Date: Fri 24-Apr-1998

Publication: Ant

Author: SHIRLE

Quick Words:

Chicago

Full Text:

Chicago Antique Native American Art Show

w/25 cuts

By Susan & Al Bagdade

CHICAGO, ILL. -- Chicago played host to the Antique Native American Art Show,

Sale and Lecture Series, benefiting the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian

in Evanston, Ill., on March 28 to 29 at the Radisson Hotel Lincolnwood.

Nearly 50 high-quality exhibitors from all over the United States and Canada

set up their exhibits and also offered free appraisals.

Since the Mitchell Museum, in association with Kendall College, is geared

toward the promotion, education, and preservation of Native American arts, an

active lecture series was part of the show format.

Lectures included Natalie Linn on "The Art and History of Native American

Basketry"; Dr Ted Brasser, "Nineteenth Century Development of Plains and Great

Lakes Indian Art"; Alexander Anthony, "Historic Pueblo Pottery"; and Mark

Winter on "Textiles of the Southwest."

Elaine Tucker of Linn-Tucker Indian Baskets explained that "this is a

dealer-run show with no professional promoter. Tucker acted as the agent for

both the Mitchell Museum, the sponsor, and for the dealers.

"There was great attendance for the speakers, and the show got a great

response from the city of Chicago." Tucker made sure to mention that a

tremendous amount of work was also done by Patrick Jennings, the director of

the museum, and by the Niedermans, who are on the board of directors of the

museum.

All of the exhibiting dealers were very enthusiastic about this new show and

were already planning on returning next year when the show will be moved to

the last weekend in April.

Everyone was concerned about bad weather in Chicago in March, and this year

the temperature reached nearly 80 degrees on the second day of the show.

Instead of the snow the dealers were expecting, the hotel had to provide air

conditioning.

Many collectors took full advantage of the dealers' offer of free attribution,

including identification and market values. Attendance was excellent for both

days of this specialty show.

Linn-Tucker Indian Baskets from Portland, Ore., and St Louis, Mo., sold about

25 items ranging in price from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. In

addition to selling a very large, important basket, they sold about 20 other

Indian baskets and about half a dozen plateau bags.

Marjorie and Irwin Goodman from New Jersey sold a Northern Plains beaded

cradle, a Germantown blanket, an Ocoma jar and some baskets. "This show had a

better focus for both the American Indian collector and dealer than the

previous Indian shows held in the Chicago area," they said.

Curtwright and Son Tribal Arts from Tacoma, Wash., was pleased to sell a late

Nineteenth Century Tsimshian globular form rattle with a janus face on each

side. Arthur W. Erickson, Inc, Portland, Ore., was sharing this exhibit space,

and he felt "it was a wonderful show for the second year, since the first show

had only ten dealers. The crowds were large and inquisitive and brought a lot

of things to be identified and priced." He sold an E.S. Curtis orotone titled

"Before the Storm," as well as a Clinit basket to a woman from Madison, Wis.

Joe Rivera of Morning Star Gallery in Santa Fe, N.M., reported, "Chicago is

one of our best areas." He said he needs to "develop a following here," and

did some good buying along with selling a pair of moccasins. A North Cheyenne

board cradle dating circa 1890s that he was showing was similar to one just

sold at Skinner for about $58,000.

Book dealer George Brown from Toronto, Canada, had the best show he ever had.

George said he "always does well in Chicago, people have great taste, and it

is good culturally and economically." Then, he added, that "the show was

superbly well organized, there were great dealers and great crowds."

From neighboring Evanston, Dancing Bear Gallery was doing its first show

outside of the gallery. They were pleased to sell Pueblo and Navajo jewelry,

and two black on black pieces of pottery. Jerry Baness of Towpath Collectibles

from Utica, Ill., added that "this was a quality show, as good as you can find

on the open market." He also liked the site of the show and felt it was "well

organized and well run."

At Trotta-Bono, Shrub Oak, N.Y., there were many blank spaces on the walls due

to excellent sales. Finding new homes were a Seminole dress, a pair of Apache

moccasins, a great Iroquois cradle board, other pairs of moccasins, a

bandelier bag, and a carved pipe stem.

Still available was a circa 1865-1880 Plains moose hide Ojibua pictorial

saddle for $12,500, a circa 1800-1850 Santa Clara Pueblo buffalo hide shield

from New Mexico at $45,000, and a mid-Nineteenth Century Northwest Coast

Kwaquitl walrus hide paint pouch, $3,500. Dating circa 1825-1850 was a pair of

North Eastern Woodland moccasins with pony beads, seed beads, silk cuffs with

red stroud vamp, smoked "pucker" toe, and indigo foundation beneath the cuff

for $2,750.

From the second half of the Nineteenth Century mate lopes, war honor

bandoliers from New Mexico were exceptionally impressive.

Blue Horse Trading Company from Swanee and Oxford, Ga., was impressed with the

knowledgeable people in American Indian arts for his first showing in Chicago.

Blue Horse had an Apache tray 18 inches in diameter for $2,700; a Cheyenne

beaded bag, $225; a Sioux beaded knife sheath, $1,250, a Maidu basket, $1,100;

Cheyenne beaded moccasins, $650; and early Athabaskin doll, $450; Cheyenne

Thunderbird moccasins, $1,500, and an Apache olla, $5,200; a Pomo basket,

$1,200, and a Sioux beaded child's vest, $1,750.

Salveson Collection from Findlay, Ohio, showed a Crow parfleche bag for

$2,200, a Santo Domingo dough bowl for $4,800, and a wonderful stack of Pueblo

drums in a range of prices. Adobe Gallery from Albuquerque, N.M., sold two

major pieces of black on black Maria Martinez pottery and were very pleased

with the show. A Navajo red mesa rug was $6,750, while a watercolor by Awa

Tsireh of a Pueblo Woman Dancer was $1,650.

Phoenix Gallery/Carl Duncan from Denver, Colo., reported "good buying, trading

and selling" in Chicago. Mike McKissick of Waterbird Traders from Dallas,

Tex., reported that "business has been brisk, and coming back next year."

Merrill B. Domas and Paul E. Gray from Chesterfield, Mo., were both pleased

with their Chicago results. Merrill reported "a lot of interest in Plains

material in light of what is going on at Sotheby's. This is a great area for a

show. Attendance is more than double last year's. People are asking lots of

questions and are very interested. A lot of people brought things for

appraisals, and the speakers were great, too." He sold Seminole material and

dolls from the 30s. He specializes in southeastern material like cane baskets

and had a lot of inquiries about them. Paul added that "the museum adds a lot

of credibility to the show."

Colleen James from Paxton, Me., sold a Mohawk cradle board, a Germantown

child's wearing blanket, baskets and moccasins. The best of her remaining

baskets was a small Ypkut basket, eight inches in diameter by three-and-a half

inches in height with red bird and bracken fern for $3,800. An Apache figural

basket was $1,500, and an Apache olla figural was $4,800.

Howling Wolf from Hubbard Wolf, Ill., sold some small pieces. Still available

was a Sioux parfleche case for $1,500, an Apache strike a light bag dating

circa 1870 for $1,850, Cheyenne woman's beaded leggings, circa 1900, for

$1,250, and a Nineteenth Century Cheyenne medicine bag, $750.

From Scottsdale, Ariz., Turkey Mountain Traders, originally from Vermont,

specialize in eastern beadwork. There was a lot of interest in these pieces in

Chicago. There was an assortment of Iroquois whimseys that were beaded pieces

created by the Iroquois of New York State since the 1850s and are still being

made today. There were made in a multitude of shapes, sizes and colors and

mainly sold as souvenirs for tourists at Niagara Falls and various fairs and

exhibitions. They also showed Eastern Woodlands beaded bags dating from

1830-1900.

The Mitchell Museum show booth was staffed by volunteers selling new and

contemporary items to benefit the museum located in Evanston.