Ed Mell Leads Bonhams $1.4m 'California & Western' Auction in Los Angeles

A work by Ed Mell was the headline sale at Bonhams 'California & Western Art' auction on April 16 in Los Angeles.

• The sale totaled $1.42m, falling short of its pre-sale low estimate.

Snapshot of the sale

• 104 works sold totaling $1.42m.
• Estimates totaled: $1.57m (low) and $2.34m (high), excluding premiums.
• The sell-through rate was 76% of the original 136 lots announced.

The star lot was: Ed Mell, Western Gap (2021), which sold for $83,000, 176% above its $30,000 low estimate. It has been traded once in the past.

The outperformer sold for 508% above its low estimate. Lon Megargee, Portrait of a Native American (Wild Geese) (Undated), sold for $48,600 ($8,000 low estimate).

• 35 works, or 34%, sold above their high estimate.
• 54 works, or 52%, sold within their low and high estimate.
• 15 works, or 14%, sold below their low estimate.
• 0 sold with undisclosed estimates.

Guaranteed sales

No sales had a guarantee.

Works that did not sell

31 works were bought-in, including: Nicolai Fechin, Indian Girl (Lolita) (Undated), estimated at $250,000 (low) to $350,000 (high). It has been traded 3 times in the past.

Withdrawn before the sale

1 work was withdrawn before the sale: Andrew Dasburg, Depression Family (Undated) estimated at $4,000 (low) to $6,000 (high).

Terms and definitions

All results include the fees and premiums added to the price of a work of art when the auctioneer's hammer falls. Sale prices are compared to the auction house’s low estimate, which do not include premiums.

Guarantees: Sometimes an auction house guarantees to pay a seller for a work, regardless of whether the bidding reaches the reserve price, a figure that is typically confidential.

Bought-in: If there are no bids for a work, or if bidding falls short of the reserve price, the lot is unsold or “bought-in”.

Withdrawn: This happens when a seller decides, for whatever reason, to withdraw a work before the bidding begins.

Premiums: Typically a sliding-scale of charges paid in addition to the hammer price by the buyer, plus any other fees.