There is no such thing as luck in the auction world. Bidders either keep bidding until they win, or they throw in the towel. But just in case luck has anything to do with it, the Old West Show & Auction’s new location in Las Vegas has you covered. The desert city, known for offering the blessing of Lady Luck, will host the show on January 26 and 27.
Till Goodan (1896-1958), Untitled (Roping Trouble), oil on canvas, 24 x 32” Estimate: $7/9,000
After decades of success in Mesa, Arizona, show promoter Brian Lebel and Morphy Auctions have moved the hit Old West Show & Auction, now in its 34th year, to Nevada. For Lebel, who has run countless shows in dozens of destinations, Las Vegas offers opportunities unique to other cities.
“There is a great vibe in Vegas and I think our collectors are ready to experience something new. Mesa was great for all those years, but like everything, people are happy for a change,” Lebel says. “One of the things we’re already hearing is how many hotel options there are and how many great restaurants that are nearby. Also, because it’s Las Vegas the flights into town are constant. These things just make it fun for everyone—the dealers and the collectors.”
Dave McGary (1958-2013), Last Stand Hill, polychrome bronze, 36 x 25 x 19” Estimate: $15/25,000
The show, as in past years with Lebel’s events, will have two components: a large dealer show, where buyers can peruse hundreds of booths filled with Western and Native American material spanning centuries, and then a 450-lot auction, which is also filled with great art and objects from all around the Southwest and beyond.
“Not only are we going to have all our best dealers back, but we’re going to have more of them since we have more room for them,” he says. “And then the auction will be right next door so guests can browse the show and then head right next door to preview the auction. We want this to be easy for anyone who comes out.”
Edward H. Bohlin (1895-1980), Bohlin’s personal silver-mounted gun belt with a pair of Bohlin-mounted Colt single-action Army revolvers Estimate: $200/250,000
The show will take place January 26 and 27 at the Westgate Resort & Casino, which is a short walk from the world-famous Las Vegas Boulevard. The show will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days, and the auction will take place January 26. The event will complement Morphy’s Las Vegas Antique Arms Show, a gun show that emphasizes historic firearms that often pair nicely with paintings and bronzes in major collections.
One of the major highlights from the sale are Edward H. Bohlin’s personal silver-mounted gun belt with a pair of Bohlin-mounted Colt single-action Army revolvers. Bohlin’s silver and leather cowboy gear are prized among Western collectors, and these items from Bohlin’s personal collection should create quite a buzz. “This stunning rig rates indisputably as one of the finest, most important Edward Bohlin artifacts to ever come to market,” the auction notes.
Howard Terpning, Scouting, 1983, oil on board, 9 x 6” Estimate: $25/35,000
The lot comes with a letter from James H. Nottage, who has written about Bohlin and researched his work for many years. “This document presents the finest holster set to come from the Bohlin shop; it symbolizes both the romance of the West and the elegance of a particularly notable example of American fine and decorative art,” Nottage writes. The lot is estimated at $200,000 to $250,000.
Other Western objects in the sale include a rare pair of G.S. Garcia “rabbit” spurs (est. $35/45,000), a Bohlin child’s parade saddle (est. $30/40,000), a pair of McCabe silver-adorned chaps made for Roy Rogers (est. $70/90,000) and an exceptional collection of leather material from rawhide braider Luis B. Ortega, including a pair of show hobbles (est. $2/2,500) and a pencil bosal (est. $1,5/2,000).
Gordon Snidow, Vince, 1970, oil on canvas, 30 x 50” Estimate: $25/35,000
“These are stunning materials. The rabbit spurs are so rare that there are only two known pairs, and this is one of them. You can’t get something more unique than that. The Ortega rawhide material are also really great. Many are from his personal collection: a bolo tie, hat and handbands, and many more,” Lebel says. “Some people see these things just as objects but our collectors see them as fine art, because that’s what they are.”
John Moyers, Crazy Horse and Crazy Man, oil on board, 24 x 24” (each) Estimate: $20/30,000
In the category of paintings, the sale will feature a number of works that should delight collectors, including Gordon Snidow’s 1970 oil painting Vince (est. $25/35,000) showing a cowboy kneeling against a wooden fence in a corral. The piece is large, too, at 38 by 58 inches. These classic cowboy images by Snidow come up somewhat rare at auctions.
Harry Jackson (1924-2011), Cowboy Meditation (Cowboy’s Meditation), polychrome bronze, 24½ x 21 x 10” Estimate: $15/20,000
Howard Terpning’s 9-by-6-inch painting Scouting, created in 1983, will be offered to bidders. The small work is beautifully framed and matted to exemplify the small nature of the work with the big qualities of the subject. It is estimated at $25,000 to $35,000.
Other pieces are include a huge Earl Biss’ racehorse painting titled Photo Finish, estimated at $20,000 to $30,000; Will James’ graphite on paper Snubbing Post, estimated at $10,000 to $15,000; a pair of John Moyers paintings meant to be shown together, Crazy Horse and Crazy Man,estimated at $20,000 to $30,000 for the pair; and a magnificent untitled Till Goodan work showing a pair of cowboys attempting to rope a difficult cow, estimated at $7,000 to $9,000. Goodan is not widely known in Western circles, but his work could fetch a decent amount for those collectors who enjoy works by Joe Beeler, Charlie Dye or even Charles M. Russell.
Luis B. Ortega (1897-1995), rawhide show hobbles Estimate: $2/2,500
In the sculpture category, the sale will feature a vast collection of works that should draw considerable attention. Many works from Harry Jackson will be featured, including one of his famous Pony Express pieces and Cowboy Meditation (Cowboy’s Meditation), each estimated at $15,000 to $20,000. Dave McGary will be represented by a polychrome bronze titled Last Stand Hill, which shows three riders and four horses in an action scene involving a stolen horse. The work is expected to fetch $15,000 to $25,000, but based on McGary’s recent streak at auction, the lot could go well over estimates.
Will James (1892-1942), Snubbing Post, graphite on paper, 11 x 14” Estimate: $10/15,000
In addition to paintings and bronzes, the sale will have a number of historic Native American items from the late 1800s and early 1900s. These include two stunning beaded bridles, one is a Crow example (est. $9/12,000) and the other Lakota (est. $8/12,000), and two pairs of beaded pictorial gauntlets. A Blackfoot man’s war shirt with long history and provenance will be offered with estimates of $15,000 to $25,000, as will a Sonny Tuttle hand-painted deer hide estimated at $2,000 to $3,000.
Rare G.S. Garcia “rabbit” spurs Estimate: $35/45,000
The highlight amid the Native American objects is the White Bull ledger, illustrated by Lakota warrior White Bull. Within the 148-page ledger book, White Bull draws the historical record of his people. The ledger is estimated at $200,000 to $250,000.
Lebel expects even more surprises as late-additions to the sale, not to mention all the great material that will appear at the dealer show. “You can find anything you can imagine that relates to the West at one of our shows,” he says, adding that the new location will enhance this year’s events. “The West runs so strong in Las Vegas that we are going to have a great turnout. I think back to all the Western-themed casinos that were part of Vegas since the very beginning. It’s a Western town.” —
34th Annual Old West Show & Auction
January 26-27, 2024
Westgate Resort & Casino, 3000 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, NV 89109
(480) 779-9378, www.oldwestevents.com
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