DENVER, CO.- On November 4, Hindman Auctions will present a Western Art including Contemporary Native American Art auction in its Denver saleroom. The sale will feature nearly 300 lots of historic and contemporary Western and wildlife paintings and bronzes, and includes an outstanding offering of contemporary Native American art, pottery and jewelry. Among the highlights for the auction is property from the Palm Springs Art Museum being sold to support the care of collections and the George Montgomery fund for acquisitions, as well as property from the Homer E. Noble Collection, Denver, Colorado, and various other consignors from across the country. Among the significant offerings in the Western Art session are works by important blue-chip artists such as Carl Rungius, Thomas Moran, Joseph Henry Sharp, Charlie Russell, Frederic Remington, Philip Goodwin, Thomas Hill and Edmund Osthaus. The sale will also feature a strong selection of works by established contemporary artists such as Billy Schenck, Ed Mell, John DeMott, Kim Wiggins, John Nieto, Martin Grelle and Howard Post.

“We are thrilled to be presenting such impressive collections of works with such broad-spectrum appeal,” said Hindman Auctions’ Vice Chair Maron Hindman. “We look forward to seeing how our bidders respond to some of the highlights that are fresh to the market having been in private or institutional collections for many years.”

Works that were originally from the collection of Hollywood Western film actor, producer and director George Montgomery will be sold to support the care of collections and acquisitions funds of Palm Springs Art Museum. Montgomery was born near Great Falls, Montana and was well known for his work as a rugged cowboy or ranch hand in over 80 Western films and television programs in the 1930s through the 1970s. His early film credits include, Davey Crockett, Indian Scout (1950), The Texas Rangers (1951), Jack McCall Desperado (1953), and Gun Dual in Durango (1957). He went on to appear in numerous television shows including episodes of Wagon Train, Bonanza and the Six Million Dollar Man.

As a Western renaissance man, George Montgomery was a skilled wood worker and later expanded his artistic interest to include bronze work. He was self-taught, and sculpted upwards of 50 bronze sculptures of subjects such as his friends and colleagues John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Gene Autry and Ronald Reagan. A sculpture by Montgomery of his former wife, Dinah Shore, and their children is displayed at the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California.

Highlights of this collection include a stunning oil painting by leading American wildlife artist Carl Rungius entitled Mountain Caribou (lot 334) which will be offered with a presale estimate of $200,000-300,000. Additional notable artworks include Sydney Mortimer Laurence’s Mount McKinley from the South Side (lot 313: estimate: $15,000-25,000) and Alfred von Wierusz Kowalski’s Return from the Hunt (lot 322; estimate: $20,000- 30,000) which is inscribed on the verso: From my collection, George Montgomery, purchased for me by my wife “Dinah” on our 1st wedding anniversary, 1944.

Homer E. Noble Collection

Originally from Western Colorado, Homer E. Noble was part of the “Greatest Generation,” earning both a Purple Heart and Bronze Star while serving in the Marine Corps during World War II. Known for his strong entrepreneurial nature, Noble was a strong investor in land and natural resources. He was an advocate for the environment as demonstrated by his conservation easement in Western Colorado and large ranch developments that preserved pristine natural landscapes. Noble assembled a fine art collection, and horses were his primary inspiration for many of the pieces he purchased. He grew up with horses and they continued to be a critical part of his life as an owner of choice racehorses. His horses competed at Del Mar, Santa Anita, Belmont and, most notably in the Kentucky Derby where his horse placed second in 1980.




Standout lots from Noble’s collection include Thomas Moran’s View of Zion (lot 314; estimate: $100,000- 200,000). While Moran only visited Zion once in 1873, on his way to join John Wesley Powell’s U.S. Geological Survey Expedition to the Grand Canyon, his depictions of Zion appear in works created throughout his lifetime. Other highlights include an illustrated letter, addressed to Harry P. Stanford, by Charles Marion Russell (lot 397; estimate: $50,000-70,000). Other noteworthy works in the collection are by American artist and teacher Randall Davey. Davey, a racing, and polo enthusiast, taught at the Broadmoor Art Academy in Colorado Springs. Many in this collection of works by Davey, feature racing and other equestrian scenes, were purchased in 1985 at the Randall Davey: 100 Works to Benefit the Audubon Randall Davey Society auction in Santa Fe. Highlights include Rearing Horse, Cheltenham, England (lot 354; estimate: $3,000-5,000) and a watercolor titled Jockey's Girl (lot 352; estimate: $1,500-2,500).Contemporary Native American Art Session

Contemporary Native American Art Session

The Contemporary Native American Art session will immediately follow the Western lots and will feature works such as Fritz Scholder’s Horse and Rider (lot 451; estimate: $30,000-50,000), and Earl Biss’ In Times of Change (lot 455; estimate: $20,000-40,000). Other notable works include Allan Houser’s bronze sculpture Looking On (lot 469; estimate: $10,000-15,000), and Emmi Whitehorse’s painting Red Pond (lot 461; estimate: $2,000-3,000).

“Contemporary Native American Art is such an exciting, growing category and I’m thrilled to present a wonderful combination of works by emerging and established Native American artists to our bidders,” said Farnand.

Jewelry highlights include Charles Loloma’s silver and cobblestone inlay cuff bracelet (lot 555; estimate: $10,000- 15,000) and a heavily stamped silver concha belt by McKee Patero (lot 575; estimate: 6,000-8,000). Exceptional pottery examples are Grace Medicine Flower’s monumental pottery jar (estimate: $6,000-8,000); Virgil Ortiz’s conjoined pottery figures (lot 546; estimate: 2,000-4,000); and Nathan Youngblood’s carved two-toned redware pottery jar (lot 511; estimate: $3,000-5,000).

Other notable works include Allan Houser’s bronze sculpture Looking On (estimate: $10,000-15,000), and Emmi Whitehorse’s painting Red Pond (estimate: $2,000-3,000).

Highlights from Additional Collections

Other top classical Western art highlights include Philip Russell Goodwin’s Successful Sheep Hunt (lot 325; estimate: $50,000-70,000), Thomas Hill’s Indian on Horseback Amongst Sequoias (estimate: $30,000- 50,000), Fremont Ellis’s High Country - El Rancho De San Sebastian (lot 387; estimate: $10,000-15,000) and Edmund Henry Osthaus’ Scene with Sporting Dogs (lot 364; estimate: $20,000 - $30,000). Among the contemporary offerings are Kim Wiggins’ Wild Horses in the High Country (lot 433; estimate: $10,000-15,000), John Nieto’s Seated Man (estimate: $12,000-13,000), Howard Post’s Homestead (lot 434estimate: $10,000- 15,000) and John DeMott’s large scale painting depicting a Chief in Headdress with a dog and horse (lot 392; estimate: $10,000-15,000).