Brunk Auctions Offers Bechtler Firearm and Fine Art by Jackson Pollock and Tom Wesselmann

The Bechtler family became known for their private coining operation after moving to North Carolina from Germany in 1829. By the 1830s, the family had applied for a few patents, including one for a repeating firearm that was capable of firing eight rounds per minute. These firearms disappeared until 2016, when one was acquired by the Bechtler House. The Bechtler firearm featured in Brunk Auctions’ upcoming sale is the second known example still in existence. The 1840 double-barrel shotgun, marked with “A. Bechtler” and “N. Carolina” in gold inlay, is thought to be the personal firearm of Augustus Bechtler. There is a swirl design on the stock that resembles a wave and the trigger guard resembles a dolphin or fish, giving the shotgun an aquatic look. 

Works by Jackson Pollock and Tom Wesselmann can also be found. While Jackson Pollock was known as a leading figure in Abstract Expressionism, Tom Wesselmann rejected this type of work and represented nudes, still lifes, and landscape art forms instead. Pollock’s available 1951 silkscreen features black paint on a white background. It is signed and dedicated to Alfonso Ossorio, a close friend of the artist. This is one of six silkscreens Pollock made to celebrate the Black Paintings exhibition at the Betty Parsons Gallery in 1951. Tom Wesselmann’s 1985 colored pencil piece shows the face and chest of a reclined nude. She has black hair and wears a purple necklace. To view the entire catalog and register to bid, visit Bidsquare.