HERITAGE EXPERTS SPOTLIGHT FIVE APPROACHABLE WORKS THAT PROVE COLLECTING IMPORTANT AMERICAN ART DOESN’T REQUIRE A MUSEUM-SIZE BUDGET
By Intelligent Collector Staff | September 17, 2026
Building a meaningful art collection doesn’t require an unlimited budget. In fact, discovering an important artist at an approachable price point can be one of the great pleasures of collecting. Heritage’s Art Within Reach series was created with exactly that idea in mind, bringing together quality works that offer opportunities for established collectors and newcomers alike.
The September 25 American Art Within Reach Showcase Auction puts that philosophy into practice with an inviting selection spanning generations, styles, and subjects. Among the offerings are works by significant names in American Art, many with estimates below $10,000. In advance of the auction, we asked two of Heritage’s American Art specialists to comb through the catalog and select works they believe deserve a closer look. Their picks range from a luminous Wolf Kahn landscape and an early still life by Gilded Age master William Merritt Chase to Margaret Keane’s unmistakable portraiture. What unites them is the opportunity to acquire a distinctive work by an artist with a story worth knowing — at a price that keeps collecting within reach.
Wolf Kahn Gold and Green, 2002
Pastel on paper
Estimate: $6,000-$8,000
“The expression of color in Gold and Green is what makes Wolf Kahn’s paintings so coveted by collectors. The pastel medium of the present work lends itself beautifully to the artist’s broad bands of color, which feel weightless in their heavy application though still harmonious in their contrast. Much like many of Kahn’s color field landscapes, they evoke the full spectrum of the seasons, from a verdant spring in bloom to the fiery remnants of autumn along the East Coast.” —Liz Goodridge, Vice President, West Coast Director of American Art
Charles Wysocki Union Forever (Liberty Bell)
Oil on canvas
Estimate: $5,000-$7,000
“Charles Wysocki once proclaimed, ‘I am a proud American, and my desire is to stress the positive images of our country and its people.’ This painting, Union Forever (Liberty Bell), captures the artist’s devotion to this mantra perfectly. Depicting the Liberty Bell alongside a full-length portrait of Abraham Lincoln, the work features a red, white, and blue ribbon weaving through the composition, uniting all forms with a patriotic bow. Rich in symbolism, the present work expertly demonstrates the artist’s contemplative attention toward a historical subject and is imbued with Wysocki’s characteristic Americana charm. Moreover, it is a work particularly resonant today as America celebrates its 250th anniversary.” —L.G.
Margaret Keane Geisha Girl, 1981
Oil and gold leaf on canvas
Estimate: $7,000-$10,000
“Margaret Keane’s big-eyed portraits continue to captivate Contemporary collectors in today’s market. This example, Geisha Girl, is a charming repetition of one of her favorite themes. Uniquely, the present work also encompasses squares of gold leaf across its surface. This luminous background perfectly complements Keane’s charming central character and her feathered friend.” —L.G.
William Merritt Chase Still Life with Fruit, Glasses, and a Bottle, circa 1872-77
Oil on canvas
Estimate: $6,000-$8,000
“One of the most acclaimed American artists of the Gilded Age, William Merritt Chase is celebrated for his technical skill and innovative approach to painting. After studying in Europe, he returned to New York, where he became an influential artist and teacher. This still life was painted during his studies at the Royal Academy in Munich in the 1870s, a formative period when Chase refined the dramatic style that would later define his work. He went on to leave a lasting mark on American Art, bringing a cosmopolitan perspective to his work and encouraging a new generation of painters to experiment and develop their own artistic voices.” —Julia Matthiesen, Associate Specialist, American Art
Theresa Bernstein Hippies, Central Park, 1968
Oil on canvas
Estimate: $2,000-$3,000
“From the collection of a close friend of Theresa Bernstein and longtime champion of her work, Hippies, Central Park captures the vibrant energy of New York’s counterculture in 1968. Writing about this painting in The New York Times in December 1989, art critic William Zimmer observed that it “is both of its time and an emblem of disparate people who have been brought together. This was Theresa Bernstein’s specialty.” Bernstein emerged alongside the rise of New York modernism in the early 20th century and lived to the remarkable age of 111. Over a career spanning nearly eight decades, she remained a keen observer of the city, capturing its people, changing social life, and shared experiences with warmth and immediacy.” —J.M.
