John Moran Auctioneers will present their late summer Art of the American West sale this September, featuring a curated selection of historic Western art, including works by Frank Tenney Johnson and Joseph Henry Sharp, alongside a selection of modern, contemporary and historic Native American art and objects.
Two small portraits by Sharp depicting Native American figures amidst snowy landscapes are among the historic highlights in the upcoming auction, each estimated to fetch between $15,000 and $25,000. “Both works have the immediacy of quick, confident brushwork indicative of working in situ and showcase the likely Pueblo models outfitted in Plains beaded coat and jacket,” says Katherine Halligan, fine art specialist at John Moran Auctioneers.
Joseph Henry Sharp (1859-1953), Indian with Bow and Arrows. Oil on board, 12 x 81⁄8 in. Estimate: $15/25,000
“Also included in the sale is a particularly dark nocturne of a horse and rider by Frank Tenney Johnson. A master of the nocturne, Johnson takes the darkness to an inky black level in the present work, while the typical form of horse and rider is center in the midnight composition,” she adds. Night Rider has a presale estimate of $20,000 to $30,000.
Additionally, collectors should keep an eye out for William Robinson Leigh’s oil Zuni Bread Maker, estimated at $8,000 to $12,000; Gordon Coutts’ oil Herding the Wild Horses (est. $3/5,000); and Indian Portrait, which has a presale estimate of $20,000 to $30,000, by noted La Jolla Band of Luiseño artist Fritz Scholder.
William Robinson Leigh (1866-1955), Zuni Bread Maker. Oil on canvas laid to board, 8¼ x 7 in. Estimate: $8/12,000
Other highlights by Native American artists include works by Oscar Howe, a beautiful assortment of Panamint and Pomo basketry, and a strong selection of Navajo weavings ranging in age from the Late Classic period to the contemporary. Modern and contemporary works of art and jewelry by Indigenous American artists are also well-represented in the sale.
Gordon Coutts (1868-1937), Herding the Wild Horses. Oil on canvas, 30¼ x 40¼ in. Estimate: $3/5,000
Joseph Henry Sharp (1859-1953), Indian with Staff. Oil on board, 12 x 81⁄8 in. Estimate: $15/25,000
“I think Western art endures as it’s the most uniquely and overtly American genre capturing the romance, the grit, the determination and endurance of our country while also showcasing the most incredible landscapes and the daily life of the working cowboy, the Western settler and importantly, the rich Indigenous cultures throughout the continent,” Halligan says. “I also think that it’s been a very strong sector amongst American niche markets at auction because of the sheer size of Western states where so many passionate art collectors are based, and because many collectors who may have multiple homes choose to decorate their Western homes in a Western lifestyle aesthetic.”
The Art of the American West sale will take place on Tuesday, September 15, at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. —
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