A collection of Wyeth paintings from the Chadds Ford family, which were owned by L.L. Bean’s granddaughter, Linda L. Bean, is up for auction, writes Stephanie Farr for The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

In 1992, Bean found a book of N.C. Wyeth’s letters at an antiques show. She was so impressed that she started collecting works from the entire Wyeth family of artists. The end result is a set of 20 paintings estimated at over $3 million in value. 

Her private collection will be auctioned online on Tuesday in New York City by London-based Bonhams. 

The paintings include works by N.C., Andrew, Jamie, and others. Among the artworks expected to reach the highest price is Unknown (Coastal Scene with Apple Tree in Foreground), N.C. Wyeth’s oil painting of Port Clyde, Maine, from the mid-1930s. It is projected to sell at between $1.2 and $1.8 million. 

Many of the works depict scenes and people in Maine, where Bean lived until her death earlier this year. It is also where most of the Wyeth family spent their summers from the 1920s onward. 

Read more about the Wyeth paintings from L.L. Bean’s granddaughter in The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

_____

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on VISTA Today in November 2024.