Market Strength

Cowboys Artists of America artists realize $3.8 million during Bonhams’ auction of works from the Eddie Basha Collection.

Selections from one of the great private collections of Western art, the Eddie Basha Collection in Chandler, Arizona, sold at a Bonhams’ auction November 25 in Los Angeles, achieving a sales total of more than $3.8 million. Howard Terpning, Crows in Yellowstone, 1990, oil on canvas, 44⅛ x 32” Estimate: $400/600,000 SOLD: $500,075

The top 10 featured just three artists: Howard Terpning, John Clymer and Tom Lovell. The three artists, as well as all the artists in the rest of the sale, all shared two things: they are were all members of Cowboy Artists of America, and all were friends of Basha, a prominent and colorful character in the world of Western art. Basha, who owned a chain of grocery stores and was at one point a gubernatorial candidate in Arizona, died in 2013. His collection, which contains thousands of works of art, is on public display at his company’s headquarters in Arizona. Bonhams’ selections from the collection represents a tiny fraction of the whole collection, the remainder of which will remain on public view. John Clymer (1907-1989), The White Buffalo, 1972, oil on canvas, 20 x 40” Estimate: $150/250,000 SOLD: $275,075

“This was the first-ever auction for Bonhams devoted exclusively to works by Cowboy Artists of America. So with that in mind, I think it was quite a strong auction, with solid prices all the way around and an impressive sell-through percentage,” says Scot Levitt, director of fine arts at Bonhams. “This auction was extremely well received by the Western art community and we hope to continue this trend of offering stand-alone auctions of Western Art in the years ahead. We see this market as one that will continue to grow and we look forward to being at the forefront of its future growth.”Tom Lovell (1909-1997), Quicksand – Horsehead Crossing, 1976, oil on Masonite, 20 x 40” Estimate: $150/250,000 SOLD: $150,075

Four of the top five lots were by Terpning, including Crows in Yellowstone (est. $400/600,000), which sold within estimate when it sold at $500,075. The three other lots by the famous Tucson, Arizona, artist were Find the Buffalo (est. $300/500,000) that sold for $425,075; Apache Road Map (est. $150/250,000) at $375,075; and My Medicine is Strong (est. $300/500,000), which achieved $350,075.

Clymer had three top-selling lots: The Booshway (est. $200/300,000) that sold for $375,075; Onslaught (est. $100/150,000) that brought $225,075; and The White Buffalo (est. $150/250,000), which closed at $275,075. Lovell closed out the top 10 lots with three works: a study for Listening for the Drums (est. $40/60,000) that soared to $200,075; Quicksand – Horsehead Crossing (est. $150,250,000) that sold for $150,075; and No Room at the Inn (est. $80/120,000) at $87,575. Howard Terpning, My Medicine is Strong, 2000, oil on canvas, 33 x 40” Estimate: $300/500,000 SOLD: $350,075

Other artists with works in the sale were James Reynolds, Bill Owen, Martin Grelle, Charlie Dye and Joe Beeler, who the collector considered his best friend.

This sale is a sequel of sorts to last year’s single-owner sale of the L.D. “Brink” Brinkman Collection, which realized nearly $8.4 million. That sale, like this one, featured a large selection of works from CAA artists. —

Top 10 Lots: Bonhams, The Eddie Basha Collection: A Selection of Western American Art, November 25, 2019 (including buyer’s premium)
Artist Title Low /High Estimate SOLD
Howard Terpning Crows in Yellowstone $400/600,000 $500,075
Howard Terpning Find the Buffalo $300/500,000 $425,075
John Clymer The Booshway $200/300,000 $375,075
Howard Terpning Apache Road Map $150/250,000 $375,075
Howard Terpning My Medicine is Strong $300/500,000 $350,075
John Clymer The White Buffalo $150/250,000 $275,075
John Clymer Onslaught $100/150,000 $225,075
Tom Lovell Listening for the Drums $40/60,000 $200,075
Tom Lovell Quicksand – Horsehead Crossing $150/250,000 $150,075
Tom Lovell No Room at the Inn $80/120,000 $87,575