LOS ANGELES, CA.- For those that are longing a sense of adventure, but don’t want to leave the house, John Moran Auctioneers invites you to join their Art of the American West Online auction on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, at noon PST. Live vicariously through paintings of open skies, majestic mountain ranges, and warriors on horseback. Envision yourself on a bucking bronco in a rodeo as you enjoy the bronze sculpture, Eight Plus Two, by Sid Burns. When the time comes to mosey on out, accessorize in style from the wide variety of original American Indian jewelry, concho and leather belts, and your choice of cowboy hats!

For fine art there will be masterful works depicting the American West in all its glory. One of the highlighted paintings, Sunset in May, is by Heinie Hartwig with an estimate of $2,000-3,000. Also offered is a bold print from 1999 by the Inuit artist, Kenojuak Ashevak, Tulagaq Nunavummi, for an estimate of $1,000-2,000. A striking mixed media work from Tony Abeyta, The Navajo Yei Council of Gods, is estimated at $2,000-4,000. Along with demonstrating Abeyta’s representation of the Navajo religious ceremony, it’s a reflection of his earlier subjects.  In the image, the multiple Yei gods stand facing the viewer, challenging them to participate.

Representing the exquisite collection of sculptures, the Sid Burns (b. 1916, Arizona), “Eight Plus Two,” 1977, patinated bronze, estimated at $2,000-4000. This piece depicts the most dangerous 8-seconds in sports, the impossibly long 8 seconds a rodeo rider must stay atop a bucking bronco to even qualify to participate in the event.

A strong selection of pottery from various makers should prove difficult for collectors to resist. Included is a particularly fine collection of Santa Clara blackware, highlighted by the work of LuAnn Tafoya. Tafoya’s blackware pot has an estimate of $800-1,200.

Textiles in various shapes, sizes, and designs, including the ever-popular Chimayo-designed woven purses and bags, and a selection of decorative cushions made from various Navajo and Chimayo weavings will add Southwest style to every room. Among the numerous Navajo textiles weaving by Bertha Chee, estimated at $600-800. Entitled, Father Sky Mother Earth, the weaving depicts one of the best-known and often reproduced sandpainting compositions associated with the Shootingway Chantway. The two celestial deities of Sky and Earth appear personified with horned heads, lozenge-shaped bodies, and slim arms and legs. The dark body of Father Sky contains the Sun, Moon, and the Milky Way (along with various constellations), while Mother Earth’s light grey body contains the four sacred plants: maize, beans, squash, and tobacco. All remain protected by a Rainbow Guardian on three sides. The image is considered particularly sacred, as it serves as a reminder of humanity’s connectedness to the forces of the present world as well as the spiritual: because “we walk every day on our Mother the Earth, under our Father the Sky."

Get ready for an abundance of American Indian jewelry, including striking cuffs, and necklaces and rings in turquoise and silver. A perfect example is an Isleta cross necklace, with a $800-1,200 estimate. The Isleta cross refers to Isleta Pueblo in central New Mexico. Although the double bar cross is supposedly an influence from Moors and Spaniards, the design can also be compared to Pueblo symbols for the dragonfly. It’s an important creature for many Native American tribes, but most notably in the Southwest for its association to water, with early depictions found on Hohokam and Mimbres pottery. A cross with two crossbars could resemble a dragonfly hovering in the air with outstretched wings, while the reflective silver mimics the gleam of a dragonfly’s wings.

Fans of Western belts will not be disappointed! There will be a gorgeous variety of concho belts, as well as tooled leather belts with fine Western-style buckles. One of the favorites is a midcentury, large Navajo silver concho belt, estimated at $1,000-1,500.

To sum up this auction in one word: Variety! There is certainly something for everyone – from the serious art collector to the Southwestern design aficionado. 

—Brenda Smith and Sally Andrew, John Moran Auctioneers