David Johnson (1827-1908), Wawayanda, Orange Co., New York. Oil on canvas laid on board, 20½ x 16 in. (panel), 33 x 29 in. (framed). Courtesy Leland Little Auctions. Estimate: $5/10,000 SOLD: $17,000

Hillsborough, NC
Leland Little Auctions
Fine Art Auction
March 11
$600,000

Leland Little’s Fine Art Auction achieved over $600,000 in total sales across 87 lots, with multiple works soaring past estimates.

Among the two star lots in the sale was an exquisite oil painting on mahogany panel by second-generation Hudson River School artist David Johnson, titled Wawayanda, Orange Co., New York. Likely dating to the 1870s, the work features an idyllic rural scene with a young girl and man observing three cows watering by a stream. The piece nearly doubled its $10,000 high estimate when it sold for $17,000.

The second highlight was a small oil sketch by Walter Launt Palmer depicting the iconic Santa Maria della Salute in Venice. Palmer, known for his brilliant winter landscapes, first visited the Floating City in 1874 and returned in 1881, painting alongside peers like William Merritt Chase and Frank Duveneck. This sun-drenched scene from the Venetian Lagoon was a gift from the artist to the daughter of a close family friend. Venice - A Study ended up selling for more than seven times its $1,000 high estimate.

Margaret Hoening French (1906-1998), Narcissus, tempera on wood panel, ca. 1938. Courtesy Swann Auction Galleries. SOLD: $106,680

New York, NY
Swann Auction Galleries
19th & 20th Century Art
March 12
$898,715

Swann Galleries’ spring 19th & 20th Century Art sale boasted a strong $898,715 total, as well as six auction records and a 78 percent sell-through rate by lot.

The sale was led by Margaret Hoening French’s tempera on wood Narcissus, at $106,680. Additional records of note included an artist record for Carolyn Gassen Plochman’s oil and acrylic East Village at $12,700; Allan Capron Houser’s Untitled (Standing Woman) record-setting wood sculpture at $8,255; and Sally Michel Avery’s Untitled (Seated Man), which earned a record for a crayon drawing by the artist at $6,350. The sale also saw the first oil painting by Dorothy Winsalde to appear at auction with Portrait of a Man, at $2,286.

“Our 19th & 20th Century Art sale continues to provide bidders with an engaging blend of material, with many bidders showing excitement and appreciation for discovering rare artworks and exploring specialized markets,” says auction specialist Meagan Gandolfo. “We also saw competitive bidding for works by European Modern artists such as Paul Signac and Pablo Picasso. We were delighted with the enthusiasm in the room.”

Charles M. Russell (1864-1926), Scalp Hunters. Watercolor, 11¾ x 15 in., signed and dated lower left: ‘1906’. CMR Raisonne Catalog No: CR.UNL.602. Courtesy March in Montana Auction and Dealer Show. Estimate: $40/60,000 SOLD: $242,000

Coeur d’Alene, ID
March in Montana Auction and Dealer Show
March 21
$3.2 million

The March in Montana Auction and Dealer Show realized $3.2 million in total sales, with an impressive 95 percent sell-through rate, underscoring the strength and depth of demand across categories. Notably, 33 percent of participating buyers were from Montana, reflecting the continued importance of local collectors alongside a strong national audience.

A standout moment came with Scalp Hunters by Charles M. Russell. The 1906 watercolor quadrupled its $60,000 high estimate when it soared to an astounding $242,000, selling to a Montana collector and marking one of the most notable results of the weekend. Another Russell work, Bull Elk, sold for $90,750, against an estimate of $10,000 to $15,000.

Wildlife art proved equally strong, led by important works from Bob Kuhn. Leopard, an acrylic, realized $42,350, while Cheetah on a Kill, an 18-by-26-inch acrylic with notable provenance, brought $57,475. Sculpture proved to be a powerful genre as well, led by Frederic Remington’s iconic bronze The Broncho Buster. With strong provenance and authentication, the piece significantly outperformed its $40,000 to $60,000 estimate, realizing $102,850. —

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