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Latest Library Art Auction Nets More Than $111,000

The total net sale of Prendergast Library oil paintings that have been auctioned has exceeded $800,000.

On Thursday, Tina Scott, James Prendergast Library executive director, reported to the library board the results of the fourth art auction that has been held since they approved of consigning 44 oil paintings to Sotheby’s for sale. During the latest art auction hosted by Sotheby’s on Feb. 1, 14 of 15 paintings were sold for a net total, without the buyer’s premium included, of $111,500.

Scott also said they might be receiving a post-auction bid for the one painting — Leon-Jean-Basile Perrault’s “Sleep, Baby, Sleep” — that didn’t sell during the auction.

With the recent art auction results, the total net sale of 27 oil paintings is around $811,500. Proceeds from the art auctions will go toward the library’s endowment fund.

During the Feb. 1 auction, three of the paintings sold for four times the estimated sale price. Those sale results, with buyer’s premium included, included Emilie Preyer’s “Still Life with Peaches and Grapes On A Table” selling for $30,000. The painting was estimated to sell for $5,000-$7,000. Luis Jimenez Aranda’s “Washday on the Seine” sold for $27,500. The painting was estimated to sell for $5,000-$7,000. Jean-Baptiste Robie’s “Roses” sold for $21,250. The painting was estimated to sell for $5,000-$7,000.

Sotheby’s has handled three of the art auctions while Stair Galleries hosted one. Last month, Scott said Stair Galleries is slated to host another auction that will include Prendergast Library oil paintings. The date of this auction has not been announced.

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