Jackson's Indiana Art Auction Results & Prices September 9th 2012

T, C, Steel Painting "House of the Singing Winds" Sells for $50,000

T. C. Steele Painting
"House of the Singing Winds"

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.

Genevieve Graf
Still Life

Rarely up for auction were two charming Genevieve Goth Graf (1890 – 1961) floral still life.  Genevieve, the sister of Marie Goth and 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.

Mary Overbeck Painting

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, except for 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 little 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.

Red 5” Vase by Karl, signed on the bottom and dated 1938 sold for $225.
Yellow 7” Vase by Karl, signed on the bottom and dated 1938 sold for $225.
Blue 3” vase by Becky, signed on the bottom sold for $125
Multi-Color vase with a slight chip by Becky signed on bottom sold for $55

In all, there were 134 works of art available to collectors with a broad range of styles, media, and subject matter, making it an excellent day to buy or just watch the variety of art cross the auction block.