Press Release

Amesbury, MA, USA, November 12, 2025 -- Lovers of fine art and collectors of fine art will be giving thanks to John McInnis Auctioneers on Thanksgiving weekend with a pair of fine art auctions. The Saturday, November 29th session is an Estate Art Auction featuring over 400 works by Robert Eshoo (1926-2018) and members of his Circle. The Sunday, November 30th auction will be a Fine Art Auction with 173 important international works of art and additional works to be discovered.

Robert (Bob) P. Eshoo was an accomplished artist and teacher. He lived a full artistic career, working with a variety of media including oil, watercolor and constructions. He was the Director of the Currier Gallery of Art in Manchester, New Hampshire for 37 years. He taught art at several area schools and owned and operated the Hatfield Gallery in Manchester for 30+ years.

Original paintings by Eshoo up for bid include a 40 inch by 22 ½ inch watercolor titled Final Call, signed, titled and dated verso (estimate: $1,000-$1,500); and a 30 inch by 22 ¾ inch watercolor titled Window Passage, signed, titled and dated verso (estimate: $1,000-$1,500). Window Passage is matted (38 inches by 30 ½ inches overall) with a Pucker Gallery label verso.

Hyman Bloom (1913-2009) and Varujan Boghosian (1926-2020) were artists in Robert Eshoo’s Circle. Varujan and Bob grew up around the same time in New Britain, Connecticut and were close friends. They regularly traded art pieces for their private collections and were featured in a combined exhibition of assemblages, constructions and paintings at the Currier Gallery of Art.

Artworks by Boghosian include a wood construction and mixed media Portrait of the Artist, signed verso and dated 1963, 15 ¼ inches by 11 ¼ inches, with multiple exhibition labels (estimate: $3,000-$6,000). Also up for bid is a silver gelatin print by Lotte Jacobi (1896-1990), titled Photogenic, 9 ½ inches by 8 inches, in a custom floating mat (estimate: $750-$1,500).

Hyman Bloom met Bob via the Currier Gallery of Art in the 1950s. Close friends, they were known to tour through a slaughterhouse, viewing the surreal beauty of slaughtered animals’ cadavers, to influence their drawings and paintings, noting man’s predatory nature. The drawings and paintings Bob had (in this sale) were from a trade he made with Hyman of his own artwork.

Offerings from Hyman Bloom will include a drawing with conte crayon titled The Beggars, signed and dated 1954 and measuring 46 inches by 40 inches (sight, minus the frame) (estimate: $5,000-$10,000); and an oil on canvas Self Portrait at Age 18, unsigned, 18 inches by 11 inches (minus the frame), with a note in Bloom’s hand identifying the work (estimate: $1,000-$2,000).

Early in their careers, Hyman, Eshoo and Boghosian all exhibited artworks at the Swetzoff Gallery in Boston in the 1950’s and 1960’s. All three have pieces in the permanent collection on view at the Currier Museum in Manchester and in many other prominent galleries nationwide. An aside: A highly respected friend and collector of Mr. Eshoo’s is believed to have been an art instructor to the actor and comedian Adam Sandler.

To learn more about John McInnis Auctioneers, LLC and the two auctions scheduled for November 29th and 30th, being held online and live in the Amesbury, Mass. gallery, visit www.mcinnisauctions.com. Updates are posted frequently.

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