Strong Sales

Works from many categories performed strongly at the Coeur d’Alene Art Auction

The Coeur d’Alene Art Auction brought a number of important works to bidders on July 25, including works from a variety of categories such as wildlife, landscapes, scenes with cowboys and Native Americans, works from Taos Society of Artists members and contemporary Western works. The sale realized $10.4 million. Thomas Moran (1837-1926), Green River, Wyoming, 1883, oil on canvas, 13¼ x 20" Estimate: $1/1.5 million SOLD: $1,568,000

“We were extremely pleased with the results for the sale. In the face of the uncertainty with COVID we were quite happy with total sales of over $10.4 million,” says auction partner Mike Overby. “We made a decision this spring to offer less lots but of high quality, capping the auction at 260 lots instead of the 320+ we typically take in. This strategy paid off with strong bidding across the board. Online bidders were up over 50 percent from last year and we enjoyed many first-time buyers, which is always exciting. We’re now looking forward to seeing everyone at the 2021 auction.”Victor Higgins (1884-1949), New Mexico Zinnias, oil on canvas, 30 x 24" Estimate: $200/300,000 SOLD: $416,500

Carl Rungius (1869-1959), Herd Bull, oil on canvas, 24 x 32" Estimate: $200/300,000 SOLD: $339,150

The top lot was Thomas Moran’s 1883 oil Green River, Wyoming, featuring one of the landscape painter’s most famous subjects. The relatively small work, measuring only 20 inches wide, was estimated at $1 million to $1.5 million and sold just over estimate at $1,568,000. “This is one of Moran’s most desirable subject matters, and this one has this very nice luminescence in the beautiful coloration in the sky and on the cliffs,” Overby said about the work before the sale. “If you’re collecting Moran, you have to get your hands a Green River painting, and this one really wonderful.”Ernest L. Blumenschein (1874-1960), White Sun, 1927, oil on canvas, 26 x 13" Estimate: $150/250,000 SOLD: $357,000

An early highlight from the sale occurred just 40 lots in with Victor Higgins’ floral still life New Mexico Zinnias. Prior to the start of the sale, Overby said the auction was getting a lot of interest in the work from the Taos painter, and that was certainly the case as bidding sent the price well over its $300,000 high estimate. It finally sold at $416,500. The work is now the second best-selling still life by Higgins at auction, behind another zinnias piece that sold in 2016 for $497,000. Another Taos artist with a noteworthy lot was Ernest L. Blumenschein, whose 1927 portrait White Suni soared past its $250,000 high estimate when it sold for $357,000.William Gollings (1878-1932), The Red Man’s Directions, 1924, oil on canvas, 22 x 30" Estimate: $250/350,000 SOLD: $297,500

Elsewhere in the sale Carl Rungius’ Herd Bull (est. $200/300,000) sold for $339,150; William Gollings’ The Red Man’s Directions (est. $250/350,000) achieved $297,500; Henry Shrady’s bronze Bison (est. $70/100,000) sold for $154,700; and Gerard Curtis Delano’s The Mountain Man (est. $250/350,000) sold after the close of the auction for $238,000.

Charles M. Russell had three works totaling more than $500,000 in the top 10. Russell’s top lot was Blackfeet War Party (est. $200/300,000) that sold for $190,400. —

Top 10 sales

Coeur d’Alene Art Auction, July 25, 2020 (with buyer’s premium)

Artist Title Low/High ESt. SOLD
Thomas Moran Green River, Wyoming $1/1.5 million $1,568,000
Victor Higgins New Mexico Zinnias $200/300,000 $416,500
Ernest L. Blumenschein White Sun $150/250,000 $357,000
Carl Rungius Herd Bull $200/300,000 $339,150
William Gollings The Red Man’s Directions $250/350,000 $297,500
Gerard Curtis Delano The Mountain Man $250/350,000 $238,000
Charles M. Russell Blackfeet War Party $200/300,000 $190,400
Charles M. Russell With a Good Hoss Under Him… $150/250,000 $178,500
Charles M. Russell Planning the Attack (The Wagon Train) $150/250,000 $154,700
Henry Shrady Bison $70/100,000 $154,700