State of the Art

With the current popularity of Mid Century Modern as a cultural period, you only have to look as far as the art market to get a pulse on what’s trending.

“Modern Head #1,” from the “Modern Head” series, 1970 by Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997). Sold in 2024 for $38,100. “This piece specifically came from a special collection from the Marmor family,” Ian explains. “They bought prints directly from a well-known print shop in Los Angeles called Gemini GEL. The crispness of the print, with its vibrant colors on a unique Japanese Hoshi laid paper, makes this particular Lichtenstein print so fascinating.”

“Modern artwork and design pieces are very hot right now,” says Ian Anderson, fine art associate specialist at John Moran Auctioneers. “Prints and multiples are always coveted, particularly by big-name artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, Joan Miro, Sam Francis and Alexander Calder. Abstract art by women artists is seeing a major boom. Artists such as Alice Baber and Agnes Pelton are achieving increasingly higher record-auction sales in the last few years.”

“A Study Of Down-Rolling Oranges With A Staid Neon Apple,” 1995 by Raimonds Staprans (b. 1926). Sold in 2023 for $237,500. “Raimonds Staprans is still alive at the age of 97,” Ian says. “He is best known for his paintings of oranges, which makes ‘A Study of Down-Rolling Oranges With A Staid Neon Apple’ so coveted. His vibrant color palette used for a mundane subject is what draws the viewer in. That, along with his unique brushstroke style, can cause you to observe the painting for quite a while, constantly discovering something new.”

John Moran Auctioneers has become a go-to source for Mid Century Modern art and furniture. John Moran was a successful antiques dealer in the 1960s. In 1969, he decided to open his own auction house. Fifty-five years later, John Moran Auctioneers continues its longstanding tradition of selling top-quality art, décor and collectibles, and one of their fastest-growing categories is MCM. “It’s better known in the art world as post-war contemporary,” Ian says. “It has become one of Moran’s fastest-growing markets and attracts collectors worldwide.”

An Insider Look

John Moran Auctioneers has a specialty in mid-century items, which includes post-war contemporary art, but also collectibles, furniture, jewelry, cars and even vintage toys. “Earlier this year, we sold a collection of vintage Piedmont baseball cards that sold for over $10,000,” Ian says.

Depending on the artist and type of art, auction pieces can fetch a broad range of prices. “Anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000,” Ian says. “For the [popular] female abstract works, we have seen auction sales well above the $100,000 mark, with our most recent Agnes Pelton selling for over $500,000.”

“Untitled,” 1976 by Alexander Calder (1898-1976). Sold in 2024 for $38,100. “Toward the very end of his career, Alexander Calder did a collaboration with Braniff Airlines where he designed their airplanes, even painting directly on the planes themselves,” Ian says. “Limited edition prints were created from that collaboration and the whole collection came from John McKaughan Jr., who was the art director for Braniff Airlines and worked closely with Calder.”

How To Become an Art Collector

When it comes to collecting art yourself, Ian has good advice: Buy what you like. “Don’t just buy something because it has a high auction value,” he says. “Work within your budget and collect art that speaks to you. Some of the most successful art collectors I know all say the same thing: ‘I just bought what I liked.’”

Tocadora de Guitarra, Brazilian modernist art sculpture — “Tocadora de Guitarra,” 1920s by Victor Brecheret (1894-1955). Sold in 2024 for $292,100. “Brecheret stands as one of Brazil’s most prominent modernist sculptors of the 20th century,” Ian says. “His work represents a captivating convergence of modernist sculpture techniques, Art Deco synthesis and Brazilian cultural heritage, embodying a profound dialogue between form and cultural identity. This particular sculpture exemplifies Brecheret’s transition toward a more geometric style, balancing straight and curved lines.”

“Axe in the Grove,” 1966 by Alice Baber (1928-1982). Sold in 2023 for $275,000. “Alice Baber is currently experiencing a surge in her market,” Ian says. “As a female abstract expressionist, she exhibited her work in the 1960s in New York City. Her work was relatively well received, with ‘Axe in the Grove’ being painted in 1966, but her market has really taken off within the last two years.”

For more information on John Moran Auctioneers & Appraisers’ auctions or services, go to johnmoran.com or email Ian Anderson for a free valuation at [email protected].

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