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Boisterous Bidding for C.M. Russell Watercolors

18 March 2012
Charles Marion Russell (1864–1926), Roping a Steer, 12 x 18”, watercolor and pencil on paper, estimated $250,000–350,000
Charles Marion Russell (1864–1926), Roping a Steer, 12 x 18”, watercolor and pencil on paper, estimated $250,000–350,000
  • Charles Marion Russell (1864–1926), Indian on Horseback, 18 x 12”, watercolor and pencil on paper, estimated $250,000–350,000.

    Charles Marion Russell (1864–1926), Indian on Horseback, 18 x 12”, watercolor and pencil on paper, estimated $250,000–350,000.

A trio of original watercolors by iconic Western artist Charles Marion Russell topped $1 million at The Russell: the Sale to Benefit the C.M. Russell Museum auction on Saturday night in Great Falls, Montana.

Two works, "Waiting for Her Brave's Return" and "Roping a Steer," each wrangled $375,000, and Russell's watercolor, "Indian on Horseback," fetched $300,000.

A watercolor and pen-and-ink called "Center-Fire Man on a Bronc," estimated to bring up to $45,000, soared to $170,000, while "The Bucker," one of the pieces on offer from the Renner estate, garnered $60,000 and was then donated to the Russell Museum.

Several pieces owned by Russell expert Ginger Renner sold well above estimates, including one of the $375,000 watercolors and "A Bunch of Riders," a pen and ink, that fetched $100,000.

A Nicolai Fechin painting brought $100,000.

The 260-lot sale rang in above $2.75 million, not including the buyer's premium, for the non-profit museum.

Also during Western Art Week in Great Falls, the March in Montana auction grossed upwards of $1.8 million.

Organized by Manitou Galleries and Coeur d'Alene Art Auction of Reno, Nev., the two-day sale included John Clymer's oil "Application of Pigments in Early Hopi Pottery Making," which sold for $55,000 — more than double the pre-auction estimate.

Of note, a Navajo Ganado weaving, measuring 208-inches-by-125-inches, sold for $35,000. A Lakota Sioux beaded dress brought $22,000.

 

 


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