304
781
EDWARD BOREIN (1872-1945)
The Grass Hunters
Ink and gouache, 54 x 68cm
Signed
Born in northern California in 1872, Edward Borein travelled
south to work as a cowboy at the age of twenty-one, and worked
his way through California and the length of Mexico. While
working on the range, the young Borein sketched from the saddle
in his spare time, and then later completed more refined work in
pen and ink.
By the turn of the century, Borein had returned north to Oakland
and set up his first studio, but by 1907 he had moved to New York
to further his career. It was here that his popularity mounted,
and increasingly he found a ready market for his etchings and
watercolours. Unsurprisingly he found constant work as a
magazine and advertisement illustrator. Due to the realism his art
portrayed, and the true Western cowboy spirit it evoked, Edward
Borein was quickly branded the “cowpuncher artist” by his friends
and artist peers.
In 1921, Borein settled in Santa Barbara and opened a studio in
the historic El Paseo complex. According to his biographer Harold
Davidson, “By this time Borein was aware of what he was doing,
and told his friends many times he was documenting the Old West
as he had lived and seen it. Every detail of horse, rider, saddle
and gear, longhorn, and Indian had to be right. There are many
stories of some detail of an etching being challenged, but the artist
remained adamant, and usually was proven correct.”
Edward Borein also proved quite prolific and produced over three
hundred different etchings, a multitude of watercolours and ink
drawings, and a handful of oil paintings. A significant collection of
his works are held in the permanent collection at the Santa Barbara
Historical Museum. The present work, ‘The Grass Hunters’ was
given by Borein to his fellow artist Louis Akin who in turn gave it
to his friend Thomas A. Flynn. It was subsequently given by Flynn
to Arizona Lumber Co. founder, M.J.Riordan of Flagstaff, AZ and
thence by descent to the present owners. An etching with this title
is based closely on this drawing. See John Galvin
The Etchings of
Edward Borein: A Catalogue of his work (
1971) Catalogue no. 28.
We acknowledge Santa Barbara Historical Museum for
information on the artist.
Provenance: Collection of M.J. Riordan, Flagstaff, Arizona, thence by
descent
€10,000 - 15,000
782
JOHN WESLEY POWELL (1834-1902),
“Canyons of the Colorado”, Flood & Vincent, Meadville PA, 1895, 4
to, original binding
Provenance: Collection of M.J. Riordan, Flagstaff, Arizona, thence by
descent
€2500 - 3500
783
PERCIVAL LOWELL,
“Annals of the Lowell Observatory”, Boston 1898 (1 vol.)
Provenance: Collection of M.J. Riordan, Flagstaff, Arizona, thence by
descent
€150 - 250
Lot 783
Lot 782
Lot 781
