(November 25, 2006) —
Hit and Miss, a painting featuring African
impalas leaping away from leopards with dining in mind, could be perfect for
that space over the fireplace in your rustic hunting lodge when it goes on
sale Thursday — if you have tens of thousands of dollars to spare.
It's one of 50 pieces to be put on auction by Genesee Country Village &
Museum during the next three weeks at Sotheby's of New York City, and the
works are expected to bring $2 million.
The Mumford museum, a re-creation of a typical 19th-century village, is
selling works that don't fit its mission, said outgoing President and CEO
Betsy Harrison. "There are 900 pieces in the collection. ... These pieces
are primarily African art from the 20th century."
By "African art," Harrison means works depicting scenes from
Africa. Most were collected by John L. Wehle, the former chairman, president
and CEO of Genesee Brewing Co., and the museum's founder. Wehle, who died in
1993, spent a significant amount of time in Africa and accumulated many pieces
of wildlife and sporting art, including Hit and Miss, done by Buffalo
native Bob Kuhn.
Museum curator Patricia Tice made the recommendations as to which pieces
might be auctioned, and those decisions were approved by the board of
trustees. "We are keeping some of the very finest examples of
20th-century art in the collection," Harrison adds. Three 20th-century
bronze sculptures belonging to the museum will be offered at a separate
auction by Sotheby's on Dec. 15.
The New York State Board of Regents' guidelines for the use of money
accrued through such "de-accession" says the assets can only be used
to create "a separate fund for acquisition, conservation and
preservation," Harrison says.
But there is some maneuvering room. The Regents' allowance of
"conservation and preservation" would also allow the museum to
"put a roof on a historic house," Harrison says.
"It's all about how you take care of your collections."
And the auction could help nicely on that account on November 30, 2006. It's
estimated Hit and Miss could draw between $60,000 to $80,000 in
auction. Kuhn, who now lives out West, has been notified that some of his
pieces will be moving to a new home. Sotheby's has already sent out word to
museums around the world of the availability of the works.
J. SPEVAK
Hit and Miss, Bob Kuhn sold at Sotheby's
