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Surrealist Treasures

The Urban S. Hirsch III Collection
9 – 17 January 2025

Urban S. Hirsch III (1941-2024) was a businessman, fervent art collector, motorcycle enthusiast, and incredibly generous person. He built an astounding collection of Surrealist Art and Old Master prints, inspired by his chosen profession in the printing ink industry. In 1960, Urban started his career at Bowers Printing Ink Co. in Chicago, where he developed his passion for ink on paper, as a business, as well as an art form. Urban's in-depth knowledge of the various inks used in lithographic printing fueled his curiosity about the complexities of the printmaking process and spurred his desire to build a collection of graphic works. While at Bowers, Urban witnessed the company's acquisition of 173 works of art on paper which were ultimately donated to Northern Illinois University by Bowers' then CEO, and Urban's stepfather, Mel Pfaelzer. A passion for Fine Art was a shared family interest as Urban's mother, Dicky Pfaelzer, worked at various art galleries throughout her life: Devorah Sherman Gallery, van Straaten Gallery and The Elaine Horwitch Gallery. In 1968, Urban and his wife, Judy, moved to Los Angeles, and within a few years, they welcomed the birth of their two sons, Paul and Carl. Urban would go on to start his own custom ink manufacturing company and was later elected President of the National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers (NAPIM). Urban's passion for collecting extraordinary objects extended beyond Fine Art. Urban loved pre-1916 motorcycles and custom Harleys, being a member of the Hamsters' Motorcycle Club and consistently attending the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota. He was constantly renovating his beautiful home in Benedict Canyon, where he loved hosting extended family gatherings. Urban enjoyed life to the fullest and he helped others around him to do the same.

Auction highlights

Lot gallery

124 lots available

Paul Delvaux(1897-1994)The Siren; Reflection 2

Paul Delvaux(1897-1994)The Doll; Women with Stool 2

Paul Delvaux(1897-1994)Naïs Clothed; Naïs Unclothed 2

Erik Desmazières(born 1948)Passages Parisiens - Projets d'Agrandissment 7

Erik Desmazières(born 1948)La Tentation de Saint Antoine

Maurits Cornelis Escher(1898-1972)Belvedere

Maurits Cornelis Escher(1898-1972)One plate, from De Vreeselijke Avonturen van Scholastica

Farlas(20th Century)Surrealist Beings in a Mountain Landscape (a group of two) each sight 7 x 10 1/4 in. (17.7 x 26 cm)

Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita(1886-1968)Le rêve

JACQUES DUVAL-BRASSEUR (BORN 1934), MANNER OF Scorpion Table 1970s patinated bronze, glass height 41 1/4in (104.8cm); diameter 46 3/4in (118.8cm)

PIERO FORNASETTI (1913-1988) Viso Table Lamp for Fornasetti Milano, lithographically printed metal, brass, with printed makers mark 'FORNASETTI MILANO MADE IN ITALY' height 25 1/4in (64cm); diameter of shade 14 1/4in (36.1cm)

Pedro Friedeberg (born 1936) Group of Two Hand Foot Sculptures circa 1970 giltwood, the smaller signed 'PEDRO FRIEDEBERG' height 5 1/4in and 16in (13.3cm and 40.7cm); width 3in and 9in (7.6 cm and 22.8cm); depth 4 1/4in and 6in (11 cm and 15.2cm)

Pedro Friedeberg (born 1936) Eight Hand and Foot Table circa 1970 giltwood, glass, signed 'PEDRO FRIEDEBERG' height 29 3/4in (75.5cm); diameter 36 3/4in (93.5cm)

Pedro Friedeberg (born 1936) Hands of Time circa 1990 painted and giltwood, brass, copper, with inset clock and compass, signed twice 'PEDRO FRIEDEBERG' height 19 5/8in (49.9cm); width 8 1/4in (21cm); depth 9 1/4in (23.5cm) Provenance Private Collection, New York Shannon's Fine Art Auctioneers, Connecticut, American and European Fine Art Sale, 23 April 2015, lot 198

Pedro Friedeberg (born 1936) Untitled (Shelf Clock) circa 1990 painted and giltwood, mixed media, with acrylic stand, signed 'PEDRO FRIEDEBERG' height 19 1/4in (49cm); width 8in (20.5cm); depth 7 1/2in (19cm)

Pedro Friedeberg (born 1936) Astroecological Clock late 1990s painted wood, parcel gilt, signed twice 'PEDRO FRIEDEBERG' height 21 1/2in (54.5cm); width 16 1/4in (41.3cm); depth 7in (18cm)

Pedro Friedeberg(born 1936)Explicaciones de Casanova a Kafka. La vida íntima de un cobarde

Tyson Grumm(born 1972)Morning Glory 18 x 24 in. (45.7 x 60.9 cm)

Tyson Grumm(born 1972)Seeing Stars, The Taunting of Aesop and Abalone, and The First Oculus (a group of three) Stars 12 x 12 in. (30.4 x 30.4 cm); Taunting 15 1/8 in. diameter (38.4 cm); and Oculus 10 3/4 in. diameter (27.3 cm)

Tyson Grumm(born 1972)The Entertainment of Gwen and Motorized Mono - Spherical Baby Panda Soother (a group of two) Gwen 13 1/4 x 16 in. (33.6 x 40.6 cm); Panda 10 x 12 in. (25.4 x 30.4 cm)

Tyson Grumm(born 1972)Award-Winning-Tom-Foolery and Karus and Mrs. Up the Grove (a group of two) Award 13 1/4 x 17 1/4 in. (33.6 x 43.8 cm); Karus 14 x 18 in. (35.5 x 45.7 cm)

Tyson Grumm(born 1972)The Venezia Tug on Hester Hawk Mower, The Story of the Goose Agility Professor, and Bubba the Odd Defier (a group of three) Venezia 15 3/4 x 19 3/4 in. (40 x 50.1 cm); The Story 13 1/4 x 20 in. (33.6 x 50.8 cm); and Bubba 16 x 20 in. (40.6 x 50.8 cm)

Rockwell Kent(1882-1971)A Group of Three Lithographs 3

Max Klinger(1857-1920)Die Schlange, from Eva und die Zukunft

Wifredo Lam(1902-1982)For Gog Magog IV; Nid de Noeds 2

Paul Landacre(1893-1963)Children's Carnival

Paul Landacre(1893-1963)Victims image sight 12 x 15 1/4 in. (30.4 x 38.7 cm)

Bruce Lowney(1937-2019)Suicide 40 x 28 in. (101.6 x 71.1 cm)

René Magritte(1898-1967)Les Bijoux Indiscrets

René Magritte(1898-1967)Les Bijoux Indiscrets

René Magritte(1898-1967)La Leçon de Musique; La Folie Almayer 2

Man Ray(1890-1976)Monument; One plate, from Electro-Magie 2

André Masson(1896-1987)Les Travaux de Hasard; Orpheus 2

Henri Matisse(1869-1954)Le repos du modèle

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