Among the stand-out Continental entries were several post- Impressionist works by established French names.
These included a 15 x 13in (38 x 33cm) oil on canvas from 1925 by Maurice Utrillo (1883-1955), the Montmartre-born painter best known for his sharp perspectives and picture postcard views of deserted Parisian streets and hills.
After ’White period’
The painting in Maine depicted the Rue Tournant a Gauche and post-dated Utrillo’s prolific ‘White period’ of 1909-15, which established his reputation in Paris.
By the time he painted this work, Utrillo had moved away from Montmartre to the Parisian suburb of Vésinet and was undertaking commissions to create decors for Serge Diaghilev, founder of the Ballet Russes.
In the same collection since it has been acquired in 1939 at an exhibition in New York, it found a buyer at $52,500 (£41,000) within the $50,000-60,000 guide.
A pair of typical Parisienne scenes by Édouard Cortès (1882-1969) also drew eager bidding. Both 23 x 14in (58 x 36cm) oils were described in ‘fine condition’ and tipped over their top guides.
A depiction of a crowded flower market took $32,500 (£25,400) while a view of Notre Dame on a rainy Parisian street at dusk made $19,000 (£14,840).
