JACKSON, Wyo. — The Inaugural Wyoming Art Auction, held February 20 in Jackson, set 35 new world auction records.
Presented by the Jackson Hole Art Auction, the Wyoming Art Auction offered 228 lots—selling 96% of them and realizing a total of $668,650. The online auction saw active bidding across three internet platforms, leading to 42% of sold pieces exceeding their high estimates and 35 new world auction records.
Among the world auction records set, were price per square inch records for a number of Cowboy Artist of American members. Bill Owen’s Untitled (Horse), a charming 9 x 12 oil on board, flew past its estimate of $1,500-$2,500 and brought $33,000 with a record $306 per square inch. Likewise, Clark Kelley Price’s Sweet Wyoming Home (oil/canvas, 24 x 30) sold for $30,000, exceeding its estimate of $3,000 to $5,000 and setting a price per square inch record for the artist. Records were also set for Wayne Baize with Cutting Out Mamma (oil/canvas, 8 1/2 x 11 1/2) bringing $3,000 and Tyler Crow’s A Cowboy from the Tom Butler Bronc Ride (watercolor/paper, 10 1/4 x 9 1/4) nearly doubling its high estimate at $2,280. The sale also set auction price records for Brian Asher, Bruce Greene, and Henry Howard Bagg, among others.
Historic works brought the highest overall prices in the sale. Charlie Dye’s classic western piece Throwing the Houlihan (oil/Masonite, 24 x 36) sold above estimates bringing $57,000. While Hill Country Bluebonnets (oil/canvas, 36 x 44), painted in 1941 by Porfirio Salinas, brought $51,000. Native American subjects also saw strong interest, with Navajo Rider (oil/board, 16 x 24) by Gerard Curtis Delano exceeding its estimate and selling for $36,000. Meanwhile, a rare work by Carl Roters from 1963, On the Warpath (polymer/board, 25 x 39 34) sold for over double its high estimate at $16,800.
Sporting and wildlife pieces also saw strong interest, with Bob Kuhn’s Watch the Buck Runways (acrylic and conte/ paperboard, 16 1/2 x 25 1/2) selling for $12,000. Other wildlife highlights include record-setting Rock Creek (oil/board, 10 x 12) by Jim Morgan which sold for $5,700 over four times the high estimate. Justin Prigmore’s Mating Games (oil/canvas, 18 x 24) also more than quadrupled its estimate, setting a record for the artist at $9,000. Records were also set for wildlife artists Don Brown, Robert Refvem, and Daren Wilding.
Full auction results are available online.
