Charles Marion Russell Sculpture, ca. 1900

Appraised on: July 9, 2011

Appraised in: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Appraised by: Eric Silver

Category: Metalwork & Sculpture

Episode Info: Minneapolis, Hour 2 (#1617)

Originally Aired: May 14, 2012

IMAGE: 1 of 3  

Appraisal Video: (1:09)

GUEST: I am from Montana, and Charlie Russell came as a young lad to be a cowpoke. And he got very interested in the American Indians. And he lived with them and worked with them. He kept pieces of wax in his pocket and would monkey with them, as you can see. This is a papoose, and he has also colored it. My uncle got to be a friend of Charlie's.

APPRAISER: Interesting little sculpture by the great American sculptor Charles Marion Russell. And if you look closely, you can actually see his fingerprints. And then there's another interesting little thing. There's this little mark over here that goes around. Can you tell me what that is?

GUEST: That's my mother's teeth. He gave this one to my mother as a toy.

APPRAISER: And she bit it.

GUEST: Yeah.

APPRAISER: I would think the insurance value on this would probably be about $5,000.

GUEST: I will keep it forever. As long as I live, at least. Thank you for looking at it.