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Spirit of the West: Premier March Native American & Western Auction

Sat, Mar 14, 2026 11:00AM EDT
  2026-03-14 11:00:00 2026-03-14 11:00:00 America/New_York North American Auction Company North American Auction Company : Spirit of the West: Premier March Native American & Western Auction https://live.naabid.com/auctions/north-american-auction/spirit-of-the-west-premier-march-native-american-western-auction-22645
Join North American Auction Company on March 14th for our Spirit of the West: Premier Collector Native American & Western Auction. This is a wonderful collection of items including pieces from the C.M. Russell Museum Kleinschmidt, Bruce VanLandingham Sundog, Rockefeller, and other collections of items including Native American Beadwork and Weapons, Western History, D.F. Barry Photographs, along with the largest collection of Winold Reiss Calendars and Ephemera, fine Navajo Jewelry, American, and Luxury Jewelry. Visit Live.Naabid.com for more details or call 800-686-4216.
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Lot 396

1870 John Hillers Chief Jicarilla Original Photos

Estimate: $700 - $900
Starting Bid
$50

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$50 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$25,000 $2,500
$100,000 $5,000
The lot features two historic photographs, first a photograph of Chief Augustine Jicarilla Apache circa 1870-1880’s and Wah-Pash-Ka of the Sac & Fox both by John K. Hillers circa 1896. The first image is marked in the image and is Augustine Chief Jicarilla (also referred to as Apache Chief Augustine Jicarilla / Augustin Vigil-Jicarilla Apache Chief / Augustin Virgil (Jicarilla Apache)) circa 1870-1880’s noted online as being from the collection of Major George W. Ingalls, a United States Indian agent, 1872-1875, who worked among the Paiute and other tribes in the American West known to collect glass plate negatives from Powell’s expedition photographer John K. Hillers, and by Charles M. Bell. Next is an image of Wam-Pash-Ka a Sac & Fox Native American Indian taken by John K. Hillers (1843-1925). John Karl Hillers (German, 1843-1925) was an American government photographer. Hillers first arrived in the U.S. in 1852 starting out as a policeman and soldier in the American Civil War (with the New York Naval Brigade and then the Army), later he re-enlisted after the was and served with the Western garrisons until 1870. He also worked as a teamster (also known as a drover) in Salt Lake City, where he met John Wesley Powell. He went to work as a boatman for the second Powell expedition down the Colorado River in 1871, Hillers then began to replace Walter Clement Powell as the expedition’s photographer, first top E.O. Beaman and then to James Fennemore. Hillers was the chief expedition photographer on the trip down the Grand Canyon in 1872. He then spent twenty years exploring and photographing the American West, being known for his portraits of Native Americans. He was the first staff photographer of Powell’s Bureau of Ethnology (from 1879) later doing work for the U.S. Geological Survey 1881 and Bureau of American Ethnology. These are both large format photographs, albumen photographs dating to circa 1870’s to 1890’s and of a boudoir cabinet card size, marked on the back including a stamp by the Bureau of American Ethnology. Marked in the image and on the back including Augustin Virgil Jicarilla Apache and Wam-Pash-Ka Sac & Fox; both images have been identified as being correctly marked with other rare examples of these early warriors in the Smithsonian and other museum collections. The condition of this pair of photographs is well preserved with some yellowing to the photographs consistent with age but otherwise shows a well preserved condition. The measurements of this pair of photographs is 6 3/8" x 4 3/4" for each.

After you have succeessfully completed your purchase, including payment of your item, the shipping process will begin. Our company has partnered with a few local third party shipping vendors. Shipping will be handled between these third party business and the buyer. Auction company is not responsible for shipment or any duties there-in unless stated below. Firearms will be shipped by our company. Once you invoice has been paid for contact Mark at 800-686-4216 ext. 3 for shipping infomation on firearms. After your invoice has been paid one of the below third party shippers will pickup your items. Once these companies have created a shipping quote for you they will contract you using the contact information you have provided on your auction registration. Make sure to include the shipping address and correct contact information for a success shipping experience. For questions on shipping please contract the companies below or JoEllen at 800-686-4216 ext. 1 For shipping quotes please contract the companies below: "The UPS Store” #2420 1106 W Park St, Livingston, MT 59047 Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 6:00pm Saturday, 10:00am - 3:00pm Sunday, CLOSED Phone: 406-222-4971 Fax: 406-222-9257 Email: store2420@theupsstore.com Postal Annex 280 West Kagy Boulevard D, Bozeman, MT 59715 Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 6:00pm Saturday, 10:00am - 3:00pm Sunday, CLOSED Phone: 406-219-2210 Fax: 406-219-2209 Email: pa14012@postalannex.com