On September 16, Bonhams’ Los Angeles showroom hosted its first auction dedicated to modern Native American art with 79 lots of jewelry, pottery, paintings and more hitting the market. The sale, titled Traditional/Individual: Modern Native American Art, was tightly curated to include masterworks of some of the most innovative past artists and contemporary works from those working today. The common thread between all has been pushing the boundaries while maintaining the traditional techniques.
T.C. Cannon (Kiowa, 1946-1978), Memorial Woodblock Suite (set of five works), 1977, 25 x 20" each. Estimate: $7/10,000 SOLD: $27,575
“Overall, I think, for an inaugural sale, we were really happy with it,” says Ingmārs Lindbergs, Bonhams’ director of Native American art, who adds that the sale will be a regular event for the auction house with the next one taking place in March.
Charles Loloma (Hopi, 1921-1991), tufa cast 14k gold cuff bracelet, ca. 1980, two off-center Lone Mountain turquoise cabochons with interior inlaid with a mosaic of coral, turquoise, lapis lazuli and gold spacers. Estimate: $20/30,000 SOLD: $32,575
Charles Loloma (Hopi, 1921-1991), 18k gold necklace, ca. 1985, designed with links joining bezel-set trapezoidal, rounded triangular and oblong turquoise, coral and charoite stones, 8½" Estimate: $10/15,000 SOLD: $27,575
Leading the auction was Fritz Scholder’s Screaming Indian, which the artist created in 1970 and was influenced by Francis Bacon. The work sold within its presale estimate at $47,575. The second highest earning lot of the day was the Allan Houser bronze War Pony, a 1978 piece from the L.D. “Brink” Brinkman Collection, at $35,075, while another of the artist’s pieces, Hunter’s Prayer, achieved $12,575 against an estimate of $10,000 to $15,000 to become the No. 9 lot of the sale.
Charles Loloma jewelry was of particular interest with buyers, with Lindbergs saying, “That market just continues to do well.” Three pieces by the framed artist landed within the top 10: a tufa cast mosaic bracelet achieved $32,575, besting its estimate of $20,000 to $30,000; a mosaic necklace that featured shaped turquoise, coral and charoite stones (est. $10/15,000) achieved $27,575; and a second mosaic necklace sold for $12,575.
Allan Houser (Chiricahua Apache, 1914-1994), War Pony, modeled 1978, bronze, ed. 9 of 20, 23½" excluding base. Estimate: $20/40,000 SOLD: $35,075
A set of five prints by T.C. Cannon was a standout of the sale, coming in at $27,575 nearly tripling the high estimate of $10,000. “He’s certainly been getting a lot of attention considering how long it’s been since he passed,” says Lindbergs, who cites recent museum exhibitions that have garnered press. “I think clearly his market is stroked, and his paintings are so rare that the prints really performed well.”
Other notable sales were a pin/pendant by Denise Wallace titled Old Bering Sea Figure I that came in at $11,325; a Tony Da blackware bear at $15,075; and two jars by Tammy Garcia, including a large blackware vase that sold for $16,325 to top an estimate of $10,000 to $15,000 .—
Top Ten Sales
Bonhams, Traditional/Individual: Modern Native American Art, September 16, 2019 (including buyer’s premium)
ITEM • Low/High Estimate • Sold
Screaming Indian by Fritz Scholder • $40/60,000 • $47,575
War Pony by Allan Houser • $20/40,000 • $35,075
A Charles Loloma mosaic bracelet • $20/30,000 • $32,575
Memorial Woodblock Suite by T.C. Cannon • $7/10,000 • $27,575
A Charles Loloma necklace • $10/15,000 • $27,575
A large Tammy Garcia blackware vase • $10/15,000 • $16,325
A Tony Da blackware bear • $15/20,000 • $15,075
A Charles Loloma mosaic bracelet • $15/20,000 • $15,075
Hunter’s Prayer by Allan Houser • $10/15,000 • $12,575
Old Bering Sea Figure I pin/pendant by Denise Wallace • $10/15,000 • $11,325
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