RUSSELL ART AUCTION SETS RECORDS

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GREAT FALLS, MONT. (AP) — The C.M. Russell Art Auction set several records March 15–16, including total sales and the sales price of a Russell painting.

The auction brought in a record $2.05 million March 16, breaking the $1.46 million single-night record. The two-night total for the 40th annual auction was $2.9 million, breaking the $2.4 million weekend record set last year.

On March 15, sales totaled just over $890,000 and bids on 22 lots didn’t meet the reserve price, raising concerns about how the economy might affect the fundraiser for the C.M. Russell Museum.

“Everyone’s worried about the economy, but they’re all buying art,’’ honorary co-chairman Mike Ingram, a Phoenix land developer, said.

An early oil painting by Russell, “Robbing the Eagle’s Nest,’’ sold for $300,000, which topped the previous record of $240,000 paid for a Russell in 2002.

“Just what it was worth,’’ said Russell expert Ginger Renner.

A large oil by Andy Thomas, “Charlie Russell and his Characters,’’ which showed Russell displaying one of his paintings at a bar, sold for $180,000 — the highest price ever paid at this auction for a piece by any artist other than Russell.

Steve Zabel of Montana Trails Gallery in Bozeman outbid retired Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway on the Thomas painting, which won the Jurors’ Best of Show award.

“We were hoping to get it. We went as far as we could go,’’ Elway said.

Zabel said, “We think that painting says it all about Western art. We think that painting should be in a museum someday.’’

Gordon Snidow’s big gouache, “Good Luck,’’ sold for $150,000 as did “Crows on the Yellowstone,’’ an oil painting by honored guest artist Martin Grelle.