Exceptional Materials
Santa Fe Art Auction to offer a variety of Native American art lots at its upcoming Western Decorative Arts & Objects online sale.
Santa Fe Art Auction to offer a variety of Native American art lots at its upcoming Western Decorative Arts & Objects online sale.
SANTA FE, NM
Two years ago the Santa Fe Art Auction started hosting more than just its one big annual sale of Western materials. Joining the auction house’s regular offerings were seasonal sales, focused collections and single-owner sales, many of them held exclusively online. That switch to an online presence came at a perfect time.
“It really was great timing, especially in light of the health crisis we’re now going through,” says Gillian Blitch, the president and CEO of Santa Fe Art Auction. “Half the battle of moving online is bringing your collector base with you, and it takes time to establish auction buyers in an online setting. They have to become comfortable with the interface. Bidding online is not so different, but it’s different enough that there is a learning curve, so we’re happy that our buyers are following along with our sales.”
The next auction is the Western Decorative Arts & Objects sale, which will take place online from August 14 through 22. It will feature a number of works by prominent Native American artists.
Noteworthy works in the sale include several pieces from Popovi Da, the son of San Ildefonso potter Maria Martinez. Among the highlights is a quite contemporary gouache and graphite work on paper, Untitled (Dancing Deer, Skunk, Tree) (est. $5/7,000),
that shows various animals dancing in front of a tree, and a blackware wedding vase (est. $10/15,000) from 1971 that is the last piece he ever completed before his death in the same year. “Inscribed in the base it says ‘Last piece made by Popovi Da in 1971 / Fired by Dora Tse’pe 2010 / Joyce Da.’ So it’s a very special piece,” says Blitch.
The auction will also present a polychrome plate Da made with Martinez, estimated at $15,000 to $25,000.
Other works in the sale include Four Corners of the
Earth (est. $3/5,000), a 1983 mixed media work by Tony Da, Popovi’s son, and Untitled (Mother and Child) (est. $2,5/4,500), a 1963 mixed media work by San Ildefonso artist Gilbert Atencio.
In addition to sculpture, paintings, pottery and weavings—including a Two Grey Hills blanket from the 1920s, estimated at $2,000 to $4,000—the sale will also include for the first time ever fine Native American silver jewelry.
“We’ll have some very nice bolo ties, necklaces, bracelets…just some all-around great Navajo vintage silver,” says Blitch, who adds the jewelry will appear more frequently in upcoming Santa Fe Art Auction sales. “It’s new for us as we move forward,” she says, “so it’s very exciting.”
Register to bid and preview the artwork at www.santafeartauction.com. In-person previews of the artwork are available in Santa Fe by appointment.