of the artwork’s quality and desirability. With over $4.2 million in auction sales for the 2024 auction, and $13.9 million in combined sales for the first three sales, the Lone Star Art Auction is cementing its position as the largest fine art auction in Texas.”

TOP 10 LOTS

Lone Star Art Auction October 12, 2024 (including buyer’s premium)