Sporting Art Auction at Keeneland Grosses $1.9 Million

The ninth annual Sporting Art Auction, a collaboration between Keeneland and Cross Gate Gallery of Lexington held Sunday afternoon at the Keeneland Sales Pavilion, grossed $1,908,015.

Topping the auction was Andre Pater’s War and Peace, a pair of signed and dated pastels, sold for $115,000, including buyer premium.

The high-priced Pater pairing was among 192 quality lots representing fine sporting art, American paintings and sculpture by renowned artists cataloged.

Fishing on the Elkhorn, a signed oil by popular Kentucky artist Paul Sawyier, brought the second-highest price of $100,050. 

Works by Kentucky native Henry Faulkner commanded four of the auction’s top prices: Taormina, a signed oil, sold for $59,800; Midway, a signed oil, went for $57,500; Penthouse for Alice, an oil signed, inscribed and dated ’74 verso, brought $46,000; and Ode to Edith Piaf, a signed oil, was purchased for $40,250. 

Peggy Kaufmann’s Holding Tight, a signed bronze dated 2018, brought $46,000. 

Other notable works sold as part of the Sporting Art Auction were Henry Stull’s The Inaugural Running of the Connaught Cup 1912, Old Woodbine, an oil signed and dated 1912, for $42,550;

Richard Stone Reeves’ Affirmed, an oil signed, inscribed and dated ’90, for $40,250; Claude Grosperrin’s La Coupe d’Argent a Deauville, a signed oil, for $40,250; and a 19^th century American copper and zinc Weathervane of Lexington, for $37,950. 

All prices include buyer premium.

In keeping with its mission, Keeneland’s portion of the auction proceeds will benefit its non-profit initiatives.

For more information, please visit thesportingartauction.com.