A Single-owner Collection Dedicated To The Artwork Of Maxfield Parrish Will Be Auctioned Sep 24

By Author: Grant Zahajko
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An outstanding single-owner collection of artworks dedicated entirely to the renowned American artist and illustrator Maxfield Parrish (1870-1966) will come up for bid in an auction planned for Wednesday, September 24th, by Grant Zahajko Auctions, online and live in the gallery located at 510 Morgan Street in Davenport, starting at 9am Pacific time.

The auction is officially titled Maxfield Parrish: Artist & Illustrator, Celebrating a Career!

Maxfield Parrish was active in the first half of the 20th century. His works featured distinctive saturated hues and idealized neo-classical imagery. His career helped shape the Golden Age of illustration and American visual arts. In his storied career he produced almost 900 pieces of art, including calendars, greeting cards and magazine covers. His works are highly collectible today.

“After 47 years of discerningly collecting items relating to Maxfield Parrish, one of the more serious collectors of the artist has decided to auction his collection amassed over almost half a century,” said Grant Zahajko of Grant Zahajko Auctions. “This collection includes ...
... an original Maxfield Parrish that was shown twice at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Massachusetts.”

Mr. Zahajko added the auction – totaling just under 300 lots – includes “some of the rarest Parrish prints in existence, high grade examples with vibrant, original colors, a very large calendar collection, rare and top condition Parrish illustrated books, sketches, signed checks, advertising items, letters, Parrish prints in the best condition that you'll find and much more.”

The sale’s expected headliner is lot #17, an original mixed media (pencil, watercolor and cut-out) study titled The Knave Watched Violetta Depart, dated 1910-1912. The study is known to have been owned by one of the artist's neighbors in Plainfield, N.H. It was given to him by Parrish because the neighbor had expressed an interest in it. It should bring $25,000-$35,000.

“Mr. Parrish considered his studies worthless, and he often burned them,” Zahajko said. “If someone expressed an interest in them, he would give them away.” This study was exhibited in the Norman Rockwell Museum twice, including the Keepers of the Flame: Parrish, Wyeth, Rockwell and Narrative Tradition exhibition. Papers, letters, photos and a book are included.

Also expected to attract keen bidder interest is lot #177: Maxfield Parrish’s cover proof artwork for Hearst Magazine’s May 1913 issue that was never published. The image size is 10 inches by 7 inches (matted, 13 ¾ inches by 10 ¾ inches) and in 1995 the work was placed into a modern frame measuring 15 ¾ inches by 12 ¾ inches. The estimate is $8,000-$12,000.

A black and white image of this unpublished cover appears in the 1973 book Maxfield Parrish by Coy Ludwig, and includes a certified copy of a letter from Jack W. Jacobsen, the author of Maxfield Parrish: The Man Behind the Make Believe, stating that this item was purchased by himself in Brimfield, Mass., back in 1952 from the seller, who sold it for Maxfield Parrish, Jr.

Calendars are a huge part of Parrish’s catalog. Lot #8 is an extremely scarce large calendar by Parrish for Edison Mazda Lamps, titled The Lamp Seller of Baghdad. The calendar, from 1923, retains a full pad of calendar pages and measures 26 ¾ inches by 17 inches. It has been professionally framed in a Stephen Hutak custom modern frame. The estimate is $2,000-$3,000.

Other large calendars by Parrish include lots #6 and #7 for Edison Mazda Lamps from 1922 and 1930, respectively, the latter titled Ecstasy (each estimate: $1,400-$1,800); and lot #87 from Thos. D. Murphy company (Red Oak, Iowa), “The Birthplace of Art Calendars”, titled Sunrise (estimate: $600-$800). All have a full pad of calendar pages and are in modern custom frames.

Lot #18 represents a bit of a departure from what is normally seen from Parrish. It’s a handmade wood model titled Thy Rocks and Rills, also known as The Old Mill (1944), Millpond (1945) and Old Glen Mill (1954). The model was fashioned out of balsa wood and wood crate and measures 12 by 13 by 14 inches. A letter of appraisal is included. It’s expected to realize $5,000-$7,000.

Lot #105 is a scarce Edison Mazda Lamp Tester with graphic design by Parrish, in overall Very Good-Excellent condition. The tester is in working condition but three of the sockets don’t light a bulb. It measures 12 ¾ inches by 23 ¼ inches by 6 ¾ inches and includes a notarized facsimile of a letter (provenance for purchase) from Jack Jacobsen. The pre-sale estimate is $800-$1,200.

An original antique GE Edison Mazda Lamps metal flange sign (“for your car, and other Standard Accessories”), with artwork by Parrish, 9 ¾ inches by 12 inches, is expected to go for $1,500-$2,000. Also, a circa 1919 wallpaper frieze print for Fisk Tire and Rubber Co., with a Mother Goose graphic, 7 ¾ inches by 13 ¾ inches (sight, less the frame) should hit $600-$800.

A preview will be held live at the Davenport gallery on Tuesday, September 23rd, from 1pm to 5pm Pacific time, or online via appointment on Zoom. To schedule an appointment, call 509-725-5600; or, you can send an email to info@gzauctions.com.

Internet bidding is available on the popular platforms LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com, Auctionzip.com, Connect.Invaluable.com (Grant Zahajko’s branded version of Invaluable) and https://bid.gzauctions.com (Zahajko’s platform). Telephone and absentee bids will be accepted. Register here for absentee bidding: https://www.gzauctions.com/other.html#tab_Absentee

To learn more about Grant Zahajko Auctions and the Maxfield Parrish: Artist & Illustrator, Celebrating a Career! auction on Wednesday, September 24th, at 9am Pacific time, visit https://bid.gzauctions.com. Updates are posted often.

About Grant Zahajko Auctions:
Grant Zahajko Auctions is always accepting quality consignments for future auctions. To inquire about consigning a single item, an estate or a collection, you may call them at 509-725-5600; or, you can send an email to grant@gzauctions.com. To learn more about Grant Zahajko Auctions, visit https://bid.gzauctions.com. Updates are posted often.