THE PATRICIA AND DONALD ORESMAN COLLECTION Tuesday, November 20, 2018 NEW YORK THE PATRICIA & DONALD ORESMAN COLLECTION AUCTION Tuesday, November 20, 2018 at 10am EXHIBITION Friday, November 16, 10am – 5pm Saturday, November 17, 10am – 5pm Sunday, November 18, Noon – 5pm LOCATION Doyle 175 East 87th Street New York City 212-427-2730 www.Doyle.com THE PATRICIA & DONALD ORESMAN COLLECTION Doyle is honored to auction the Collection of quintessential New Yorkers Patricia and Donald Oresman. Comprising over 500 lots, this remarkable collection showcases the works of prominent artists, popular illustrators and renowned photographers. The paintings, sculptures, works on paper, editions and photographs span several decades, movements and mediums. Each work shares a common theme: Reading. Throughout the collection, figures can be spotted in the act of reading, writing, printing and studying, many fully engrossed in literature. Not coincidentally, the works are a reflection of the Oresmans themselves — a long-married couple who could often be found sitting among their books, fully engrossed in literature. Naturally their love of reading informed their acquisitions. CONTENTS Their constantly growing art collection complemented a massive private library, Paintings 1-366 designed by noted New York architects Fairfax & Sammons to showcase both Prints 367-500 books and art. The collection clearly mirrors the Oresmans’ lifelong passion Photographs 501-567 for literature. Their extensive library was in constant use. The hundreds of books lining the Glossary I shelves were not decorative design elements. Each book was meant to be read, Conditions of Sale II and Mr. Oresman endeavored to complete every one. At over 1,200 square feet, Terms of Guarantee IV the Renaissance-inspired space with high coffered ceilings featured ornately Information on Sales & Use Tax V carved bookshelves and a graceful winding staircase inspired by one found in Buying at Doyle VI New Mexico’s Loretto Chapel. Photographed in 2013 for New York magazine, Selling at Doyle VIII the library sported clever sliding panels and secret compartments for the ever-expanding Auction Schedule IX art collection. The Oresmans’ Central Park South duplex afforded a commanding Company Directory X view of the park while also providing a magically serene setting for immersing Absentee Bid Form XII oneself in a fine novel. The couple collected many pieces created during the Great Depression, from images depicting upper class businesspeople poring over great literature and theologians immersed in religious texts to struggling down-on-their-luck folks studying the want ads. This focus led them to amass an important group of works by WPA artists including Aaron Bohrod, Jacob Lawrence, Louis Lozowick, Louise Nevelson, Ben Shahn and many others. The New Deal’s Federal Art Project — the public arts arm of the WPA — was a massive undertaking. It employed artists and craftspeople to teach young artists, create murals and commercial illustration, and design stage sets. From 1935 to 1943 the WPA was responsible for creating over 200,000 unique works of art. Mrs. Oresman was a social worker, book lover and a passionate student of Emily Dickinson’s poetry. Mr. Oresman, an attorney and businessman, served on the board of The New Criterion, The Landmarks Conservancy, The Morgan Library, The Library of America, The Academy of American Poets, and others. His energy seemingly knew no bounds. A tireless activist for preservation, his role in the Conservancy, in particular, helped create the New York City Historic Properties Fund. On the event of the 2004 exhibition of works from their collection at Poets House in New York, Mr. Oresman commented, “I think there is an intensity to reading that captures artists’ imaginations because it has a very private element to it.” Lot 102 3 4 6 9 10 12 Paintings 1 3 5 6 7 8 10 12 Helen Adams Benny Andrews Harold Anchel Richard Artschwager Carl Ashby Ethel V. Ashton Sally Michel Avery Sally Michel Avery American, 1917-1997 American, 1930-2006 American, 1912-1980 American, 1923-2013 American, 1914-2004 American, 1896-1975 American, 1902-2003 American, 1902-2003 Woman Reading in Bed Portrait of Mimi Gross Grooms, Cafeteria, circa 1935 The Book, 1973 Bob DeNiro/Study of a Man Sunday Paper Focused Reader, 1987 Sally Michel 73, 1973 Signed Helen C. Adams and 1966 Inscribed by Murie Anchel Signed Artschwager and (a double sided work), 1944 Estate stamp on the reverse Signed Sally Michel and Signed Sally Michel and dated with extensive inscriptions (lr) Signed Benny Andrews and Study for a/Lithograph - dated ‘73 (lr) Signed Carl Ashby and dated Pastel on paper dated 1987 (lr) 1973 (ur), signed Sally Michel Watercolor on paper dated 66 (lc), dated W.P.A. project by Charcoal on paper 44 (lr), inscribed Bob/De Niro/ 9 x 12 inches Watercolor on paper and dated 1973 (lr), signed 22 1/8 x 15 1/4 inches Sat. Nov. 4 1967 and inscribed Harold Anchel (Murie Anchel) 25 x 19 inches Day’s Lumber Yd./P’Town (ll) 24 x 18 inches Sally Michel, dated 73 and Unframed as titled on the reverse Wife Graphite on paper Provenance: Unframed inscribed as titled on Oil on paper laid to board on the reverse Provenance: 11 3/4 x 8 3/4 inches R.M. Worth Antiques, the reverse Provenance: 14 3/8 x 11 3/8 inches Charcoal on paper Nolan/Eckman Gallery, Chadd’s Ford, PA Provenance: Oil on canvasboard Estate of the artist 11 1/2 x 15 1/8 inches New York Provenance: C The Patricia and Estate of the Artist 12 x 9 inches Childs Gallery, Boston Provenance: C The Patricia and Susan Teller Gallery, New York Donald Oresman Collection Childs Gallery, Boston C The Patricia and Susan Teller Gallery, New York Provenance: Donald Oresman Collection $300-500 C The Patricia and Provenance: Donald Oresman Collection C The Patricia and Sragow Gallery, New York $4,000-6,000 Exhibited: Donald Oresman Collection Childs Gallery, Boston Selected Readers from $200-400 Donald Oresman Collection Together with Attributed to See Illustration 9 $1,000-1,500 C The Patricia and $3,000-5,000 the Collection of Patricia and See Illustration Donald Oresman Collection Harold Anchel Donald Oresman, Oct. 8 - Milton Avery 2 See Illustration City Hall, circa 1940 American, 1885-1965 $600-800 Lithograph on wove paper Nov. 22, 2004, Poets House, See Illustration John Ahearn New York March in the Studio, circa 1950 11 American, b. 1951 4 Sheet size 22 x 15 3/4 inches Signed Milton Avery (lr) Sally Michel Avery Unframed C The Patricia and Woodworth, 1999 Benny Andrews Donald Oresman Collection Ink on paper American, 1902-2003 Inscribed as titled (lc) American, 1930-2006 Provenance: $100-200 11 1/8 x 8 5/8 inches Poolside Reader, 1986 Ink on paper Portrait of Viola Andrews, 1986 George Baker, New York Unframed Signed Sally Michel and 11 x 14 inches Signed Benny Andrews, dated 1986 (lr) C The Patricia and Provenance: dated August 3, 1986, Donald Oresman Collection Watercolor on paper Provenance: inscribed Lacoste, France Milton Avery Trust 20 x 16 inches Alexander and Bonin, New York $300-500 Long Island Fine Art, New York and as titled (lr) Unframed C The Patricia and Ink on paper Donald Oresman Collection Exhibited: Provenance: 22 1/4 x 14 3/4 inches Readers, Nov. 19 - Jan. 10, 1997, $400-600 Unframed The Artist Grolier Club, New York , no. 1 Childs Gallery, Boston Provenance: C The Patricia and C The Patricia and Susan Teller Gallery, New York Donald Oresman Collection Donald Oresman Collection C The Patricia and $1,000-1,500 $1,000-1,500 Donald Oresman Collection See Illustration $800-1,200 See Illustration 6 DOYLE • NOVEMBER 20, 2018 • NEW YORK VIEW THE FULLY ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE AND BID ONLINE AT DOYLE.COM 7 13 19 20 24 13 15 16 18 20 22 24 25 Elsie Bacharach Peggy Bacon Peggy Bacon Peggy Bacon Lidia Bagnoli Will Barnet Jack Beal Reynolds Beal American, 1899-1940 American, 1895-1987 American, 1895-1987 American, 1895-1987 Italian, b. 1952 American, 1911-2012 American, 1931-2013 American, 1867-1951 Reading the News, 1934 Upper Berth, 1931 The White Horse Girl and Reading on a Deck Lidia Reading, 2004 Boy Reading, 1930 Pride, 1977-78 Untitled (Man Reading in Signed E. Bacharach and Signed Peggy Bacon, the Blue Wind Boy Ink on paper Signed Bagnoli and Signed Will Barnet (lr), and Signed Jack Beal (ur) Madison Square Park), dated 34 (lr) dated 1931, (Rootabaga Country), 1929 8 1/2 x 8 inches dated 04 on the reverse inscribed as titled on the reverse Pastel on artist’s board circa 1925 Oil on canvas inscribed #1 and as titled (lr) Signed Peggy Bacon Oil on canvas Ink on paper 40 x 32 inches Graphite on sketchbook paper Provenance: 30 x 25 inches Charcoal on paper Ink on paper 19 3/4 x 23 5/8 inches 13 x 11 1/2 inches 6 3/4 x 8 inches Kraushaar Galleries, Inc., Provenance: 10 3/4 x 8 inches Image size 8 x 10 1/8 inches, Unframed Unframed Provenance: Unframed sheet size 12 1/2 x 11 1/4 inches New York Provenance: Alan Frumkin Gallery, New York Janet Marqusee Fine Arts Ltd., C The Patricia and Tatistcheff Gallery, New York Provenance: [Sale] Doyle New York, Provenance: New York Provenance: Provenance: Donald Oresman Collection C The Patricia and Susan Teller Gallery, New York December 1, 2004, lot 54 Estate of the artist C The Patricia and George Baker, New York Kraushaar Galleries, Inc., $250-350 Donald Oresman Collection C The Patricia and George Baker, New York Exhibited: Donald Oresman Collection C The Patricia and New York $600-800 Donald Oresman Collection C The Patricia and Abstract Expressionism and the $800-1,200 Donald Oresman Collection See Illustration $600-800 Donald Oresman Collection Literature: 19 “New” American Realism: See Illustration $400-600 $200-400 Carl Sandburg, Rootabaga Donald Baechler Paintings by Jack Beal and Country, Harcourt, Brace and American, b.