For Hindman’s biannual auction Western & Contemporary Native American Art,collectors can expect quite the thrilling line-up. Alexandria Dreas, Hindman’s associate specialist for Western art, can attest to the high quality of the 276 lots that will be sure to interest collectors of all kinds.
Winold Reiss (1886-1953), Plenty Treaties, 1943, pastel on paper, 39 x 26”. Property from the Collection of Ned Jacob. Estimate: $70/90,000
“The caliber of property we bring to the secondary art market will be of great interest to collectors seeking art that represents the experience of the American West,” says Dreas. “We are proud to be one of the strongest auction houses offering this specific category of work, and always strive to improve on our previous successes. This sale includes material from several important collections: property from a corporate art collection out of Oklahoma, property from the estate of Harry M. Cornell Jr. and property from an estate being sold to benefit the Wichita Art Museum, just to name a few. All of them bring to the market fresh material, never before offered at auction.”
Jaune Quick-To-See Smith (Confederated Salish/Kootenai), Kalispell Series #40, pastel on paper, 41½ x 29½” Estimate: $6/8,000
From the contemporary Western category, Hindman’s is particularly excited for “the strong selection of paintings and sculptures from Ed Mell,” Dreas explains. “As one of the most popular artists of our time, we are excited to showcase so many great examples of his artwork in both bronze and paint.” Coming from the Smith Collection in Scottsdale, Arizona, there will be around 14 Mell pieces available at the sale, with the highest estimate for his oil on canvas Quiet Distance ($40/60,000). Along with painting Vaulting Clouds (est. $50/70,000), the works feature the artist’s quintessential depictions of sweeping Western landscapes painted in an abstracted and modernist style.
Fritz Scholder (1937-2005), Indian at the Bar, 1969, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 30” Estimate: $50/70,000
For the historic Western side of the sale, one possible top lot is Winold Reiss’ 1943 pastel Plenty Treaties (est. $70/90,000). The stunning piece depicts the portrait of Blackfeet leader Plenty Treaties. “Renowned for his powerful portraiture, Reiss painted more than 250 works depicting Native Americans, and the one to be offered here is a beautiful display of his talent,” shares the Hindman representatives.
Additional historic Western works to follow are Birger Sandzén’s 1939 Autumnal Landscape (est. $60/80,000) and Leon Gaspard’s 1917 work Untitled (Russian Village Market), with an estimate of $12,000 to 18,000. Other top contemporary Western works include Richard Schmid’s 1962 painting Gladiolas with a strong estimate of $40,000 to $60,000.
Heading to the contemporary Native American session of the sale, “we are once again thrilled to present some incredible examples of work by Fritz Scholder including an iconic example from 1969 titled Indian at the Bar (est. $50/70,000),” says Dreas. “Juxtaposing the image of the Native American with a can of Coors beer and using layers of highly pigmented, pop-like color, Scholder creates a painting that perfectly illustrates the struggle to balance modernity with tradition and identity in the life of 20th-century Indigenous people.”
Ed Mell, Quiet Distance, 1993, oil on canvas, 44 x 34”. Property from the Smith Collection, Scottsdale, Arizona. Estimate: $40/60,000
Dreas also notes another lot to watch is a pastel on paper by Jaune Quick-to-See Smith titled Kalispell Series #40 (est. $6/8,000). “We have been champions of her work for years and are so excited that her incredible talent has begun garnering the success it so deserves,” Dreas says. “Hindman is proud to once again offer an original artwork by this incredible artist, whose acclaim only continues to build!”
Bidding for the May 4 Western & Contemporary Native American Art Sale will be available through Hindman’s Denver showroom, absentee, phone, and online bidding through the auction website, Live Auctioneers and Invaluable. An online-only sale will follow on May 5, featuring 275 lots of significance. —
Western & Contemporary Native American Art Sale
May 4, 2023
2737 Larimer Street, Suite C, Denver, CO, 8025
(303) 825-1855,
www.hindmanauctions.com
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