As the snow begins to pile up in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, some of the regular national park tourists start disappearing off the streets. In their place are the skiers and thrill seekers who come to Wyoming to conquer the slopes.
“Traffic never really lets up,” says Jackson Hole Art Auctionmanaging director Kevin Doyle. “People are always around and enjoying the area. And also the art.”
John Cowan (1920-2008), Deer Stand, watercolor on paper, 21½ x 293⁄8” Estimate: $12/18,000Doyle adds that anyone visiting Wyoming is welcome to pop into the auction house, where they can preview the new winter sale, which will take place February 17. “The sale itself is entirely online, but we always have the work available to anyone who might be nearby and want to see it,” he says.
Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952), An Oasis in the Bad Lands, orotone on glass, 8 x 10” Estimate: $10/15,000
The mid-season sale will feature more than 300 lots of Western art that will include landscapes, wildlife, scenes of cowboys and Native Americans, bronzes, sporting images and much more. “We’re seeing a lot of demand out there in the market right now, both for big sales and then these mid-season sales as well,” Doyle says. “Some of our consignors really want to have their works in our September sale for the added exposure, but we’re seeing lots of bidding and interest in both of our sales, not just September. People will go where the quality is.”
The sale will feature a mixture of work from living and deceased Western artists, though many of the highlights are from the more historic artists. One of them is sporting artist John Cowan, whose watercolor piece Deer Standwill be available to bidders. Painted with a delicate brush, the work features two animal subjects, both cutting strong silhouettes within the thick foliage. The painting is estimated at $12,000 to $18,000.
G. Harvey (1933-2017), The Cowhand, 1972, oil on canvas, 12 x 9¼” Estimate: $6/9,000Iconic Western artist Will James will have a small drawing in the sale, “Smoky” When His Heart Was Bad,from 1927. Although roughly drawn at a large scale, the piece is full of energy and excitement as a cowboy clings to a bucking horse. The drawing is estimated at $10,000 to $20,000.
Ed Mell, Apache Cliffs, 2001, oil on canvas laid on board, 11 x 14” Estimate: $6/9,000
Also in the sale is G. Harvey’s small 1972 oil The Cowhand (est. $6/9,000) of a solitary figure resting against a wooden gate. Lightly painted with delicate color, the Harvey work offers a great opportunity for collectors to acquire a Harvey painting at a rare four-figure price. Another piece that should thrill collectors is Ed Mell’s 2001 oil Apache Cliffs.Mell is still very active and his work has been creeping up at auction for many years. The work is estimated at $6,000 to $9,000.
Will James (1892-1942), “Smoky” When His Heart Was Bad, 1927, graphite/charcoal on paper, 24¾ x 185⁄8” Estimate: $10/20,000
Lanford Monroe (1950-2000), Made in the Shade, 1995, oil on board, 24 x 36” Estimate: $8/12,000
Turning from the deserts of Arizona to a lovely forest scene is Lanford Monroe’s Made in the Shade, showing a trio of horses grazing under a luscious canopy of trees. The piece, estimated at $8,000 to $12,000, was painted in 1995 and measures 36 inches across. “The horses are beautiful examples of her work, which we’ve had a lot of success with,” adds Doyle. Also in the landscape category is Conrad Schwiering’s majestic Mountain Stillness, which is equal parts landscape and cloudscape. It is estimated at $8,000 to $12,000.
Joe Beeler (1931-2006), Chief Goes to Washington, bronze, ed. 4 of 35, 18½ x 14½ x 16¼” Estimate: $8/12,000
In the bronze category, Joe Beeler’s Chief Goes to Washington will be available to bidders with estimates of $8,000 to $12,000. The piece, measuring 18 inches tall, shows a Native American figure seated with his hand resting high up on a cane. His posture is one of pride and contentment.
Conrad Schwiering (1916-1986), Mountain Stillness, oil on board, 26½ x 31½” Estimate: $8/12,000
Finally, the sale will offer an orotone photograph from Edward S. Curtis, An Oasis in the Bad Lands, estimated at $10,000 to $15,000. Curtis photographs, photogravures and these rare orotones are finding renewed interest with collectors as terrific examples hit the market. —
Jackson Hole Art Auction’s Winter Online Sale
February 17, 2024, 11 a.m. MST
Preview at 130 E. Broadway Avenue, Jackson, WY 83001
(866) 549-9278, www.jacksonholeartauction.com
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