This summer, Bonhams will hold its Native American Art Auction. The sale, coming from the collections of numerous owners, features historic Indigenous works of art, including a single-owner collection of New Mexican bultos and retablos from Colorado, Navajo weavings from an important Arizona collection, and a single-owner selection of weavings, jewelry and other objects from the Wolf Family Collection.
Navajo Germantown weaving, serape revival design with stacked diamonds on a banded ground flanking a central band of crosses, 109 x 69” Estimate: $4/6,000
An exceptional Ka’igwu (Kiowa) young girl’s dress and legging moccasins are part of several major highlights in the forthcoming sale. “Decorated with fine beadwork and rows of rare cowrie shells in lieu of elk’s teeth, this outstanding ensemble comes from the collection of Patricia M. Papper, Aspen, Colorado, and is estimated at $15,000 to $25,000,” notes Ingmārs I. Lindbergs, director of Native American art at Bonhams. The dress consists of fringed hide construction with ochre and vermillion pigmentation throughout; the moccasins feature brass tacking and twisted fringe.
“From a Denver, Colorado, collection we see perhaps the largest selection of Hispanic New Mexican (Nuevomexicano) religious artwork to come to the market in the last generation,” says Lindbergs. “The same Denver collection includes a sizable Navajo Germantown weaving, measuring approximately 9 feet and 1 inch by 5 feet and 9 inches, executed in a serape revival design featuring a design of stacked diamonds on a banded ground flanking a central band of Spiderwoman crosses.” The Germantown weaving, which features a serape revival design with stacked diamonds on a banded ground flanking a central band of crosses, is expected to fetch between $4,000 and $6,000.
A Kiowa young girl’s beaded dress and hightop moccasins, dress: 31”, moccasins: 12” Estimate: $15/25,000
“Highlights from the Wolf Family Collection include two pictorial inlay cuffs by Preston Monongye, each estimated at $3,000 to $5,000, a half dozen historic cuff bracelets in different styles, a similar number of squash blossom necklaces, including one attributed to Dan Simplicio which carries a $2,000 to $3,000 estimate, and a selection of nice concha belts as well,” says Kim Jarand, Bonhams’ Native American art specialist. She adds that the sale will also offer an exceptional polychrome plate (est. $6/9,000) by Maria Martinez and Popovi Da, as well as a larger selection of Navajo weavings, primarily Two Grey Hills examples by known makers.
The Native American Art Auction takes place June 28 at 11 a.m. Pacific Time at Bonhams’ Los Angeles location.
June 28, 2023
Native American Art Auction
Bonhams, 7601 W. Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles CA 90046
(323) 850-7500, www.bonhams.com
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