Lyman Orton on Building the Collection of Vermont Art
On the occasions when Lyman Orton is asked how he decides to buy a particular painting for his collection, he says this:
“I prefer images that can be identified as to where they are in Vermont, specific places, named landmarks. Most of the works I look at are by professional artists of the early 20th century and they must be of exceptional quality. Some of the artists whose work I have bought became quite well known in their lifetimes and after, and are collected by others and by museums, so those works are naturally more expensive. Other artists did not reach that level of popularity or achievement, yet they produced paintings of their time in Vermont and that’s the point of my collection.
“Before the internet came along, auctions had been my main source for buying art, as well as art and antique shows. Those were a great source but took a lot of footwork. Most shows featured early-entry admission for a price to get a preview of the items the night before, or in the case of estate auctions, perhaps at dawn. Knowledge about the current value of an artist’s work is the key and that can be elastic, especially at auctions.
“I’ve gotten great deals. I’ve probably on occasion overpaid. I’ve never had buyer’s regret, especially as the years roll on and I have found so much enjoyment in looking at the Vermont paintings I bought and sharing them with others.
“It’s a cliché, I suppose, but I buy what I like and, in general, when I pass on a painting it is because it simply doesn’t speak to me. While the internet has practically ruined the ‘Mom-and-Pop’ art and antiques business, it is a tremendous asset to me to be able to more efficiently track down early Vermont art that had been taken out of state for decades. Most of my recent repatriation of ‘lost’ Vermont artwork has been possible because of the internet alerts I get, and because I am continuously poring over auction listings. After all, who knows what the next batch of paintings up for sale may reveal!”
Excerpted from For the Love of Vermont The Lyman Orton Collection; 2023.
Carnival at Royalton, Vermont, 1965
Oil on Canvas Board | 24 x 36 in.
Cecil Crosley Bell (1906–1970)