Los Angeles, CA— Moran’s is thrilled to announce their American Indian Art + Objects auction on October 4th, 2022, at noon PST. With close to 300 lots, this sale will include a wide variety of art and objects made by indigenous North Americans including both historic and contemporary pottery, jewelry, baskets, bronzes, and fine art.
An exquisite glass vase will be presented by the Tlingit artist, Preston Singletary. His art has become synonymous with the relationship between traditional European glass blowing and Northwest Native art. Singletary’s artwork features themes of transformation, animal spirits, and shamanism through elegant blown glass forms and mystical sand carved Tlingit designs. Moran’s is proud to present his piece titled, Wolf Hat. This sand carved and blown clear glass hat vessel comes with an estimate of $8,000-12,000.
A Tlingit 'Oyster Catcher' Rattle (pre-1890). A delicately carved polychrome wood rattle in the form of an Oyster Catcher $10,000-15,000
Another impressive work from the Tlingit people is an extraordinary “Oyster Catcher” rattle. Dating pre-1900, this delicately carved polychrome wood rattle is in the form of an Oyster Catcher (a large, obvious, and noisy plover-like bird). With a $10,000-15,000 estimate, this piece was created with a carved and polychrome bone beak and multiple inset abalone shell accents, comprised of three wood sections, one dowelled for the elongated neck the other two hollowed sections forming the body of the rattle and held together with sinew lashes.
This auction will also feature iconic images by the photographer, Edward S. Curtis. Curtis devoted thirty years to photographing and documenting over eighty tribes west of the Mississippi, from the Mexican border to northern Alaska. His project won support from such prominent and powerful figures as President Theodore Roosevelt and J. Pierpont Morgan. Upon its completion in 1930, the work, entitled The North American Indian, consisted of 20 volumes, each containing 75 hand-pressed photogravures and approximately 300 pages of text. Each volume was accompanied by a corresponding portfolio containing at least 36 photogravures. Edward Curtis’, The North American Indian Volume 18 is a highlight of the sale, having 18 plates (4 framed) with original leatherette portfolio case and estimated at $10,000-15,000.
Pueblo pottery will be represented by contemporary artists like Russell Sanchez, Mela Youngblood, Randall Chitto, Tina Garcia, Mark Tahbo, Maria Martinez, and Lucy Leuppe McKelvey. The highlight though, is a late 19th century Hopi Pottery Canteen, attributed to Nampeyo. The Hopi began making canteen-formed pottery vessels in the 1500s as influenced by similar Spanish canteens. In the late 19th-century pottery vessels were produced for trade and sale and were typically decorated with Hopi katsina figures that early tourists favored. This piece is a fired clay pottery canteen with a polychrome design on front depicting Palhik Mana or Butterfly Maiden, estimated $4,000-6,000.
Arland F. Ben (B. 1962, Diné). A Navajo mixed metal concho belt. $3,000-5,000
Known as a “modern Indian” and the first Pueblo “rock star” is the artist, Tony Da. He broke cultural barriers, practicing San Ildefonso Pueblo tradition but living in a contemporary world. Da’s precision designs and techniques can be found in his art, ceramics, and printmaking, but pieces can be scarce and thus highly collectible when they do come to market. This serigraph, Fetish Bear, from 1995, has an estimate of $1,500-2,500 and is unique in that it depicts the same highly evolved design aesthetic he uses in his ceramics and the only serigraph in his repertoire. He even went so far as to incorporate turquoise cabochon stones to the surface much like his iconic pottery.
A nice collection of small and miniature Pima and Apache baskets will be available, as well as multiple lots of contemporary Navajo baskets by Mary Holiday Black. A basket maker and weaver from the Bitter Water Clan, Black was part of a group of women who sparked a renaissance of weaving Navajo baskets during the 1970’s. She introduced several innovations that proved critical to the tradition’s survival, such as expanding the baskets beyond the size appropriate for ceremonial use. This selection of Black’s baskets has an estimate ranging from $400-1,200.
Leading the variety of stunning jewelry offered is a collection of wire-formed pieces by Veronica Poblano, along with an Artland Ben silver and gold concho belt and bolo tie owned by Gregory Sierra from the Barney Miller show. More than 40 lots of Native and Southwest jewelry with makers such as Michael Garcia (Na Na Ping), Kee Yazzie, Thomas Singer, Ken Romero and Richard Begay will round out the jewelry offerings.
This sale will also include beautiful beadwork found in Plains Indian moccasins and other beadwork. The final highlight of the auction is undoubtedly the large collection of over 60 lots of Zuni carved stone fetish animals by notable carvers such as Gibbs Othole, Quandelacy, Dan Quam, Albert Eustace, Karen Zunie, and Danie Chattin. From heartline bears to praying mantis all the way to dinosaurs, there is bound to be something for every collector.
—Brenda Smith, John Moran Auctioneers
Edward S. Curtis, (1868-1952, Los Angeles, CA), The North American Indian Volume 18 $10,000-15,000
“This auction will also feature iconic images by the photographer, Edward S. Curtis. Curtis devoted thirty years to photographing and documenting over eighty tribes west of the Mississippi, from the Mexican border to northern Alaska.”
Upcoming Auctions
As we enter the Fall season of 2022, John Moran Auctioneers will continue their autumn lineup with the Art of the American West auction on Tuesday, October 4th, followed by the She Made It sale, Wednesday, October 5th. Be sure to mark your calendars for these upcoming auctions so you don’t miss out on the action, and the treasures!
American Indian Art + Objects: Tuesday, October 4th | 12:00 pm PST
California Living: Tuesday, October 25th | 10:00 am PST
She Made It: Tuesday, October 25th | 4:00 pm PST
Fall Modern & Contemporary Fine Art: Tues., Nov.1st | 12:00 pm PST
Made in Mexico: Tuesday, November 15th | 10:00 am PST
Art of the American West: Wednesday, November 16th | 10:00 am PST
For upcoming highlights, online catalogues, and more information on these sales, visit Moran’s website: www.johnmoran.com and follow us on social media: @johnmoranauctioneers. Along with our website, bidding is now available online via Moran’s new mobile app, Moran Mobile, available on both iOS and Android operating systems. You may also choose to bid by phone or absentee.
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