Ahlers & Ogletree's Art Of The American West & Native American Art & Objects Auction Will Be Feb. 24

By Author: Natalie Ahlers
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Vibrant Native American-themed paintings by Frank McCarthy (1944-2002) and Emmi Whitehorse (b. 1956) are expected headliners in Ahlers & Ogletree’s Art of the American West & Native American Art & Objects auction on Friday, February 24th, in Ahlers & Ogletree’s new location on Atlanta’s Upper West Side, at 1788 Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard.

The auction, beginning at 10 am Eastern time, will also be held online and will feature 255 lots, to include fine art of the American West and Native American objects, including pottery, fine art and rugs. Artists in the sale, in addition to McCarthy and Whitehorse, will include R. Farrington Ewell, Joe Beeler, Walt Gonske, Curt Walters, Alan Houser, Clyde Aspevig and Dan Namingha.

The oil on canvas by Frank McCarthy, titled The Warriors of Canyon Land (1988) depicts a vertical landscape of tall cliffs against a dark sky and two Native Americans on horseback in the foreground. The work, 40 ¼ inches by 24 inches (less frame) is signed and dated lower left and has an estimate of $15,000-$20,000. McCarthy is a member of the Cowboy Artists of America.

The ...
... mixed media on paper laid on canvas by Emmi Whitehorse is titled Field of Birds (1992) and shows an abstract Native American imagery of birds in a field. The work is monumental, with a canvas size of 51 ¼ inches by 78 inches, and is signed, dated and titled en verso. It’s accompanied by a gallery receipt from 1992 and two artist’s pamphlets (est. $10,000-$20,000).

An oil on canvas painting the Reverend Thomas E. Mails (American, 1920-2001), titled Hualapi Country (1983), a Western scene depicting a mountainous landscape with two Native American females gathering crops, overall 48 inches by 67 ½ inches, signed, should realize $6,000-$8,000.

An oil on canvas by Walt Gonske (New Mexico., b. 1942), titled On the Rio Pueblo, is a winter river landscape scene signed lower right and signed, titled and numbered (1765T) en verso. The 36 ¼ inch by 30 inch (canvas, less frame) work is expected to change hands for $4,000-$6,000.

There are several artworks by Allan Capron (Haozous) Houser (American/Chiricahua, Apache, 1914-1994) in the auction, including a 1992 patinated cast bronze Western sculpture, 12 ¾ inches tall, titled Peace Prayer (or The Offering), of a kneeling Native American male holding aloft a ceremonial pipe. The sculpture, signed and numbered (24/30) should hit $6,000-$8,000.

Also from Houser is a gouache and mixed media on paper from 1938, double-titled Apache Buffalo Hunt and Two Riders on Horseback Hunting, depicting two mounted warriors chasing a buffalo with arrows, signed and dated and in a 19 ¾ inch by 29 inch frame (est. $3,000-$5,000).

A patinated bronze sculpture by Robert Farrington Elwell (American, 1874-1962), 11 inches tall, titled Birchbark Canoe, depicting a Native male in a canoe on a choppy body of water with an applied verdigris finish, is signed in mold lower left, with a foundry mark (est. $5,000-$7,000).

An undated, large scale patinated cast bronze sculpture by Joe Neil Beeler (American, 1931-2006), is titled Apache Telegraph, of a Native American male with his horse, holding aloft a rifle on a rocky outcropping, 27 ½ inches tall, signed and numbered (28/30) (est. $4,000-$6,000).

A handwoven wool Navajo Klagetoh rug made by Eva Marie Begay (American/Navajo, active in the late 20th/early 21st century), 11 feet by 5 feet 9 inches and having three tan, grey, black and red diamonds framed by a stylized floral border, on a grey ground, should rise to $4,000-$6,000.

A hand-painted terra cotta discoid form vase (pot) with ‘Whirling Rainbow Goddess of Window Chant’ decoration, by Lucy Leuppe McKelvey (Navajo, b. 1950), 17 inches in diameter, depicted as swirled bands of geometric and figural motifs, signed and titled, should reach $1,000-$2,000.

A sterling and leather concho belt by Phillip Sekaquaptewa (American/ Hopi 1948-2003), titled Hopi Migration Story, having ten rectangular sterling conchos with rounded corners decorated with pictorial overlay depicting the Hopi migration story, all attached to a wide leather belt band, marked sterling and framed in a shadowbox, should hit $1,500-$3,000.

An acrylic on canvas colorblock painting by Dan Namingha (American/Hopi, b. 1950), titled Morning Light (2002), depicting a landscape at dawn, signed lower right and titled and dated en verso, unframed, 24 inches by 20 inches, has an estimate of $1,000-$2,000.

An American antique percussion Indian Trade Kentucky long rifle, circa 1800, having an octagonal 37 ¾ inch barrel, tiger maple half stock, double set triggers, brass furniture, coin silver accents or inlay, gilt retaining spring, brass tacks, wooden ramrod and check rest, apparently unmarked, overall 53 ½ inches long, is expected to ring up $800-$1,600.

Internet bidding will be available on Ahlers & Ogletree’s popular online bidding platform, bid.AandOAuctions.com, plus LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com.

Phone and absentee bids will also be taken. Live, in-person previews will be held Monday, February 20th, thru Thursday, February 23rd, from 10-5 Eastern time, in the Ahlers & Ogletree Atlanta gallery at 1788 Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard. No appointment is required. Virtual appointments are also available. To schedule a virtual appointment, please call 404-869-2478.

To learn more about Ahlers & Ogletree and the Art of the American West & Native American Art & Objects auction on Friday, Feb. 24th, visit www.aandoauctions.com. Updates posted often. You can follow Ahlers & Ogletree via social media on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest & Facebook.