The passion for collecting Western art will be on full display in Heritage Auctions’ Art of the West Showcase Auction on February 25. The sale will feature three dynamic art collections that have been crafted over decades, and show what makes the American West so captivating.
Buck McCain, The Cowboy, 1996, bronze with brown and red patinas and polychrome, ed. 6 of 35, 76” high on a 4” bronze base Estimate: $20/30,000
The James Mercer and Karolyn Prince-Mercer Collection began in the 1960s and includes several sculptures that are some of the standouts of the sale. Two monumental bronzes by Buck McCain—The Cowboy (est. $20/30,000) and Remembering that Horse—are among the couple’s favorites. “They were huge collectors and knew a lot of the artists personally,” says Alissa Ford, director of Western art at Heritage Auctions. “A lot of it is more contemporary, but a vast amount of it is very high-quality work.”
Dave McGary (1958-2013), Four Bears, 1990, bronze with gold patina and polychrome, ed. 5 of 30, 39” high on a 2” black stone base Estimate: $10/15,000
Also from the pair are works by Jack Sorenson, Xiang Zhang’s The Roundup (est. $5/7,000) and a monumental bronze by Michael Henington titled Mountain Lion that has a presale estimate of $10,000 to $15,000.
The collection of Mark Miranda, who was a Dallas-based collector for 30 years, showcases his interest in stories of the frontier and other Old West tales. Two works by illustrator W.H.D. Koerner are the standouts from the group—Let’s Drop Over to the Office (est. $10/15,000) and When Tempers Grow Raw (est. $4/6,000). Other notable items from the collection are Dave McGary’s bronze Four Bears (est. $10/15,000); Clarence Ellsworth’s The Pioneers – A Chance Meeting at $6,000 to $8,000; and Dan Mieduch’s The Battle of the Alamo (est. $6/8,000).
W.H.D. Koerner (1878-1938), Let’s Drop Over to the Office, The Saturday Evening Post interior illustration, 1926, oil on canvas, 26 x 36” Estimate: $10/15,000
The third group of items comes from the estate of illustrator Fred Harman, which was known for his comic strip Red Ryder and Little Beaver. The Red Ryder figure has prominently appeared in pop culture including the holiday classic A Christmas Story. Among the items is one of Harman’s works featuring the character. “We’re going to have about 14 pieces coming directly from the estate,” says Ford. “It’s pretty exciting and the provenance is good. It’s probably the best that we’ll see come to the market in a while.”
Outside the collections there are a number of other important consignments hitting the auction block. Harry Jackson’s Sacajawea (est. $3/5,000); a Cowboy painting by James Bama at $3,000 to $5,000; Wilson Hurley’s Cowboys with Campfire at $4,000 to $6,000; and R. Brownell McGrew’s Navajo Boy are among the lots.
Clarence Ellsworth (1885-1961), The Pioneers – A Chance Meeting, 1935, oil on canvas, 24 x 36” Estimate: $6/8,000
“These sales with no reserves, draw in new bidders and young collectors,” Ford shares. “It familiarizes them with the auction process and how easy it actually is.” She adds that the auction, while having lower price points, is high in quality leading to the ideal combination for this type of auction.
The Art of the West Showcase Auction will open online on February 4 and concludes with the live-online auction on February 25. All bids are taken online only and collectors are able to watch the auction unfold in real-time on the day of the sale. —
Art of the West Showcase Auction
February 25, 2022
Heritage Auctions, 2801 W. Airport Freeway, Dallas, TX 75261
(214) 528-3500, www.ha.com
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