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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 577

Acoma, Cochiti & Jemez Storyteller Figures c. 1960

Estimate: $150 - $250
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 three original pottery storyteller effigy figures, all signed and dating to circa 1960-1980’s including Josephine “Josie” Hand (1935-2013, Cochiti Pueblo), Corrine Garcia (b.1960, Acoma Pueblo), and Wilma Gachupin (b.1957, Jemez Pueblo). The lot contains three storyteller figures. First is the Wilma M Gachupin piece signed, W. Gachupin JEMEZ” dates to circa 1980’s and shows a storyteller figure holding several children and their tosy painted in mineral pigment paints and well kept, measures 5.25-inches high by 4.25-inches long by 3 1/8-inches wide. Next is the, “Josie Hand” signed piece circa 1960’s from Josephine “Josie” Hand showing a classic storyteller pottery figure in natural pigment paints from the Cochiti Pueblo. Josie Hand measures 2-inches tall by 1.5-inches deep by 1.75-inches wide. Lastly is the “C. GARCIA ACOMA N.M.” signed piece by Acoma Pueblo artist Corrine Garcia circa 1980’s in natural paints. Measures 1 3/8-inches tall by 7/8-inched deep by 7/8-inches wide. Josephine Hand, also known and signed as Josie Hand, was born on September 17, 1932 in Cochiti Pueblo to her parents Paul and Felipa Trujillo. She married George Hand and was known for her pottery figures, specifically the storyteller figures along with nacimientos or Nativity scenes, she passed away January 3, 2013. Wilma M. Gachupin was born into the Jemez Pueblo in 1957, her Native American name is “Sacred Rock Basket”. She learned traditional methods of pottery from her relatives, including her brother, Kenneth Sando and has worked in clay since circa 1980’s. Wilma specializes in the natural hand coiled and hand painted storytellers, nativities, and corn maidens. However, she was taught all the fundamentals of hand coiling pottery. Wilma gathers clay and other natural pigments within the Jemez Pueblo, and cleans, hand mixes, hand shapes, and paints her sculptures using all natural colors by herself. Wilma’s storytellers always have really big bright eyes, and she said “I got the idea from my daughter, Megan, when she was born with bright eyes.” Wilma signs her pottery as: Wilma M. Gachupin, Jemez. Wilma is related to the following artists: Kenneth Sando (brother), Megan Gachupin and Kayla Gachupin (daughters).Corrine Garcia was born in 1960 at the Acoma Pueblo and is daughter of Sarah Martinez. Corrine Garcia was born in 1960 into the Acoma Pueblo and is known for her storyteller clay pottery figures. Storyteller figures are a relatively new genre in pueblo pottery. They first appeared in the 1960's when Helen Cordero of the Cochiti Pueblo created a storyteller figure in honor of her grandfather, Santiago Quintana, who was a tribal storyteller. Within the First Nations peoples, storytelling, though a form of entertainment serves a purpose far deeper than entertainment. The stories told are/were sacred. With no written language this was the means of preserving the thoughts and experiences of an entire culture. Tribal elders used stories as a medium to pass down cultural values to future generations. Mythologies teach and instill the principles, morals, and belief systems of a society in those who are listening. There is beauty and deep spiritual significance that goes into the creation of each one of these figures. The pieces show original condition well kept with the Gachupin and Josie Hand pieces showing little to no damage; the Garcia piece shows a small chip on the foot.

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