Featuring around 250 lots, John Moran Auctioneers’ fall California & American Fine Art will take place on November 18 at the auction house’s headquarters in Monrovia, California. The sale will feature a dynamic and fascinating collection of work that will speak to the strength of the genre.
Edgar Payne (1883-1947), Mammoth Lake Country, Sierra, oil on canvas laid to board, 9¾ x 11½ in. Estimate: $7/9,000
“The California market really struggled back 20 years ago, but the category is doing really well. Our spring sale was strong with a great selection of material, and we’ve also had some really strong single-owner sales that included California plein air,” says Katherine Halligan, the director of fine art at John Moran Auctioneers. “Overall, we’ve had a very strong six months across all categories, which has defied the doom and gloom that is coming out of some of the big New York houses.”
Elmer Wachtel (1864-1929), In the Shadow of the Cliffs - San Juan Coast, ca. 1898, oil on canvas, 19 x 28 in. Estimate: $30/50,000
While these California sales do frequently feature work that might fall outside of Western art, the sales get a strong sampling that should encourage savvy collectors to tune in. For the November sale, the auction house has a stunning work by Elmer Wachtel, In the Shadow of the Cliffs - San Juan Coast (est. $30/50,000) and a lovely Edgar Payne painting, Mammoth Lake Country, Sierra (est. $7/9,000). Another artist in the sale is Thomas Hill, whose landscapes are in prominent Western collections all across the country.
Bidding will take place live and also on three online platforms, including John Moran’s bidding platform accessible through the website. —
California & American Fine Art
November 18, 2025, noon
John Moran Auctioneers
145 E. Walnut Avenue
Monrovia, CA 91016
(626) 793-1833, www.johnmoran.com
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