Enthusiastic bidding during the 38th annual March in Montana leads to standout prices for historic and contemporary works of art.
The 38th annual March in Montana auction saw a variety of works—paintings, Native textiles, saddles and more—hit the block with solid bidding and record-breaking sales. The event, which took place March 20 to 22 at the Elks Lodge in Great Falls, Montana, also included its popular dealer sale where a select group of artists and galleries set up booths to exhibit and sell artwork.
A component of Western Art Week in the city, this year’s auction included an assortment of works by Charles M. Russell, who called Great Falls his final home. A pair of watercolor portraits—one of a Native American woman and the other of Chief Joseph, both estimated at $50,000 to $70,000—sold to the same buyer for a combined $108,000. Another work by the artist, the ink wash SCENE ON THE JUDTH ROUNDUP, BUCKING BRONCHO (est. $30,000-$50,000), was also of note when it came in just shy of the high estimate at $48,000.
Another artist with Montana ties, Olaf Seltzer, was represented in the auction by the 20-by-30-inch oil painting BLACKFOOT BRAVES, which sold above its presale estimate at $78,000. Two works by Gerard Curtis Delano also dashed beyond their estimates. The watercolor CANYON COUPLE, with an estimate of $25,000 to $35,000, achieved $66,000, while the brightly colored mixed media painting BACK TO BACK (est. $6,000-$9,000) came in at $27,000.
Keeping with the strong sales, two oils by Oleg Stavrowsky—LEADERS KNOW THE WAY (est. $15,000-$25,000) and STAYING CLOSE (est. $4,000-$6,000)—yielded $36,000 and $27,000, respectively. Artist Sydney Laurence’s painting MT. MCKINLEY was featured on the cover of this year’s March in Montana catalog and landed higher its estimate of $25,000 to $35,000 when it sold for $58,425.
Along with an array of Native American art and cowboy ephemera, like saddles, the auction included an array of art by contemporary artists. Many works exceeded high estimates including Don Oelze’s FROM THE BLUFF THEY WATCH at $39,000; Joe Kronenberg’s HANDS at $51,000; and ABUNDANT BLESSINGS by Charles Fritz, which brought $27,000.
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