Maritime Art Sales Hit Record at Christie’s

Sample of Montague Dawson’s work. “A clipper ship in a moonlit sea” (source: www.richard-green.com)

Today's Maritime sale at Christie's New York totaled $3,361,680, achieving the highest ever total for a Maritime sale at Christie's. During the proceedings, a new world auction record was set for Montague Dawson, reconfirming Christie's as the market leader for his works - and the sale was 90% sold by value, 69% sold by lot.

Marie Kotsonis, Maritime Picture Specialist and Gregg Dietrich, Maritime Models, Ephemera and Scientific Instrument Specialist, Christie’s Americas:

“Today’s auction achieved the highest total ever for a Maritime sale at Christie’s. February proves to be a good month to conduct Maritime sales as it follows the Winter Antiques Show. The buoyancy of the market brought new private clients to the category, competing with our established clientelle. Most importantly we are ecstatic about the new Montague Dawson record price for lot 295, depicting the action between the Shannon and the Chesapeake. Bringing an outstanding result of $486,400, the record once again confirms Christie’s is the market leader for Dawson - and the auction house now holds two out of the three top prices for the artist.”

Some of the sales included:

Montague Dawson (1895-1973), The action between H.M.S. Shannon and the U.S.S. Chesapeake, oil on canvas – Price $486,400

Montague Dawson (1895-1973), The fabled tea clipper Taeping running in light winds, oil on canvas – Price $396,800

James Edward Buttersworth (1817-1894), The National Line’s steamer Italy…, oil on canvas – Price $168,000

Robert Salmon (1775-c.1845), Merchant ships off Liverpool…, oil on canvas – Price $132,000

Jack Lorimer Gray (1927-1981), The salt banker–The celebrated Canadian schooner Bluenose, oil on canvas – Price $108,000

John Steven Dews (b.1949), Shamrock (V) (K3) ahead of Brittania (K1)…, oil on canvas – Price $102,000

Montague Dawson (1895-1973), The Fleet Messenger, oil on canvas – Price $90,000

James Edward Buttersworth (1817-1894), A New York Yacht Club schooner off Gibraltar…, oil on canvas - $84,000

Frederic Schiller Cozzens (1846-1928), American yachts, their clubs and races, lithographs in color - $72,000

Montague Dawson (1895-1973), The Old Windjammer, oil on canvas – Price $66,000