MESA, Ariz. – An historic late 1800s Northern Plains quilled war shirt, an early 20th century fine weave Mission basket and a fully beaded Kiowa toy cradleboard from the early 1900s are three expected top lots at Big Fall Phoenix, an annual auction event held every autumn by Allard Auctions, Inc., based in Saint Ignatius, Mont. This year’s auction is scheduled for Nov. 12-13.

The event will be held at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites in Mesa, Ariz., just outside of Phoenix. Offered will be nearly 900 lots of American Indian artifacts, art and related collectibles, spread out over the course of two days. Major categories will include lovely Native American jewelry, handmade baskets, rugs/weavings, beadwork, pottery, clothing items and framed stone artifacts.

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.

“We're both happy and surprised with the amount of quality items we've been able to attract for this auction,” said Steve Allard of Allard Auctions, Inc. “We have some really great beadwork, fantastic baskets and a lot more quality Indian jewelry, as well as some rare pottery, Navajo rugs, Northwest Coast items and a surprisingly nice assortment of original Native and Western art.”

With a pre-sale estimate of $20,000-$40,000, the Northern Plains quilled war shirt is the odds on favorite for top lot of the auction. The all-buckskin shirt boasts beautiful wide quilled sleeve and body strips, with traditional geometrics done in faded purples, pinks, green, yellow and red. A size large, it is in good condition, with some restoration and just a few missing or broken quills.

The early 1900s Mission basket is a large, fine and consistent weave flared polychrome bowl, showing rare condor, eagle sheep, deer and chicken figures, all placed above a diamondback rattlesnake and polychrome star (or blossom). The 8 inch by 15 inch example just might be the finest Mission basket Allard Auctions has ever offered. It’s expected to bring $12,500-$25,000.

The early 20th century fully beaded Kiowa toy cradleboard is attributed to Atah (1855-1947). It has a loomed top strap, a twist fringe (possibly recently added), and even the original doll and her signature elongated diamonds in the body design. It was previously purchased at the Morning Star Gallery in Santa Fe, N.M., in 1991 for $23,000 and is expected to sell for $10,000-$20,000.

Another toy cradleboard – an early wooden carved Mohawk example from the early 1900s, with hand-colored foliate designs at the top and original hand-sewn quilt, should command $2,500-$5,000. Also, a circa 1920s-‘30s Cheyenne sinew sewn and lazy stitch beaded cradle cover with stylized crosses and a large medallion symbol in the center is estimated to hit $5,000-$10,000.

A stone artifact collection of about 80 prehistoric pieces, all found or bought before 1950 and to include mortars and bowls, grinding stones and more, all from the Western U.S., should go for $5,000-$10,000; while a group of 43 small frames (7 inches by 9 inches), containing artifacts from various ages (arrowheads, tools and fragmentary pieces), should finish at $4,000-$8,000.

A pair of late 1800s classic, buffalo-soled Ute beaded high-top moccasins, with the original matching leggings, sinew sewn and lazy stitch beaded on green ochred antelope hide, in very good condition, has an estimate of $4,500-$9,000; while a large, circa-1970s heavy gauge, all-silver Navajo Concho belt with turquoise stones, marked “JS”, should fetch $2,500-$5,000.

The complete collection of all 14 Taos-produced silkscreen prints executed by Woody Crumbo (Potawatomie, 1912-1989), circa 1952-1960, each one in near-mint condition, professionally matted and shrink-wrapped for display, is expected to change hands for $3,500-$7,000. The set was previously on display at the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian in Evanston, Ill.

A fine weave pictorial Navajo rug (weaving) by Lena Poyer, 50 inches by 40 inches, depicting Yei figures, done in beautiful earth tones and pastels, should rise to $3,000-$6,000; while a large, museum-quality, early 20th century twined conical Achumawi/Pit River basket with a traditional matte brown tip and classic high contrast geometric design should knock down at $2,500-$5,000.

The sale will also feature items from the collection of Judge Ernest Bonner from Northwest California that includes great baskets, a large lot of stone mortars, pestles and grinding stones, plus rare loom beadwork crafted by the Modoc, Paiute, Pit River and Klamath Indian tribes.

Also offered will be the collection of Richard Fernandez, the 1960s artist who collected pre-Colombian pottery and relics in the 1960s; and the huge collection of the anthropologist Lloyd Kunkel – hundreds of framed artifacts and California and Colombia River Basin stone artifacts.

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. 12, from 8 am until the start of sale (12 noon, Mountain time) and Sunday, Nov. 13, from 8 am until the start of sale (10 a.m.). Allard Auctions maintains its home offices on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Saint Ignatius, Mont.

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. 12-13, please visit www.allardauctions.com. Updates are posted frequently.