Employment Opportunity

Wickliff Auctioneers is now accepting applications for a gallery associate.  Please send resume and cover letter to writeus@wickliffauctioneers.com or mail to our office at 12232 Hancock Street, Carmel, IN 46032.

The position is hourly, part-time, approximately 20-25 hours per week, and includes weekend work relative to auction events.  The individual will be involved in many aspects of the business, including (but not limited to): inventory management, client services, logistics, scheduling, assisting with appraisals, moving/packing, and marketing assistance.  The position has potential for full-time status, based on performance and growth.  Please consider the following characteristics to determine a fit for the position prior to submitting application.  Compensation will be commensurate with experience among the following:


Required Minimum Qualifications:

Previous Customer Service (pleasant manner when working with clients and customers)
Proficiency with PC based programs including MS Word & Outlook
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Ability to work a flexible schedule (will include occasional Saturdays)
Good organizational skills, and ability to work in a team environment
Professional dress and appearance
Ability to participate in inventory moving and relocation, within gallery and for on-premise pickups
Desire to be part of a growing company


Preferred Qualifications:

Print and Internet Marketing Experience
Basic knowledge of digital photography and editing software
College Degree
Eagerness to understand all operational aspects of small business
Inventory management experience

Premium Qualifications:

Product knowledge of art, antiques, fine jewelry or design
Auctioneer School Graduate
Background in Marketing and Advertising
Experience in Professional Office Environment (legal, marketing, etc...)

Woolsey Brothers Art Finds Indiana, New Mexico Fame

The November 10, 2012, auction at Wickliff Auctioneers' gallery in Carmel, IN, features an estate collection from the daughter of artist Carl Woolsey, Rhonda Woolsey Wolverton.  The following is a biography which details the history of the Woolsey brothers art and experiences, in Indiana, the American southwest and in juried shows across the nation. 

Raised in Danville, Illinois, Carl Woolsey moved with his family to Indianapolis in 1921 and then to Long Beach, California in 1922. By this time, Woolsey had taught himself to paint, but he also received brief instruction from the artist Henry Richter in Long Beach. In 1925 Woolsey's father, Charles, moved the family back to Indianapolis where Carl continued his self-instruction in fine art.

from LtoR: Jean, Charles (father), Carl and Wood Woolsey in Taos studio

Woolsey became intrigued with Taos after viewing an exhibition in Indianapolis of paintings by Walter Ufer, a founding member of the Taos Society of Artists. He soon started a correspondence with Ufer who invited him to Taos. Woolsey arrived there with his wife and two children in 1927 and immediately started to work painting in Ufer's studio, under the mentorship of the older artist.

Woolsey's skills blossomed under Ufer's informal instruction, and he enjoyed almost immediate critical success. His paintings were juried into the Hoosier Salon in 1927 and into the National Academy of Design Winter Show in 1928. In the following years he showed in twelve more Hoosier Salons, and participated in most National Academy exhibitions until 1936.

Woolsey's quick success in Taos enticed his brother Jean to leave for Taos in the summer of 1928. The brothers rented the former studio of Kenneth Adams where Carl painted and Jean operated a frame shop. Later that summer, their older brother, Wood, arrived with their parents and younger sister. Wood had been working in Indianapolis as a commercial artist but saw Taos as an opportunity to become a "real" artist. Charles Woolsey saw the promise in both young artists and became their manager while also assisting in Jean's frame business.

Carl and Wood Woolsey's careers flourished together in Taos. From 1928 to 1930, they sold seventy-five of the eighty paintings they made. In addition to the Hoosier and National Academy shows, Charles arranged exhibitions for the brothers in Chicago, Indianapolis, and the Milwaukee Art Institute. Carl also showed at the Corcoran Gallery, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, the Museums of Art in Akron and Dayton, and the Stanford Gallery in Palo Alto, California. Carl won many prizes while still in his 20s and 30s including the National Academy's prestigious Hallgarten Award.

Throughout his career Carl Woolsey painted landscapes almost exclusively, with even small figures rarely appearing in his work. He used naturalistic color and painted in a traditional, representational style but his often complex compositions clearly owe a debt to Walter Ufer and to the eastern modernists. With a dappled brush and careful control of light and shadow, Woolsey emphasized shape, contour and texture which also gave his best paintings a slight modernist edge.

Feeling the economic pinch of the Depression, Charles decided to move back to Indiana, perhaps because most of his sons' work was sold in the Midwest. Carl followed in 1934, being ever obedient to his father's wishes. After his divorce in 1940 he followed his parents again when they moved to Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania. Returning from service in World War II, Carl rejoined his parents and brother, Wood, now living in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. He tried painting for a time in New Haven, Connecticut, but returned to East Stroudsburg in about 1950 to share a studio with Wood.

In the years following the War, Carl continued to paint but did little in the way of exhibitions. Modernism and abstract expressionism were receiving the attention, and his style of regionalist realism was no longer in demand in the large museum and gallery shows. In the last years of his life, Carl applied his dappled brush technique to miniature paintings, expanding his subjects to include portraits, figure, and genre scenes. Carl Woolsey died in East Stroudsburg in 1965.
(republished from the archives of AskArt.com, 
Biography from Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery Santa FeTucson)

UNUSUAL ESTATE AUCTION, COSTUME CONTEST

 

 Recipe for unusual auction- Mix: dressed-up mannequins, hand-crafted accessories including fake ‘desserts’, contemporary furnishings and a kids’ costume contest, combine thoroughly, let stand, sell to highest bidder.

The entirety of the Robert Wietholter estate will be sold at auction at Wickliff’s Carmel gallery Saturday, October 27, at 10 a.m., and promises to be the most unique estate auction held in central Indiana this year.  Featured items include the many mannequins that Wietholter used as décor throughout the home (all of which he had named), craft items such as cakes, pies and treats made of resin and foam, a stuffed pony that is 5’ long and 4.5’ high that cost $2500, and many more items that Wietholter either special ordered or made from scratch to decorate the 2-bedroom garden home near the Village of West Clay.

Wietholter, along with wife Deanna, owned and operated the Country Squire Florist in Bluffton from 1970 to 2001, and was a highly-regarded floral designer.  He served as a decorator at the White House for Christmas during the Ford administrator, and was a commentator/consultant for the W.J. Cowee company.

“I am confident we have never sold an estate collection as unique as this”, said Darin Lawson, President, Wickliff Auctioneers.  “Not only are there unusual items, but there is a consistent level of quality throughout the decorative items and the furnishings that should have a broad appeal.”

In keeping with the ‘costume’ spirit of the estate, Wickliff is also sponsoring a children’s costume contest during the auction preview on Friday, October 26.  The gallery is open from 2 until 7 p.m., and costume judging will be held at 6:30 p.m.   Costumes will be judged on originality, and $50 gift card prizes will be awarded to winners in three categories, best U.S. historical figure, best Bible character and most original. 

Wickliff Auctioneers is widely regarded as Indiana’s Leading Fine Arts auctioneers, and has been in the same Carmel location for over 20 years.  More information, photos, preview times and auction terms, can be found at www.wickliffauctioneers.com or by calling 317-844-7253.

Hamilton Humane Society Fundraiser

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RJB Appraisals, in association with Wickliff Auctioneers, raised $1000 for the Hamilton County Humane Society through the sale of donated items at their auction held September 15 in Carmel, IN.

Shelly Dubick, of RJB, solicited the donated items to be sold, including Penske Team (Indy Car series) autographed items, gift certificates from luxury retailers, and pet services.  Dubick and RJB also coordinated the sale of the couture items in the catalogued auction.

"We are pleased to have been able to make a contribution to help further the many good causes supported by the Humane Society," said Dubick. "Programs such as Pets Healing Vets make an impact in our community that extends beyond what many people perceive as the only service of the Humane Society, that of providing shelter to unwanted and lost pets."

The items were sold at Wickliff's Art, Jewelry and Couture auction, featuring high-end ladies' fashion and accessories, fine jewelry and fine art.  Bidders participated at the gallery, as well as from several countries throughout the world via an internet platform which enables real-time bidding during the event for pre-registered bidders.

RJB Appraisals conducts personal property valuations for estates, dissolutions and insurance purposes, utilizing an extensive knowledge of secondary market values as well as an established network of specialized consultants who are available, as required.  More information is available at www.rjbappraisals.com.

Wickliff Auctioneers, regarded as Indiana's Leading Fine Arts Auctioneers, conducts monthly catalogued auctions at their Carmel gallery.  Sales often feature fine art, fine jewelry, period antiques and decorative arts and quality modern furnishings.  More information is available at www.wickliffauctioneers.com. 

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Kriner Reception and Auction Great Success

We have mentioned in previous posts that we (Wickliff Auctioneers) were honored to have been selected to conduct the Sally Brant Kriner artist's estate auction.  We remain so honored, and pleased that so many patrons and bidders chose to join us on Thursday for the reception and on Saturday for the auction.

Jaime Sweany, Brown County Art Guild, presenting

Our preview and reception was a joyful event and was attended by many of the Kriner descendants, as well as board members of the Brown County Art Guild and other art patrons, both new and previous clients of ours.  All in attendance enjoyed hors d'oeuvres, music of Bill Lancton and a wonderful presentation by Guild Executive Director Jaime Sweany.  Additionally, everyone enjoyed a special song by Sue Wickliff, accompanied by Bill, in Sally's honor.  Sue sang the Ella Fitzgerald classic, "They Can't Take That Away From Me", much to the delight of the Kriner family, who shared that Sally did, in fact, 'sing off key'!

The auction was well-supported by our Wickliff buyer clientele, but also by individuals acquainted with the Guild, and others who knew Sally or had previously purchased paintings from her.  Nearly everyone registered stayed for the entire session, including bidding on the uncatalogued collection of books, vintage frames and unfinished paintings.

Top Seller- Lilacs, 32x36, $3100

The previous record for a Sally Kriner painting had been achieved two times by two different companies, including ours, at $400.  That record was eclipsed many times over, supporting our previous statement that most folks had not seen the quality of paintings that Sally had squirreled away in her studio, many inscribed on the back, 'keep', or 'not for sale', and many of those were some of her best paintings.  The record sale was a $3,100 price achieved for a 32 x 36 canvas depicting lilacs in a vase; lilacs were among Sally's favorite flowers to paint and she was quite adept at capturing the beauty of those flowers, as well as that of roses and peonies.


We have had multiple comments from buyers regarding how honoring they thought the auction and reception were, and that the entire weekend was quite enjoyable.  Our company is pleased to have provided a bit of insight into not only the paintings of Sally Kriner, but into the legacy of Brown County art and artists which she so proudly embraced and encouraged.  Thank you to the Kriner heirs for trusting Wickliff Auctioneers, and thank you, Sally...

Kriner Estate Auction A Rare Opportunity

How many times we have heard the disdain of regret from art collectors who did NOT purchase a painting in the estate sale of a well-known, accomplished Indiana artist...  Our May 12 auction of the work of Sally Brant Kriner (IN, 1911-2011) gives buyers a chance to redeem themselves.

Sally was the longest-tenured member of the Brown County Art Guild in Nashville, IN, and the influence the Guild's founders had on her painting style is uncanny, even to the least-trained eye.  Her painting entitled "Marie's Peonies", which sells in the estate auction, is her interpretation of the Marie Goth painting that is currently in the window at the Guild gallery.  Sally was friends with, and learned from, Goth, and her still life execution mimics style and brush strokes of Marie's still life paintings.  Sally's strength was in florals and still life paintings, and Marie's influence on her is quite remarkable.

Some of Sally's landscapes also remind us of VJ Cariani landscapes, and although she never achieved his expertise (as few have), it is evident that, at some point, she learned from him and applied some of his techniques in her own landscapes.  There are some nice Indiana landscape paintings available. 

We also see a few of Sally's paintings that are reminiscent of Leota Loop's still life paintings, but far fewer mimic that style.  One thing Sally did share with Loop was the extensive use of Ginny frames.  Several of Sally's paintings are housed in the desirable Ginny frame, and a few 'Ginnys' are available for purchase in the uncatalogued portion of the auction. 

In 1954, Marie Goth, V. J. Cariani, Carl Graf, Genevieve Goth Graf, Curry Bohm, Dale Bessire, Georges LaChance and other notable artists formed the Brown County Art Guild, Inc. , and Sally's affiliation there trumped those artists in terms of years as a member.  Sally's estate auction is a tip-of-the-hat to the heritage of fine art in Brown County, and her commitment to continuing the legacy in the style and manner of her predecessors is visible in her art and in her Freeman Ridge studio, which contained paintings by some of those aforementioned artists.  Some were in deplorable condition, and most would have destroyed them, but Sally maintained those paintings, perhaps as an homage to those historic artists.  Some of those paintings sold in our April auction, the rest will sell in the May 12 session, right alongside Sally's paintings, just as they've been for many years.

There are also some treasures to be found in the uncatalogued session, featuring art and art supplies, Sally's still life subjects (vases, figures, etc.), vintage frames, paint brushes, canvases and more, including some unfinished Marie Goth portraits. 

A lovely story about Sally, written by our friend Rachel Perry, is available here.  We are pleased to represent Sally's art and legacy at the May 12 auction.

Leland G Howard Estate Art Collection

Wickliff Auctioneers is honored to have been chosen by the family of Leland G (Lee) Howard (1926-2011) to market his art collection, slated for sale on Friday, March 30 at 6:30p.m.

< John E Costigan (NY, 1888-1972) 35x41 oil, Family Farm

Mr Howard was and is recognized as a notable art historian, collector and patron of the arts, specifically, fine art. He was an enthusiastic researcher, having been published twice, first with "Otto Stark", 1977, published by the Indianapolis Museum of Art in conjunction with the exhibition that same year, for which Howard also served as guest curator. The softcover, color illustrated work included biographical information on Stark and background of the artist's life and work, making the book much more than just an exhibition catalog. According to the book's foreword, written by Robert Yassin, former IMA director, Lee's interest in Stark began in the late 1960's, following his discovery of a Stark painting hidden behind a door in an antique shop.

Following Lee's retirement from Eli Lilly in 1984, he formed L and P Fine Art, and vigorously engaged in the buying, selling and research of fine art. He traveled throughout the United States, Europe and Great Britain meeting with descendants of artists, gleaning historical information from them, and also searching archive information found at institutions of higher learning.

Lee's second book, "Walter Shirlaw, A Biography and Catalog of His Art from Indiana Collections", 2005, Indiana Wesleyan University, was also published in conjunction with an exhibition of Shirlaw's art that was displayed at Indiana Wesleyan University, the Sheldon Swope Art Museum (Terre Haute, IN) and the Richmond (IN) Art Museum in 2005 and 2006. This time, Lee's work was published in hardcover, and is replete with color illustrations, plus of course, a detailed chronology of Shirlaw's life and work. In the foreword of the book, Professor Rob Curfman, Chairperson, Art Division, Indiana Wesleyan University, states that Howard was responsible for the preparation of the Shirlaw exhibition and the accompanying catalog. He also comments, "Of the four principal American artists who studied at the Royal Academy of Art in Munich, Germany, during the 1870's, only the life and art of Walter Shirlaw N.A. has been largely neglected. The others, William Merritt Chase, Frank Duveneck and, to a lesser degree, Joseph Frank Currier, have been chronicled and exhibited during the 20th century." Shirlaw, born in Scotland, moved to the U.S at age 3 and became an American citizen in 1857. Among his many accomplishments, he founded, as was the first president of, the Society of American Artists, in New York. Shirlaw died in 1909 in Spain, and is buried there.

Lee's interest in art and art research made him a recognized collector and patron, and he served on the boards of the Hamilton Center and the Sheldon Swope Art Museum, both in Terre Haute, IN, and worked with the Indiana University Art Museum in Bloomington. Lee was well-known and highly regarded throughout the academic art community in Indiana, and his eagerness to bring to light the life and work of historic artists and their work will be missed.

"House Sale" is a Success!

On Saturday, February 11, we debuted our "House Sale" concept, featuring (in this case) modern, traditional style furnishings, rugs and accessories. The concept portion is that none of the items are posted for online bidding, either absentee or live, and we make a special deal with a local moving company to provide discounts to buyers at this auction; the kind of a deal you would never get otherwise.

By eliminating online competition, and enabling lower-cost, convenient moving, local buyers can take advantage of spectacular deals on good quality furniture and accessories with which to live.

The "House Sale" concept also means there are no antiques, no fine art and no fine jewelry. Just stuff for your house. Nicer stuff than you can find at other auction houses. Set in a nice facility, in room vignettes, so you can really see what it looks like. For literal bargain prices. Tell your friends.

For those who attended, thank you! The crowd was large, including a great number of new bidders, and everybody seemed to enjoy the day and the great buys. The comments of 'this is the nicest auction we've ever seen' are appreciated; we work hard to make the auction experience enjoyable and comfortable, and unparalleled in central Indiana.

Now, watch for the March 10 sale, with antiques, fine art by listed artists, nice quality estate jewelry and more, all available for online and absentee bidding.

Welcome, 2012

In a meeting earlier today, I heard a comment from someone that said “if it ain’t broke, break it”, inferring that a person who continues in the same path, when opportunities exist for change that might be fruitful, that person could be missing opportunities for growth. That statement contrasts the other, more familiar “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Certainly, there is a happy medium between change solely for the sake of change, and refusal to adjust one’s thinking about the future, based on antiquated methods.

Wickliff Auctioneers has existed for over 20 years using Honesty, Integrity and Quality as our guiding principles, and within that guidance, a willingness to explore marketing and sale possibilities that would benefit both buyers and sellers, taking advantage of buying trends, available markets and media to achieve the highest and best results. We continue that tradition, with willingness to “break it”, and at the same time, having a vision of what doesn’t need “fixing”.

We are pleased to announce our first “House Sale”, which will debut on Saturday, February 11, at 11 a.m. This auction will consist of good, and a bit better than good, quality furnishings and accessories that have less appeal to an international marketplace, which suffers from logistics costs when buying furniture at online auctions, but does have utility and appeal to buyers in our local demographic. The House Sale will offer items that are often purchased at mid-level, retail furniture stores that are in good condition and represent an excellent value for our buyer clientele. Similar discernment will be applied to selecting only those items that meet a criterion of quality and usability for our clients. These auctions will offer extended preview times, a offer of discount for moving services from our strategic moving partner, and no online bidding competition. Bidders may leave absentee bids, however, during any of our three (yes, three!) preview times. Come join us for this debut session, and bring a friend!

Our website has just been “freshened”, and we are pleased to report that the results are more than satisfactory. Our site now features a news feed from Auction Central News, an affiliate of our live bidding partner, Live Auctioneers, and easier-to-navigate pages and content. Additionally, the new site is smartphone-friendly, offering an adjusted site to those users who access our web page using mobile devices.

Wickliff Auctioneers will be announcing a new, ancillary service this March. Details are forthcoming, so watch your mailboxes and email for updates. It’s a secret for now…don’t ask.

We are extremely thankful for the continued support of our clients and customers, and for the stability and growth that our company has experienced during the current economic challenges. We appreciate your trust and confidence, and will continue to operate with the same diligence and expertise which has resulted in a much-appreciated reputation that we cherish and seek to maintain.

To a blessed 2012,

Darin