A lot of history has taken place in Las Vegas’ Westgate Resort & Hotel, especially back when it was called the International Hotel and home to Elvis Presley for a five-year run of concerts that would mark a long relationship between the iconic singer and the Nevada city. Those storied halls and rooms hosted Brian Lebel’s 34th Annual Old West Show & Auctionon January 26 and 27. Like the hotel itself, the show had a lot of history—Western history.
Till Goodan (1896-1958), Untitled (Roping Trouble), oil on canvas, 24 x 32” Estimate: $7/9,000 SOLD: $24,600
Known for uniting Western fine art and high-end collector material such as parade saddles and historic firearms, Lebel’s shows always offer hefty offerings of art and objects that relate to all aspects of the Old West. You just never know what you’ll see, and that was certainly the case for this show.
Edward H. Bohlin (1895-1980), child’s parade saddle, ca. early 1950s Estimate: $30/40,000 SOLD: $79,950
The auction portion of the event realized nearly $2.3 million, much of which was generated from incredible Western gear, including braided leather, objects made from exquisitely engraved silver, bits and spurs, quirts and hobbles, and then also a stunning mixture of work designed by Edward H. Bohlin, the leather and silver master who designed some of the greatest saddles, chaps and gun rigs ever created.
Dave McGary (1958-2013), Last Stand Hill, polychrome bronze, 36 x 25 x 19” Estimate: $15/25,000 SOLD: $27,060
The top lot was Bohlin’s personal silver-mounted gun belt with a pair of matching Colt single-action Army revolvers. The lot, with a high estimate of $250,000, was expected to easily hit six figures without issue. When it hit that number, bidding climbed even further, eventually closing at $307,000. In another lot, a Bohlin child’s parade saddle from the early 1950s sold for nearly $80,000, doubling a high estimate of $40,000.
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 Sold: $307,500
“The Western objects did tremendously well,” Lebel said after the sale. “We weren’t sure how Las Vegas would bid on these pieces, but there was a lot of interest and the prices went high. We’re very pleased.”
One of the top fine art lots was Dave McGary’s Last Stand Hill, a polychrome bronze with a high estimate of $25,000. Competitive bidding took the sale up past that number to $27,000. One of the unexpected hits was Till Goodan’s painting Untitled (Roping Trouble).The work had a high estimate of $9,000, but fierce bidding made the piece rise quickly. It finally sold at $24,600, a new auction world record for the 20th-century painter.
Roy Rogers’ exhibition McCabe chaps, 1931 Estimate: $70/90,000 SOLD: $184,500
Lebel and Morphy next turn their attention to the summer show in Santa Fe, New Mexico, from June 21 to 23. —
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