October 24, 11 a.m. | Lusher Auctions | Santa Fe, NM

Rare and Spectacular

The exceptional katsina collection of Alan Kessler will be on offer during a forthcoming sale at Lusher Auctions.

Discerning collector Alan Kessler will bring his monumental lifetime collection of katsinam to Lusher Auctions this fall. Comprising more than 50 carvings, collectors and Native American art aficionados will have the chance to acquire some of the most rare and spectacular dolls, collected across many decades “with the eye of an accomplished artist in his own right,” the auction house notes. Kessler, who has been a dealer, collector and appraiser of Native American art for more than 50 years, also has his own work in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the National Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C.), the Chicago Art Institute and the Margulies Collection, as well as more than 18 solo exhibitions.

Pahlik Mana, the Butterfly Maiden Katsina, Hopi, ca. 1910, 20½ in. Estimate: $55/80,000

“It is rare that a collector [and] dealer would bring four collections of katsinam to the international auction market,” says Kessler. He was also the first person to bring a major group of katsina dolls to auction and establish a world record for the sale of one doll: a Hopi Shalakomana Katsina sold at Sotheby’s in 1997 for $294,000, including buyer’s premium.

“Some of the highlights of the auction [include] a great and majestic Pahlik Mana, the Butterfly Maiden Katsina,” he adds. “The sheer size of the doll and a magnificent tablita speaks to the poetry of this figure.” Created around 1910, this katsina is a “masterpiece of spiritual grace and architectural complexity, whose sculptural power once moved surrealists artists to compare her painted litany of clouds and corn to pure poetry,” notes Lusher Auctions. The large-scale katsina measures 20½ inches tall and is estimated at $55,000 to $80,000.

Left: Koshare Clown, Hopi, ca. 1890, 14½ in. Estimate: $50/60,000; Right: A figural group with an Ogre and a Clown, Hopi, ca. 1900-1910, 14 in. Estimate: $15/20,000

Other highlights include Honan, the Badger Katsina, which is among the very earliest carvings in the collection, from around 1890. The 12-inch-tall doll has bulging eyes, sharp teeth and feathers on its head, and is estimated to fetch between $20,000 and $25,000.

Collectors should also be on the lookout for a rare double stacked figure called Soyoko and Koyemsi. Another standout lot is Alosaka, the Germination God (est. $17/24,000), characterized by its two curving horns and commanding presence, making it one of the most significant pieces in the sale.

Left: Kawaika, a Laguna raincloud Katsina, Hopi, ca. 1900, 9½ in. Estimate: $14/18,000; Right: Owa-ngazrozro Katsina, the Stone Eater (Rock Crusher), Hopi, ca. 1890-1900, 12¼ in. Estimate: $18/25,000

In addition, the Koshare Clown, circa 1890, is a masterpiece of chaos and humor, capturing the vibrant energy of pueblo ritual performances. It is expected to bring in $50,000 to $60,000.

“It is not the quantity of dolls in this collection, but the great quality of [an] artist’s eye that put these dolls together,” Kessler adds. “A rare chance to collect museum-quality dolls.”

The auction begins on October 24 at 11 a.m. MST. Live in-person bidding takes place at Lusher’s Santa Fe, New Mexico, location, with online bidding available through the Lusher Fine Art website, Invaluable and LiveAuctioneers. —

October 24, 11 a.m.
From the Studio of Alan Charles Kessler
Lusher Auctions 851 E. Palace Avenue, Santa Fe, NM 87501
(505) 954-1704, www.lusherfineart.com