Gene Hackman’s art collection sells at auction for nearly $2 million
Hackman was a famous hoarder, and when he died earlier this year at the age of 95, his filthy house was finally taken apart, revealing hidden treasures.
His family both held a series of auctions online and in personof his most cherished possessions. While the online auction was open to everyone and contained personal memories such as scripts, clothing and prizes valuable private art collection was sold to the highest bidders in New York.
A total of 13 paintings and sculptures by Hackman were offered, and representatives of Bonhams According to the auction house, they have all been sold.
“The first sale of The Gene Hackman Collection was a white glove sale on November 19, totaling $1.64 million, with 100% of the lots sold,” said press manager Maxine Osa. RadarOnline.com.
The highlight of the live auction was Figure on the scaffolding by American modernist Milton Avery, which sold for $508,500. Bonhams valued it somewhere between $500,000 and $700,000.
According to the auction house’s description, “This painting, which depicts a lone figure on a dock overlooking the sea, was likely inspired by (Avery’s) summers spent in Provincetown, Massachusetts, from 1957 to 1960, and reflects Avery’s mature style, which is prominent in his oeuvre.”
After decades of exhibiting in major galleries and institutions, Hackman acquired it in 1997 and kept it until his death.
A piece by Richard Diebenkorn, titled Vegetablesold for $419,600, while another of his pieces, High green, version IIraised $152,900, more than double its estimate.
The other big item, Fritz Scholder’s Dancer sold for more than five times its appraised value, with a maximum of $152,900.
Meanwhile, the first of the online auctionswhich ended on Friday, November 21, contained Hackman’s personal items at a much lower price, including three of his Golden Globe Awards, one for Unforgiven, one for The Royal Tenenbaums, and his Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award.
“There is also scattered film memorabilia from almost every film he has ever been in,” says Anna Hicks, head of US Private & Iconic Collections at Bonhamstold RadarOnline.com. “With photos, stills, call logs and various other bits and pieces.”
Then there is his own artwork, which Hackman took very seriously.
“He was a prolific artist,” Hicks revealed, adding that the collection offered features: “lots of portraits and selected things he did after he retired from acting.”
Hackman’s other tchotchkes were in high demand, almost all of them that skyrocket above their estimated values. A plethora of his personal paintings sold for as much as $28,160.
A bronze bust of his wifeBetsy Arakawa, aptly titled, Betsysold for $7,680.
The biggest sellers were his Golden Globes for Best Actor, which sold for a whopping $43,520 and $51,200 respectively.
His Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award sold for $33,280.
There still is one online auction leftstarting November 25, and with more personal items including additional scripts, photos, two of his pianos, a pinball machine and two large video game cabinets.
