Andy Warhol's Flowers will headline MBA Seattle Auction House's online-only auction, September 29th
Washingtoner/10185779

RENTON, Wash. - Washingtoner -- An Andy Warhol original acrylic and screenprint on canvas titled Flowers (1965), plus vibrant original artworks by Alden Mason, Morris Graves, Dale Chihuly, Z. Z. Wei, Kenjiro Nomura and other art world notables will come up for bid in an online-only Modernism: Art and Object auction scheduled for Thursday, September 29^th, by MBA Seattle Auction House.

"This is one of the finest groupings of Modern artworks, objects and Northwest Modernism we've had to date," said Michael Mroczek, an auctioneer with MBA Seattle Auction House.

Warhol's Flowers is the undisputed headliner of the auction, with a robust but appropriate pre-sale estimate of $200,000-$400,000. The work, in excellent original condition, has a canvas of 14 inches by 14 inches and is signed and dated on verso overlap. It's also notated "Andy Warhol / 65 Billy" on verso (with "Billy" believed to be Warhol's boyfriend at the time, Billy Name).

More on Washingtoner

• Spokane: Flags Lowered for National Firefighters Memorial Day
• Bellwether Farm Presents Kerry Hill Lamb to His Majesty King Charles III During Historic U.S. State Visit
• New Study Finds Americans Judge Vacations on Value, Not Price — Signaling a Permanent Shift in How Travel Gets Booked
• Pomona Organic Launches New Website, Surpasses 10 Million Bottles Sold, and Opens Affiliate Program to Creators
• Postmortem Pathology Opens Sacramento Office Offering Private Autopsies for Families and Healthcare Investigations

"It's a dream to find an original Andy Warhol on canvas locally, especially one that's been in a private collection since its original purchase," Mr. Mroczek said. "His market is as strong as it has ever been with the recent sale of Shot Blue Sage Blue Marilyn (1964), which set an all-time record when it gaveled for $195 million at auction."

Flowers was originally purchased from Gordon Locksley of the Locksley/Shea Gallery in Minneapolis for $250. The buyer was Dr. Herbert W. Johnson of St. Paul, Minn. Dr. Walker also purchased ten of Warhol's Campbell's Soup Can screenprints for $675 that he later donated to the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis in 1993. Flowers, however, has remained in the family.

The painting was kept at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Johnson until their death in 2008. It was then transferred to a daughter, who held it until 2017, when it went to another family member who is serving as the family's consignor for the auction. A 1970s color photograph of a family member sitting at a piano with one of the soup can prints behind them is being included for provenance.

More on Washingtoner

• Postmortem Pathology, a leading provider of private autopsies, has announced its expansion into the Las Vegas market
• Kick'em Out Quick® Evictions Announces a New Endorsed Eviction Attorney in Atlanta / Fulton County, GA
• Spokane: Traffic Impacts Starting Monday, May 4th
• Spokane Police Investigate a Fatal Shooting on the South Hill
• Why Athletic Recovery Begins in the Nervous System

The auction will start promptly at 5 pm Pacific time, with online bidding available through the MBA Seattle Auction House website (bid.mbaauction.com) as well as LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com. Phone and absentee bids will also be taken. Previews will be held Monday thru Wednesday, Sept. 26-28, from 10-5 PST; and Thursday, Sept. 29, from 10-4; or by appointment.

To learn more visit www.MBAauction.com.