American Indian & Tribal Art Auction in Marlborough on February 12

Marlborough, Mass. – January 24, 2014 – Skinner, Inc. will host an auction of American Indian & Tribal Art on February 12th in its Marlborough gallery. Ideal for both seasoned and new collectors, the auction features a variety of items ranging from Plains Indian art and tribal weapons to a collection of prehistoric stone material from the Henry F. Metcalf museum.

Prehistoric and Pre-Columbian Art

Over 230 Prehistoric Stone Points, many labeled. Provenance: Henry F. Metcalf   Museum, Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania. (Lot 129, Estimate $250-$350)

Over 230 Prehistoric Stone Points, many labeled. Provenance: Henry F. Metcalf Museum, Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania. (Lot 129, Estimate $250-$350)

Several large groups of prehistoric stone material provide an opportunity to acquire an arrowhead collection in one bid. (Lots 125 to 139, Estimates vary) From the now closed Henry F. Metcalf museum in Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, the collection includes prehistoric celts, axe heads, pendants, and a variety of points.

The auction also includes Pre-Columbian pottery and jewelry including a pair of seated figures from West Mexico (Lot 12, $300 to $400).

Tribal Art

Tribal weapons have a strong visual and historic appeal, and interest in tribal art has been growing among fine art collectors. This auction offers a selection of African weapons, the last group to be sold from a large New England collection, including a Songye axe with a copper-wrapped shaft (Lot 55, $250 to $350) and a Mandingo sword with an ornate leather scabbard (Lot 52, $300 to $400).

The arts of Oceania are represented by a group of Polynesian clubs and a New Guinea shield (Lot 172, $300 to $400).

Classic Saltillo Serape, c. early 19th century (Lot 197, Estimate $4,000-  $6,000)

Classic Saltillo Serape, c. early 19th century (Lot 197, Estimate $4,000- $6,000)

American Indian Art

With offerings from the Plains region to the Northwest Coast, the auction provides a broad range of American Indian textiles, carvings, beadwork, and other objects. A classic Saltillo serape from the early 19th century (Lot 197, $4,000 to $6,000) would be an excellent choice for a new collector; although the border was removed from this piece, it is still a fine example of a classic form that regularly brings excellent results at auction. In a recent American Indian Art auction, a Saltillo serape sold for $39,975. A group of Navajo rugs rounds out the textile offerings in the auction.

A selection of Plains Indian art includes moccasins, pipe bags, and two beaded Lakota objects: a multicolored blanket strip from the last quarter of the 19th century (Lot 117, $1,000 to $1,500), and a hide and cloth cradle with muslin lining and a flannel back (Lot 118, $2,000 to $2,500).

A whale bone and pewter presentation piece (Lot 144, $1,500 to $2,000) highlights a selection of Northwest Coast art. Carved out of a whale’s neck vertebra, the piece resembles a raven in flight and contains a box carved with a heraldic symbol, the motto “Veritas Ad Finem” (Truth to the end) and the words “Alaska 1828.”

American Southwest Art

One of Two Contemporary Kachina Paintings by Leonard Baskin, 1993 (Lot 176, Estimate   $600-$800)

One of Two Contemporary Kachina Paintings by Leonard Baskin, 1993 (Lot 176, Estimate $600-$800)

Eye-catching Southwest jewelry includes a group of bird pendants (Lot 150, $300 to $400). Made from a variety of found materials including old car batteries, records, bone, and shell, these pieces are also known as “battery necklaces.”

A group of Southwest pottery from the pueblos includes an Acoma jar (Lot 180, $800 to $1,200), and an Apache basket with zigzag designs (Lot 196, $2,000 to $2,500) provides a classic example of Southwest design.

Two Leonard Baskin watercolor paintings of Kachina dolls (Lot 176, $600 to $800) round out the sale with a dash of contemporary art, demonstrating how seamlessly tribal and American Indian designs incorporate into modern décor.

About Skinner

Skinner auctions draw international interest from buyers and consignors alike, with material regularly achieving record prices. The company’s auction and appraisal services focus on fine art, jewelry, furniture, and decorative arts from around the globe, as well as wine, fine musical instruments, rare books, clocks, Judaica, and more. Monthly Skinner Discovery auctions feature a breadth of estate material. Widely regarded as one of the most trusted names in the business, Skinner appraisers have appeared on the PBS-TV series, Antiques Roadshow, since the show’s inception. Skinner has galleries in Boston and Marlborough, Massachusetts with an international audience of bidders participating in person, by phone, and online through the SkinnerLive! online bidding platform. For more information and to read our blog, visit the website atwww.skinnerinc.com, find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/skinnerauctions, or follow us on Twitter @Skinnerinc.

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Contacts

Douglas Deihl
Director of American Indian & Ethnographic Art
508-970-3254
AmericanIndian@skinnerinc.com

Kate de Bethune
Director of Marketing
press@skinnerinc.com

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