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C.M. Russell signed each of the sketches made for Dr. John Louis Weitman while on a western camping trip in 1899. Image courtesy of Clars Auction Gallery.

Clars to auction original C.M. Russell sketches Feb. 19

Tom Hoepf
Tom Hoepf
C.M. Russell signed each of the sketches made for Dr. John Louis Weitman while on a western camping trip in 1899. Image courtesy of Clars Auction Gallery.
C.M. Russell signed each of the sketches made for Dr. John Louis Weitman while on a western camping trip in 1899. Image courtesy of Clars Auction Gallery.

OAKLAND, Calif. – Clars Auction Gallery will offer three rare pencil drawings by Charles Marion Russell (American, 1864-1926) as part of their Feb. 19 Antiques and Fine Art Auction. LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

Being offered as one lot, this series of three drawings is entitled The Camping Trip and was done by Russell is 1899 as a personal remembrance of the camping trip he took with life-long friend Dr. John Louis Weitman in the mountains of Montana. The sketches were given to Weitman as a gift from Russell and have descended through the Weitman family to his granddaughters who have consigned them to Clars.

These sketches were on exhibit in 1957 and 1985-1987 at the C.M. Russell Museum in Great Falls, Mont., through the generosity of the Weitman family. Now, for the first time, they will be offered publicly along with many of Weitman’s personal items including a letter dated 1905, which mentions Russell. This important offering has been assigned an estimate of $60,000 to $80,000.

Rick Unruh, director of Fine Arts at Clars Auction Gallery who is handling this consignment notes that Dr. John Weitman himself was a renowned physician in Montana until moving to Oakland, Calif., when he retired. His friendship with Russell is evidenced in a photo in which C.M. Russell and Weitman are pictured together.

For more information on this important lot and Clars Feb. 18-19 Antiques and Fine Art sale, call 510-428-0110 or email info@clars.com or visit their website at www.clars.com Clars Auction Gallery is located at 5644 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, CA 94609.

View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet at www.liveauctioneers.com.

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ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF NOTE

The three C.M. Russell pencil sketches will be sold as one lot. Image courtesy of Clars Auction Gallery.
The three C.M. Russell pencil sketches will be sold as one lot. Image courtesy of Clars Auction Gallery.
A photo shows Charles M. Russell (second from left) with Dr. John Louis Weitman (far right). Image courtesy of Clars Auction Gallery.
A photo shows Charles M. Russell (second from left) with Dr. John Louis Weitman (far right). Image courtesy of Clars Auction Gallery.