Brian Lebel’s Western shows and auctions epitomize the West, and not just paintings and bronzes, but all of the West—from the art to the cowboy gear, historical artifacts, Old West memorabilia, Native American materials and so much more. His sales aren’t just buying opportunities but also cross-sections of vast periods of the West.
“It’s always fun to watch this great material come in,” Lebel says. “There is wide-ranging items and for all types of collectors, whether they are the beginner or the advanced collector.”
Eanger Irving Couse (1866-1936), The Pipe Maker, oil on board, 12 x 16” Estimate: $100/150,000
Lebel and his Old West Events will be returning to Mesa, Arizona, from January 20 to 22 for the 33rd annual Mesa Old West Show & Auction. The event, held at the Mesa Convention Center and adjacent Delta Phoenix Marriott Mesa, will feature a two-day dealer show and a two-day evening auction that will offer more than 700 lots to collectors.
The dealer show, which runs January 21 and 22, typically has everything under the sun related to the West, and then some. This year Lebel is expecting more than 150 national dealers of Western art, antiques, apparel, décor, jewelry, collectibles, antique firearms, Native American arts and artifacts, spurs, saddles, photography, textiles, boots, books and other fine Western merchandise in all price ranges.
Roy Rogers’ Nudie’s of Hollywood Gun Rig with Colt Single Actions, ca. 1949 Estimate: $60/90,000; Roy Rogers’ gold Crockett Spurs with Nudie’s of Hollywood Straps to match the rig. Estimate: $12/18,000
Roy Rogers and Roy Jr. with Nudie’s rig.
The auction portion will take place January 20 and 21 with both sales starting at 5 p.m. One of the auction highlights will be an Eanger Irving Couse painting, The Pipe Maker, coming from a distinctive private collection. The oil work is estimated at $100,000 to $150,000, and it shows one of Couse’s famous interior scenes with a Native American subject. The painter, one of the founders of the Taos Society of Artists, frequently used Taos Pueblo models for his works. Today these interior paintings are treasured works in collections around the country.
One work that will pair nicely with the Couse is Springtime in Taos (est. $10/15,000) by Bert Geer Phillips, another of the six Taos Founders. 
Carl Oscar Borg (1879-1947), Mexican Market, watercolor, 15 x 20” Estimate: $8/14,000Other paintings include Oleg Stavrowsky’s The Thoroughbreds (est. $3/5,000), Edgar S. Paxson’s untitled Native American watercolor and gouache portrait (est. $7/9,000), Carl Oscar Borg’s watercolor Mexican Market (est. $8/14,000), John Moyers’ drybrush on paper The Old Serape (est. $4/6,000) and Nick Eggenhofer’s gouache work Indian on Appaloosa (est. $3/4,000).
One work that Lebel is watching closely is John Fery’s Elk in Glacier National Park, a painting by the early landscape painter that should draw considerable attention. “It’s one of the best I’ve seen of his in a long time. Not as big as most, but it’s a really sweet piece that we’re already getting interest in,” Lebel says. 
Dave Powell, The Fight at Walker’s Creek, oil on canvas, 24 x 36”. Featured in the TV series Yellowstone, hanging behind John Dutton’s (Kevin Costner) desk at the Dutton Yellowstone Ranch. Estimate: $25/35,000
Oleg Stavrowsky (1927-2020), The Thoroughbreds, oil on canvas, 20 x 30” Estimate: $3/5,000
Two other paintings that are also drawing quite a bit of attention from bidders are works by Dave Powell: Texas Money (est. $10/15,000) and The Fight at Walker’s Creek (est. $25/35,000). Not only are the pieces terrific examples of Powell’s artistic powers, but both works also come from the Yellowstone TV show. The set designer knew Powell and worked with him to acquire the works for the show’s production. After the show acquired the paintings, set designers had one-of-a-kind gicleé prints made and then placed them in important places: Texas Money is displayed behind Kayce Dutton’s (Luke Grimes) desk and The Fight at Walker’s Creek is behind John Dutton’s (Kevin Costner) desk at the Dutton Yellowstone Ranch. The gicleé prints were made as a precaution in case any on-set accident happened while filming. The originals will be available at the Mesa Old West Show. Lebel says there will be considerable bidding since Yellowstone is one of the most popular and talked-about shows on TV. 
John Fery (1858-1934), Elk in Glacier National Park, oil on canvas on board, 13 7/8 x 23½” Estimate: $8/12,000“A show like that is great because the more people who can learn about the West and Western lifestyle the better. It’s good for collectors, it’s good for tourism, it’s good for art,” he says. “Like dime novels back in the 1890s, television and movies have a way of romanticizing the West in really interesting ways that bring in new people. That’s never a bad thing.”
Don Ellis saddle, gold and sterling mounted parade saddle ensemble, 58” tall Estimate: $25/35,000Another batch of works that is likely to go wild with collectors is a grouping of material related to Roy Rogers, the iconic Western actor and singer. Mesa Old West will offer one of Rogers’ three iconic gun holsters and a pair of matching spurs. The 1949 gun rig, estimated at $60,000 to $90,000, was made by Nudie’s of Hollywood and includes two Colt single-action revolvers. The gold Crockett spurs come with Nudie’s of Hollywood straps to match the rig. They are estimated at $12,000 to $18,000. While both pieces will be highly sought after, the gun rig will be a special prize. “The rig is adorned with deep floral carving, scalloped and engraved sterling conchos, gold-washed buckle sets for the double holsters, and a ruby-studded initial ‘R’ on the belt’s three-piece ranger buckle set,” Lebel notes. “The rig includes Roy’s pair of matching Colt Single Actions with horsehead-carved mother-of-pearl grips.”
Bert Geer Phillips (1868-1956), Springtime in Taos, oil on board, 7 x 7” Estimate: $10/15,000
Nick Eggenhofer (1897-1985), Indian on Appaloosa, gouache, 6¾ x 5” Estimate: $3/4,000Rogers’ wife, Dale Evans, will have some cherished items in the sale as well, including her floral belt and holster rig with Colt Positive revolver. The rig’s estimates is $12,000 to $18,000. The Rogers and Evans items were previously offered at one of Lebel’s events in 2010 in Denver. Other Roy Rogers’ piece include a gold-washed 101 Ranch Colt Single Action (est. $30/40,000) and Roy and Dale’s personal Tiffany silver monogrammed flatware service that was a wedding gift to the celebrity couple. It’s estimated at $20,000 to $25,000. 
John Moyers, The Old Serape, drybrush on paper, 24 x 14” Estimate: $4/6,000; Edgar S. Paxson (1852-1919), Untitled: Native Portrait, watercolor and gouache, 9½ x 7½” Estimate: $7/9,000Auction founder Brian Lebel is proud to be able to offer the pieces to the public again. “These are important, remarkable, one-of-a-kind collectibles,” says Lebel. “The public doesn’t always get a second chance at items of this caliber,” he adds. “It’s not unusual for us to offer something at auction that we’ve sold before, but it’s a lot less common at this level of collecting. After more than a dozen years in an esteemed private collection, these items are among the best of the best of the Roy and Dale artifacts, and I’m honored to bring them to the market again.” —
Brian Lebel’s Mesa Old West Show & Auction
January 20-22, 2023
Show: Jan. 21, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Jan. 22, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Auction: Jan. 20-21, 5 p.m.
Mesa Convention Center, 263 N. Center Street, Mesa, AZ 85201
(480) 779-9378, www.oldwestevents.com
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