MESA, Ariz. – A circa-1900 Sioux Dentalium and tablecloth dress estimated to hammer for $10,000-$20,000 and a 1970s-vintage 14kt gold and turquoise necklace with custom beads expected to fetch $7,000-$14,000 are just two items slated to come up for bid Nov. 8-9 at Big Fall Phoenix, an auction held every autumn by Allard Auctions, Inc., based in St. Ignatius, Mont.

The event will be held at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites in Mesa, Ariz., just outside of Phoenix. Offered will be more than 800 lots of American Indian artifacts, art and related collectibles, spread out over the course of two days. Major categories will include Native American jewelry, hand-made baskets, rugs and weavings, beadwork, Kachina carvings, pottery and clothing items.

For those unable to attend in person, online bidding will be provided by LiveAuctioneers.com and iCollector.com. Phone and absentee bids will also be accepted. Bidders may view the full catalog at the Allard Auctions website by logging on to www.allardauctions.com. Absentee bids maybe left on the site until an hour before the auction. Previews will be held both auction days.

The Sioux Dentalium and tradecloth dress is the expected top lot of the auction. The lot consists of a rare, circa-1900 12-row, fully covered removable Dentalium shell yoke with canvas, plus its original selvedge tradecloth dress with ribbon and metallic sequined accents. The dress and yoke are both in very good condition, and a few missing shells are not expected to deter eager bidders.

The original design 14kt gold necklace – co-designed in the 1970s by Andrew of Scottsdale and Alexander, Artist in Gold – boasts 26 custom beads and squash blossoms. The naja (the inverted crescent pendant on squash-blossom necklaces, a term coined by the Navajo) is set with a beautiful #8 spider web turquoise stone. The sides are Lone Mountain. Bidding on this item should be brisk.

A wonderful early 20th century sewn and lazy stitch Sioux beaded blanket strip, done on buffalo hide and attached to a beautiful indigo selvedge edge wool tradecloth, is expected to hammer for $3,000-$6,000. The 58 inch by 70 inch example is in very good condition with just a few tiny holes in the wool. Selvedge means the edge of the fabric is woven so it won’t fray or unravel.

A very large and expertly woven Yakima cornhusk sack, hand-made in the early 1900s and in very good, show quality condition, should change hands for $2,000-$4,000. It is a traditional, two-sided cornhusk and dogbane (Indian hemp) rectangular bag with colorful chevron and serrated diamond symbols made with dyed husks and woolens. It is 21 inches by 17 inches.

Also from the early 20th century is a beautiful, hand-crafted white buckskin Mandan men’s war shirt and matching leggings. Both items feature colorful, finely quilled ornaments, human hair suspensions and painted horseshoes. The set is in very good, even like-new condition. The shirt is 34 inches by 29 inches, the leggings 35 inches by 12 inches. The lot should hit $2,500-$5,000.

A rare, circa-1980s black-on-black San Ildefonso water bowl (or “spirit bowl”) by Carmelita Dunlap, with cut-out access and accompanying ladle (used to remove water, according to expert Catherine Harris) has a pre-sale estimate of $2,500-$5,000. The steps cut-in represent Kiva steps. The bowl is in very good condition except for one tiny scratch and is 7 ¼ inches by 11 ¼ inches.

A late 20th century exceptional, intricately designed wide pottery jar by Lucy Leuppe McKelvey, titled Whirling Rainbow Goddesses of Mountain Way Chant, measuring 10 ¼ inches by 12 ¾ inches, should command $2,000-$4,000. The jar is in very good condition. Lucy is the mother of the talented McKelvey sisters and is credited as being the originator of this unique original style.

Rounding out just some of the auction’s expected top lots, a cooking basket made in the 1920s by Nina Walker and showing rows of zigzags, has a pre-sale estimate of $2,000-$4,000. The Mono basket was used by the famous Karuk weaver Florence Jacobs Harrie for 25 years before being purchased by collectors Herb and Peggy Puffer. It is large at 7 ¾ inches by 17 ½ inches.

The Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites are located at 1600 South Country Club Drive in Mesa, Ariz., near Phoenix. Previews will be held on Saturday, Nov. 8, from 8 a.m. until the start of sale (12 noon, Mountain time) and Sunday, Nov. 9, until the start of sale (10 a.m.). . Allard Auctions, Inc., maintains its home offices on the Flathead Indian Reservation in St. Ignatius, Montana.

Allard Auctions, Inc., has been selling exclusively American Indian artifacts, art and related collectibles at auction since 1968. The firm is always accepting quality merchandise for future auctions. To inquire about consigning a single piece, an estate or an entire collection, you may call them at (406) 745-0500 or (888) 314-0343; or send an e-mail to info@allardauctions.com.

To learn more about Allard Auctions, Inc., and the upcoming Big Fall Phoenix Auction scheduled for Nov. 8-9, please visit www.allardauctions.com. Updates are posted frequently.

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