Western Art Week’s auctions grossed over $4 million to benefit the C.M. Russell Museum.
The 2019 gross sales total for the 3-day series of events, including buyer’s premiums, was $4.7 million.
The C.M. Russell Museum reported the Russell Live Auction attracted people from across the country in high-stakes bidding for both historic and contemporary Western art. The event also marked 51 years of live auction events to benefit the Museum’s nonprofit and educational programs.
Thirteen significant pieces by Charles M. Russell and four by Olaf C. Seltzer were included in the sale of 147 lots.
The C.M. Russell Museum stated that consistent with years past, significant Russell works in the auction were among the highest earners.
The 1897 oil Approach of White Men sold for $1,369,000. The 1900 oil Indian with Bow was sold at $753,000, and the 1895 watercolor Indian Scout sold for $409,500. The 1898 watercolor ink wash Preparation for the Buffalo Hunt sold for $128,700.
Total sales for Saturday’s Live auction, including buyers premium, was $4.1 million, according to the C.M. Russell Museum.
Earlier this week, the successful First Strike Auction featured 79 lots by living artists and grossed $420,556 including buyer’s premium – an after-auction sale brought the sale rate to 100 percent. The highest selling piece was the sale of Lot 36, All Legs by Adeline Halvorson for $40,000.
The Museum reported the 2019 Art in Action event was a sell out at the Meadow Lark Country Club. With artists donating both their time and talent to the “quick draw” and live auction event, 100 percent of the proceeds benefited the C.M. Russell Museum.
This year’s Art in Action saw just under $150,000 in art sales with buyer’s premium. Michael Barlow’s work-of-the-day came in at the highest with $13,000, according to the C.M. Russell Museum.
In its third year, The Russell Runway Show gathered over 200 guests for a wearable art show filled with heirloom-worthy fashion. Items ranged from hand-painted vests by The Russell artists, vintage leather jackets, intricately beaded accessories, couture creations by global designers, and more.
Event proceeds directly benefited the C.M. Russell Museum’s Russell for Learning program that brings an art-focused literacy curriculum to area middle schools.
The C.M. Russell Museum stated $16,000 was raised through donations and a live auction of items donated by artists and designers, and a generous anonymous donor matched donations, to bring the total raised to $27,235.
Click here to view a complete list of results and auction pieces still available.
