Soulis – Mid-Americana at Auction
Sunday, December 10th, at 12:00 pm cst
Lone Jack, Missouri
816.697.3830
www.SoulisAuctions.com

LONE JACK, MO. — In September 2020, Soulis Auctions knocked down record prices at its headline-making sale of the Richard and Valerie Tucker collection of carnival shooting gallery targets. The collection was notable for two reasons: it was arguably the finest of its type; and it triumphed in spite of being auctioned in the midst of the Covid pandemic. Offered alongside premier folk art, weathervanes, primitives and quirky handmade objects, the arcade targets found a cozy niche in which to reside. In so doing, they added a vibrant finishing touch to a formula Soulis would refine to perfection in subsequent Mid-Americana Gallery Auctions, the next of which is slated for Sunday, December 10.

The pre-Christmas lineup includes so many tempting categories, the only way to uncover all of its hidden treasure is by browsing the catalog from cover to cover, which can be easily accomplished online through the Soulis website or a choice of three bidding platforms. The main auction categories are folk, tramp, Outsider and Native American art, weathervanes, textiles, country furniture and accessories in old paint, and of course, a selection of figural shooting gallery targets.

The most unusual target is essentially a 49-inch-tall naïve artwork on sheet metal that depicts a lady lion tamer standing face to face with a rampant lion. Made circa 1890, the oversize target is probably of English or Continental European origin and has a clever mechanical action. A successful shot to the bull’s-eye causes the lady’s arm to lower and the lion’s jaw to open, revealing fearsome upper and lower teeth ($5/10,000).

Another top highlight is a scarce 1930s sheet iron shooting gallery target that depicts a Cowboy Gunfighter. Although unattributed, it is similar to a model made by William F. Mangels of Coney Island. With old park paint in red, white, yellow and blue, the Old West figure’s attractive, naturally achieved surface texture is uniquely its own after years of impact from countless lead bullets. It stands 41½ inches tall, inclusive of display support, and comes to auction with a $6/9,000 estimate.

Also noteworthy, an early Twentieth Century “Pancho Villa” cast iron target is attributed to Emil Hoffman of Chicago and was illustrated and described in the company’s circa 1912 catalogs as “Mexican Head-Illuminated Eye Target.” Villa escaped from prison and fled to El Paso on Christmas Day in 1912, so the timelines between his notoriety and the target’s time of manufacture appear to be in close parallel to one another. Despite the catalog description, the auction example was not constructed to illuminate. Its eye openings are backed by a circular iron gong that rings if a shot passes through an eyehole ($2/4,000).

Other key targets include a never-before-seen painted iron Fishing Boy ($2/3,000); a rack of seven iron Native American knockdown target figures ($2/4,000); and several by C.W. Parker: a Whippet ($6/9,000); Decorated Pony with Rider ($2/3,000); and a rare a brass-plated Deer with its target a relief red heart to its flank ($4/6,000).

A selection of antique weathervanes is led by a J.W. Fiske (attributed) copper vane replicating the harness-racing horse St Julien, “King of the Trotters.” The horse is shown running at full speed, with his celebrated real-life trainer and driver Orrin A. Hikok at the reins ($15/20,000).

Also, there is a Cushing & White copper vane depicting a full-bodied dairy cow. Its original gilt finish is largely intact with naturally occurring verdigris highlights ($3/5,000). A second copper dairy cow vane, attributed to Harris & Sons (Boston), is expected to make $5/7,000; while a signed, circa 1860 A.L. Jewell weathervane created as a likeness of the popular American fast-trotter “Ethan Allen” will be riding with the herd, ($3/5,000).

The equine theme continues with an iron-spoked pull toy fashioned as a top-hatted man riding an articulated horse with a dog running alongside them. The toy was exhibited at the Museum of American Folk Art, the Brooklyn Museum and New-York Historical Society. It is also a reference book example and was formerly in the Kahn collection, as noted on the cloth tag affixed to its underside ($2/4,000).

Another important piece is the rare mid-Nineteenth Century carved and painted pine whirligig crafted in the form of a gentleman wearing a top hat. The man’s suit consists of a coat with tails, brownish-red trousers and a mustard-colored waistcoat ($3/4,000).

Preview by appointment or from noon until 5 pm every day of the week prior to the auction. Soulis Auctions is at 529 West Lone Jack Lee’s Summit Road. For more information, www.soulisauctions.com or 816-697-3830.

Featuring Folk, Tramp, Outsider & Native American Art with Country Furniture and Accessories in Old Paint
Live Auction, with Telephone, Internet and Absentee Bidding. In-house Shipping and Local Delivery Available.
A Massive Inuit Whale Bone Carving
A Collection of Prison Art
A Large and Outstanding, Near Life-sized, Lady Lion Tamer Shooting Gallery Target Circa 1890
Exceptional Shooting Gallery Targets
Shooting Gallery Target Collection Including This Rare Brass and Copper Plated Target Signed C. W. Parker, Abilene, Kansas
An 80-inch Wild Woman Totem Attributed John Livingston (1959-2019) KWAKWAKA’WAKW
A Collection with Unwashed 19th Century Polished Cotton Quilts
Fine Folk Art Including this Pull Toy Exhibited at The Museum of American Folk Art and Others
Attributed Cushing and White
A Small But Formidable Collection of 19th Century American WeatherVanes, Including this example Attributed J.W. Fiske, NY
Carved Ship’s Figurehead in Old Paint
Furniture and Accessories in Old Paint
Exceptional Full Bodied Cow Weather Vane with Cast Iron head
Tramp Art Including this Massive and Complex Box
Two and Three Dimensional Outsider Art
Tramp Art Crown of Thorns with Painting in Carved Corn Frame
A Rare Large Fisher Boy Iron Shooting Gallery Target
One of Three Good Whirligigs