Barridoff Galleries
312 Gannet Drive, South Portland, Maine 4106
207-772-5011
About Auction House
We at Barridoff Galleries seek out and find compelling, beautiful, relevant works of art. For us, it’s never just another auction. It’s an opportunity to help buyers and sellers of fine art realize their dreams by establishing that special connection in their appreciation of fine art. Barridoff Galleries was established in the mid 1970’s by Rob and Annette Elowitch in their hometown of Portland, Maine. Initially the business began as a fine art gallery and expanded into auctions in the late 1970’s, ultimately shedding the gallery to focus solely on auctions alone. Barridoff...Read More
Auction Previews & News
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Auction IndustryBack in the Spotlight: Lynne Drexler’s Flourishing Auction Market in 2023
Once known as a darling of the New York art world, American painter Lynne Drexler spent the twilight of her career in obscurity. She was an Abstract Expressionist with an eye for color and form, a peer of Joan Mitchell and Jackson Pollock. Many of her paintings languished in her Maine studio until her death in 1999. Since then, Drexler’s work has slowly returned to the auction market, exploding in popularity in 2022. Four of the artist’s paintings will come under the hammer with Barridoff Auctions this August, marking the triumphant return of an artist long neglected by history. Take a closer look at Drexler’s life and work before the upcoming sale begins. Lynne Drexler, Herbert’s Garden, 1960. Image courtesy of Christie’s. Born and raised in Virginia, Drexler showed an interest in art at a young age. She explored this with art classes and later headed to Hunter College to study under Hans Hofmann and Robert Motherwell. Drexler was also inspired by Fauvism and the color work of Henri Matisse. She quickly established herself in New York Abstract Expressionist circles, where she met and married her husband, John Hultberg. Drexler enjoyed a solo exhibition in New York with positive buzz. She appeared to be on track for a career in the art world spotlight. Despite this early brush with fame, Drexler’s career never did take off during her lifetime. Public and critical interest in her work faded, and mental health struggles left Drexler feeling alienated from city life. She retreated to her island home off the coast of Maine in the 1980s. She remained there full-time for the rest of her life. Lynne Drexler, Grass Symphony, 1962. Image courtesy of Bonhams. The years following Drexler’s death brought about changes in the world at large and in the art market. A new generation of gallerists and collectors worked to unearth the work of underappreciated women artists of the Abstract Expressionist movement, many of whom had been overshadowed by their husbands or who received minimal press attention at the time. Small, posthumous gallery shows took place in Portland, Maine with later events…
Auction Industry, Press ReleaseBarridoff Auctions Presents Early Works by Lynne Drexler, Wolf Kahn, Bo Bartlett, and More
Two major early paintings by Lynne Drexler are set to enter the auction market this month with Barridoff Auctions. The auction house’s Summer 2023 International Fine Art Sale will begin on August 19, 2023 at 1:00 PM EDT. In addition to live and telephone bidding, online bidding options will be available through Bidsquare. Lynne Drexler (Am. 1928-1999), "Keller Fair Racetrack" 1959, Oil on canvas, unframed Lynne Drexler’s Keller Fair Racetrack from 1959 leads this auction (lot #74; estimate: USD 200,000 - $300,000). An artist with an eye for landscapes, Drexler had a promising career in the post-Impressionist and Abstract Expressionist scene. Her early work reveals the influence of mentors Hans Hofmann and Robert Motherwell, who together inspired Drexler to embrace abstraction. The available work dates back to this early period of her career. The unframed oil on canvas uses daubs of color arranged in strategically-placed clumps of pink, red, orange, and yellow. They together suggest a flower bouquet or a brilliant sunset. Lynne Drexler (Am. 1928-1999), "Meadow's Edge" 1967, Oil on canvas, unframed Another work by Drexler, titled Meadow’s Edge, is also available (lot #73; estimate: $100,000 - $150,000). The artist executed this work in 1967, a few years after her marriage to fellow artist John Hultberg. Drexler began traveling back and forth between New York City’s Chelsea Hotel and the couple’s home on Monhegan Island. She painted Meadow’s Edge at the height of her popularity, shortly before she withdrew from the New York art world due to her suffering mental health. This richly detailed painting balances swirling yellows with staccato, square greens and reds. Wolf Kahn (Am. 1927-2020), Orange Treeline, Pastel on paper, framed under glass A fellow student of Hans Hofmann, Wolf Kahn, also has work represented in the upcoming auction. Among the featured lots is Kahn’s Orange Treeline, a pastel on paper piece that depicts an autumnal forest (lot #97; estimate: $20,000 - $25,000). The German-American artist was known for blending elements of Color Field painting with realism, often crafting luminous landscapes that utilize intense colors. Bidders can also consider works by Bo Bartlett, Dahlov Ipcar, Maurice…
Auction PreviewTwo Early Lynne Drexler Paintings to Sell at Barridoff Auctions This Summer
Leading the upcoming Summer 2023 International Fine Art Sale from Barridoff Auctions are two paintings by American Abstract Expressionist artist Lynne Drexler. She was a promising young artist who studied under Hans Hofmann and Robert Motherwell in the 1960s. Despite achieving commercial success, Drexler was often overshadowed by her male contemporaries. Her work began to resurface in 2022, when several of her paintings sold for over $1 million with Christie’s. Available in this auction is Drexler’s Keller Fair Racetrack, an early work from 1959. The oil on canvas is dominated by lush shades of pink, red, and orange, arranged in abstract smudges that suggest a field of flowers. Also available is Meadow’s Edge, a 1967 painting that features yellow swirls and detailed Pointillist sections. Several paintings by Modernist artist Bo Bartlett are also on offer. Bartlett specializes in realistic paintings that contain unexpected or even magical elements. The subjects in his paintings often appear in unusual positions or in a slightly peculiar context, giving the viewer pause. Notable in this sale is Bartlett’s The Landlord’s Daughter, a 1995 oil on canvas painting showing a young woman sitting in a bathtub. A dress hangs on the red wall behind her. In Bartlett’s HOBO (After Annigoni), which is also available with Barridoff Auctions, a man sleeps between the roots of a tree. Additional works by Rolph Scarlett, Dahlov Ipcar, Frances Hewitt, and others will be available. Visit Bidsquare to browse the full Summer 2023 International Fine Art Sale catalog and find other online auctions.
Auction PreviewOil Paintings Depicting Maritime Subjects Highlight Barridoff Auctions’ Upcoming Sale
American artist Bror Julius Olsson Nordfeldt was well known for his paintings of seascapes, landscapes, and Native cultures of New Mexico. His compositions of nature often reflected strong emotions. Barridoff Auctions’ upcoming sale will feature one such work by Nordfeldt. Titled Flight of Birds (1946), the oil on panel includes a frame with signature and Passedoit Gallery label on the verso. Another significant oil painting in this sale is Montague Dawson’s Gliding Along, the Deb. The maritime-subject work is titled and inscribed "The new 5.5 meter yacht, y Nicholsons." The British painter usually portrayed sailing ships such as warships/clippers of the 18th and 19th centuries. Rolph Scarlett’s abstract oil on canvas is another notable lot. The artist is famous for his lively geometric compositions. German-born American painter Wolf Kahn’s Magentato Yellow is a striking pastel on paper, noteworthy for its picturesque landscape and abstraction. It exemplifies his visualization of nature that combined realism and color field. He would use a vibrant and sprightly color palette in his works to depict forests and foggy morning scenes. To view the complete catalog and register to bid in the upcoming Spring 2023 International Fine Art sale, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.
Auction PreviewArtworks by Lynne Mapp Drexler and Thanos Tsingos Grab Attention in Upcoming Barridoff Auctions Fine Arts Sale
Lynne Mapp Drexler was well-known for her Abstract Expressionist artworks. Her paintings often involved vibrant landscapes recalling Henri Matisse’s works. The upcoming Barridoff Auctions sale presents an untitled Lynne Mapp Drexler painting. The 1961 gouache on paper depicts the artist’s Hans Hofmann-inspired brushstrokes. The vibrant color swatches in Drexler’s artwork set her apart from fellow artists. Another highlight is an oil painting titled Fleur Bleue, en Bouquet Polychrome sur Fond Noir by Thanos Tsingos. His lyrical artworks are known to take the viewer beyond reality. The artist created his subjects with thick paste laid using fingers. The available artwork portrays a blue flower on a black background set in a polychrome bouquet. It is a fine example of Tsingos’ unconventional painting process, which is devoid of brushes. Also showcased is a gelatin silver print titled Folding by Ruth Bernhard. The available studio-based photograph by Bernhard depicts a nude person curled in a ball. Ruth Bernhard’s nude shots have acquired international acclaim. Folding highlights her idea of valuing small things in life. A wood assemblage, titled Through the Barn Window, by Bernard Langlais is also notable. It features Langlais’ use of different materials and a deeper understanding of space. The sculpture defines his affinity toward the animal kingdom. Interested collectors can also find watercolor and ink drawings by Walt Kuhn and works of Maurice Freedman, William Manning, William Thon, and Charles Reid. Explore the entire listings, register to bid online on Bidsquare, and check out other online auctions.
Auction PreviewFine Art From Maine, Josef Albers Prints, and More at Barridoff Auctions
One of the best-known “firsts” accomplished by German-born educator, designer, and artist Josef Albers was that he was the first living artist with a solo show at both the Museum of Modern Art and at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. His reputation as an abstract painter, theorist, and teacher from Bauhaus, Black Mountain College, and Yale University made him one of the 20th century’s most influential visual arts educators as well as a sought-after artist in his own right. A set of ten screen-print variants of a Josef Albers design is up for bid in the Spring International Fine Art Sale, offered by Barridoff Auctions. Beyond abstract designs are figurative works from well-known artists such as Edouard Manet, Christopher Pugliese, and Léopold Survage. One of the featured “March Finds” is by Survage, featuring a posed woman draped in white cloth. The title, Baigneuse, appears on a verso label along with the number “184.” Other artists with work in the sale include Pablo Picasso, Lynn Mapp Drexler, Wolf Kahn, Henry Calvert, and more. Visit Bidsquare to browse the full catalog of this and other online auctions.
Artists, Auction IndustryArtist to Know: Berenice Abbott
Barridoff Galleries Offers Three Vintage Photos of a Changing New York After settling in Paris, pioneering photographer Man Ray started looking for an assistant. He specifically sought a candidate with no previous experience in photography who could learn his distinct style. Ray eventually hired a young journalism dropout who had never entered a darkroom. The assistant, Berenice Abbott, instantly connected to the medium. Over time, Abbott’s fame grew to rival that of her teacher. Abbott photographed everyone who was someone in 1920s Paris before turning her lens back to New York City. She documented its transformation into a modern metropolis, a project that came to define her career. Barridoff Galleries’ upcoming International Fine Art Sale will feature several New York City photographs by Berenice Abbott. The auction starts at 3:00 PM EDT on August 14th, 2021. Learn more about Abbott before the bidding begins. Berenice Abbott in 1928. Image courtesy of Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone. Born in 1898, Berenice Abbott grew up with her mother in southern Ohio. She later split with convention to study journalism at The Ohio State University. Abbott fell in with a group of progressive students who introduced her to avant-garde art and ideas. Restless and unsatisfied with Ohio State, Abbott dropped out after her first year and moved to New York to become a sculptor. Her circle expanded to include Man Ray, Marcel Duchamp, and others. Abbott joined the rising tide of American creatives fleeing to Paris in the early 1920s. At the time, Abbott still felt that sculpture was her calling. The time spent in Ray’s studio transformed her career path. Abbott quickly picked up the skills of portrait photography and opened her own studio a few streets away. Famous figures in the city started to appear in her photos. Jean Cocteau, James Joyce, Peggy Guggenheim, and Betty Parsons all sat for Abbott while in Paris. Photography was a straightforward medium for Abbott. She strongly disliked the growing Pictorialist movement, which allowed for the creative manipulation of photographs. Abbott saw herself as a documentarian above all else. She was responsible only for capturing reality. This viewpoint also…
Auction PreviewGeorge Grosz, Will Barnet, and Walt Kuhn Among Artists Represented in Upcoming Barridoff Galleries Sale
Berlin-native artist George Grosz rose to prominence while documenting the excesses of Germany’s Weimar Republic during the 1920s. He fled to New York soon after, though, understanding the danger of the emerging Nazi Party. "I carefully and deliberately destroyed a part of my past," Grosz recounted. Headlining Barridoff Galleries' upcoming international fine art sale is a painting documenting George Grosz's impressions of New York, downtown Manhattan in particular. The artist emphasizes towering high rises, bright lights, and confident passersby. Collectors of 20th-century art will also find a piece by Will Barnet. The artist is known for his haunting depictions of dreamlike scenes. In this piece, a bird stands completely straight on a perch just above a fog of darkness. The eyes of both the bird and the person gazing at it are hidden, further mystifying the scene. Meanwhile, several works representing different stages of Walt Kuhn's career are also on offer. That includes The Tumbler, an example of Kuhn's late-career pivot toward portraits of clowns and circus performers. Walt Kuhn depicts these subjects in an empowering light, making viewers question the stigma associated with such careers. Register to bid and view each of the lots on Bidsquare.
Auction Industry, Press ReleaseSterling Associates gathers estate art, Chinese accessories, fine jewelry and luxury watches for April 21 auction
Featured: 1870 Steinway grand piano, vintage Tiffany 18K gold earrings, Cartier and Rolex watches, paintings from estate of artist Luis Cuevas, Chinese boulders and seals Circa-1870 Steinway rosewood grand piano, Serial No. 22700, professionally restored by Steinway approximately 20 years ago. Estimate $10,000-$15,000 NORWOOD, N.J. – Sterling Associates, Bergen County, New Jersey’s foremost estate specialists, will conduct this year’s edition of their popular Spring Fine Art and Antiques Auction on Wednesday, April 21, exclusively through LiveAuctioneers. The sale’s 223 lots include more than 100 artworks, a sizable selection of Chinese decorative art and accessories, and fine jewelry and luxury watches. The main consignments have come directly from estates in Englewood and Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. The extensive fine art category features dozens of high-quality portraits and several artworks by artists with impressive auction records, including Antonio Barone (American, 1889-1971), whose past sales have on occasion landed in the $25,000-$40,000 range. His charming 42- by 76-inch oil portrait of young girl with a Chinese doll, leaning against a Louis XVI chair, has a label on verso from Barridoff Galleries in Portland, Maine. Its pre-sale estimate is $3,000-$5,000. A signed Luigi Cagliani (1910-1987) oil-on-canvas ballroom scene executed in delicate pastels measures 18½ by 15¾ inches, inclusive of its ornate repousse frame. It is expected to make $600-$800 at auction. Two beautifully detailed floral/waterscape oil paintings by the French artist Michel Henry (1928-2016) came directly form a Manhattan residence. Each is accompanied by a 1978 letter of authenticity from Wally Findlay Galleries Inc., New York. One of the works is titled Les Voiliers (Sailboats) and presents a view of boats on the water, perhaps from the viewpoint of a terrace or waterside table laden with flowers, fruit and bamboo vegetation. The second painting, titled Bugdelias, depicts a butterfly bush flanked by seabirds. Each of the artworks is estimated at $2,000-$3,000. There are 21 lots of art and sculpture by the Puerto Rican/American artist Luis R Cuevas (1932-2019). All of the works come directly from the Teaneck, New Jersey, estate of the artist and his wife, who recently passed away. “Luis Cuevas’ art doesn’t…
Auction PreviewTwo Louise Nevelson Pieces Lead Fine Art Winter Sale at Barridoff Galleries
While looking at Louise Nevelson's works, one onlooker commented on the creativity required “to make something beautiful out of nothing.” Wooden scraps like dowels, spindles, and furniture parts fill stacked boxes of Louise Nevelson’s Sky Cathedral (circa 1958). The sculpture, her first in black, is now hosted by the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Barridoff Galleries’ International Fine Art Sale brings two of Louise Nevelson’s major pieces to auction in February. Moon Zag III showcases her fascination with the color black. Another sculpture with notable black elements is John Bisbee’s Large Circle. Hammered and twisted steel nails are welded together to form a big circle. About the medium he uses for his sculptures, Bisbee says, “Anchored only by its form and materiality, I revelled in the nail’s infinite possibilities.” Other notable artists in the sale include Pablo Picasso, David Hockney, Andy Warhol, Amos Ferguson, Anthony Thieme, Louis Schanker, and Wolf Kahn. This fine art auction also offers curated items from Dahlov Ipcar, Carl Sprinchorn, Neil Welliver, Elena Jahn, Robert Indiana, and Marguerite. Rounding out the catalog is a selection of photographs, including Edward Weston's Pepper P38. This piece was widely exhibited in the Netherlands in the early 1950s. Find the full catalog and place a bid on Bidsquare.
Auction IndustryArtist to Know: Katherine Bradford
Paintings from Contemporary Artist Come Under the Hammer with Barridoff Galleries When asked to describe her work in three words, American artist Katherine Bradford chose “sparkly peopled landscapes.” Taken at face value, this description is accurate. Bradford, though considered a fixture of both the New York and Maine art scenes, is not closely aligned with any contemporary or historical art movement. Her status as a near-outsider artist has allowed her to explore a painting style based more on emotion and memory than technique. It now serves as a backdrop for discussions of social issues and personal experiences. Three works from Bradford will be offered in Barridoff Galleries’ upcoming Summer International Fine Art Auction on August 15th, 2020. Running both online and in a limited live session at 3:00 PM EDT, this auction will present three early Bradford paintings. Explore her life and artistic development before the sale starts. Katherine Bradford with a painting. Image from Erin Little Photography. Unlike many creatives, Bradford never engaged with art during childhood. Her mother discouraged it, linking creativity to a lifestyle of alcoholism and drug addiction. Bradford spent her early adult years following a more conventional life path, as a result, settling down with a husband and two children. She reached a breaking point in her 30s, however, realizing during a strategic lunch that she needed both personal and professional change. “I didn’t want to be there for one more lunch. So, when the people came down the driveway to our home, I jumped out a window and ran to my studio,” she told Jennifer Samet of Hyperallergic in 2016. Following this moment, Bradford began pursuing art more seriously. Having never attended art school or received formal training, her style grew organically. Bradford’s works began exploring consistent subjects, including swimmers, galaxies, and superheroes. She regularly uses soft, dream-like colors and simple forms to explore deeper ideas about memory, experience, relationships, and sexuality. “Bradford’s figures are all generically human yet singular in their execution, as if they tripped out of the brush and landed in unpredictable ways… And hidden in her cavalier brushwork are wise…
Auction PreviewThe Summer International Fine Art Auction
Gertrude Fiske was the first female artist appointed to the Massachusetts State Art Commission in 1929. A Boston native, she was a local leader who encouraged creativity and regular practice. In her works, women were portrayed in a more powerful way than they were socially perceived. Her landscape and still life paintings are notable as well. A piece titled The Carpenter won her the Thomas B. Clarke prize from the National Academy of Design. Fiske’s landscape works often took inspiration from the coastal areas where she resided. Among these is a painting titled Turbat’s Creek, which is featured in Barridoff Galleries’ upcoming Summer International Fine Art Auction. Another artist inspired by the coastal life was Amos Ferguson. One of his cardboard works titled Man in Sailboat, Woman Fishing will be featured in this summer sale. The painting uses the color and imagery of tropical Bahamian surroundings. Ferguson often claimed, “I paint by faith, not by sight.” His paintings have recently begun increasing in popularity. Interested collectors can find 212 lots in this auction, including a cast bronze Gemini sculpture from William Zorach and John Bisbee’s Bouquet sculpture of flowers and welded steel nails. To view more and place a bid, visit Bidsquare.
Auction PreviewFebruary Fine Art Auction
A hand-colored lithograph of Marc Chagall's Nature Morte au Bouquet is among the highlighted lots in the upcoming February Fine Art Auction, presented by Barridoff Galleries. Chagall influenced the Surrealist art movement and was even formally invited to join, although he declined. In Bouquet, flower petals, human faces, a vase, and other forms fuse together to create one mass. Jan van der Heyden's An Imaginary View of a Town is another highlighted lot in this auction. In the art world, he is known for his paintings of cities in the Netherlands. However, this painting showcases what the National Gallery of Art calls van der Heyden's "architectural fantasies." The piece was most recently at auction in Sotheby's 2006 Old Master Paintings event. Contemporary artist Rupert Garcia is also represented in this auction with his painting titled Mayan. Garcia's political activism for Latino Americans impacts his paintings and their message. The Smithsonian American Art Museum describes his aesthetic as a "unification of the Mexican tradition of Rivera, Siqueiros, and Orozco, with elements learned from... the American Pop Art movement." Another piece influenced by previous traditions is Joseph Lindon Smith's Queen Hatshepsut with Goddess. On a trip to Egypt in 1898, Smith met archeologists who were in the middle of excavations in Giza. Because of his artistic background, he was asked to document the tombs' paintings as they were excavated, a pursuit that would continue for the rest of his life. View each lot and register to bid on the Barridoff Galleries website.
Auction PreviewFall Estate & Discovery Sale
Fall Estate & Discovery Sale by Barridoff Galleries is an ensemble of fine arts that holds stories of emotion, passion, and expression. The collection of more than 200 workmanships include an oil on canvas by Charles Wilson Knapp at the highest value of $7,000. The landscape painting captures the serenity and calm of the place through his intricate work. Along with landscapes, the auction exhibits work of Abstract Expressionism from some of the prominent artisans such as Melville Price. Melville Price was committed to representing profound emotions and universal themes in his art. One of the featured items also includes a painting by Stephen Etnier who possessed a fascination with the remote sceneries. With price estimation ranging from $50 - $7,000, the pieces are available for all eager bidders. Find more intriguing lots at Barridoff Galleries.
