One of two lots with the highest price of the day, this Inuit carved gray stone musk ox with an applied white brow and horn, 9½ inches tall by 11 inches wide by 6 inches deep, signed in Inuktitut, surpassed its $800-$1,000 estimate to make $3,600.
Review by Kiersten Busch
THOMASTON, MAINE — In the catalog description for Thomaston Place Auction Galleries’ North American Collection sale, the firm wrote: “From border to border and coast to coast, all the sweep and majesty of the North American continent arrive at Thomaston Place Auction Galleries.” The firm’s 439-lot auction on May 15 included antique, vintage and contemporary Indigenous items, as well as other North American-related selections. The sale had an 86 percent sell-through rate and totaled more than $175,000, with strong bidding interest from all across North America.
“We saw vigorous bidding interest across the board, especially in turquoise and silver jewelry and Alaskan objects. It’s always gratifying for us when we see unique pieces like those featured in this sale going to appreciative buyers,” explained a representative for the firm.
One of two lots to lead the day at $3,600 was a carved gray stone musk ox with an applied white brow and horns. The 9½-inch-tall figure was signed in Inuktitut to the underside of one of its feet and had a Canada Eskimo Art label.
This set of mounted walrus tusks with Inuit scrimshawing, 31½ inches long by 14 inches wide by 6½ inches deep, carved out a $3,000 finish ($1/2,000).
More than 50 lots of Inuit items crossed the block, including a set of scrimshawed walrus tusks that realized $3,000. The tusks’ carved designs included five whalers in a kayak and a dog sled with a long team. The piece was unsigned and mounted on an oval teak plaque.
Several masks by Umkumiut native Ayap’run Jack Abraham did well in the category. A representative for the firm commented, “We saw strong interest in the work of Yup’ik artist Jack Abraham, whose hand-carved native Alaskan masks are showing real strength in the current market, with several of his pieces selling well above estimate. Lot 1029 led that group, realizing a total price of $1,920.” Said mask, which measured 11 by 11 inches, was a circa 1980s hand carved and painted yellow cedar mask with slit goggles. As noted in the auction catalog, Abraham has work displayed in the Smithsonian Institution and is part of the Indigenous population of Nelson Island, Alaska.
A Hudson Bay Trademark beaver pendant in embossed and engraved silver led a group of more than ten of the “HB” silver pendants at $2,520. The beaver was stamped “HB,” “HBC” and “Montreal,” and had an illegible ink inscription verso. Following close behind at $1,920 was a pendant depicting a pair of kissing otters, also in embossed and etched sheet silver, which bore an “NR” maker’s mark for Narcisse Roy, alongside the “HB” and “Montreal” marks.
Swimming to $2,520 was this Hudson Bay Trademark beaver pendant, embossed and engraved sheet silver, 7¾ inches long by 3¼ inches wide ($600/800).
The slightly more than 30 lots of sculpture on offer, led by the stone musk ox, also included notable works such as Bill Nebeker’s cast and patinated bronze “Wet Leather, Cold Morning,” which realized $3,600. The work, standing 32 inches high on its mahogany revolving base, depicted a cowboy heading to work in “full foul weather gear” and was dated “1994” and numbered 14 in a series of 25. Other bronzes included “Speaker of Wisdom” by Scott Rogers ($1,200) and a bust of a bellowing elk by contemporary Tennessean artist Ryan Wilhite ($960).
Besting its $600/800 estimate by more than three times to make $2,760 was a detailed carving of a lynx taken from a single section of weathered wood. Catalog notes explained that while the work was unsigned, it was known by the consignor to have been hand-carved by Idahoan artist Lona Hymas-Smith, who tragically passed in a bicycle and car accident in 2012. The lynx itself, although carved of wood, was painted and had glass eyes and whiskers. One additional work by Hymas-Smith, a hand-carved and painted head of an American Eagle on a teak plinth, realized $720.
Animal portraits were popular with bidders, as one of two works by Australian American artist Krystii Melaine crossed the block for $1,920. Titled “Keeping Watch” (Wolves), the 2003-04 painting was done in oil on canvas coated in Liquin and was signed lower left. “Something Stirred” (Cougar), also by Melaine, was done in the same media and realized $720. Both paintings retained labels for Harrigan Fine Art in Jackson, Wyo.
“Keeping Watch” (Wolves) by Krystii Melaine (Washington/Australia, b 1963), 2003/4, oil on canvas board coated with Liquin, 37½ by 23½ inches in a gilt cove frame, howled for $1,920, besting its $1/1,500 estimate.
Several pieces of Native American turquoise jewelry also found new buyers for some of the sale’s higher prices, like a silver squash blossom necklace composed of silver bench beads and multiple turquoise cluster leases, which terminated in a central naja pendant. The naja itself was decorated with twisted rope borders, stamped detailing and was set with both rounded and teardrop turquoise cabochons. Against a conservative $300/500 estimate, the necklace served up a $1,920 finish. A stamped sterling silver cuff bracelet with three turquoise cabochons ($1,920), a vintage Southwestern silver necklace with graduated and stamped compressed shape beads set with polished Sleeping Beauty turquoise stones ($1,800) and a vintage turquoise and silver hollow bead squash blossom necklace ($1,560) also found new homes far above their estimates.
Thomaston Place’s Summer Splendor 2026 auction will take place June 26-28.
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For information, 207-354-8141 or www.thomastonauction.com.
