A museum's-worth of personal paintings, furniture, and special objects belonging to adventurist Richard "Dick" Bass, the famous Texas oil baron and first man to climb the "Seven Summits," the tallest mountains on each continent, will highlight Heritage Auctions' Fine and Decorative Arts, Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 20 and 21 in Dallas, Texas.
The more than 300 lots from the Bass family will include important works such as “Happy Cottagers” and “The Gipsies' Tent” by George Morland (both est. $15,000-$25,000 each) and “Flower Seller,” Tokyo, 1886, by Theodore Wores (est. $10,000-$15,000).
"Richard Bass lived life to its fullest and his love of art was extremely important to him," said Ed Beardsley, vice president and managing director at Heritage Auctions. "His artistic taste was impeccable and we are honored to be stewards of the objects he personally selected for his home."
Among his list of life accomplishments, Bass was the owner of Snowbird Ski Resort in Utah; an early founder of the Vail, Colorado, resort scene; and his pursuit of the "Seven Summits" has been reported as launching a whole new world of adventure travel. Bass' son, Jim Bass, told Heritage's The Intelligent Collector magazine that his father's art collection was built through auction acquisitions for his home and his ski resort. Bass died in Dallas, Texas in July of 2015.
The estate's diverse selection of furniture will include classic forms from early American furniture makers and Continental classics, such as a Régence-style burlwood commode with rouge marble top, late 19th century (est. $2,500-$3,500), and a George III Adam-style mahogany console table, circa 1820, (est. $1,500-$2,500).
Additional art on offer in the auction will feature more than 10 brilliantly-colored works by contemporary artist Leroy Neiman, including “Mirabelle / Paul Getty / Sammy Davis / Charlie Chaplin / Marlon Brando,” 1966 (est. $30,000-$50,000).
A Louis XVI-style Gaveau gilt bronze mounted satinwood and mahogany piano, late 10th century will be estimated at $40,000-$60,000. An important Egyptian Falcon mummy and sarcophagus, late Dynastic-Ptolemaic period, 350-50 BC, 19 inches high, will be estimated at $15,000-$25,000. A framed Italian Renaissance Intarsia panel in two-parts, circa 1550, will be estimated at $10,000-$15,000.
To learn more, visit www.HA.com.