EDWARD CURTIS OROTONES SOAR AT TREADWAY/TOOMEY AUCTION , 4 CUTS

AVV/CD 6/8 #741910

CHICAGO, ILL. — Rarely does one have the opportunity to acquire such fine examples of Edward Curtis orotones as those offered at the Treadway/Toomey May 4 auction. With nearly 75 lots of Western and American Indian art coming from a single private collection, the interest was strong with worldwide bidders attending this sale either via the Internet, phone, absentee bids or in person.

Edward Sheriff Curtis (1863–1952) is recognized as an accomplished photographer of the American Indian. His 30-year project, “The North American Indian,” was a scientific record of the Indian peoples and the collection offered here included examples of his photogravures, platinum prints, orotones and bluetones.

Examples sold individually starting at $8,500 and going up to the top lot, the “Medicine Crow — Apsaroke,” 1908, that sold for $57,000.

Rare examples included “Before the Storm,” 1906, selling for $22,800, “The Potter (Nampeyo) —Hopi,” 1906, at $42,000 and “Geronimo-Apache,” circa 1905, for $32,000.

Other Curtis offerings included “The Chief of the Desert-Navaho,” 1904, that realized $25,200, “Chief Joseph — Nez Perce,” 1903, $39,500, and “Bears’s Belly — Arikara,” 1908, at $33,600. Curtis’s camera also crossed the block, with bidding opening at $20,000 and ending at $66,000.

From the same collection, a group of five Thomas Moran chromolithographs, circa 1880, depicting various scenes from the Grand Canyon, sold for $25,200 against a $4/6,000 estimate. The final offering from this estate was a rare Frederic Remington painting, “At an Apache Indian Agency,” circa 1900, that attained $360,000.

The Curtis collection of 50 examples sold for $765,000 while the entire 75-piece collection brought $1,265,000.

For more information, www.treadwaygallery.com or 513-321-6742.

Edward Curtis Orotones Soar

At Treadway/Toomey Auction

516  2c

Frederic Remington (American, 1861–1909) “At an Apache Indian Agency,” circa 1900, oil on canvas, 27¼ by 40¼ inches, achieved $360,000.

1½ col 471

The top lot among Edward Sheriff Curtis orotones was his “Medicine Crow — Apsaroke,” 1908, 13½ by 10½ inches overall, held in original Curtis Studio frame, attained $57,000.

1½ col  447

Edward Sheriff Curtis’s orotone “The Potter (Nampeyo) — Hopi,” circa 1906, held in original Curtis Studio frame, about doubled its $18/22,000 estimate to bring $42,000.

 

499 3col

Thomas Moran (American, 1837–1926) was represented with a group of five chromolithographs, published circa 1880, showing Grand Canyon scenes that soared above its $4/6,000 estimate to bring $25,200.

200.

This rare Roycroft chest, #097, sold for $26,400 after active phone bidding.

430.

A lot of Alphonse Mucha lithographs, including this one, “The Four Seasons,” sold for $63,600.

597.

Eda Elisabeth Sterchi, “Reclining Woman,” circa 1920, oil on canvas, sold for $25,200, well above its $9/12,000 presale estimate.