Historic Works and Notable Collections Lead Freeman’s Native American Art Auctions to $1.38 Million

Lot 2 | Monumental Ojibwe Calumet Pipe, with Fine Lead Inlay Burl Bowl | Sold for $57,600

Freeman’s two-day Native American Art auctions, presented live in Chicago and online, realized a combined total of $1,382,252, surpassing pre-sale expectations and underscoring sustained collector demand. The marquee live sale achieved 109% sold by value, with 92% of lots finding buyers.

 

Bringing together works spanning from the 16th century to the present day, the thoughtfully curated sales reflected the depth, diversity, and enduring vitality of Native American artistic traditions. Property was offered from several distinguished collections, including the Collection of Dr. Deane and Susan Penn; the Larry Ness Collection of Native American Photography; an Old Hollywood Family Collection; the Ronny and Doris Smithee Collection; the Serr and Shannon Collection, Warehouse Art Museum; and the Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, with proceeds benefiting collections care.

 

Danica Farnand, Senior Specialist and Head of Department, Native American Art, commented: “This sale brought together an exceptional range of historic and contemporary works by Native artists, reflecting both deep-rooted traditions and dynamic artistic innovation. The strong results—and competitive bidding across categories—speak to the depth of interest from collectors.”

Key Auction Highlights Leading the sale was a Monumental Ojibwe Calumet Pipe (Lot 2), dating from the late 18th to early 19th century, which realized $57,600, nearly tripling its pre-sale estimate of $20,000–30,000. The finely carved stem, composed of multiple segmented elements with triangular motifs, is painted in red and black pigments and paired with a burl bowl featuring delicate lead inlay suggestive of feather forms. The repetition of form and color reflects symbolic references to spiritual and cosmological themes, contributing to the work’s strong appeal among bidders.

A Monumental Redware Pottery Jar by Margaret Tafoya (Lot 257) also drew significant attention, realizing $44,800 against an estimate of $15,000–25,000. The large, bulbous vessel—featuring four sculptural bear paw elements and signed on the base—exemplifies Tafoya’s mastery of Santa Clara Pueblo pottery traditions. Born in 1904 at Santa Clara Pueblo, Tafoya learned hand-building techniques from her mother, Sara Fina Tafoya, and worked using locally sourced clay and traditional coil construction. Known for her deeply carved designs and large-scale vessels, she gained international recognition by the mid-20th century while maintaining a strict adherence to traditional methods.

 

Lot 152 | Navajo Second Phase Blanket [Rug], fourth quarter 19th century Sold for $19,200

 

Property from the Collection of Dr. Deane and Susan Penn

The Collection of Dr. Deane and Susan Penn was among the strongest-performing groups, accounting for seven of the top ten lots in the live auction. Across the two auctions, 45 lots from the collection were offered, 96% of which found buyers—reflecting both the quality of the material and the couple’s deeply informed approach to collecting.

Dr. Deane Penn (1941–2021), a physician and lifelong learner, and his wife Susan built their collection over three decades through sustained engagement with Native American art and culture. Regular visitors to Santa Fe and the broader Southwest, they developed relationships with artists, dealers, and institutions, and pursued a particular interest in textiles, pottery, and the cultural context of the works they acquired. Their involvement extended to supporting museum exhibitions and educational initiatives, including contributions to institutions such as the Heard Museum and the Boca Raton Museum of Art.

Highlights from the collection included a Navajo Second Phase Blanket (Lot 152) from the late 19th century, woven in handspun wool with a restrained palette of natural and dyed tones, which realized $19,200. A carved pottery jar by Tammy Garcia (Lot 285) achieved $16,640, doubling its pre-sale estimate, while Preston Singletary’s glass sculpture Raven Steals the Sun (Lot 317)—a luminous work exploring Tlingit narratives through contemporary glass—also realized $16,640.

 

Lot 338 | Exceptional Mono Basket, with Rattlesnake Bands, early 20th century Sold for $8,320

Property from an Old Hollywood Family Collection

Property from an Old Hollywood Family Collection also performed strongly, with 97% of lots sold across both auctions and the group achieving 118% sold by value, reflecting highly competitive bidding. Highlights included an Ancestral Pueblo Tularosa Black-on-White olla (Lot 217) (A.D. 1150–1325), featuring an intricate composition of interlaced bands and fine linear decoration that creates a striking visual rhythm, which realized $7,680 against an estimate of $2,000–4,000. An exceptional Mono basket (Lot 338), decorated with horizontal rattlesnake bands interspersed with vertical geometric elements, achieved $8,320, more than four times its low estimate, demonstrating strong demand for finely woven works with bold graphic designs.

 

Lot 115 | Mitchell and McGowan, Sioux Chiefs and Warriors Taken at the Red Cloud Agency, ca 1877 Sold for $4,480

The Larry Ness Collection of Native American Photography

The Larry Ness Collection of Native American Photography attracted considerable interest for both its breadth and historical significance, with 98% of lots sold. The collection provides an important visual record and situates these objects within a broader cultural and historical context. Together, these works create a more nuanced narrative, illuminating the continuity, evolution, and lived experience surrounding Native artistic production across time.

Among the highlights was a group of photographs by Mitchell and McGowan (Lot 115) depicting Sioux chiefs and warriors at the Red Cloud Agency, circa 1877, which realized $4,480. The identified sitters include prominent figures such as Young Man Afraid of His Horse, He Dog, and American Horse, many of whom were associated with pivotal moments in 19th-century Plains history. Another key lot was a group of albumen photographs by Antonio Zeno Shindler (Lot 86), depicting Yankton Sioux leaders in Washington, D.C., circa 1867–1868, which realized $3,200. Together, these works underscore the documentary and historical importance of early photography in shaping the visual record of Native American life.

Additional Auction Highlights

· Lot 162 | Navajo Transitional Wedge Weave Blanket [Rug], fourth quarter 19th century Property from the Collection of Dr. Deane and Susan Penn Sold for $12,800

· Lot 290 | Tammy Garcia and Mike Bird Romero Collaboration, Carved Redware Pottery Vase Property from the Collection of Dr. Deane and Susan Penn Sold for $12,160 

· Lot 326 | Jeremy Frey, Colorful Lidded Split Ash Baskets Property from the Collection of John Benson of Minneapolis, Minnesota and Fort Collins, Colorado Sold for $11,520

· Lot 160 | Navajo Transitional Late Classic Serape [Rug], late 19th century Property from the Collection of Dr. Deane and Susan Penn Sold for $10,880

· Lot 268 | Nancy Youngblood, Redware Pottery Swirl Jar, 2005 Property from the Collection of Dr. Deane and Susan Penn Sold for $10,880

· Lot 263 | Grace Medicine Flower, Large Three-Toned Deeply Carved Pottery Jar, 1992 Sold for $10,240

· Lot 214 | Zia Parrot Pottery Jar, late 19th century Sold for $9,600

· Lot 309 | Tony Abeyta, untitled Sold for $8,960