Norman Rockwell Mistletoe sketches to bring $22,000 at auction?

The sketches that led to Norman Rockwell's Under the Mistletoe are set to sell well

Two fantastic sketches from Norman Rockwell will headline an American art auction in Ohio on August 4.

The sketches provide a fascinating insight into Rockwell's creative process

Created as a design for the ever-popular Norman Rockwell collector plates, one sketch is a rough study while the second is a more polished, inked version. They will be accompanied by an archive of two letters and three photographs, which provide a fascinating glimpse into Rockwell's creative process and the creation of his Under the Mistletoe plate.

In one of the letters Rockwell humorously remarks on the ink sketch: "Dear Don, This was my first attempt. Grandpa looks like a lecher in this one. Norman."

Another sketch was created later, and was ultimately used as the final design of the plate. That sketch sold at Sotheby's for $20,000 in 2007 - a 66.6% increase on its $12,000 high estimate. In response to this, the auction house has set an $18,000-22,000 estimate for the combined lot.

Another of the auction's highlights will be a pencil on paper sketch of a woman by the noted American artist Mary Cassatt. With an oval stamp reading "Collection Mary Cassatt Mathilde X", the large-scale sketch will be sold with a conservative estimate of $5,000-7,000.

In 2005, the world record for Cassatt's work at auction was set at $4.2m at Christie's Important American Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture auction in New York.

Prominent Mexican artist Diego Rivera's communist leanings will be displayed by a characteristic watercolour of a worker brandishing a machete. It is thought that the imagery refers to "El Machete", the official newspaper of the Partido Comunista de México, which Rivera joined in 1922. The auction provides a superb opportunity to own a piece of the artist's work at a tempting price, with an estimate of $10,000-16,000.

Paul Fraser Collectibles has some fantastic sketches and artworks from top artists currently on offer, which can provide that much needed diversity to your collection. This original Salvador Dali sketch is thought to depict his wife and most famous muse, Gala, while our autographed Pablo Picasso postcard provides a rare opportunity to own the artist's signature at a superb price.

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Images: Garth's Auction