Santa Fe Art Auction came out on top on February 5 with the Native American-Indigenous Art sale. After a remarkable $850,000 in total value from 537 lots, the auction house feels confident in confirming that “Santa Fe is leading the industry when it comes to Native American art…,” organizers report. Out of a variety of paintings, jewelry and textiles, pottery was the main attraction, bringing in the most bids and highest sales, and soaring over pre-auction estimates.
Maria Martinez (San Ildefonso, 1887-1980) and Popovi Da (San Ildefonso, 1923-1971), redware plate with feather designs, fired clay, pigment, height 2¾ x diameter 131/8" Estimate: $10/15,000 SOLD: $24,600“Being in Santa Fe, all of these [pottery] pieces, both historic and contemporary, were originally created within 100 miles of where the auction house stands,” says Gillian Blitch, president and CEO of Santa Fe Art Auction. “We are in the heart of Pueblo lands, and it just makes sense that we would have such enormous success with this highly collectible Native American art category. Specifically, we continue to see the increase in the market for Maria Martinez and her family.”
A redware plate with feather design from Maria and Popovi Da sold for $24,600, greatly exceeding its estimate of $10,000 to $15,000. Similarly, the blackware wedding vase with feather designs by Maria and Santana Martinez sold for $20,910, well over estimates between $5,000 to $7,000.
Julian Martinez (San Ildefonso, 1879-1943), Untitled (Eagle), gouache on paper, 95/8 x 13" Estimate: $5/700 SOLD: $4,080
“Speaking of Maria’s family,” says Blitch, “we had a gouache on paper, Untitled (Eagle), by her husband Julian Martinez that sold for $4,080 against a pre-auction estimate of $500 to $700. Historic Native paintings, especially those created during the Dorothy Dunn school timeframe, are very hard to come by right now. However, we had two very strong collections come up for auction in this sale and the work did remarkably well. In addition, two small gouaches by James Auchiah hammered at over $5,000 each. Both works were created in 1947, when Auchiah was a member of the famed Kiowa Six.”
James Auchiah (Kiowa, 1906-1974), Untitled (Hoop Dancer), 1947, gouache on paper, 101/8 x 75/8" Estimate: $1/2,500 SOLD: $5,280
In other two-dimensional work, like a Plains double-sided ledger drawing, sold for $10,455, far above its high estimate of $4,000. “Historic ledger drawings are also increasingly hard to come by, so we were thrilled to get this piece in the sale,” Blitch says.
She also notes that besides pottery, textiles were also strong sellers. “Many of our offerings sold over high estimate including a Teec Nos Pos textile which sold for $9,600 (est. $4/6,000), and a Red Mesa textile, circa 1940, sold for $7,800 (est. $3/4,500).”
Carl and Irene Clark (Diné [Navajo]), Yellow gold and micro-mosaic inlay belt buckle, 22k yellow gold, turquoise, lapis, jet, mother of pearl, sugilite, coral and opal having inlaid Yei figure, 2 x 21/8 x ¾" Estimate: $12/18,000 SOLD: $13,200
In addition, there were strong prices for both a small collection of serigraphs by John Nieto, and historic and contemporary jewelry. Nieto’s serigraph Navajo Weaver sold for $2,640 (est. $4/600), and another Indian Drum Dancer sold for $2,640 (est. $6/900). Jewelry pieces like the Morgan silver dollar concho belt sold well over its estimate of $600 to $800, settling at $3,120, and a Navajo yellow-gold and micro-mosaic inlay belt buckle sold for $13,200 (est. $12/18,000).
Santa Fe Auction is happy to see robust jewelry bids. “This is encouraging,” says Blitch, “since we are delighted to announce we have been chosen to represent the estate of Charles and Georgia Loloma and will be bringing their collection of fine art and jewelry to market later this year.”
Top Ten Sales
Santa Fe Art Auction, Native American-Indigenous Art, February 5 (including buyer’s premium)
Lot • Low/High • Sold
Maria Martinez and Popovi Da, Redware Plate • $10/15,000 • $24,600
Maria and Santana Martinez, Wedding Vase • $5/7,000 • $20,910
John Nieto Painting, Warrior at Trujillo • $10/15,000 • $15,600
Carl & Irene Clark Inlay Belt Buckle • $12/18,000 • $13,200
Plains Double-Sided Leger Drawing • $2/4,000 • $10,455
Navajo Teec Nos Pos Textile, ca. 1930 • $4/6,000 • $9,600
Navajo Red Mesa Textile, ca. 1940 • $3/4,500 • $7,800
Ramona Curley Painting, Two Grey Hills Textile • $2/3,000 • $6,675
James Auchiah painting, Untitled (Hoop Dancer) • $1/2,500 • $5,280
James Auchiah painting, Untitled (Buffalo Dancer) • $1/2,500 • $5,040
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