MONROVIA, CALIF.- Moran’s will be presenting their Art of the American West sale on Tuesday, March 14, 2023 at 10:00am PST. The 354 lot auction will feature an exciting and robust offering of fine art for a wide range of collecting aesthetics from historic to contemporary. There will be sixty lots of traditional and contemporary Navajo and Pueblo silver jewelry. Western interiors can be accented and refreshed by a fantastic collection of framed Ganado and Tees Nos Pos blankets, stunning Pueblo pottery, and even saddles from John Wayne. Finely woven examples of California Mission, Southwest, and Pacific Northwest Coast baskets, together with a handful of beautiful Native American beadwork will round out the plentiful collectible items on offer in this auction.
One of the highlighted fine art works is the Charles Fritz painting, The Ancient Autumn Song, 1998. Fritz (b. 1955) is known for depicting the landscape, life, and history of the Rocky Mountain region. He makes sure to research the subject matter and pays particular attention to the composition, design, technique, and surface texture in each of his paintings. In explaining his style, he describes himself as an outdoor artist, preferring to paint on location, a strenuous and time-honored approach to the changing moods of nature. Measuring 36” H x 50” W, The Ancient Autumn Song has an estimate of $20,000-30,000.
Another artist who loves to research his subjects is Luke Frazier (b. 1950). Creating scenes from his memories and experiences, Frazier tends to create work that depicts the woods, mountains, and water. His love of raising and training bird dogs, adventures hunting and fishing, and photographing wildlife in their natural habitat all have a strong influence on what he creates. The artistic style of Frazier’s work leans towards impressionistic or representational. Arizona Roundup, 2007, has a $12,000-18,000 estimate, and is a great example of how Frazier captures animals in the wild.
This sale will also include works by one of the most well-known American West artists, Edward Borein (1872-1945). Since he was a child, Borein was fascinated with cowboys, vaqueros, longhorn cattle, and horses. He was so influenced by this lifestyle, Borein quit art school just after one month to become a cowboy. While working ranches along the California coast, he sketched about his experiences. His skills lead him to New York where he received a formal training in etching at the Art Students League. At the age of 48, Borein moved with his wife to Santa Barbara where he remained and became a successful independent artist, managing several studios, teaching, and producing innumerable etchings, drawings, and watercolors. This sale will offer a variety of etchings and an excellent example of Borein’s watercolors, The Concord Coach, valued at $10,000-15,000.
Like Borein, Alexander F. Harmer was a well-respected artist in the Santa Barbara community. Harmer was born in New Jersey and at 16 he lied about his age to join the U.S. Army, taking him to the West Coast—California and Arizona. It was during this time that his artistic subjects changed due to his newfound fascination with the American West and the Apache Indians. After the military and art school in Pennsylvania, Harmer returned to California and settled in Santa Barbara, which led to him being remembered as “Southern California’s first great painter of the 19th Century.” With an estimate of $3,000-5,000, Moran’s is pleased to offer his work titled, Vaqueros Riding at Night.
Along with the impressive selection of fine art, this auction will offer over 25 lots of American Indian rugs. One of the standout works is a large framed Navajo Teec Nos Pos storm pattern rug from the mid/late 20th century. This example is woven in red, cream, black, and grey wool with a double storm pattern motif and additional pictographic elements throughout in an elaborate all-over design and estimated $3,000-5,000.
Representing the category of decorative art: a Hopi katsina figure, a polychrome California Mission pictorial basket, and an Acoma pottery olla. Coming from Polacca, AZ is a Hopi katsina figure, circa 1913-1918. With an estimate of $3,000-5,000, the standing katsina (kachina) figure of carved cottonwood, with traces of polychrome painted clothing and face mask affixed to a modern black base.
Native American baskets from the Southern California region are often referred to as “mission” baskets, referencing a style of baskets made by people subjugated under the Franciscan mission system during 1769-1834. This sale will feature multiple examples of these exquisite works, one being a polychrome California Mission pictorial basket from the early 20th century. This wide coiled basket with rattlesnake motif has a $5,000-7,000 estimate.
Acoma pottery is created by the Acoma Pueblo people of New Mexico who learned the technique from the Aztec people. This Acoma pottery olla, estimated $1,000-2,000, is a large polychrome pottery vessel designed with three geometric panels centering a parrot on a buff ground.
To round out the sale there will be a selection of over 60 lots of Southwestern jewelry and accessories. One of the favorites is a large Pueblo stone set necklace by Jolene Eustace (b. 20th century; Zuni/Cochiti Pueblo). This piece is an oxidized sterling silver Sunface bib necklace with two long curved textured silver links and three stone set links with turquoise, coral and shell, and applied silver and 18k yellow gold motifs. The necklace is estimated $800-1,200.
—Brenda Smith, John Moran Auctioneers
