As seasoned and “new” collectors gather in Great Falls for the highly anticipated “Russell Week” in March, one spotlight will certainly be on “March In Montana”, celebrating their 25th annual dealer show and sale. Special events include: demonstrations by a Navajo weaver from Arizona and a presentation on The History of Navajo Rugs by Dave Hodges on Thursday, March 16th at 3:00 p.m. in the Hospitality Room at the Townhouse Inn.

To continue the tradition as a commanding event, the 2012 sale will boast over 650 lots of fine Western, sporting and wildlife art and sculpture by present and past masters, PLUS Indian collectibles and vintage Cowboy items.

The 3-day dealer show and 2-day auction will be held March 15-17 at the Townhouse Inn in downtown Great Falls. Highlights include nearly 100 items from the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum, donated from high-profile collectors and philanthropists, S. George & Helen Binson (Binson’s Home Health Care-Michigan); several artworks from the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum in Long Beach, WA and a variety of items from the George Stratford collection (MT) and other private and Museum collections.

Art highlights include: over 100 bronzes, a collection of paintings by Dan Cody Muller, (Buffalo Bill’s adopted son) from the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum,  a dozen works by Charles M. Russell, including an illustration from “Fifteen Thousand Miles By Stage”, numerous works by Ace Powell and dozens of works by many past and contemporary Cowboy Artists of America.

Other art offered: Abbrescia, Acheff, Anderson, Aspevig, Beeler, Borein, Brown, Carter, Clymer, Coleman, Daly, De Camp De Yong, Dye, Eggenhofer, Fellows, Fleming, Frazier, Gilleon, Gollings, Greer, Hallmark, Hampton, Heikka, Hoffman, Hurley, Johnson, Kleiber, Koerner, Lougheed, Lovell, Marris, McGary, Melaine, Miller, Morgan, Muller, Myrah, Nebeker, Niblett, Norton, Paxson, Phippen, Procter, Ralston, Ransom, Reed, Remington, Roberts, Rungius, Russell, Sandzen, Schreyvogel, Schwiering, Scriver, Seltzer, Snidow, Stavrowsky, Tait, Thomas, Ziegler, dozens more!!

Also of particular note is the largest collection of Michael Gentry (1940-1994) and Edward Burns Quigley (1895-1984) ever to go across the auction block in one place at one time.

March In Montana is also highly noted for the Cowboy & Indian collectibles offered. This year’s sale will feature nearly 30 weavings, including a room-sized Navajo Ganado, Spencer carbine Indian guns, beaded & quilled man’s, youth’s and children’s clothing and ethnographic items; cradles and a fully-beaded doctor’s bag,  Cowboy offerings include Furstnow, Richardson, Visalia, Hamley, Vern Morrell, Fred Mueller, Buermann, prison-made horsehair items, many, many more!

The dealer show,featuring top dealers from around the country, will be open 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and feature fine art and sculpture, Indian collectibles, antique and modern Cowboy items, vintage photography, antique firearms and more.

Auction previews will be open daily at 9:00 a.m., Wednesday through Saturday.  Auctions will begin at 11:00 Friday, March 16 and Saturday, March 17.

All events are free and open to the public and will be held at the Townhouse Inn, located at 1411 10th Ave. South in Great Falls, MT and a free shuttle is available.

Visit our website for auction and show details and reservation information.