Modern + Contemporary
ART & DESIGN | 2026
Saturday, May 9th @ 10am CDT
Circle Auction is pleased to present Modern & Contemporary: Art and Design, a thoughtfully curated sale bringing together significant works across postwar and contemporary practice. The auction features notable paintings and works on paper by Peter Max, Wilbur Niewald, Jacob Collins, Donald Jurney, Robert Sudlow, and Julie Green, alongside compelling examples by Archie Scott Gobber, Stan Herd, Philomene Bennett, and Lonnie Powell.
The sale is further distinguished by an important group of American studio ceramics, including works by Marguerite Wildenhain, Paul Soldner, Harding Black, Kurt Weiser, Victor Babu, and Ken Ferguson, reflecting the depth and innovation of the medium. Sculptural highlights include works by Markus Pierson, Shlomi Haziza, and Randi Grantham.
Design is led by iconic 20th-century masters, with standout works by Charles & Ray Eames, Mies van der Rohe, Eero Saarinen, and Le Corbusier, Jeanneret & Perriand, complemented by pieces from Jens Risom and Irving Harper for George Nelson & Associates. Additional contributions by Philippe Starck, Antonio Citterio, and Alessi underscore the continued dialogue between form and function.
A refined selection of prints and posters by Roy Lichtenstein, Helen Frankenthaler, Sam Francis, Ellsworth Kelly, and David Klein completes the offering, presenting collectors with a sophisticated survey of modern and contemporary art and design.
Questions?
If you are interested in consigning in the auction or have any questions, please reach out to us at:
913-403-0032
Kansas City Collections
Circle Auction is accepting consignments for our upcoming 2026 Kansas City Collections. This signature sale features fine art and regionalist works, with a focus on leading Midwest artists like Benton, Sandzén, Curry, Grant Wood, and Bingham. We are also seeking rare coins, bullion, sterling, bronzes, fine jewelry, rare books, antiques, and other standout pieces. Have something exceptional? We’d love to review it.
The Lithographs of Thomas Hart Benton: The Decker Collection
A rare single-owner group of Thomas Hart Benton lithographs, collected by Dr. Clarence R. Decker (UKC president, 1938–1953). Many are personally inscribed to Clarence and Mary Decker, reflecting their documented personal connection with Benton in Kansas City. Highlights include Prayer Meeting, commissioned by Decker in 1949 and recorded in Creekmore Fath’s catalogue raisonné. Fresh to market from long-term family ownership.