In Arizona, Western Art Ropes a $4 Million Total

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ.

:Altermann Galleries' recent auction exceeded expectations by reaching $4 million in sales. The Santa Fe firm offered its collection of 147 principally Western works of art at the Hyatt Regency Gainey Ranch Resort, totaling $4,025,645.

The top selling work was a Brownell McGrew painting titled "Salah-Tso Goes to the Sing" that sold over the telephone for $288,500.

Other former and past members of the Cowboy Artists of America fared equally well. Howard Terpning's "Time Stood Still" sold for $222,500, above the presale estimate of $180/220,000.

Recently deceased Cowboy Artists of American member Frank McCarthy was represented by two major works. "The Last Crossing," estimated at $28/32,000, topped out at $51,750 and his triptych oil painting titled "Flashes of Lightning, Thunder of Hooves" ($80/100,000) was well received and reached $107,000. John Moyers' "Watching and Waiting" ($25/30,000) sold for $27,600 and Roy Andersen's "Cry of the Eagle" exceeded the presale estimate of $30/35,000 by reaching $44,850.

Clark Hulings, one of America's best representational artists, gave evidence of his popularity with "Market Scene" ($110/130,000) being hammered down at $145,500 and a smaller work, "French Ducks in a Puddle" ($90/100,000), selling to someone in the room for a startling $178,500.

Classic masters of the West reflected the strength of the market with a 20- by 26-inch painting by Joseph Henry Sharp "Hunting Son in Teepee Firelight" ($75/100,000) going for $140,000. Another Sharp painting, of the same size, that was a portrait of Custer scout "Hairy Moccasin" had a selling price of $222,500.

Another member of the Taos Society of Artists that had outstanding results was Eanger Irving Couse, whose oil painting "The Eagles" ($100/125,000) reached $184,000. A watercolor by Oscar Berninghaus, "New Mexico Farm Scene" ($30/40,000) sold for $36,800.

A small, later work by Frank Tenney Johnson, "Voice of the Western Night" ($125/150,000), sold for $112,500. Those present at the auction were surprised when an early work (1907) by Johnson titled "The Pioneers" went well beyond the presale estimate of $30/50,000 with a final telephone bid of $112,500.

W.H.D. Koerner's "The Coup Seekers" ($30/35,000) ended up at $48,300; the consignor who had acquired The Saturday Evening Post cover illustration at a barn sale in Paris, Texas, for $35.

All six works by Robert Lougheed found buyers. His two wildlife paintings, "Elk on the Galatian" ($5/7,000) and "Deer on the Edge of March" ($10/15,000) sold for $11,500 and $21,850, respectively.

In the landscape section of the sale, Altermann Galleries artist Michael Stack sold two New Mexico scenes, "Evening on the Chama" ($22/24,000) and "Break in the Evening Storm" ($7/7,500) for $26,450 and $8,050. Curt Walters's depiction of the Grand Canyon titled "View of Grand Canyon" ended up beyond the high estimate at $27,600.

Still lifes fared well with Joseph Henry Sharp's "Zinnias in Blue Vase" and "Zinnias and Dahlias" selling for $20,700 and $57,500. Loran Speck sold three of his still life offerings with the top lot being "Pot with Blanket" ($12/15,000) bringing $17,250.

Another gallery artist, David Mann, continued to sell his works for above the estimates with "Followed for Days" ($6,5/7,000) selling for $9,200 and "The Renegades" ($20/22,000) topping out at an impressive record-breaking price of $31,050.

All prices cited include the buyer's premium.