Lambertville auction of social realist painter Ben Shahn's works, property nets $800K | NJ.com

Lambertville auction of social realist painter Ben Shahn's works, property nets $800K | NJ.comLambertville auction of social realist painter Ben Shahn's works, property nets $800K
Published: Sunday, November 14, 2010, 8:00 PM Updated: Monday, November 15, 2010, 5:18 AM
Sue Epstein/The Star-Ledger Sue Epstein/The Star-Ledger
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Auction of social realist painter's works, property Enlarge Amanda Brown/The Star-Ledger The artist Ben Shahn used to mix his own paints. The pigments for his paint still sit in his studio. (Amanda Brown/The Star-Ledger) Auction of social realist painter's works, property gallery (10 photos)

* Auction of social realist painter's works, property
* Auction of social realist painter's works, property
* Auction of social realist painter's works, property
* Auction of social realist painter's works, property
* Auction of social realist painter's works, property

LAMBERTVILLE — An auction of the works and property of social realist painter Ben Shahn, who died 41 years ago, and his wife, Bernarda, dead six years, brought their heirs more than $800,000 yesterday in Lambertville.
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Miriam Tucker, a partner in Rago Arts and Auction Center in Lambertville, said all of the artists’ property and works available during the auction was sold, including the couple’s custom-made bed designed by George Nakashima, a renown furniture maker, which brought in $34,160.

Tucker said the high estimate given for the entire sale was $405,000; the Shahn heirs made $822,280.

"The Shahns are very happy with the sale," Tucker said. "We will be selling more in April for them."

The items were put up for sale by the Shahns’ son, Jonathan, 72, and daughter-in-law, Jeb, 66, who still live in Roosevelt in Monmouth County, the place that Ben Shahn and his wife moved to in 1939.

Thanks, in part to the Shahs, the tiny hamlet developed a reputation as an artists’ colony and guests to their home included sculptor Alexander Calder and photographer Dorothea Lange, as well as Albert Einstein.

The auction included paintings, watercolors and lithographs by Ben Shahn, paintings by his wife, plus works by Robert Rauschenberg, Rufino Tamayo, Alfred Henry Mauer and others.

Tucker said Rauschenberg’s works fetched $366,000 alone while the works by Tamayo brought in $26,840.

She said Ben Shahn’s watercolor of a demonstration in Union Square in New York City brought in $18,300 and his water color of a dove went for $7,930.

Tucker said Jonathan Shahn, who is also an artist, and his wife plan on putting the Shahn house, designed by Louis I. Kahn, who became one of the most renowned architects of the 20th century, and added to by Nakashima, up for sale at a later date.