This Edward H. Bohlin silver-and gold-mounted parade saddle set with breast collar, bridle and overlaid curb bit, made for Justin W. Dart Sr (1907-1984), adorned with Disney and Western motifs, was bid well beyond its $125/175,000 estimate range to become the highest-achieving lot of the auction at $307,500.
Review by Carly Timpson
SANTA FE, N.M. — In conjunction with the weekend-long Brian Lebel’s Old West Show June 21-23, Morphy Auctions partnered with Lebel to conduct the 34th Annual Brian Lebel’s Old West Auction on Saturday, June 22. The 439-lot auction included categories such as Western fine art, cowboy antiques, firearms, jewelry, advertising, photography and Native American objects. Leading up to the auction, Lebel shared that the event may be “one of the most exciting sales we’ve had in more than 34 years.” At the sale’s close, it looked like he made good on that promise. In total, the auction realized more than $2.2 million and had a 91 percent sell-through rate.
Following the sale, Dan Morphy, president of Morphy Auctions, shared, “We had an incredible Old West Show leading up to the Saturday night auction in Santa Fe. The auction preview gave us all a great chance to interact and catch up with our onsite bidders and clients. We had a full auction room as the auction got started and there was spirited bidding even into the late evening. We want to thank all of our dealers, bidders and consignors for an exciting three days in historic Santa Fe.”
Consignments from two of the country’s most notable Western and cowboy collections were positioned to be in the winner’s circle: the George Pitman (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) collection of Edward H. Bohlin productions and the Ron and Linda Gillett collection, which is known for its spurs, bits and chaps.
A California parade saddle with matching bridle and breast collar by Frank Coenen; leather, silver and two-tone wool; achieved $153,750 ($80/120,000). Attached to it was the Equestrian blue ribbon won at the 1997 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade.
Hailing from the Pitman collection, a Bohlin saddle soared past its high estimate of $175,000 to achieve the highest price of the day — $307,500. The saddle, a special-order Ed Bohlin parade saddle, was made for Justin W. Dart Sr (1907-1984), political kingmaker and honoree of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Built with a Miles City tree, this San Gabriel style saddle was fully customized for Dart with silver and gold conchos having various Western icons, including some images that were personal to him and a silver twisted rope edge. Most notably were the silver swell caps, each adorned with a gold Cowboy Mickey Mouse twirling a lasso. Further adding to the uniqueness was the gold signature of Walt Disney beneath the iconic character. These elements have been subject to much speculation over the years, with many wondering how Bohlin was able to replicate the trademarked images, though some have concluded that Dart and Disney ran in the same social circles in California.
With more than a century of documentation certifying the lot’s history, the second-highest achieving lot presented less speculation, but similar collecting allure. Making $233,700 was a Colt .45 Single Action Army revolver that was part of a legendary 10-gun shipment sent to the infamous Old West outlaws, the Dalton Gang (active 1890–1892). The auction catalog wrote that the gun was sold “with an accompanying plethora of documents, affidavits, articles, factory letter” and provenance history. These records showed that the weapon was one of 10 nearly identical revolvers ordered for the gang and shipped on August 18, 1892. The ownership of this gun — engraved by Colt’s Cuno A. Helfrich (active 1871-1921), finished in blue and fitted with two-piece pearl grips — was attributed to either Bob or Emmett Dalton.
Another California parade saddle from the Pitman collection, this one by Bohlin’s rival, Frank Coenen, exceeded its $120,000 high estimate to earn $153,750. The two-tone brown leather was artfully engraved with floral designs and heavily adorned with silver mountings and gold details. As described in the catalog, “the cantle and front swells, horn and gullet were fully covered in silver, the skirts and rear jockey were decorated with ornate sterling plates enhanced with raised stylized scrollwork, plus figures including a ‘Let ‘er Buck’ cowboy, longhorn and multiple gold horseheads.” Additionally, the saddle included a two-tone wool corona, silvered serape, “massive” breast collar and matching bridle. Paired with the saddle was its Equestrian blue ribbon won at the 1997 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade.
Edward H. Bohlin’s Diamond Supreme silver-mounted parade saddle set with breast collar, bridle and matching silver serape; custom made for Dominic Bressi (1903-1977); earned $92,250 ($80/120,000).
In similar form with a silvered serape was a Bohlin Diamond Supreme-style parade saddle with matching breast collar and bridle, also from the Pitman collection. The model debuted in Bohlin’s 1951 catalog, but this one was entirely custom-made for Dominic Bressi (1903-1977), a road contractor from San Luis Obispo, Calif. The black, floral-carved saddle was heavily adorned with diamond and half-diamond Bohlin-made conchos and featured three-dimensional rodeo scenes on the skirt and breast collar. The silver diamond covered tapaderos were monogrammed “B” in gold and the back of the cantle had a nameplate with Bressi’s initials in gold as well. James H. Nottage pictured this example in his 1996 book, Saddle Maker to the Stars, The Leather and Silver Art of Edward H. Bohlin (Autry Museum of Western Heritage & University of Washington Press). It rode off to its new home for $92,250.
The Gillett collection was led by a pair of Jesus Tapia (Los Angeles) spurs, made circa 1915-20. The spurs were inclusive of all of the maker’s distinctive signature elements, including engraving, filigreed silver inlays, stylized rooster head, 14-point iron rowels, flat silver inlay flower stationary buttons and two-piece floral carved leathers. In very fine original condition, bidders kicked the pair past its $40,000 high estimate to finish at $67,650.
These Jesus Tapia (1856-1931) inlaid, Los Angeles, spurs with stylized rooster-head shanks, circa 1915-20; silver, iron and leather; pushed estimates to achieve $67,650 ($30/40,000).
Other spurs from the collection included a pair by Jose Tapia, Jesus’ father. These California spurs, made circa 1880-90s, showed strong Spanish Colonial and Mexican influence, which was characteristic of the maker’s early works. With Tapia’s distinctive floral engraved leather straps, inlaid buttons and fanciful iron work, the pair also featured partial birds head drop shanks, oversized 12-point rowels and iron jingle-bobs. While this was an authentic early pair, the straps had contemporary domed and scalloped Tapia-style conchos added. Still, bids ran the pair more than double its high estimate to ultimately cross the block at $34,440.
At $29,520 was a circa 1900 pair of Juan Francisco Echavarria (San Jose, Calif.) spurs. Fully mounted with the maker’s signature engraved silver, the pair had a target-pattern heel band front and double crescent moon off-side. The two-piece carved leathers were original and had Garcia-style period domed conchos. The 12-point silver inlaid spoke rowels were affixed to stylized shanks with engraved buttons. The catalog boasted: “This is arguably the best pair of Echavarria spurs that have come to market in many years. Excellent condition.”
The Gillett collection also offered a pair of double-mounted spurs by Qualey Bros. (Grangeville, Idaho) which made $25,830. Notable details include a silver three-piece buckle on the engraved leather straps, silver overlaid shield and dome mountings on the band and the Qualey Bros., trademark split-end shank with a 48-point rowel. The pair was pictured in The Spur: History, Art, Culture, Function by David R. Stoecklein (Stoecklein Publishing, 2003).
A New Haven Arms Model 1860 Henry lever action rifle, manufactured in 1864, engraved by Samuel J. Hoggson, serial number 7627, topped off at $29,520 ($45/65,000).
While the Gillett collection is best known for and represented by its spurs, some other highlights of the collection included a Civil War-era New Haven Arms Model 1860 Henry lever action rifle. Manufactured in 1864, the .44 caliber gun’s brass frame was detailed with typical Germanic bank note scrolls, including leaves, fruit and, on one side, a dog, done by engraver Samuel J. Hoggson. With a rare deluxe grain walnut stock and 24-inch barrel with a chocolate-brown patina, the Henry brought $29,520. Examples of this model can be seen in The Henry Rifle by Les Quick (Graphic Publishers, 2008) and the first edition of The Winchester Book by George Madis (Art and Reference House, 1977).
Also leaving the Gillett collection was a Wyoming Penitentiary (Rawlins, Wyo.) calfskin and horsehair bridle that had hitched horsehair panels with colorful diamond patterns on the browband and cheekpieces and was likely related to a circa 1928 example by inmate Herbert Brink. A central leather faceplate in the shape of a heart was a sweet touch, and throughout the bridle were intricate knots and loops and colored tassels. It was complete with a unique half-breed bit, in heavy iron, cut with the letters “SP” on either side, possibly referring to “State Penitentiary.” Bidding led the distinctive Western bridle to $25,830.
The fine art category was led by an oil on canvas panel by Cowboy Artists of America member, Fred Fellows. “Taking A Closer Look,” done in 1981, depicted three cowboys on horseback with the primary figure successfully roping one of the cattle in the field. Framed with a title plaque, the painting was bid well past its $8,000 high estimate to be claimed at $27,060.
“Posse” by Frank C. McCarthy (1924-2002), 1975, oil on board, 34¼ by 28¼ inches framed, brought $22,140 ($20/30,000).
Frank C. McCarthy’s “Posse,” depicting several men on horseback riding down a rocky path toward a stream, found a buyer within estimate at $22,140. McCarthy was also a member of Cowboy Artists of America and has had his work exhibited at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame (Oklahoma City, Okla.) and the Western Heritage Center (Billings, Mont.) and had a retrospective at the Gilcrease Museum (Tulsa, Okla.). The oil on board work was housed in a wood frame with a title plaque.
Two paintings crossed the block for $18,450 each. One was an untitled half portrait of a Native American on horseback by Mark Maggiori and the other was Frank Hoffman’s “The Camp Visitor.” Maggiori’s acrylic on canvas work showed the subject seated on a white horse facing left and against a solid turquoise background. “The Camp Visitor,” an oil on canvas work showing a curious young bear standing and facing a crouched Native, who calmly holds an arrow toward the cub. The signed work had provenance to the Robert B. Pamplin Jr International Collection of Art and History.
Remarking on the weekend’s success, Lebel commented, “We were thrilled with both the auction prices, some of which set records, and the many positive comments from the show’s dealers, who made a point of telling us, almost unanimously, how excited they were with their own results.” The next Old West show and auction will be January 24-25 in Las Vegas.
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For information, www.morphyauctions.com or 877-968-8880.
