Emily Malone puts her own slant on her Spider Rock rug with a unique center panel.

We concluded our auction schedule for the year with last weekend’s Pueblo Grande Museum auction.   Larger rugs were popular with the audience with a room sized  handspun and handcarded Traditional pattern by R.G. Sherman and a large 1980’s vintage Jennie Slick Wide Ruins rug going to new homes.  Master weavers Emily Malone and Gilbert Begay hit a popular note with the crowd with small (about 7″x7″) bags that offer a new way to extend (not to mention flaunt) your rug collection.  We expect to see more of these beautiful and functional weavings in the next year.

We’ve included pictures of a unique take on the Spider Rock rug by Emily Malone (above) and one of R.G. Sherman’s increasingly popular handcarded, handspun pound blanket weight floor rugs (below).

A handspun and handcarded rug by R.G. Sherman of Navajo Mountain.

We’re busy working on next year’s auction schedule and we’ll start posting events very soon.  In the meantime, thanks to all of you who attended our auctions this year!

Susie Smallcanyon meticulously dyed each of the vegetal colors in this rug.

]]> http://rbburnhamtrading.com/picture-of-the-day/burnhams-picture-of-the-day/feed 0 http://rbburnhamtrading.com/in-the-gallery/native-arts-auction-added-to-2009-pueblo-grande-auction-event http://rbburnhamtrading.com/in-the-gallery/native-arts-auction-added-to-2009-pueblo-grande-auction-event#comments Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:29:25 +0000 admin http://rbburnhamtrading.com/?p=890

We'll be bringing jewelry, pottery and katsinas to the Pueblo Grande auction along with contemporary and vintage rugs.

This year’s Pueblo Grande auction event has been expanded to include Native American arts as well as contemporary and vintage rugs.   The Native American arts auction will take place on Friday, November 20th, starting with a preview at 5:00 PM.  The auction will begin at 7 and will last until about 9:30 PM.   The rug auction portion of the event will be held on Saturday, November 21st.  The preview will begin at 10:00 AM and the auction starts at noon.  Rugs may also be previewed during the Friday evening auction.

We’ll be accepting consignments for the auction on November 18th, 19th and 20th at Drumbeat Indian Arts, 4143 N. 16th Street in Phoenix.  Items may be consigned from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on the 18th and 19th and from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on the 20th.

Please contact us if you have questions about this or any of our auctions.  We hope to see you at Pueblo Grande!

From left, Hank Blair, Al Grieve, Bruce Bunham and Bill Malone at the Traders and Their Neighbors event at the Navajo Nation Museum on October 10th.

We know we’re in a business that’s different from many, and in our line of work our competitors are some of our closest friends.  That’s even more true of trader Bill Malone, who was critically ill during the summer.  Bill’s now in recovery mode and back at work part time.  Last weekend, Bruce attended a traders’ reunion event in Window Rock that recognized Bill with a celebration lunch and a “Welcome Back from the Brink” cake (see below).

Bill Malone celebrates his recovery with a "Welcome Back from the Brink" cake.

Personally, we can’t imagine the Native American arts market without Bill and we’re glad that we don’t have to!  Keep up with the recovery Bill; we’re thrilled to see you.

A collage of pictures from the Friends of Hubbell Native Artis Auction/ Clockwise from top left, Ann Worthington, Larissa Blake, a Teec by Elouise Mae Shorty, a handspun rug by R.B. Sherman, a tufted rug by Irene Begay and a shot of Travis Terry, Hank Blair and Bruce Burnham

Bruce often mentions during an auction how much the economic infusion of the cash brought into our local economy means for the weavers and other artists who participate.  We’ve just gotten a report from the Friends of Hubbell on the results of the latest Friends of Hubbell Native American Arts Auction, held on September 19 on the grounds of the Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site in Ganado, AZ  and we’re happy to say  that 69% of the items consigned were sold with $98,000 going to the artists.  In combination with the May Friends of Hubbell auction, the total proceeds to artists for 2009 from Friends of Hubbell is $225,000.

Over the last five years, approximately 71% of items submitted have been sold at the auction, with a record 82% of items selling in May of 2006.   These numbers don’t count the scholarships awarded by the Friends of Hubbell or the sales made directly by vendors at the event.  This auction has not only become an important part of the business scene in our area, as you can see from the photo collage above, it’s a lot of fun.

R.B. Burnham is proud to part of the Friends of Hubbell Native American Arts Auction and we hope to see you in Ganado at their next event, May 8, 2010.

Debra James' beautiful Klagetoh rug is held by Kelli Burnham (left) and Virginia Burnham (right). You can also see Kary Dunham (far left), Sheri Burnham, Bruce Burnham and Hank Blair. (Click to see a larger view)

Last Saturday, we completed the Friends of Hubbell Native American Arts Auction, which is held on the grounds of the Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site in Ganado, Arizona.  This auction featured 460 items of pottery, jewelry, textiles and other art work and was very well attended by an enthusiastic audience.  Look for more pictures over the next week or so as we prepare for another auction at the Southwest Trader Rendezvous in Cortez, CO next Sunday.   Thanks so much to all of you who attended; this event means so much to our community!

Please join us at the R.B. Burnham & Co. Native Treasure Show in Santa Fe.

We have just concluded the arrangements to take over a major show in Santa Fe on very short notice.   The dates are August 18th through August 23rd.  The show will be held at the El Dorado Hotel Pavilion.  If you are a vendor, booth space is still available.  Please click here to see details on booth pricing and to download a vendor application.    We’ll be adding more information on show times very shortly.  Please stop by if you will be in Santa Fe for the antique shows or for Indian Market.

Smoki docent Linda Young holds a vintage pictorial rug at Saturday's auction.

Prescott, AZ Although new economic realities were reflected in lower prices and sales, this weekend’s auctions benefitting the Smoki Museum’s summer auctions were well attended by interested buyers.  Discerning collectors and dealers recognized some of the bargains available in the current market, and took advantage of the opportunity.  Contemporary weavers are cutting their asking prices significantly and  prices on many vintage pieces are lower than we’ve seen in recent years.   We’re sorting through the 400+ pictures that we took and we’ll have a gallery ready in the next few days.

Bruce introduces the Spider Rock Girls (from left, Larissa Blake, Laramie Blake, Alyssa Malone and Emily Malone)

A photo collage from the wool room and gallery shows off our rug and yarn selections. Be sure to click on the picture for a larger view.

We thought you might enjoy a little look around the yarn room and the gallery here at the post.  Marie Begay’s vegetally dyed yarns are at the height of their color saturation and the weavers are producing masterpieces.  Please stop by if you’re on I-40.  We’re just a half mile south of the interstate at the U.S. 191 south exit.  Did we mention the ice cream counter?

A remarkable new weaving by Mae Clark is well timed for reflection on the meaning of July 4th.

We thought that you would find this new Germantown weaving by Mae Clark to be an inspiring if somber tribute to those who have given all they have to allow us to live in a free country.  Mae uses the image of the hummingbird, considered a messenger in Pueblo cultures, to represent the spirit of the fallen person bidding farewell.  This is combined with the greiving figure and the folded flag in an elegant and profoundly moving composition.  The piece will added to our online gallery this week.

We hope that you have had a wonderful, restful and meaningful 4th of July weekend!