Art Auction Alert: Register Now to Bid in James Cox’s Online-Only Auction

The James Cox Gallery at Woodstock will be hosting its annual online only spring Collectors’ Exchange Fine Art Auction on Sunday, June 8th, beginning promptly at 1 p.m. Cox noted that 2025 marks the 35th anniversary of the gallery, adding, “Auctions have always been an important part of our gallery operation.” With 98% of the items sold with no reserve, the anticipation builds. Sunday, June 8th promises to be an exciting day for collectors and loyal followers worldwide, as noted by Cox.

The year’s auction showcases 175 pieces consigned by institutions, private collectors, and estates, featuring works from renowned American and international artists such as Walter Launt Palmer, Wolf Kahn, Marisol, Philip Guston, Rolph Scarlett, Jimmy Ernst, Elizabeth Keith, Hiroshige, and many others.  Additionally, historical silkscreen posters published by the Puerto Rican Division of Community Education in the 1950s will inspire all who appreciate art.

This online-only event will be carried by both LiveAuctioneers and Invaluable auction platforms. You can peruse the entire collection now and be sure to register in advance so you’ll be ready to bid. Order bids submitted before the auction, as well as pre-arranged telephone bids, are also accepted.

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The Collector’s Exchange sales are always characterized by an eclectic array of paintings, works on paper and sculptures. “Our auctions are unique,” Cox added, pointing out that distinctive, often rare, artwork is always featured in the bi-annual auctions. “This sale is no exception,” he added.

Among the most enticing pieces in the sale is a Walter Launt Palmer (1854-1932) titled “Winter Stream”. The oil on canvas is a classic Palmer snow scene, but, as Cox pointed out, the quality of this painting is exceptional. “It is by far the finest Palmer I have encountered.”

Another impressive painting in the June 8th sale is by Canadian-born Woodstock artist Philip Guston (1913-1980). This early work originated from a significant Woodstock collection and is featured in Guston’s catalogue raisonné. It was painted during the period when the artist was a professor at Washington University.

A finely executed oil on canvas by Jimmy Ernst (1920-1984) is among the most noteworthy pieces in the sale. “Lonesome Blues” was painted in 1947 by the son of renowned painter Max Ernst (1891-1976). The sophisticated arrangement of various shapes and the satiny paint surface make this an exceptional example of the younger Ernst’s early work, Cox noted. 

Woodstock art always plays a featured role in the Cox Gallery Auctions. In addition to Guston, other artists from the art colony represented in the sale include Ethel Magafan (1916-1993), Emil Ganso (1895-1941), Albert Heckman (1893-1971) and Bolton Brown (1864-1936).  Of exceptional quality among the group of Woodstock art is a large oil on canvas by Georgina Klitgaard (1893-1976) titled “Rondout Creek.” The familiar Kingston waterway is set against a snow-covered mountain backdrop. “The painting is a truly stunning example of this artist’s work,” Cox observed.

Works on paper by an array of prominent printmakers will be on the auction block, including a group from the Print Club of Albany. Also of note are “Haying” and “Upland” by Woodstock artist Bernard Steffen (1907-1980). These lithographs were produced during the WPA period and are especially fine examples of Steffen’s early work.

Of special historical interest is a group of silkscreen posters published by the Puerto Rican Division of Community Education, which was established in 1949 to bring art and culture to the rural poor living on the island. The prints are in excellent condition and feature work by some of Puerto Rico’s most well-known artists of the post-war period, including Jose’ Manuel Figueroa (1928-1964), Lorenzo Homar (1913-2004) and Carlos Rivera (1923-1999). Most were created during the 1950s. “I was amazed to see works on paper that are almost 75 years old in such perfect condition,” Cox remarked.

Other impressive works showcased in the sale include “Pink and Yellow Tree Line,” a pastel by Wolf Kahn (1927-2020), and two exquisite lithographs: one depicting the Brooklyn Bridge and the other Notre Dame Cathedral, both by Thomas McKnight (b. 1941). Serigraphs by world-renowned artist Erte’ include “Reflection,” “The Flowered Cape,” and a suite of four prints from the artist’s Scheherazade series. Other vintage prints in the sale include a group of Japanese woodblock prints by Hiroshige (1787-1858), Utamaro (c. 1753-1806), and Kunisada (1786-1864).

Particularly unique pieces in the upcoming sale include a plaster death mask by Gutzon Borglum (1867-1941), the creator of Mount Rushmore, and a resin cast of the artist’s hand by prominent sculptor Marisol Escobar (1930-2016). A group of eight watercolors depicting pastoral scenes of the Austrian countryside by Balthasar Wigand (1770-1846) are distinctive for their remarkable attention to detail. “One marvels at this artist’s ability to render even the tiniest elements in these elaborate compositions,” Cox remarked.

Other distinctive items include jewelry by Woodstock artist Manette van Hamel (1913-2012). A necklace and a choker, both crafted from silver and gemstones, were created by a renowned artist during the 1970s. Van Hamel was a pupil of the great Canadian-born Woodstock artist Rolph Scarlett (1889-1984).

Work from the estates of five artists represented by the gallery, Konrad Cramer (1888-1963), Margery Ryerson (1886-1989), James Chapin (1887-1975), Joseph Garlock (1884-1980) and Elaine Wesley (1923-2007) will be among the 175 lots being sold, 98 percent at no reserve.

Contemporary Woodstock artists are also featured in the sale. Fine examples of work by Hong Nian Zhang (b. 1957) and Mary Anna Goetz (b. 1946) are among this group. Zhang’s “New Home“ features a Pilgrim sawing lumber and is part of a series the artist painted in the early 1990s at the Plymouth Plantation, a living history museum in Plymouth, MA.  Goetz’s “Manhattan Icons“ was painted from the rooftop of the Westminster Apartments in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood. The large composition features a dramatic view of both the Empire State and the Chrysler buildings.  

The public is invited to attend a preview of the auction on Friday, June 6th, from 5pm to 8pm.

The James Cox Gallery at Woodstock is located at 4666 State Route 212 in Willow, NY. The auction may be viewed on invaluable.com, liveauctioneers.com, or via a link on the gallery website, www.jamescoxgallery.com. For more information, contact the gallery at 845-679-7608 or [email protected].

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The public is invited to attend a preview gala reception on Friday, June 6th
James Cox Gallery
5 pm to 8 pm
4666 State Route 212
Willow, NY

Sunday, June 8th ONLINE AUCTION
To view the auction online and register to bid, visit one of two platforms:

LiveAuctioneers
Invaluable

To preview the auction, visit the gallery from Friday, June 6th, through Saturday, June 7th, from 10am – 5pm.
For more information email: [email protected] or call 845-679-7608.
All photos courtesy of James Cox Gallery | Featured Painting by Erte