Both consignments sold comfortably well above expectations. But this was only after the estimates had been trimmed to allow for the quality (Davidson) and recent supplies (Davidson and Lewis) and possibly for changes in taste.
The decline in the Euro and the French economy may have had bearing on the marginal differences in their market progress.
The gentrification of New York and revival in the US economy is helping sustain that of Lewis whose work vividly recalls in its subject matter, the New York of the 1920s.
Barely a week goes by but the work of Castlemaine-born Lewis features on the cover of an auction house's catalogue, makes a splash in the back of it - and finds ready buyers.
At Swann Auction Galleries in New York at a sale of 19th & 20th Century Prints and Drawings on September 23, a detail of one of the most famous images by the artist, who does not have a defined market in Australia, appeared as the catalogue cover picture and a swag of works found ready US homes in excess of estimates.
Shadow Dance, a drypoint showing flappers kicking up their heels in a night on the town sold for $US42,500 hammer against estimates of $US20,000 to $US30,000.
Depending on condition and availability at the time the print has sold for up to $US50,400 which is the record held by Swann for Lewis.
Other Lewis prints, especially those of New York, among the 30 on offer, made similar above estimate results on a market which has been supplied with them through Swann in particular for many years.
On October 29 in the same rooms a further batch of Lewis's from the same big, private collector source, (a Connecticut dentist?) were offered and received similarly welcome treatment. The Evening Freight, Danbury typically made $US31,200 IBP against $US15,000 to $US20,000 EBP.
Collectors and institutions may be adding rarities to their collections to which already have their lynch pins.
Lewis produced in aquatint engravings, images of New York which receive their heartiest endorsement as nostalgia for New Yorkers and their children who lived in or who now yearn for the New York of the 1930s, according to Todd Weyman, vice president director of prints at Swann.
Weyman told the Australian Art Sales Digest that Swann was still delighted to include Lewis in its sales which it had helped supply for many years.
Details of his images are also very cover friendly, Weyman told Australian Art Sales Digest. He might have added, so do travel posters but that is a different department.
Other Australian artists are featuring at Swann's thanks to their inclusion in the imputed $2 million collection of travel and film posters of the late Michael Callaghan, who owned Effie Holdings which, among other things, distributed films for a range of studios, including RKO.
Lewis (1881-1962) enjoys a following based largely on his reputation as "Australia's Whistler," the artist who left his native country and won great acclaim outside it.
The Depression clipped Lewis's newly achieved recognition as a print maker and he suffered the fate of not seeing his work fully appreciated till later life.
Davidson, however, entered the Depression writing to her father confident of more sales.
On October 10 in Paris a mixed vendor sale of 181 Estampes, Dessins et Tableaux conducted in an as usual packed Room 5 at the Richelieu Drouot by Beaussant Lefevre, works by the other expatriate artist, Bessie Davidson, fetched up to €39,000 hammer (€8000 to €10,000 estimate) for fine but secondary tier oils.
The best prices were €39,000, (€6000 to 8000) (plus 25 per cent BP) for White Roses and Capuccins (81 by 65 cm) €31,000 (€8000 to €10,000) for Autumn Table at Villeneuve 44 by 82 cm) and €22,000 (€5000 to €7000) for Still Life Bouquet and Pears (61 by 46 cm).
A majority of works sold for under €10,000 but still comfortably above estimates, mainly based on size.
The market for Bessie Davidson, who spent most of her life in France, is skewed towards Australia but Antipodean buyers have sometimes had to battle with the eager French who lately have recognised her career as a World War I matron in France.
Her subject matter is more universal and her medium - oil on canvas - more more widely accepted by buyers than Martin Lewis' subject matter.
Sydney dealers Andrew Crawford and Melbourne dealer Chris Ogden made a special trip to Paris to attend and buy works from the sale and accounted for most of it, except for an unidentified woman buyer who bought the three top expensive lots.
The results were a little different to those made by Australian buying that was seen in 1999 when the auction house held its first well publicised offering from her estate, from which the latest offering was also drawn.
The buying was despite the intelligence that there would be more works by both artist forthcoming from the same sources, in Lewis's case- the big private collection.
Like Lewis after the record price, Davidson has had slight hiccup in the market in Australia with one notable work only sold after being bought in.
The record auction price for a work by Bessie Davidson is $255,422 which was paid at the 1997 Paris sale
.
The date, 1935, on one of the latest offerings may account for some of the difference to what was paid on October 10, and what had been paid in the past.
It was late and late traditionally does not mean better although some artists, as recent Australian Art Sales Digest articles have pointed out, have been enjoying greater recognition for their later work.
At the latest auction Davidson's work, which must have started to look old fashioned as she aged, was also largely devoid of pretty young girls and other figures. It was heavily floral
The participation of Tom Silver who made the 1999 sale such a success could not be confirmed nor could the identity of the woman who took the top lot.
Asked about his interest in the latest sale, Silver, who is in Budapest, confirmed only that he had been at the 1999 sale.
Lewis, if he could look back over his life, could be thankful for the bullying he experienced as a youth in Australia which led to him setting sail for New York and staying there, with a short residence in print-conscious Japan.
Castlemaine Art Gallery gave Lewis, a local boy, an exhibition in 2002 with the catalogue titled Stepping into the Light which travelled to
Devonport Regional Gallery, Heide Museum of Modern Art, and the Queensland Art Gallery, with a majority of works borrowed from overseas.
Australian collectors like their artists to do well overseas but Lewis tends to be seen as part of a group including Henry Lamb, Hayley Level and Atkinson Hornel of possibly only tertiary importance because they almost exclusively worked overseas.
