Topping the sale at $50,820 was this Edward Bohlin circa 1930s parade saddle, ex Clyde L. Myers, H.C. Lewis and a private Tucson, Ariz., collections ($30/40,000).
Review By Madelia Hickman Ring; Photos Courtesy Brian Lebel’s Old West Events
SANTA FE, N.M. — Cowboy culture — including ranch aesthetic furniture, Western art, cowboy collectibles such as equestrian gear, riding apparel and Western movie relics, Western art and Native American artifacts were the order of the day on June 24, when Brian Lebel’s Old West Events conducted its annual early summer auction. The sale coincided with the Cody Old West Show June 23-25 and was the first auction conducted by the firm since February 2023, when Brian Lebel joined forces with Denver, Penn., auctioneer Dan Morphy. The auction achieved more than $900,000, with more than 93 percent of lots trading successfully.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with the entire weekend,” said Brian Lebel, with Melissa McCracken. “The show dealers were happy and busy, the auction buyers were thrilled with their purchases, and the auction consignors got the prices they wanted. It’s an incredibly difficult trifecta to pull off, but through the teamwork of both the Old West staff and the Morphy staff, we hosted an incredibly successful event. I’m thrilled about the weekend and the future.”
Edward Bohlin is considered the premier Western saddler, whose silver-mounted leather parade pieces are more art and sculpture than utilitarian; ones made by him are perennial favorites among the most serious — and deep-pocketed — collectors. The sale featured three examples, including the top lot of the day, a circa 1930s two-tone brown saddle in the “Marietta” style that featured, among other decorative elements, tooled leather, silver engraving and silver conchos. Accompanied by a matching martingale and corona, and made for Clyde L. Myers, the lot was described as “is a rare and splendid example of the finest early Bohlin, Hollywood craftsmanship.” Though it was not “fresh to the market” having been in two auctions (Butterfield & Butterfield in 1985 and High Noon Mesa Auction in 1996), it still exceeded expectations and rode into the sunset with its new owner for $50,820.
The cantle of this Bohlin “Amos Wellington” style show saddle has the sterling signature of artist William Moyers and came to auction from the estate of the artist. It came with an associated bridle and martingale and exceeded its estimate, bringing $33,880 ($25/30,000).
Bringing up the rear in the Bohlin saddle category was the “Ranchero” variation model show saddle made for Cowboy Artists Association artist William Moyers with Hollywood Saddlery Co bridle that finished at $33,880, and a “Dick Dickson” style parade saddle, martingale, bridle and bit made Palm Springs, Calif., resident and naval commander Earl E. Gibbs that dazzled at $22,990.
If Bohlin saddles are frequent lots in Western art and antiques auctions, the sale offered as its first lot an exceptional and unusual item: an original, if moderately restored, Yellowstone National Park stagecoach or observation wagon that was fresh to the market. According to the auction catalog, the Yellowstone National Park Transportation Co (YNPTCo) was incorporated in May 1892 and had a fleet of sightseeing vehicles, the most popular being the Yellowstone Coaches, which were painted bright yellow and manufactured by the Abbot-Downing Company of Concord, N.H. Though there was a larger six-horse “Tally-Ho” version, the smaller four-horse observation wagons were used to take visitors on a tour through the park. It sold within estimate, for $26,620.
Immediately following the coach across the block were several lots of furniture and household furnishings, all made by the New West Co, and led at $8,470 by a burl wood club chair, the side panels depicting bugling elk heads and upholstered with Chimayo textile and red leather cushions.
Next up was Western art, topped by nine lots by Canadian American artist and author Will James (1892-1942), for the most part meeting or exceeding expectations. One of these, an untitled graphite on board composition that depicted a cowboy roping a longhorn, boasted a presentation inscription, “For May Lou / Will James ‘34” and had provenance to the Abe Hays Collection. The 12½-by-19¼-inch composition met expectations and sold for $36,300, the second highest result of the day. His 1929 pencil on paper “A Colt Not Too Well Acquainted With Saddle Leather As Yet” also hit its $20/30,000 estimate with a result of $22,990. Rounding out the artist’s top three at $12,100 was “Cortez,” a 1919 pencil on paper rendering of one of his favorite horses. Tags attached to the back indicate it had provenance to the Nicolaysen Art Museum in Casper, Wyo.
The first lot of the day was a show stopper. This Yellowstone National Park observation wagon that sported mostly original components and had never been on the market before. Bidders drove it to $26,620 ($15/30,000).
Flashy Western apparel and accessories are also perennial favorites at Western collectibles auctions and Brian Lebel did not disappoint, achieving $27,830 for a pair of G.S. Garcia “Rattlesnake” silver inlaid spurs and $24,200 for a pair of Tony Lama handmade cowboy boots from the “El Ray” series. The latter was cataloged as “the only known extant pair of Tony Lama ‘El Ray II’ boots we are aware of…custom ordered from the Luskey’s 1966 catalog by…a Route 66 service station owner in Vernal, Utah, named Ted Jenkins.” The custom pair of the boots cost $10,000 at the time; Jenkins was apparently so proud to have spent such a sum that he charged a 25-cent admission to travelers wanting to see “the world famous pair [of] $10,000 cowboy boots.”
Native American artifacts attracted a lot of interest. Leading the category at $27,830 was a Yuma Territorial prison horsehair bridle decorated with American flags and diamond designs in the bright pink, blue and red colors that the catalog described as “unique to Yuma.” A Lakota beaded bridle published in Mike Cowdrey & Ned & Jody Martin’s Horses and Bridles of the American Indians (2011) was dated to the 1880s or 1890s and had bright stripe-and-step designs. The catalog also noted it was “one of the more intricate and detailed beaded bridles we have seen;” that rarity undoubtedly helped drive the final price to $16,940.
An exceptionally fine Cheyenne beaded cradle, 1870-80 with provenance to both Walter M. Blanko and Alan J. Hirshfield, carried a hefty estimate of $25/35,000 and fell a bit short with a result of $22,990.
Outperforming expectations at $18,159, a Santee Sioux gunstock club with a notched spear point fitted to the stock was decorated with green pigment, branded triangles to the butt and brass tack ornamentation on the body. For Native textiles, a single figure pictorial Navajo rug from the early Twentieth Century made $6,655; among ceramic offerings, the same amount was achieved by a Tony Da (Thun-phoe-she/Sun Dew) San Ildefonso pueblo redware jar with heishi beads.
Described as “a fine example” of the style, this Santee Sioux gunstock war club measured 25 inches in length and knocked off its $12/15,000 estimate with a $18,150 result.
Brian Lebel’s Old West Events will conduct the 34th Annual Old West show and auction in Las Vegas, Nev., January 26-27. For information, 480-779-9378 or www.oldwestevents.com.
