Modern + Contemporary: Art & Design Auction Results — September 2026

Circle Auction’s September 2026 Modern + Contemporary: Art & Design auction concluded with $308,799.25 in total sales, including buyer’s premium. The sale brought together modern and contemporary fine art, studio ceramics, sculpture, prints, and 20th-century furniture and design.

The auction drew registered bidders from 38 states and 22 countries, with international participation including bidders from Italy, the United Kingdom, Japan, France, and Germany.

Modern & Contemporary Art Auction Highlights

Leading the fine art and sculpture results was Jun Kaneko’s Dango (13-07-21), a 2013 ceramic sculpture that realized $14,500.

Kaneko was part of a substantial selection of contemporary studio pottery represented in the auction. Other ceramic artists included Peter Voulkos, Jim Leedy, Ken Ferguson, Beth Lo, Kensuke Yamada, Sunkoo Yuh, Richard Notkin, Darcy Badiali, Soojin Choi, Lauren Mabry, and Ruth Borgenicht.

A 1986 figural marker drawing by Keith Haring sold for $14,000. The auction’s selection of paintings and drawings also included works by Hunt Slonem, Takeshi Kawashima, Reuben Nakian, Robert Peterson, Robert Sudlow, Hung Liu, and Leo Jansen.

Hunt Slonem’s Sky (Diamond Dust), a 2016 oil on panel, realized $7,500.

Sculpture was another significant component of the sale. Tom Corbin’s Horse and Rider, a massive bronze dating to 2004, sold for $14,000. Additional sculptural and glass works represented artists including Michael Schwarze, Dale Chihuly, Richard Marquis, En Iwamura, and Brother Mel Meyer.

Modern Furniture & Design Results

The auction included furniture and design by many of the established names associated with 20th-century modernism.

A circa 1960s Hans Wegner for A.P. Stolen “Papa Bear” Chair and Ottoman realized $14,500, placing it among the top results of the auction.

A circa 1965 Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Spring Festival Coffee Table sold for $12,500.

The broader selection of modern furniture included works by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, Florence Knoll, George Nelson, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier, Harry Bertoia, Karl Springer, Paul McCobb, Adrian Pearsall, and Edward Wormley.

Notable Results from Modern + Contemporary: Art & Design

Highlights from the September 2026 auction included:

Prints and Artist Estates

The auction also offered a selection of signed prints by artists including Pablo Picasso, Robert Motherwell, Joan Miró, Max Beckmann, Robert Stackhouse, John Woodrow Wilson, John Buck, Kiyoshi Saito, Akio Takamori, Archie Scott Gobber, Julie Blackmon, Lisa Grossman, Stanley Lewis, and Craig Subler.

Works from several artists’ estates were represented throughout the catalog, including Wilbur Niewald, Jane Voorhees, Janet Satz, Don Beaulieu, Larry Thomas, Nick Vaccaro, and Edward Navone.

Together, these works expanded the scope of the auction beyond its headline lots, with material spanning modern and contemporary art, regional artists, studio ceramics, works on paper, sculpture, and collectible design.

Bidders from 38 States and 22 Countries

Participation in Modern + Contemporary: Art & Design extended well beyond Circle Auction’s Kansas City market. Registered bidders represented 38 states and 22 countries, including Italy, the United Kingdom, Japan, France, and Germany.

This national and international participation placed works from private collections and estates in front of bidders across a broad range of collecting categories, from contemporary ceramics and original artwork to mid-century modern furniture and design.

Consign with Circle Auction

Circle Auction is currently reviewing fine art, antiques, modern and contemporary design, studio ceramics, sculpture, jewelry, and significant collections for upcoming auctions.

Our next scheduled sale is Kansas City Collections — November 2026, featuring fine art, antiques, sculpture, sterling silver, fine jewelry, historical documents, rare books, European and designer furniture, and other property from Kansas City and Midwest collections.

If you are considering selling an individual work or an entire collection, contact Circle Auction to discuss an upcoming auction and request a complimentary evaluation.