Marion Pike "Clouds & Mountains" Courtesy: Coastal View News

This month’s ARTFIND is painting by Marion Hewlett Pike. The painting, entitled “Clouds & Mountains” was given to the readers' mother-in-law, who met Pike while living at Deer Springs Ranch in Little Sycamore Canyon.

Marion Hewlett Pike (American, 1914-1998) grew up in San Francisco and attended Stanford University where she studied Asian art. She had her first one-artist show in 1955 at the California Palace of the Legion of Honor. Pike also traveled throughout Europe and became known as an established portrait artist.

Pike, along with other women artists of the period attended the important California art schools and explored compelling aesthetic innovations of modernist thought.

Pike was best known for her portraits of Ronald Reagan, Norton Simon, and Coco Chanel but she also painted landscapes and still-lifes. The painting, “Clouds & Mountains” was likely painted around 1953 while Pike was staying at her friend's ranch in Malibu after her husband left her. One of Pike’s first pastel paintings, the dark palette and ominous black mountains appear to reflect her sad spirits of the time.

Marion Pike is considered a listed artist but her auction sales are limited. A gallery recently sold a comparable work for $650. At auction, a small painting sold at for $485. As “Clouds & Mountains” is of a higher quality than the one sold at auction, it would be estimated to have a higher value. The painting is also quite large (18"x24") and appears to be in good condition. It is in the original frame, which can add value to a painting, when it is being appraised. In a gallery setting, retail pricing is often double to triple auction pricing.

A growing demand exists for early California paintings but, still, the selling prices for quality works by most women artists is still not at the level of their male colleagues.

If I were do an official appraisal* for Insurance purposes, I would take into account the pricing comparables, size, provenance, and condition. As appraisers, we also factor in quality, rarity, and the increased value of a painting that has not been on the market for nearly 50 years.

Marion Pike’s “Clouds & Mountains” would have a Retail Replacement Value for Insurance of approximately $1,000. Keep in mind that values can change quickly and insurance companies require art appraisals to be done every 2-4 years on artworks.

Retail Replacement Value is defined as the highest amount in terms of US dollars that would be required to replace a property with another of similar age, quality, origin, appearance, provenance, and condition with a reasonable length of time in an appropriate and relevant market. When applicable, sales and/or import tax, commissions and/or premiums are included in this amount.