Eagle bowl, ship-form pipe lead Bonhams' Native American art sale

Bonhams & Butterfields' June 7 auction of Native American Art in its San Francisco galleries tallied more than $1.6-million for baskets, pottery, jewelry and blankets. Northwest Coast and Plains material proved particularly strong in the 440-lot sale.

The leading lot was a seven-inch long Haida or Tlingit eagle effigy bowl, with a rich dark and oily patina from use, which inspired a bidding battle up to $146,000, three times the estimate. 

Also tripling its pre-sale estimate was a Haida argillite ship pipe, with a dramatic composition, realizing $48,800.  Black slate was finely-carved into a ship’s cabin with carved-bone window panes revealing two figures inside.  At the bow, a bear figure attacks a man dressed in a waistcoat, while at the stern two figures arm-wrestle, one pulling the other’s hair.

The sale's Plains/Plateau/Woodlands section also proved popular with bidders. A painted Plains Apache shield constructed of buffalo hide took in $48,800.