For the ninth consecutive year Scottsdale Art Auction, holder of over 137 contemporary and deceased Western masters’ auction records, sets 31 new records as a packed sale room provided enthusiastic bids on Saturday, April 6th.   Top lot for the day was Frederic Remington’s black and white oil, Pack Horse Men Repelling an Attack by Indians, 27 inches by 40 inches, (estimated at $500,000 to $700,000) that sold for $1,035,000.  Contemporary lots that set new records included Martin Grelle’s Prayers of the Pipe Carrier, a 58 inches by 66 inches oil, (estimated at $200,000 to $300,000) that set a new record of $488,750; John Coleman’s Rainmaker, a 10 feet 6 inches high bronze, (estimated at $40,000 to $60,000) that set a new record for a single work by the artist at $97,750; Michael Dudash’s The Last Hand, a 32 inches by 48 inches oil, (estimated at $15,000 to $20,000) that sold for $40,250 and G. Harvey’s New York, New York, a 40 inches by 30 inches oil, (estimated at $120,000 - $180,000) that fetched a new record at $281,750.

The two-session event began at 9:30 a.m. and, with a brief lunch break, ended at 5:30 p.m.  Auctioneer, Troy Black, held the crowd of over 500 collectors, 12 telephone bid operators and iCollector internet bidders on the edge of their seats with 89% of the lots finding buyers for a total exceeding $11,000,000.  Other lots of special note included paintings by Cowboy Artists of America masters, Roy Andersen, Howard Terpning, Kenneth Riley, Tom Lovell, Charlie Dye, Ray Swanson, Melvin Warren, Frank McCarthy, Robert Lougheed, Joe Beeler, Jim Norton, Tom Ryan, John Moyers and James Reynolds.

Works by wildlife artists included Bob Kuhn’s High Stakes Race, a 26 inches by 40 inches acrylic, (estimated at $100,000 to $150,000) that brought $218,500.  Philip Goodwin’s The Big Thrill, oil, (estimated at $80,000 to $120,000) sold for $138,000 and his It’s a Bear, oil, (estimated at $80,000 to $120,000) fetched $126,500.