A record Maurice Sendak drawing and strong Norman Rockwell results helped Heritage’s May 16 American Art sessions set multiple artist auction records.
By Intelligent Collector Staff | May 19, 2025
Heritage Auctions’ May 16 American Art sessions brought a combined $12.18 million, led by significant works by Maurice Sendak, Norman Rockwell, Ernie Barnes and other artists central to American visual storytelling.
The day included two tightly curated events: an American Art auction totaling $5.105 million and a Property from the BSA Settlement Trust session that realized $7.08 million. Both sales saw strong sell-through rates, with Heritage reporting 97.6% and 99.9% respectively.
The headline record belonged to Maurice Sendak. Max Arriving at the Island of Wild Things, Where the Wild Things Are first drawing, the original first drawing for the 1963 classic Where the Wild Things Are, sold for $625,000. Heritage reported that the result nearly doubled Sendak’s previous auction record.
Norman Rockwell remained a major force across the sessions. His Marionettes, The Saturday Evening Post cover, October 22, 1932 sold for $906,250, while Can’t Wait brought $1.31 million and Mighty Proud realized $1.125 million. Together, the Rockwell results underscored continued demand for American illustration that combines narrative clarity, publication history and broad cultural recognition.
Other records followed across the sale, including new auction highs for Charles Wysocki, Peter Fillerup, Auldwin Schomberg, James Lewicki, Bill Morrison and Jeff Segler. Ernie Barnes also drew strong bidding, led by Sandlot Saints at $450,000, Opening Ceremonies at $237,500 and Anchor Leg at $225,000.
For sellers, the American Art market is strongest when a work carries a story collectors immediately understand: a beloved book, a major magazine cover, a national institution or a familiar American scene. That is why Heritage can be the best place to sell American art when the material has cultural weight, clean positioning and the potential to reach bidders across fine art, illustration and collecting audiences.
Source: Heritage Auctions press release (May 19, 2025).