Charles M. Russell is a titan of Western art with even his small-scale pieces often reaching the six-figure range at auction. When new works by the artist hit the market, there’s always excitement because of his status within the Western art world and his lasting legacy through the C.M. Russell Museum in Great Falls, Montana. This year at Heritage Auction’s fall American Art Signature Auction, happening November 5 at 11 a.m., two never-before-seen Russell watercolors will hit the market.
Charles M. Russell (1864-1926), Untitled (The Lone Scout), 1898, watercolor on paper, 10 x 14” Estimate: $150/200,000
“The consignor was going through her mother’s estate because her mom passed away, and in a trunk she found these two paintings,” says Alissa Ford, director of Western art at Heritage Auctions. “She didn’t know anything about them and sent them over to me. I thought they looked like Russell, but they were not in the catalogue raisonné.” Ford had the works sent to the C.M. Russell Museum to be reviewed, and received the confirmation of authenticity in the opinion of the Charles M. Russell Catalogue Raisonné. The works, Untitled (The Lone Scout) and Untitled (Scouting Party), will be added to the publication.
Eanger Irving Couse (1866-1936), The Sculptor, 1914, oil on canvas, 24 x 20” Estimate: $70/100,000
Henry Merwin Shrady (1871-1922), Monarch of the Plains, 1899, bronze with brown patina, 13½” Estimate: $80/120,000
“It’s a very exciting find and the consignor was just elated to find out that she had these two little treasures tucked away, not knowing what they were,” says Ford. The fresh finds should be showstoppers in the Western segment of the sale, with Untitled (The Lone Scout) estimated to sell between $150,000 to $200,000 and Untitled (Scouting Party) set at $70,000 to $100,000.
Charles M. Russell (1864-1926), Untitled (Scouting Party), 1898, watercolor on paper, 10 x 14” Estimate: $70/100,000
Fremont Ellis (1897-1985), Old Adobes Near San Juan, oil on board, 11 x 20” Estimate: $12/18,000
Another new piece coming to market is an edition of Henry Merwin Shrady’s famed bronze Monarch of the Plains, 1899. The piece arrives at auction from a consignor who inherited the piece in 2008 from his grandfather who was an antiques dealer. It had been in his family since at least the 1960s and has recently been authenticated. A tabletop-size work, measuring at just over 13 inches high, the bronze has a presale estimate of $80,000 to $120,000.
There will be several members of the Taos Society of Artists with pieces in the sale. Eanger Irving Couse’s The Sculptor, an earlier work painted for a solo exhibition in 1914, is set at $70,000 to $100,000, while a small landscape by Bert Geer Phillips is estimated at $5,000 to $7,000. Another artist associated with Taos, Fremont Ellis, will be represented by Old Adobes Near San Juan (est. $12/18,000).
G. Harvey (1933-2017), Leaving the Spit and Whistle, oil on canvas, 24 x 34” Estimate: $40/60,000
Birger Sandzén (1871-1954), At the Timberline, Pike’s Peak, Colorado, 1925, oil on canvas, 20 x 24” Estimate: $40/60,000
Two G. Harvey snow scenes are notable: Leaving the Spit and Whistle and Cold Bits – Cold Leather. The pieces are estimated to sell for $40,000 to $60,000 each. There also will be a section in the catalog devoted to Birger Sandzén, who has been holding strong audience attention. These works will show his signature technique and highlight the range of places he painted including New Moon, McPherson County, Kansas; The Gate: Rocky Mountain National Park; and At The Timberline, Pike’s Peak, Colorado. All three works have individual estimates of $40,000 to $60,000. —
American Art Signature Auction
November 5, 2021, 11 a.m.
Heritage Auctions, 2801 W. Airport Freeway, Dallas, TX 75261
(214) 528-3500, www.ha.com
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