Aussie Art Collector Trumps New Yorkers as Record Price Paid for Martin Lewis Etching

By David Hulme & Brigitte Banziger, on 18-Oct-2016

At Swann Galleries, an Australian art collector swooped in to purchase five prints by one of the US most revered printmakers, Australian Martin Lewis, born in Castlemaine in 1881. Not well known in his native Australia, Lewis is famed also for having taught American great Edward Hopper to etch. Today, Martin Lewis’ scenes of the 1920s and 30s New York are iconic and highly sought after.

At Swann Galleries in New York, an Australian art collector swooped in to purchase five etchings by one of the US most revered printmakers, Australian Martin Lewis, born in Castlemaine in 1881. Relics (Speakeasy Corner), (above) the artist’s most popular work, sold for the joint record price of US$52,500 IBP.

There were in fact nine Martin Lewis prints offered for sale at Swann Galleries on 22 September, all sold, with 5 going to one Australian enthusiast for the artist’s work.

Bridge Near Nikko, 1926 sold for US$1,625 IBP, Cronies, 1932, sold for US$3,500 IBP on US$3,000-5,000 estimate. Spring Night, Greenwich Village, 1930, an atmospheric work with estimates of US$15,000-20,000 was well bought at US$10,625 IBP. Chance Meeting, 1940/41, with a very war-time feel was estimated at US$7,000-10,000 and fetched US$10,000 IBP.

The prize of the night however went to what Swann Galleries referred to as Martin Lewis’ most popular print which sold out soon after completion in 1928: Relics (Speakeasy Corner) was estimated at US$30,000-50,000 and was secured for a joint record price of US$52,500 IBP (AU$69,000).

This equals the record price paid for Shadow Dance, 1930, sold through Swann in September 2010, and Glow of the City, 1929, also sold at Swann Galleries in March 2015.

Incidentally, The Art Gallery of New South Wales have just announced their own new acquisition of Glow of the City with funds provided by the Art Gallery Society, adding to their earlier purchase of Lewis’ Stoops in the Snow.

In 2002, Castlemaine Regional Gallery staged the exhibition Martin Lewis – Stepping into the Light, which toured to Devonport Regional Gallery, Heide Museum and Queensland Art Gallery.

There are just two auction records for Martin Lewis’ work listed in Australia, both with Leonard Joel almost exactly 13 years ago: Moonrise was estimated at $800-1,200, but rising to $3,250 hammer, while New York trumped its $1,000-$1,500 estimate with ease and sold for an $8,000 hammer price on 13 October 2003.

Sale reference: Swann Auction Galleries, New York, 19th and 20th Century Prints & Drawings, 22 September 2016

http://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/asp/searchresults.asp?keywords_value=lewis&home_page_search=true&viewing_option=2&st=U&sale_no=2422

 

About The Author

Brigitte Banziger and David Hulme are the principals of Banziger Hulme Fine Art Consultants, established since 2003. With their combined experience of over 40 years, they provide private collectors as well as companies and public institutions with independent expert art valuations. In addition to their appraisals for insurance, family law, deceased estates and market values, they assist clients with transparent advice when buying or selling an individual artwork or an entire collection, for some of Australia’s most significant private collectors. David Hulme is an approved valuer for the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, and both Brigitte and David are members of the Art Consulting Association of Australia, where David served as President from 2015 to 2019. David Hulme is a regular art market critic and commentator on the Australian art market and has been interviewed by numerous media, including the 'Australian Financial Review', 'The Australian' and 'The Sydney Morning Herald'. He has also been interviewed on Network 10’s 'The Project', on the ABC’s Radio National Breakfast show with Hamish MacDonald, the ABC’s 'The Business' program amongst many others.

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