A magnificent selection of art—from the most traditional Western paintings and bronzes to the most modern of cowboy images, including a stunning piece by Andy Warhol—will be available to bidders October 29 in Dallas during the Lone Star Art Auction.
The sale, owned by Great American West Gallery owner Phil Berkebile, will feature around 225 lots within a number of categories, including sporting art, wildlife, cowboys and cattle, Native American subjects and a number of prominent bronze works. The auction will even feature a beautifully hand-carved leather saddle from Thomas Carson. 
Ed Mell, Mesa Sunset, oil, 24¼ x 64” Estimate: $40/50,000
“I like to think the auction is actually a broader umbrella than the gallery, so bidders are going to see a lot of really great work, from Western and wildlife, but also so much more. The goal is to not pigeonhole ourselves with only Western, because we’re also pulling in a lot of great material from all around Texas and also some more modern art, like our Warhol we’re offering,” Berkebile says. “It’s still very much a Western auction, but we’re going to reach a wider audience.”
Julian Onderdonk (1882-1922), In the Boerne Hills – Southwest Texas, oil, 20 x 30” Estimate: $150/200,000
Berkebile is no stranger to large-scale art auctions—in 2015 he hosted the successful Great American West Auction, which was conceived and executed on a somewhat abbreviated timeline. For the Lone Star Art Auction, Berkebile gave himself more lead time, which presented many new opportunities. “We started advertising early, including in Western Art Collector, and we hit the ground running with a full auction website,” he says. “We wanted to be more organized and we also wanted to emphasize the Texas aspect of it. We want it to be bigger—the biggest in Texas—and better than the last time we did this.”
Andy Warhol (1928-1987), War Bonnet Indians, screenprint unique, 36 x 36” Estimate: $150/200,000
He also emphasizes that the Lone Star Art Auction is very much a can’t-miss event, and he’s urging bidders plan their weekends around the festivities, not just the sale portion on October 29. “It’s about entertaining people and letting everyone socialize,” he adds. Events include an auction preview and cocktail reception on October 28, a breakfast and Bloody Mary bar on the morning of the sale and plenty of opportunities to meet collectors, artists and others who attend.
Highlights of the sale include two incredible Frederic Remington bronzes—cast 65 of The Rattlesnake (est. $150/250,000) and lifetime cast No. 8 of The Sergeant (est. $70/100,000)—as well as a Henry Shrady’s famous Elk Buffalo bronze (est. $200/300,000). More contemporary bronze artists include G. Harvey, Bill Owen, Tim Shinabarger, Harry Jackson and at least four sculptures by John Coleman. 
Henry Shrady (1871-1922), Elk Buffalo, bronze, 22½ x 27 x 12” Estimate: $200/300,000
“We went heavy on bronzes, and that happened intentionally. I think it’s beyond time for bronzes to become important in collections again. They’ve sort of taken a backseat to oil painting the last 5 to 10 years—they deserve more attention,” Berkebile says. “The Rattlesnake is great because it’s Remington’s second most popular bronze. The Sergeant is also important because it was cast in 1904, which makes it one of only 20 lifetimes castings. The Shrady is probably the most important bronze in the sale simply because it’s so very rare and considered to be one of his best works. It rarely comes up for auction.”
Carson Thomas, Visalia Stock Saddle, Half-Scale Model, one of one, 34½ x 17 x 19½” Estimate: $15/20,000
Kyle Polzin, Treasures of a Nation, oil, 30 x 50” Estimate: $90/120,000
Texas is also strongly represented in the sale with impressive works by Texas-based artists such as G. Harvey, including one of his famous street scenes, A Child’s Holiday (est. $55/75,000); Martin Grelle and his painting Trappers Goods No More (est. $100/150,000); Frank Reaugh and his pastel work Palo Duro Canyon Longhorns (est. $6/8,000); George Hallmark’s The Heart of Texas (Alamo circa 1920) (est. $35/55,000); and several major pieces from Austin-based still life painter Kyle Polzin, including his Native American-themed work Treasures of a Nation (est. $90/120,000). The top Texas piece, though, is Julian Onderdonk’s In the Boerne Hills – Southwest Texas, estimated at $150,000 to $200,000. “The Onderdonk is a 10 in every way, including being new to the market and in wonderful condition,” Berkebile says. 
Joseph Henry Sharp (1859-1953), Dolly, Taos, oil, 8 x 5¾” Estimate: $15/25,000
Frederic Remington (1861-1909), The Rattlesnake, bronze, cast no. 65, 23¾” Estimate: $150/250,000
Bob Kuhn (1920-2007), North Country, acrylic, 21½ x 24” Estimate: $100/150,000
One work that is going to generate lots of interest outside of the West is Warhol’s War Bonnet Indian, estimated at $150,000 to $200,000. The work is a one-of-a-kind screenprint that is part of a hugely influential series of Western works done very late in Warhol’s life. The screenprints were done in editions of 250, but Warhol would create unique versions of the images with each of the 36 trial proofs. “Even though there are lots of this print, this is the only one with these exact colors,” Berkebile adds. “It makes it very special.”
E. Martin Hennings (1886-1956), The Wagon Road, oil, 25 x 30” Estimate: $150/250,000
Other works in the sale include a number of prominent works by Taos Society of Artists members, including E. Martin Hennings’ The Wagon Road (est. $150/250,000), Joseph Henry Sharp’s Dolly, Taos (est. $15/25,000) and Eanger Irving Couse’s The Pottery Painter (est. $30/50,000). Also available is Birger Sandzén’s Prairie Pond (est. $35/55,000), Charles M. Russell’s watercolor Indian Women Moving Camp (est. $225/275,000), John Mix Stanley’s Assiniboine Encampment (est. $250/350,000) and several works by Phoenix painter Ed Mell, including Mesa Sunset (est. $40/50,000). 
Birger Sandzén (1871-1954), Prairie Pond, oil, 22 x 28” Estimate: $35/55,000Bidders will also have an opportunity to bid on works by John Banovich, Billy Schenck, Bob Kuhn, Logan Maxwell Hagege, Glenn Dean, Gerard Curtis Delano, William R. Leigh and a large selection of works by Bill Owen. —
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