The highest price of the sale as a whole was earned by “Scalp Hunters” by Charles M. Russell (1864-1926), 1906, watercolor, 11¾ by 15 inches, had extensive provenance and is listed in the artist’s catalog raisonné; it realized $242,000 ($40/60,000).

Review by Kiersten Busch

GREAT FALLS, MONT. — On March 19-21, the Coeur d’Alene Art Auction and Coeur d’Alene Galleries presented the 39th annual March in Montana Auction & Dealer Show, which took place during the Western Art Week in Great Falls, Mont. The sale spanned 718 lots over two days, the 20th and 21st, realizing $3,154,938, with a sell-through rate of 95 percent.

Katie Brinkman, a representative for the firm, explained that “It was another fast-paced, high energy sale,” noting the firm was “very satisfied, surpassing our previous record.” Brinkman also shared some insight on the bidding pool, 33 percent of which were in Montana, with a large percentage also hailing from Texas.

The firm’s post-sale press release further expounded, “The event once again demonstrated the enduring strength of the Western art market, drawing participation from seasoned collectors alongside new buyers eager to acquire exceptional works.”

Session one’s highest price, $16,120, was awarded to “Bad Medicine Pass,” an oil on canvas by contemporary artist Don Oelze which was dated “‘06” and had provenance to a private collection in Alberta, Canada. Oelze was represented by one additional work in the first session, another oil on canvas, titled “Her World,” which earned $3,410. It depicted a Native American woman with a horse and had a sticker for Old Altermann Gallery on its reverse. On day two, five more paintings by Oelze crossed the block, including “Dusk at Elkhorn Camp,” which earned his sale-high price of $33,275.

Earning the top price of session one — $16,120 — was “Bad Medicine Pass” by Don Oelze (b 1965), oil on canvas, 24 by 48 inches ($6/8,000).

The second-highest earning lot of day one, at $15,730, was an original album of photographs of Glacier National Park by Tomar Jacob Hileman, who was known not only for his Montana landscape photographs but also those that he took of the Great Northern Railway and important leaders connected to the American West, according to catalog notes.

Craig Tennant was represented by four oil on canvas works, including “Downstream,” which surpassed estimates to make $7,260. The 60-by-40-inch work had provenance to the Frank Brownell collection of Iowa. It was followed by “Misty Cascade” ($4,840), “Pride” ($2,057) and “All in a Day’s Work” ($1,860).

Other oil on canvas works that performed well during session one included William Standing’s “Cabin and Bluffs” ($6,655), “Beading Lesson” by Gary Schildt ($6,820) and Mark Ogle’s “Mountain Landscape,” which earned $6,655 and had provenance to the private collection of Dr Jim and Pauline Harken of Spokane, Wash.

“Chiricahua Maiden” by Allan Houser led bronze sculptures on the first day, making more than four times its $2,000 high estimate at $8,680. It was inscribed “Allen Houser © ‘87, 10/20,” identifying it as the tenth in an edition of 20, completed in 1987. Houser’s seated “Contentment” figure also sold, realizing $4,030.

“Chiricahua Maiden” by Allan Houser (1914-1994), 1987, bronze, 14 by 6 by 3 inches, led bronze sculptures during session one at $8,680 ($1/2,000).

Other bronze sculptors represented among the top lots of session one included Bob Scriver and Charles M. Russell. Scriver’s 26-inch-long “Buffalo Runner” sold for $8,470, accompanied by a copy of the special edition of the artist’s book The Buffalo Runner, signed by Scriver. It had provenance to collector Bill Brandt, who catalog notes described as “a proud Montanan, born and raised in Great Falls, Mont.” For $1,452, Scriver’s dynamic “Attack on the Wagon Train” also found a new home.

Russell was represented by four bronzes and one print in the first session. Leading the pack was the bronze “Stagecoach,” which measured 44 inches long and was inscribed “CM Russell.” It more than doubled its $2/3,000 estimate to achieve $8,060.

Edward Borein’s “Heading ‘Em In” led a selection of works on paper for $7,865. The etching and drypoint work, featuring cowboys herding their steer, came framed with its original copper plate and also had provenance to the collection of Bill Brandt.

Two replica stagecoaches by Dale Ford (1934-2015) sold for $6,820 and $6,655, respectively. The former was a Wells Fargo stagecoach, which was hand-carved, hand-painted and came in a custom box that read “Dale Ford Western Art” and “Incline Village, Nevada” on its front. The latter was a Butterfield and Company example with provenance to the Berolzheimer family collection and was accompanied by several accessories, including a lantern, trunks and rolling leather window covers.

Carting off for $8,060 was “Stagecoach” by Charles M. Russell (1864-1926), bronze, 15 by 44 by 15 inches ($2/3,000).

A watercolor by Russell led session two, and came away with top-lot status for the auction as a whole, far surpassing its $40/60,000 estimate to achieve $242,000, thanks to a Montana collector. Titled “Scalp Hunters,” the work was dated “1906” and had provenance to Jack Stolz and Cynthia Bend, both of Afton, Minn. Also performing “exceptionally well” was Russell’s mixed media work titled “The Bull Elk,” which was dated “1917” and was included in the artist’s catalog raisonné. It went to a private collection in Goleta, Calif., around the time it was finished, and made its way to the consignor (from Darby, Mont.) by descent; it sold for $90,750, the third-highest price of the day.

Other works depicting Native Americans included “Braves on Horses” by Kenneth Riley, which surpassed its $20/30,000 estimate to realize $42,350. The oil on board, which had provenance to the Yturria collection (Brownsville, Texas), depicted two Indigenous men on horseback and was signed and dated “1988” in its lower right-hand corner. Oelze’s oil on canvas “Dusk at Elkhorn Camp” followed not too far behind at $33,275.

Various wildlife portraits were also offered during session two, led by the work of Bob Kuhn. The artist’s acrylic on board “Cheetah on a Kill” earned the highest price, settling within its $50/75,000 estimate at $57,475. Its provenance included the artist himself, Daniel Galbraith (Galloway, Ohio) and the Yturria collection.

Wildlife portraitist Bob Kuhn’s (1920-2007) most successful painting was “Cheetah on a Kill,” acrylic on board, 18 by 26 inches, which previously sold at Coeur d’Alene in 1996. It came back to the firm for this sale, earning $57,475 ($50/70,000).

Five more of Kuhn’s works sold from the Yturria collection, including “Portrait of a Deadly Lady” ($42,350), “Leopard” ($42,350), “Gerenuk” ($20,570), “Cape Buffalo Sketch” ($2,108) and “Elephant Sketch” ($1,694).

Wildlife portraitist John Seerey-Lester was also represented in abundance, with all five of his paintings heading to new homes. Prices ranged from $4,235 for the oil on board “The Arrival,” to $48,400 for “Twilight Trophy – Elephant,” an oil on board which was featured in the artist’s book Legends of the Hunt.

Bronze sculpture was topped at $102,850 by Frederic Remington’s “The Broncho Buster,” which galloped past its $40/60,000 estimate. It was inscribed “Copyright by Frederic Remington, Roman Bronze Works. N-182” underneath its base and was accompanied by an official letter of opinion from Rick Stewart of the Amon Carter Museum (Fort Worth, Texas). Its provenance was international: from the Houston estate of Jerry J. Moore, to Simpson Galleries in Houston, to a private collection in Ittre, Belgium.

Selling for $42,350 to follow “The Broncho Buster” was Russell’s “Range Father,” which depicted a wild horse chasing after a dog. The sculpture was an edition of 14 and inscribed with the artist’s skull cypher, as well as “Roman Bronze Works,” where it was cast. It was accompanied by letters of authenticity from Frederic G. Renner (Paradise Valley, Ariz.) and Steven L. Rose of Biltmore Galleries (Scottsdale, Ariz.), where, according to catalog notes, “this bronze was originally purchased by [the] present family in 1986.” It was also illustrated in The West in Bronze, Charles M. Russell Bronzes by Homer E. Britzman.

Rearing and bucking for $102,850 was Frederic Remington’s (1861-1909) “The Broncho Buster,” 22¾ by 19 by 12 inches, which led bronze selections during session two ($40/60,000).

Other notable sculptures that caught bidders’ eyes were the bronze “Two’s Company, Three’s a Crowd” by Walter Matia (b 1953), which took flight for $39,325, and “Ranahan” by Truman Bolinger (b 1944), a sterling silver sculpture that galloped past its $15/25,000 estimate to make $36,300.

Firearms were also a highlight of session two, and a flintlock Kentucky rifle with a 46-inch barrel by John Armstrong fired off for $60,500 to lead the category. According to catalog notes, Armstrong “is considered to be one of the foremost artisans of the golden age,” and this rifle in particular was “a fine example of his work.” Its barrel was marked “John Armstrong” and it had provenance to a private collection in Anacortes, Wash.

Following the Armstrong was an early Nineteenth Century flintlock Kentucky long rifle by Lebanon County, Penn., gunsmith Nicholas Beyer, which won the Kentucky Rifle Association’s 1988 Silver Award for Best Relief Carved Rifle. The gun had several silver inlays carved with eagles and teardrops, as well as other patterned designs. Previously sold for an undisclosed price in 2014 at James D. Julia Auction, the rifle was bid to $27,225 at Coeur d’Alene.

The 40th annual March in Montana Auction & Dealer Show will take place March 18-20. Coeur d’Alene’s 2026 Art Auction will take place July 25 in Reno, Nev.

Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For information, www.marchinmontana.com or 208-664-2091.