Our cover this month, “Roulette Dealer (The Girls of Caesars Palace)” (30 in. by 24 in.) by LeRoy Neiman, sold for $84,375 at Heritage’s recent American Art Signature Auction in New York on Nov. 17, 2014.
Known for his boldly colored expressionist paintings and screen prints of athletes, musicians and people at leisure, the Minnesota-born Neiman had one of the most eclectic careers of any 20th century artist without ever really diverging from his trademark aesthetic. This breadth is perhaps best illustrated in the various awards and honors he received late in his life. To name a few, he received the Order of Lincoln award from the Lincoln Academy of Illinois, lifetime achievement awards from various publications and universities and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. If those accolades weren’t enough, he also had a (in)famous 50-year association with Playboy magazine.
As increasing exemptions lessen the importance of estate tax avoidance, estate planners can take heart in Neiman’s story. Though many fear having to branch out their practices into unfamiliar territory, they can broadly apply a number of their skills and techniques for the benefit of their clients, so shifting our focus is less of a gamble than it seems.
