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Native American subjects

Native American subjects set records at Hindman Western art sale

Tom Hoepf
Tom Hoepf
Native American subjects
Fritz Scholder (American, 1937-2005), ‘Indian Messiah,’ 1975, oil on canvas, 80 x 68in. Sold for $187,500. Hindman image

DENVER – Hindman’s Western Paintings and Sculpture auction on Friday, Oct. 29, posted outstanding results. The auction exceeded its presale estimate and set numerous new global auction records. The sale sold 93% of the lots offered and closed out the day at $1.6M. The Western & Wildlife Art category has seen a considerable increase in demand as of late, with Hindman’s Western Paintings and Sculpture auctions consistently surpassing expectations. Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.

“The works offered in Friday’s sale were truly exceptional and we are delighted with the results. The Western art market continues to flourish as more and more collectors turn their attention and resources to this category. We are so pleased to be able to continually offer such outstanding material and we look forward to our upcoming Western Paintings & Sculpture auction in May,” said Kate Hlavin, director and specialist of Western & Wildlife Art.

Native American subjects
Earl Biss (Apsaalooke, 1947-1998), ‘Ritual Dance of the Moon Hunters,’ 1986, oil on canvas, 72 x 96in. Sold for $75,000. Hindman image

Among the world auction records set in yesterday’s sale were paintings by Fritz Scholder, Billy Schenck, Howard Post, Earl Biss, David Bradley, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, William Berra and Beatrice Mandelman.

Native American subjects
Joseph Henry Sharp (American, 1859-1953), ‘Wind River Country,’ oil on canvas, 20 x 27in. Sold for $162,500. Hindman image

The top lot of the sale, Fritz Scholder’s oil on canvas, Indian Messiah, from 1975, sold for a total of $187,500 against its presale estimate of $20,000-$30,000. Multiple telephone and online bidders pushed the final result to almost 10 times the estimate.  Another auction record was set by Scholder’s contemporary and friend, Earl Biss. His 1986 oil on canvas, Ritual Dance of the Moon Hunters, realized $75,000 against a presale estimate of $15,000-$25,000. Scholder and Biss are most famous for their Native American imagery and the market for these artists has continued to see robust demand and increasingly exciting results. Additionally, Billy Schenck’s, Days of August, from 1986 set an auction record for the artist, selling for $40,000. Estimated at $8,000-$12,000, this expansive oil on canvas, is the embodiment of the artist’s cinematic style, using vivid bold colors to illustrate Western scenery in high contrast.

Native American subjects
Kenneth Riley (American, 1919-2015), ‘Indian Camp in Mountain Valley,’ 1985, oil on canvas, 84 x 96in. Sold for $68,750. Hindman image

The Western Paintings and Sculpture auction was held at Hindman’s Denver saleroom with all bidders participating remotely.

Native American subjects
Billy Schenck (American, b. 1947), ‘Days of August,’ 1986, oil on canvas, 60 x 85½in. Sold for $40,000. Hindman image

The sale saw tremendous interest from bidders across the globe bidding by absentee, telephone and four online bidding platforms.

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View top auction results on LiveAuctioneers here: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/pages/recent-auction-sales/

 

 

 

Native American subjects