The Mr. and Mrs. James Grievo Collection of Native American Art at Auction on May 18

BOSTON, MA – April 29, 2019 – Skinner is pleased to announce the auction of The Mr. and Mrs. James Grievo Collection of Native American Art to be held in Boston on May 18th. Collectors of Native American art for over 20 years, the sale is the culmination of passion and dedication for the culture and objects of Indigenous Americans. A selection of over 550 lots includes paintings, photographs, Plains Indian material, Northwest Coast artifacts, a significant collection of Navajo silver and turquoise jewelry, Southwest weavings and pottery, and an important collection of California and Western baskets.

Yokuts pictorial baskets from the Grievo Collection of Native American Art

Highlights 
A highlight of the auction is an early Nootka mask (Lot 259, Estimate: $30,000-$40,000). Probably produced for a dance or ceremony, its power comes from a combination of naturalistic and finely rendered facial characteristics, including the use of shell for the teeth and the carefully painted abstract clan designs that cover the face. The quality of carving, the paintwork, and its early date all contribute to its rarity.

Lot 259, Northwest Coast Mask, Nuu-chah-nulth, late third/early fourth quarter 19th century; Estimate $30,000-$40,000

Other auction highlights include: 

Rare bead decorated Kiowa model cradle (Lot 130, Estimate: $8,000-$12,000), with a complex beaded pattern and attractive coloring.

Large Haida figurative argillite panel pipe (Lot 251, Estimate: $8,000-$12,000), representing western themes and imagery that began appearing in the 1830s, as the Haida’s receptivity to European culture began to take hold.

Plains Indian pewter head pipe tomahawk (Lot 168, Estimate: $5,000-$7,000).

Lot 417, Northwest Coast Silver Bracelet, 19th century; Estimate $5,000-$7,000

19th century silver Haida bracelet (Lot 417, Estimate: $5,000-$7,000), well rendered in silver with abstract details of a frog. 

Selection of Yokuts pictorial baskets (Lots 453, 454, 455, 456, 457 and 458), with finely woven abstract designs alongside simple representations of the human figure, lending a refreshingly modern and contemporary feel.

Superb 19th century pictorial Germantown Navajo weaving (Lot 507, Estimate: $800-$1,200) with strong colors and motifs.