Olaf Carl Seltzer Sold at Auction Prices

Painter, Illustrator, b. 1877 - d. 1957

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      • OLAF CARL SELTZER ORIGINAL OIL ON BOARD
        Nov. 21, 2024

        OLAF CARL SELTZER ORIGINAL OIL ON BOARD

        Est: $800 - $1,200

        OLAF CARL SETLZER (American 1877-1957) Three Cavalrymen on Village Street Oil on canvas board Signed lower right 10.5 inches x 7.25 inches Provenance: The Robert Kelso (1930-2024) and Betty Kelso (1932-2017) Estate, San Antonio, Texas. SHIPPING NOTICE: Except for large, oversized items, Jackson's is your sole and only source for one stop packing and shipping. With over 50 years of experience, our professional, affordable and efficient in-house shipping department will be happy to provide you a fair and reasonable shipping quote on this lot. Simply email us before the auction for a quick quote: shipping@jacksonsauction.com or call 1-800-665-6743. Jackson's can expertly pack and ship to meet any of your needs. To ensure quality control Jackson's DOES NOT generally release to third party shippers, with the exception being large, oversized items.

        Jackson's International
      • OLAF CARL SELTZER, (Danish/American, 1877-1957), Mr. Trail Boss, watercolor on paper, sight: 14 x 10 in., frame: 25 3/4 x 19 3/4 in.
        Nov. 02, 2024

        OLAF CARL SELTZER, (Danish/American, 1877-1957), Mr. Trail Boss, watercolor on paper, sight: 14 x 10 in., frame: 25 3/4 x 19 3/4 in.

        Est: $3,000 - $5,000

        OLAF CARL SELTZER (Danish/American, 1877-1957) Mr. Trail Boss watercolor on paper signed O.C. Seltzer lower left

        Grogan & Company
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Cowboy Pencil Drawing
        Aug. 10, 2024

        Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Cowboy Pencil Drawing

        Est: $400 - $600

        5 3/4" by 8" framed. Pencil Drawing. One of 14 originally sold by Trailside Gallery of Jackson Hole Wyoming. Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877 - 1957) was active/lived in Montana / Denmark. Olaf Seltzer is known for Frontier and Indian genre painting, illustration. If there ever was an artist who inspired a fellow artist, it was Charles M. Russell who had a profound influence on Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957). The cowboy artist helped bring out the best in his younger, Great Falls, Montana friend. While Russell was gregarious and enjoyed a crowd, Seltzer was quiet and somewhat withdrawn. They both saw the same truth, their love for Montana and the "West That Has Passed." Born on August 25, 1877 in Copenhagen, Denmark to German immigrant parents, Olaf was abandoned in infancy by his father. He found solace in drawing, which led to acceptance at the Tekniske Selskabe Institute, known to develop artisans. Yet the young artist dreamed of the American West of Buffalo Bill Cody. He and his mother Julie sailed to America on June 21, 1892 to join his sister Laura and her husband in Giant Springs, a short jaunt from Great Falls, Montana. His first job was a ranch hand for a local outfit, but soon he realized the wages were better working for the Great Northern Railway. In October 1893 he was employed as an apprentice machinist for the railway in Great Falls. A steady income allowed him to marry Mabel L. Cleland, and they eventually had two sons, Carl and Walter. Other jobs such as locomotive repairman found him riding trains throughout the northern Great Plains, sketching in his spare time. His big break came from Russell patron Dr. Phillip Cole who by 1925 was one of the most important collectors of Western American art in the country. Cole was born in 1883 in Illinois but raised in Montana. Cole had met Seltzer on one of his trips to Montana, and for a year starting in 1926 Seltzer moved to New York to work on art commissions for him. Many more would follow. In 1928 he purchased a home on East Central Avenue and completed for Cole a series of watercolors that would be called the "Western Characters. In 1933 Cole had yet another project for Olaf. He was to paint the history of Montana in a series of oils, measuring no greater than six inches. He and Cole worked together on the commentary for each piece. The last of the oils was delivered to Cole in the autumn of 1935. The next year Cole photocopied the miniatures and assembled them into an impressive suede-covered volume he titled Montana in Miniature. At least four copies were produced. But Cole wouldn’t enjoy his collection long. On June 29, 1941 he died of a stroke at age fifty-seven. Several years later, Oklahoma oilman Thomas Gilcrease purchased for $400,000 much of Cole’s collection that included 560 paintings, sixty-two bronzes, and historical material. Half of the paintings were executed by Seltzer. They eventually found a home in 1949 when the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art opened in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Seltzer died in a Great Falls convalescent home on December 16, 1957. He once said, "If there is anything of lasting value in my art, it will survive. If not, it will perish. He would be happy to know that him and his art—2,500 oil and watercolor paintings—were not forgotten. In 1960 the Montana Historical Society had a major retrospective of Seltzer’s paintings. Six years later art dealer Dr. Van Kirke Nelson in Kalispell, Montana and Cato K. Butler from Helena published Montana in Miniature, after finding one of Cole’s copies by the same name. In June 1979 the Gilcrease Museum had the largest one-man exhibit of Seltzer’s to date. Many exhibitions followed, including one at the C.M. Russell Museum in 2019. Besides his art, Olaf would be proud of his grandson, Steve Seltzer, who lives in Great Falls and is a noted and prolific artist.

        Davis Brothers Auction
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Animals Pencil Drawing
        Jul. 13, 2024

        Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Animals Pencil Drawing

        Est: $600 - $800

        10 7/8" by 14 3/4" framed. Pencil Drawing. One of 14 originally sold by Trailside Gallery of Jackson Hole Wyoming. Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877 - 1957) was active/lived in Montana / Denmark. Olaf Seltzer is known for Frontier and Indian genre painting, illustration. If there ever was an artist who inspired a fellow artist, it was Charles M. Russell who had a profound influence on Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957). The cowboy artist helped bring out the best in his younger, Great Falls, Montana friend. While Russell was gregarious and enjoyed a crowd, Seltzer was quiet and somewhat withdrawn. They both saw the same truth, their love for Montana and the "West That Has Passed." Born on August 25, 1877 in Copenhagen, Denmark to German immigrant parents, Olaf was abandoned in infancy by his father. He found solace in drawing, which led to acceptance at the Tekniske Selskabe Institute, known to develop artisans. Yet the young artist dreamed of the American West of Buffalo Bill Cody. He and his mother Julie sailed to America on June 21, 1892 to join his sister Laura and her husband in Giant Springs, a short jaunt from Great Falls, Montana. His first job was a ranch hand for a local outfit, but soon he realized the wages were better working for the Great Northern Railway. In October 1893 he was employed as an apprentice machinist for the railway in Great Falls. A steady income allowed him to marry Mabel L. Cleland, and they eventually had two sons, Carl and Walter. Other jobs such as locomotive repairman found him riding trains throughout the northern Great Plains, sketching in his spare time. His big break came from Russell patron Dr. Phillip Cole who by 1925 was one of the most important collectors of Western American art in the country. Cole was born in 1883 in Illinois but raised in Montana. Cole had met Seltzer on one of his trips to Montana, and for a year starting in 1926 Seltzer moved to New York to work on art commissions for him. Many more would follow. In 1928 he purchased a home on East Central Avenue and completed for Cole a series of watercolors that would be called the "Western Characters. In 1933 Cole had yet another project for Olaf. He was to paint the history of Montana in a series of oils, measuring no greater than six inches. He and Cole worked together on the commentary for each piece. The last of the oils was delivered to Cole in the autumn of 1935. The next year Cole photocopied the miniatures and assembled them into an impressive suede-covered volume he titled Montana in Miniature. At least four copies were produced. But Cole wouldn’t enjoy his collection long. On June 29, 1941 he died of a stroke at age fifty-seven. Several years later, Oklahoma oilman Thomas Gilcrease purchased for $400,000 much of Cole’s collection that included 560 paintings, sixty-two bronzes, and historical material. Half of the paintings were executed by Seltzer. They eventually found a home in 1949 when the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art opened in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Seltzer died in a Great Falls convalescent home on December 16, 1957. He once said, "If there is anything of lasting value in my art, it will survive. If not, it will perish. He would be happy to know that him and his art—2,500 oil and watercolor paintings—were not forgotten. In 1960 the Montana Historical Society had a major retrospective of Seltzer’s paintings. Six years later art dealer Dr. Van Kirke Nelson in Kalispell, Montana and Cato K. Butler from Helena published Montana in Miniature, after finding one of Cole’s copies by the same name. In June 1979 the Gilcrease Museum had the largest one-man exhibit of Seltzer’s to date. Many exhibitions followed, including one at the C.M. Russell Museum in 2019. Besides his art, Olaf would be proud of his grandson, Steve Seltzer, who lives in Great Falls and is a noted and prolific artist.

        Davis Brothers Auction
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Horses Pencil Drawing
        Jul. 13, 2024

        Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Horses Pencil Drawing

        Est: $600 - $800

        11" by 13 1/4" framed. Pencil Drawing. One of 14 originally sold by Trailside Gallery of Jackson Hole Wyoming. Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877 - 1957) was active/lived in Montana / Denmark. Olaf Seltzer is known for Frontier and Indian genre paitning, illustration. If there ever was an artist who inspired a fellow artist, it was Charles M. Russell who had a profound influence on Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957). The cowboy artist helped bring out the best in his younger, Great Falls, Montana friend. While Russell was gregarious and enjoyed a crowd, Seltzer was quiet and somewhat withdrawn. They both saw the same truth, their love for Montana and the "West That Has Passed." Born on August 25, 1877 in Copenhagen, Denmark to German immigrant parents, Olaf was abandoned in infancy by his father. He found solace in drawing, which led to acceptance at the Tekniske Selskabe Institute, known to develop artisans. Yet the young artist dreamed of the American West of Buffalo Bill Cody. He and his mother Julie sailed to America on June 21, 1892 to join his sister Laura and her husband in Giant Springs, a short jaunt from Great Falls, Montana. His first job was a ranch hand for a local outfit, but soon he realized the wages were better working for the Great Northern Railway. In October 1893 he was employed as an apprentice machinist for the railway in Great Falls. A steady income allowed him to marry Mabel L. Cleland, and they eventually had two sons, Carl and Walter. Other jobs such as locomotive repairman found him riding trains throughout the northern Great Plains, sketching in his spare time. His big break came from Russell patron Dr. Phillip Cole who by 1925 was one of the most important collectors of Western American art in the country. Cole was born in 1883 in Illinois but raised in Montana. Cole had met Seltzer on one of his trips to Montana, and for a year starting in 1926 Seltzer moved to New York to work on art commissions for him. Many more would follow. In 1928 he purchased a home on East Central Avenue and completed for Cole a series of watercolors that would be called the "Western Characters. In 1933 Cole had yet another project for Olaf. He was to paint the history of Montana in a series of oils, measuring no greater than six inches. He and Cole worked together on the commentary for each piece. The last of the oils was delivered to Cole in the autumn of 1935. The next year Cole photocopied the miniatures and assembled them into an impressive suede-covered volume he titled Montana in Miniature. At least four copies were produced. But Cole wouldn’t enjoy his collection long. On June 29, 1941 he died of a stroke at age fifty-seven. Several years later, Oklahoma oilman Thomas Gilcrease purchased for $400,000 much of Cole’s collection that included 560 paintings, sixty-two bronzes, and historical material. Half of the paintings were executed by Seltzer. They eventually found a home in 1949 when the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art opened in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Seltzer died in a Great Falls convalescent home on December 16, 1957. He once said, "If there is anything of lasting value in my art, it will survive. If not, it will perish. He would be happy to know that him and his art—2,500 oil and watercolor paintings—were not forgotten. In 1960 the Montana Historical Society had a major retrospective of Seltzer’s paintings. Six years later art dealer Dr. Van Kirke Nelson in Kalispell, Montana and Cato K. Butler from Helena published Montana in Miniature, after finding one of Cole’s copies by the same name. In June 1979 the Gilcrease Museum had the largest one-man exhibit of Seltzer’s to date. Many exhibitions followed, including one at the C.M. Russell Museum in 2019. Besides his art, Olaf would be proud of his grandson, Steve Seltzer, who lives in Great Falls and is a noted and prolific artist.

        Davis Brothers Auction
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Cowboy Pencil Drawing
        Jul. 13, 2024

        Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Cowboy Pencil Drawing

        Est: $600 - $800

        11 3/4" by 14 1/2" framed. Pencil Drawing. One of 14 originally sold by Trailside Gallery of Jackson Hole Wyoming. Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877 - 1957) was active/lived in Montana / Denmark. Olaf Seltzer is known for Frontier and Indian genre painting, illustration. If there ever was an artist who inspired a fellow artist, it was Charles M. Russell who had a profound influence on Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957). The cowboy artist helped bring out the best in his younger, Great Falls, Montana friend. While Russell was gregarious and enjoyed a crowd, Seltzer was quiet and somewhat withdrawn. They both saw the same truth, their love for Montana and the "West That Has Passed." Born on August 25, 1877 in Copenhagen, Denmark to German immigrant parents, Olaf was abandoned in infancy by his father. He found solace in drawing, which led to acceptance at the Tekniske Selskabe Institute, known to develop artisans. Yet the young artist dreamed of the American West of Buffalo Bill Cody. He and his mother Julie sailed to America on June 21, 1892 to join his sister Laura and her husband in Giant Springs, a short jaunt from Great Falls, Montana. His first job was a ranch hand for a local outfit, but soon he realized the wages were better working for the Great Northern Railway. In October 1893 he was employed as an apprentice machinist for the railway in Great Falls. A steady income allowed him to marry Mabel L. Cleland, and they eventually had two sons, Carl and Walter. Other jobs such as locomotive repairman found him riding trains throughout the northern Great Plains, sketching in his spare time. His big break came from Russell patron Dr. Phillip Cole who by 1925 was one of the most important collectors of Western American art in the country. Cole was born in 1883 in Illinois but raised in Montana. Cole had met Seltzer on one of his trips to Montana, and for a year starting in 1926 Seltzer moved to New York to work on art commissions for him. Many more would follow. In 1928 he purchased a home on East Central Avenue and completed for Cole a series of watercolors that would be called the "Western Characters. In 1933 Cole had yet another project for Olaf. He was to paint the history of Montana in a series of oils, measuring no greater than six inches. He and Cole worked together on the commentary for each piece. The last of the oils was delivered to Cole in the autumn of 1935. The next year Cole photocopied the miniatures and assembled them into an impressive suede-covered volume he titled Montana in Miniature. At least four copies were produced. But Cole wouldn’t enjoy his collection long. On June 29, 1941 he died of a stroke at age fifty-seven. Several years later, Oklahoma oilman Thomas Gilcrease purchased for $400,000 much of Cole’s collection that included 560 paintings, sixty-two bronzes, and historical material. Half of the paintings were executed by Seltzer. They eventually found a home in 1949 when the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art opened in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Seltzer died in a Great Falls convalescent home on December 16, 1957. He once said, "If there is anything of lasting value in my art, it will survive. If not, it will perish. He would be happy to know that him and his art—2,500 oil and watercolor paintings—were not forgotten. In 1960 the Montana Historical Society had a major retrospective of Seltzer’s paintings. Six years later art dealer Dr. Van Kirke Nelson in Kalispell, Montana and Cato K. Butler from Helena published Montana in Miniature, after finding one of Cole’s copies by the same name. In June 1979 the Gilcrease Museum had the largest one-man exhibit of Seltzer’s to date. Many exhibitions followed, including one at the C.M. Russell Museum in 2019. Besides his art, Olaf would be proud of his grandson, Steve Seltzer, who lives in Great Falls and is a noted and prolific artist.

        Davis Brothers Auction
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Cowboy Pencil Drawing
        Jul. 13, 2024

        Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Cowboy Pencil Drawing

        Est: $400 - $600

        5 3/4" by 8" framed. Pencil Drawing. One of 14 originally sold by Trailside Gallery of Jackson Hole Wyoming. Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877 - 1957) was active/lived in Montana / Denmark. Olaf Seltzer is known for Frontier and Indian genre painting, illustration. If there ever was an artist who inspired a fellow artist, it was Charles M. Russell who had a profound influence on Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957). The cowboy artist helped bring out the best in his younger, Great Falls, Montana friend. While Russell was gregarious and enjoyed a crowd, Seltzer was quiet and somewhat withdrawn. They both saw the same truth, their love for Montana and the "West That Has Passed." Born on August 25, 1877 in Copenhagen, Denmark to German immigrant parents, Olaf was abandoned in infancy by his father. He found solace in drawing, which led to acceptance at the Tekniske Selskabe Institute, known to develop artisans. Yet the young artist dreamed of the American West of Buffalo Bill Cody. He and his mother Julie sailed to America on June 21, 1892 to join his sister Laura and her husband in Giant Springs, a short jaunt from Great Falls, Montana. His first job was a ranch hand for a local outfit, but soon he realized the wages were better working for the Great Northern Railway. In October 1893 he was employed as an apprentice machinist for the railway in Great Falls. A steady income allowed him to marry Mabel L. Cleland, and they eventually had two sons, Carl and Walter. Other jobs such as locomotive repairman found him riding trains throughout the northern Great Plains, sketching in his spare time. His big break came from Russell patron Dr. Phillip Cole who by 1925 was one of the most important collectors of Western American art in the country. Cole was born in 1883 in Illinois but raised in Montana. Cole had met Seltzer on one of his trips to Montana, and for a year starting in 1926 Seltzer moved to New York to work on art commissions for him. Many more would follow. In 1928 he purchased a home on East Central Avenue and completed for Cole a series of watercolors that would be called the "Western Characters. In 1933 Cole had yet another project for Olaf. He was to paint the history of Montana in a series of oils, measuring no greater than six inches. He and Cole worked together on the commentary for each piece. The last of the oils was delivered to Cole in the autumn of 1935. The next year Cole photocopied the miniatures and assembled them into an impressive suede-covered volume he titled Montana in Miniature. At least four copies were produced. But Cole wouldn’t enjoy his collection long. On June 29, 1941 he died of a stroke at age fifty-seven. Several years later, Oklahoma oilman Thomas Gilcrease purchased for $400,000 much of Cole’s collection that included 560 paintings, sixty-two bronzes, and historical material. Half of the paintings were executed by Seltzer. They eventually found a home in 1949 when the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art opened in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Seltzer died in a Great Falls convalescent home on December 16, 1957. He once said, "If there is anything of lasting value in my art, it will survive. If not, it will perish. He would be happy to know that him and his art—2,500 oil and watercolor paintings—were not forgotten. In 1960 the Montana Historical Society had a major retrospective of Seltzer’s paintings. Six years later art dealer Dr. Van Kirke Nelson in Kalispell, Montana and Cato K. Butler from Helena published Montana in Miniature, after finding one of Cole’s copies by the same name. In June 1979 the Gilcrease Museum had the largest one-man exhibit of Seltzer’s to date. Many exhibitions followed, including one at the C.M. Russell Museum in 2019. Besides his art, Olaf would be proud of his grandson, Steve Seltzer, who lives in Great Falls and is a noted and prolific artist.

        Davis Brothers Auction
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Horses Pencil Drawing
        Jun. 08, 2024

        Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Horses Pencil Drawing

        Est: $600 - $800

        11" by 13 1/4" framed. Pencil Drawing. One of 14 originally sold by Trailside Gallery of Jackson Hole Wyoming. Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877 - 1957) was active/lived in Montana / Denmark. Olaf Seltzer is known for Frontier and Indian genre paitning, illustration. If there ever was an artist who inspired a fellow artist, it was Charles M. Russell who had a profound influence on Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957). The cowboy artist helped bring out the best in his younger, Great Falls, Montana friend. While Russell was gregarious and enjoyed a crowd, Seltzer was quiet and somewhat withdrawn. They both saw the same truth, their love for Montana and the "West That Has Passed." Born on August 25, 1877 in Copenhagen, Denmark to German immigrant parents, Olaf was abandoned in infancy by his father. He found solace in drawing, which led to acceptance at the Tekniske Selskabe Institute, known to develop artisans. Yet the young artist dreamed of the American West of Buffalo Bill Cody. He and his mother Julie sailed to America on June 21, 1892 to join his sister Laura and her husband in Giant Springs, a short jaunt from Great Falls, Montana. His first job was a ranch hand for a local outfit, but soon he realized the wages were better working for the Great Northern Railway. In October 1893 he was employed as an apprentice machinist for the railway in Great Falls. A steady income allowed him to marry Mabel L. Cleland, and they eventually had two sons, Carl and Walter. Other jobs such as locomotive repairman found him riding trains throughout the northern Great Plains, sketching in his spare time. His big break came from Russell patron Dr. Phillip Cole who by 1925 was one of the most important collectors of Western American art in the country. Cole was born in 1883 in Illinois but raised in Montana. Cole had met Seltzer on one of his trips to Montana, and for a year starting in 1926 Seltzer moved to New York to work on art commissions for him. Many more would follow. In 1928 he purchased a home on East Central Avenue and completed for Cole a series of watercolors that would be called the "Western Characters. In 1933 Cole had yet another project for Olaf. He was to paint the history of Montana in a series of oils, measuring no greater than six inches. He and Cole worked together on the commentary for each piece. The last of the oils was delivered to Cole in the autumn of 1935. The next year Cole photocopied the miniatures and assembled them into an impressive suede-covered volume he titled Montana in Miniature. At least four copies were produced. But Cole wouldn’t enjoy his collection long. On June 29, 1941 he died of a stroke at age fifty-seven. Several years later, Oklahoma oilman Thomas Gilcrease purchased for $400,000 much of Cole’s collection that included 560 paintings, sixty-two bronzes, and historical material. Half of the paintings were executed by Seltzer. They eventually found a home in 1949 when the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art opened in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Seltzer died in a Great Falls convalescent home on December 16, 1957. He once said, "If there is anything of lasting value in my art, it will survive. If not, it will perish. He would be happy to know that him and his art—2,500 oil and watercolor paintings—were not forgotten. In 1960 the Montana Historical Society had a major retrospective of Seltzer’s paintings. Six years later art dealer Dr. Van Kirke Nelson in Kalispell, Montana and Cato K. Butler from Helena published Montana in Miniature, after finding one of Cole’s copies by the same name. In June 1979 the Gilcrease Museum had the largest one-man exhibit of Seltzer’s to date. Many exhibitions followed, including one at the C.M. Russell Museum in 2019. Besides his art, Olaf would be proud of his grandson, Steve Seltzer, who lives in Great Falls and is a noted and prolific artist.

        Davis Brothers Auction
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Cowboy Pencil Drawing
        Jun. 08, 2024

        Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Cowboy Pencil Drawing

        Est: $600 - $800

        11 3/4" by 14 1/2" framed. Pencil Drawing. One of 14 originally sold by Trailside Gallery of Jackson Hole Wyoming. Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877 - 1957) was active/lived in Montana / Denmark. Olaf Seltzer is known for Frontier and Indian genre painting, illustration. If there ever was an artist who inspired a fellow artist, it was Charles M. Russell who had a profound influence on Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957). The cowboy artist helped bring out the best in his younger, Great Falls, Montana friend. While Russell was gregarious and enjoyed a crowd, Seltzer was quiet and somewhat withdrawn. They both saw the same truth, their love for Montana and the "West That Has Passed." Born on August 25, 1877 in Copenhagen, Denmark to German immigrant parents, Olaf was abandoned in infancy by his father. He found solace in drawing, which led to acceptance at the Tekniske Selskabe Institute, known to develop artisans. Yet the young artist dreamed of the American West of Buffalo Bill Cody. He and his mother Julie sailed to America on June 21, 1892 to join his sister Laura and her husband in Giant Springs, a short jaunt from Great Falls, Montana. His first job was a ranch hand for a local outfit, but soon he realized the wages were better working for the Great Northern Railway. In October 1893 he was employed as an apprentice machinist for the railway in Great Falls. A steady income allowed him to marry Mabel L. Cleland, and they eventually had two sons, Carl and Walter. Other jobs such as locomotive repairman found him riding trains throughout the northern Great Plains, sketching in his spare time. His big break came from Russell patron Dr. Phillip Cole who by 1925 was one of the most important collectors of Western American art in the country. Cole was born in 1883 in Illinois but raised in Montana. Cole had met Seltzer on one of his trips to Montana, and for a year starting in 1926 Seltzer moved to New York to work on art commissions for him. Many more would follow. In 1928 he purchased a home on East Central Avenue and completed for Cole a series of watercolors that would be called the "Western Characters. In 1933 Cole had yet another project for Olaf. He was to paint the history of Montana in a series of oils, measuring no greater than six inches. He and Cole worked together on the commentary for each piece. The last of the oils was delivered to Cole in the autumn of 1935. The next year Cole photocopied the miniatures and assembled them into an impressive suede-covered volume he titled Montana in Miniature. At least four copies were produced. But Cole wouldn’t enjoy his collection long. On June 29, 1941 he died of a stroke at age fifty-seven. Several years later, Oklahoma oilman Thomas Gilcrease purchased for $400,000 much of Cole’s collection that included 560 paintings, sixty-two bronzes, and historical material. Half of the paintings were executed by Seltzer. They eventually found a home in 1949 when the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art opened in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Seltzer died in a Great Falls convalescent home on December 16, 1957. He once said, "If there is anything of lasting value in my art, it will survive. If not, it will perish. He would be happy to know that him and his art—2,500 oil and watercolor paintings—were not forgotten. In 1960 the Montana Historical Society had a major retrospective of Seltzer’s paintings. Six years later art dealer Dr. Van Kirke Nelson in Kalispell, Montana and Cato K. Butler from Helena published Montana in Miniature, after finding one of Cole’s copies by the same name. In June 1979 the Gilcrease Museum had the largest one-man exhibit of Seltzer’s to date. Many exhibitions followed, including one at the C.M. Russell Museum in 2019. Besides his art, Olaf would be proud of his grandson, Steve Seltzer, who lives in Great Falls and is a noted and prolific artist.

        Davis Brothers Auction
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Animals Pencil Drawing
        Jun. 08, 2024

        Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Animals Pencil Drawing

        Est: $600 - $800

        10 7/8" by 14 3/4" framed. Pencil Drawing. One of 14 originally sold by Trailside Gallery of Jackson Hole Wyoming. Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877 - 1957) was active/lived in Montana / Denmark. Olaf Seltzer is known for Frontier and Indian genre painting, illustration. If there ever was an artist who inspired a fellow artist, it was Charles M. Russell who had a profound influence on Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957). The cowboy artist helped bring out the best in his younger, Great Falls, Montana friend. While Russell was gregarious and enjoyed a crowd, Seltzer was quiet and somewhat withdrawn. They both saw the same truth, their love for Montana and the "West That Has Passed." Born on August 25, 1877 in Copenhagen, Denmark to German immigrant parents, Olaf was abandoned in infancy by his father. He found solace in drawing, which led to acceptance at the Tekniske Selskabe Institute, known to develop artisans. Yet the young artist dreamed of the American West of Buffalo Bill Cody. He and his mother Julie sailed to America on June 21, 1892 to join his sister Laura and her husband in Giant Springs, a short jaunt from Great Falls, Montana. His first job was a ranch hand for a local outfit, but soon he realized the wages were better working for the Great Northern Railway. In October 1893 he was employed as an apprentice machinist for the railway in Great Falls. A steady income allowed him to marry Mabel L. Cleland, and they eventually had two sons, Carl and Walter. Other jobs such as locomotive repairman found him riding trains throughout the northern Great Plains, sketching in his spare time. His big break came from Russell patron Dr. Phillip Cole who by 1925 was one of the most important collectors of Western American art in the country. Cole was born in 1883 in Illinois but raised in Montana. Cole had met Seltzer on one of his trips to Montana, and for a year starting in 1926 Seltzer moved to New York to work on art commissions for him. Many more would follow. In 1928 he purchased a home on East Central Avenue and completed for Cole a series of watercolors that would be called the "Western Characters. In 1933 Cole had yet another project for Olaf. He was to paint the history of Montana in a series of oils, measuring no greater than six inches. He and Cole worked together on the commentary for each piece. The last of the oils was delivered to Cole in the autumn of 1935. The next year Cole photocopied the miniatures and assembled them into an impressive suede-covered volume he titled Montana in Miniature. At least four copies were produced. But Cole wouldn’t enjoy his collection long. On June 29, 1941 he died of a stroke at age fifty-seven. Several years later, Oklahoma oilman Thomas Gilcrease purchased for $400,000 much of Cole’s collection that included 560 paintings, sixty-two bronzes, and historical material. Half of the paintings were executed by Seltzer. They eventually found a home in 1949 when the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art opened in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Seltzer died in a Great Falls convalescent home on December 16, 1957. He once said, "If there is anything of lasting value in my art, it will survive. If not, it will perish. He would be happy to know that him and his art—2,500 oil and watercolor paintings—were not forgotten. In 1960 the Montana Historical Society had a major retrospective of Seltzer’s paintings. Six years later art dealer Dr. Van Kirke Nelson in Kalispell, Montana and Cato K. Butler from Helena published Montana in Miniature, after finding one of Cole’s copies by the same name. In June 1979 the Gilcrease Museum had the largest one-man exhibit of Seltzer’s to date. Many exhibitions followed, including one at the C.M. Russell Museum in 2019. Besides his art, Olaf would be proud of his grandson, Steve Seltzer, who lives in Great Falls and is a noted and prolific artist.

        Davis Brothers Auction
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Tree Pencil Drawing
        Jun. 08, 2024

        Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Tree Pencil Drawing

        Est: $400 - $600

        9 1/2" by 11 3/8" framed. Pencil Drawing. One of 14 originally sold by Trailside Gallery of Jackson Hole Wyoming. Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877 - 1957) was active/lived in Montana / Denmark. Olaf Seltzer is known for Frontier and Indian genre painting, illustration. If there ever was an artist who inspired a fellow artist, it was Charles M. Russell who had a profound influence on Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957). The cowboy artist helped bring out the best in his younger, Great Falls, Montana friend. While Russell was gregarious and enjoyed a crowd, Seltzer was quiet and somewhat withdrawn. They both saw the same truth, their love for Montana and the "West That Has Passed." Born on August 25, 1877 in Copenhagen, Denmark to German immigrant parents, Olaf was abandoned in infancy by his father. He found solace in drawing, which led to acceptance at the Tekniske Selskabe Institute, known to develop artisans. Yet the young artist dreamed of the American West of Buffalo Bill Cody. He and his mother Julie sailed to America on June 21, 1892 to join his sister Laura and her husband in Giant Springs, a short jaunt from Great Falls, Montana. His first job was a ranch hand for a local outfit, but soon he realized the wages were better working for the Great Northern Railway. In October 1893 he was employed as an apprentice machinist for the railway in Great Falls. A steady income allowed him to marry Mabel L. Cleland, and they eventually had two sons, Carl and Walter. Other jobs such as locomotive repairman found him riding trains throughout the northern Great Plains, sketching in his spare time. His big break came from Russell patron Dr. Phillip Cole who by 1925 was one of the most important collectors of Western American art in the country. Cole was born in 1883 in Illinois but raised in Montana. Cole had met Seltzer on one of his trips to Montana, and for a year starting in 1926 Seltzer moved to New York to work on art commissions for him. Many more would follow. In 1928 he purchased a home on East Central Avenue and completed for Cole a series of watercolors that would be called the "Western Characters. In 1933 Cole had yet another project for Olaf. He was to paint the history of Montana in a series of oils, measuring no greater than six inches. He and Cole worked together on the commentary for each piece. The last of the oils was delivered to Cole in the autumn of 1935. The next year Cole photocopied the miniatures and assembled them into an impressive suede-covered volume he titled Montana in Miniature. At least four copies were produced. But Cole wouldn’t enjoy his collection long. On June 29, 1941 he died of a stroke at age fifty-seven. Several years later, Oklahoma oilman Thomas Gilcrease purchased for $400,000 much of Cole’s collection that included 560 paintings, sixty-two bronzes, and historical material. Half of the paintings were executed by Seltzer. They eventually found a home in 1949 when the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art opened in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Seltzer died in a Great Falls convalescent home on December 16, 1957. He once said, "If there is anything of lasting value in my art, it will survive. If not, it will perish. He would be happy to know that him and his art—2,500 oil and watercolor paintings—were not forgotten. In 1960 the Montana Historical Society had a major retrospective of Seltzer’s paintings. Six years later art dealer Dr. Van Kirke Nelson in Kalispell, Montana and Cato K. Butler from Helena published Montana in Miniature, after finding one of Cole’s copies by the same name. In June 1979 the Gilcrease Museum had the largest one-man exhibit of Seltzer’s to date. Many exhibitions followed, including one at the C.M. Russell Museum in 2019. Besides his art, Olaf would be proud of his grandson, Steve Seltzer, who lives in Great Falls and is a noted and prolific artist.

        Davis Brothers Auction
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Cowboy Pencil Drawing
        Jun. 08, 2024

        Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Cowboy Pencil Drawing

        Est: $400 - $600

        5 3/4" by 8" framed. Pencil Drawing. One of 14 originally sold by Trailside Gallery of Jackson Hole Wyoming. Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877 - 1957) was active/lived in Montana / Denmark. Olaf Seltzer is known for Frontier and Indian genre painting, illustration. If there ever was an artist who inspired a fellow artist, it was Charles M. Russell who had a profound influence on Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957). The cowboy artist helped bring out the best in his younger, Great Falls, Montana friend. While Russell was gregarious and enjoyed a crowd, Seltzer was quiet and somewhat withdrawn. They both saw the same truth, their love for Montana and the "West That Has Passed." Born on August 25, 1877 in Copenhagen, Denmark to German immigrant parents, Olaf was abandoned in infancy by his father. He found solace in drawing, which led to acceptance at the Tekniske Selskabe Institute, known to develop artisans. Yet the young artist dreamed of the American West of Buffalo Bill Cody. He and his mother Julie sailed to America on June 21, 1892 to join his sister Laura and her husband in Giant Springs, a short jaunt from Great Falls, Montana. His first job was a ranch hand for a local outfit, but soon he realized the wages were better working for the Great Northern Railway. In October 1893 he was employed as an apprentice machinist for the railway in Great Falls. A steady income allowed him to marry Mabel L. Cleland, and they eventually had two sons, Carl and Walter. Other jobs such as locomotive repairman found him riding trains throughout the northern Great Plains, sketching in his spare time. His big break came from Russell patron Dr. Phillip Cole who by 1925 was one of the most important collectors of Western American art in the country. Cole was born in 1883 in Illinois but raised in Montana. Cole had met Seltzer on one of his trips to Montana, and for a year starting in 1926 Seltzer moved to New York to work on art commissions for him. Many more would follow. In 1928 he purchased a home on East Central Avenue and completed for Cole a series of watercolors that would be called the "Western Characters. In 1933 Cole had yet another project for Olaf. He was to paint the history of Montana in a series of oils, measuring no greater than six inches. He and Cole worked together on the commentary for each piece. The last of the oils was delivered to Cole in the autumn of 1935. The next year Cole photocopied the miniatures and assembled them into an impressive suede-covered volume he titled Montana in Miniature. At least four copies were produced. But Cole wouldn’t enjoy his collection long. On June 29, 1941 he died of a stroke at age fifty-seven. Several years later, Oklahoma oilman Thomas Gilcrease purchased for $400,000 much of Cole’s collection that included 560 paintings, sixty-two bronzes, and historical material. Half of the paintings were executed by Seltzer. They eventually found a home in 1949 when the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art opened in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Seltzer died in a Great Falls convalescent home on December 16, 1957. He once said, "If there is anything of lasting value in my art, it will survive. If not, it will perish. He would be happy to know that him and his art—2,500 oil and watercolor paintings—were not forgotten. In 1960 the Montana Historical Society had a major retrospective of Seltzer’s paintings. Six years later art dealer Dr. Van Kirke Nelson in Kalispell, Montana and Cato K. Butler from Helena published Montana in Miniature, after finding one of Cole’s copies by the same name. In June 1979 the Gilcrease Museum had the largest one-man exhibit of Seltzer’s to date. Many exhibitions followed, including one at the C.M. Russell Museum in 2019. Besides his art, Olaf would be proud of his grandson, Steve Seltzer, who lives in Great Falls and is a noted and prolific artist.

        Davis Brothers Auction
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Bear Pen Ink Drawing
        Jun. 08, 2024

        Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Bear Pen Ink Drawing

        Est: $600 - $800

        4 1/2" by 8 1/2" framed. Pen and Ink Drawing. One of 14 originally sold by Trailside Gallery of Jackson Hole Wyoming. Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877 - 1957) was active/lived in Montana / Denmark. Olaf Seltzer is known for Frontier and Indian genre painting, illustration. If there ever was an artist who inspired a fellow artist, it was Charles M. Russell who had a profound influence on Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957). The cowboy artist helped bring out the best in his younger, Great Falls, Montana friend. While Russell was gregarious and enjoyed a crowd, Seltzer was quiet and somewhat withdrawn. They both saw the same truth, their love for Montana and the "West That Has Passed." Born on August 25, 1877 in Copenhagen, Denmark to German immigrant parents, Olaf was abandoned in infancy by his father. He found solace in drawing, which led to acceptance at the Tekniske Selskabe Institute, known to develop artisans. Yet the young artist dreamed of the American West of Buffalo Bill Cody. He and his mother Julie sailed to America on June 21, 1892 to join his sister Laura and her husband in Giant Springs, a short jaunt from Great Falls, Montana. His first job was a ranch hand for a local outfit, but soon he realized the wages were better working for the Great Northern Railway. In October 1893 he was employed as an apprentice machinist for the railway in Great Falls. A steady income allowed him to marry Mabel L. Cleland, and they eventually had two sons, Carl and Walter. Other jobs such as locomotive repairman found him riding trains throughout the northern Great Plains, sketching in his spare time. His big break came from Russell patron Dr. Phillip Cole who by 1925 was one of the most important collectors of Western American art in the country. Cole was born in 1883 in Illinois but raised in Montana. Cole had met Seltzer on one of his trips to Montana, and for a year starting in 1926 Seltzer moved to New York to work on art commissions for him. Many more would follow. In 1928 he purchased a home on East Central Avenue and completed for Cole a series of watercolors that would be called the "Western Characters. In 1933 Cole had yet another project for Olaf. He was to paint the history of Montana in a series of oils, measuring no greater than six inches. He and Cole worked together on the commentary for each piece. The last of the oils was delivered to Cole in the autumn of 1935. The next year Cole photocopied the miniatures and assembled them into an impressive suede-covered volume he titled Montana in Miniature. At least four copies were produced. But Cole wouldn’t enjoy his collection long. On June 29, 1941 he died of a stroke at age fifty-seven. Several years later, Oklahoma oilman Thomas Gilcrease purchased for $400,000 much of Cole’s collection that included 560 paintings, sixty-two bronzes, and historical material. Half of the paintings were executed by Seltzer. They eventually found a home in 1949 when the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art opened in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Seltzer died in a Great Falls convalescent home on December 16, 1957. He once said, "If there is anything of lasting value in my art, it will survive. If not, it will perish. He would be happy to know that him and his art—2,500 oil and watercolor paintings—were not forgotten. In 1960 the Montana Historical Society had a major retrospective of Seltzer’s paintings. Six years later art dealer Dr. Van Kirke Nelson in Kalispell, Montana and Cato K. Butler from Helena published Montana in Miniature, after finding one of Cole’s copies by the same name. In June 1979 the Gilcrease Museum had the largest one-man exhibit of Seltzer’s to date. Many exhibitions followed, including one at the C.M. Russell Museum in 2019. Besides his art, Olaf would be proud of his grandson, Steve Seltzer, who lives in Great Falls and is a noted and prolific artist.

        Davis Brothers Auction
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Tree Pencil Drawing
        Jun. 08, 2024

        Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Tree Pencil Drawing

        Est: $400 - $600

        7 1/4" by 11 1/4" framed. Pencil Drawing. One of 14 originally sold by Trailside Gallery of Jackson Hole Wyoming. Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877 - 1957) was active/lived in Montana / Denmark. Olaf Seltzer is known for Frontier and Indian genre painting, illustration. If there ever was an artist who inspired a fellow artist, it was Charles M. Russell who had a profound influence on Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957). The cowboy artist helped bring out the best in his younger, Great Falls, Montana friend. While Russell was gregarious and enjoyed a crowd, Seltzer was quiet and somewhat withdrawn. They both saw the same truth, their love for Montana and the "West That Has Passed." Born on August 25, 1877 in Copenhagen, Denmark to German immigrant parents, Olaf was abandoned in infancy by his father. He found solace in drawing, which led to acceptance at the Tekniske Selskabe Institute, known to develop artisans. Yet the young artist dreamed of the American West of Buffalo Bill Cody. He and his mother Julie sailed to America on June 21, 1892 to join his sister Laura and her husband in Giant Springs, a short jaunt from Great Falls, Montana. His first job was a ranch hand for a local outfit, but soon he realized the wages were better working for the Great Northern Railway. In October 1893 he was employed as an apprentice machinist for the railway in Great Falls. A steady income allowed him to marry Mabel L. Cleland, and they eventually had two sons, Carl and Walter. Other jobs such as locomotive repairman found him riding trains throughout the northern Great Plains, sketching in his spare time. His big break came from Russell patron Dr. Phillip Cole who by 1925 was one of the most important collectors of Western American art in the country. Cole was born in 1883 in Illinois but raised in Montana. Cole had met Seltzer on one of his trips to Montana, and for a year starting in 1926 Seltzer moved to New York to work on art commissions for him. Many more would follow. In 1928 he purchased a home on East Central Avenue and completed for Cole a series of watercolors that would be called the "Western Characters. In 1933 Cole had yet another project for Olaf. He was to paint the history of Montana in a series of oils, measuring no greater than six inches. He and Cole worked together on the commentary for each piece. The last of the oils was delivered to Cole in the autumn of 1935. The next year Cole photocopied the miniatures and assembled them into an impressive suede-covered volume he titled Montana in Miniature. At least four copies were produced. But Cole wouldn’t enjoy his collection long. On June 29, 1941 he died of a stroke at age fifty-seven. Several years later, Oklahoma oilman Thomas Gilcrease purchased for $400,000 much of Cole’s collection that included 560 paintings, sixty-two bronzes, and historical material. Half of the paintings were executed by Seltzer. They eventually found a home in 1949 when the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art opened in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Seltzer died in a Great Falls convalescent home on December 16, 1957. He once said, "If there is anything of lasting value in my art, it will survive. If not, it will perish. He would be happy to know that him and his art—2,500 oil and watercolor paintings—were not forgotten. In 1960 the Montana Historical Society had a major retrospective of Seltzer’s paintings. Six years later art dealer Dr. Van Kirke Nelson in Kalispell, Montana and Cato K. Butler from Helena published Montana in Miniature, after finding one of Cole’s copies by the same name. In June 1979 the Gilcrease Museum had the largest one-man exhibit of Seltzer’s to date. Many exhibitions followed, including one at the C.M. Russell Museum in 2019. Besides his art, Olaf would be proud of his grandson, Steve Seltzer, who lives in Great Falls and is a noted and prolific artist.

        Davis Brothers Auction
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Cowboy Pencil Drawing
        Jun. 08, 2024

        Olaf Carl Seltzer Montana Cowboy Pencil Drawing

        Est: $400 - $600

        8 1/2" by 9" framed. Pencil Drawing. One of 14 originally sold by Trailside Gallery of Jackson Hole Wyoming. Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877 - 1957) was active/lived in Montana / Denmark. Olaf Seltzer is known for Frontier and Indian genre painting, illustration. If there ever was an artist who inspired a fellow artist, it was Charles M. Russell who had a profound influence on Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957). The cowboy artist helped bring out the best in his younger, Great Falls, Montana friend. While Russell was gregarious and enjoyed a crowd, Seltzer was quiet and somewhat withdrawn. They both saw the same truth, their love for Montana and the "West That Has Passed." Born on August 25, 1877 in Copenhagen, Denmark to German immigrant parents, Olaf was abandoned in infancy by his father. He found solace in drawing, which led to acceptance at the Tekniske Selskabe Institute, known to develop artisans. Yet the young artist dreamed of the American West of Buffalo Bill Cody. He and his mother Julie sailed to America on June 21, 1892 to join his sister Laura and her husband in Giant Springs, a short jaunt from Great Falls, Montana. His first job was a ranch hand for a local outfit, but soon he realized the wages were better working for the Great Northern Railway. In October 1893 he was employed as an apprentice machinist for the railway in Great Falls. A steady income allowed him to marry Mabel L. Cleland, and they eventually had two sons, Carl and Walter. Other jobs such as locomotive repairman found him riding trains throughout the northern Great Plains, sketching in his spare time. His big break came from Russell patron Dr. Phillip Cole who by 1925 was one of the most important collectors of Western American art in the country. Cole was born in 1883 in Illinois but raised in Montana. Cole had met Seltzer on one of his trips to Montana, and for a year starting in 1926 Seltzer moved to New York to work on art commissions for him. Many more would follow. In 1928 he purchased a home on East Central Avenue and completed for Cole a series of watercolors that would be called the "Western Characters. In 1933 Cole had yet another project for Olaf. He was to paint the history of Montana in a series of oils, measuring no greater than six inches. He and Cole worked together on the commentary for each piece. The last of the oils was delivered to Cole in the autumn of 1935. The next year Cole photocopied the miniatures and assembled them into an impressive suede-covered volume he titled Montana in Miniature. At least four copies were produced. But Cole wouldn’t enjoy his collection long. On June 29, 1941 he died of a stroke at age fifty-seven. Several years later, Oklahoma oilman Thomas Gilcrease purchased for $400,000 much of Cole’s collection that included 560 paintings, sixty-two bronzes, and historical material. Half of the paintings were executed by Seltzer. They eventually found a home in 1949 when the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art opened in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Seltzer died in a Great Falls convalescent home on December 16, 1957. He once said, "If there is anything of lasting value in my art, it will survive. If not, it will perish. He would be happy to know that him and his art—2,500 oil and watercolor paintings—were not forgotten. In 1960 the Montana Historical Society had a major retrospective of Seltzer’s paintings. Six years later art dealer Dr. Van Kirke Nelson in Kalispell, Montana and Cato K. Butler from Helena published Montana in Miniature, after finding one of Cole’s copies by the same name. In June 1979 the Gilcrease Museum had the largest one-man exhibit of Seltzer’s to date. Many exhibitions followed, including one at the C.M. Russell Museum in 2019. Besides his art, Olaf would be proud of his grandson, Steve Seltzer, who lives in Great Falls and is a noted and prolific artist.

        Davis Brothers Auction
      • Olaf C. Seltzer, "Dangerous Grizzly"
        Apr. 13, 2024

        Olaf C. Seltzer, "Dangerous Grizzly"

        Est: $30,000 - $50,000

        Olaf C. Seltzer (1877-1957), "Dangerous Grizzly", Oil on canvas, Signed lower left

        Scottsdale Art Auction, LLC
      • Olaf C. Seltzer, "Scouts at Waterhole"
        Apr. 13, 2024

        Olaf C. Seltzer, "Scouts at Waterhole"

        Est: $25,000 - $35,000

        Olaf C. Seltzer (1877-1957), "Scouts at Waterhole", Watercolor, Signed and dated 1909 lower right

        Scottsdale Art Auction, LLC
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer Horsehead Pencil Drawing
        Apr. 13, 2024

        Olaf Carl Seltzer Horsehead Pencil Drawing

        Est: $400 - $600

        5" by 7" unframed, 6 5/8" by 8 1/2" framed. Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877 - 1957) was active/lived in Montana / Denmark. Olaf Seltzer is known for Frontier and Indian genre painting, illustration. If there ever was an artist who inspired a fellow artist, it was Charles M. Russell who had a profound influence on Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957). The cowboy artist helped bring out the best in his younger, Great Falls, Montana friend. While Russell was gregarious and enjoyed a crowd, Seltzer was quiet and somewhat withdrawn. They both saw the same truth, their love for Montana and the "West That Has Passed." Born on August 25, 1877 in Copenhagen, Denmark to German immigrant parents, Olaf was abandoned in infancy by his father. He found solace in drawing, which led to acceptance at the Tekniske Selskabe Institute, known to develop artisans. Yet the young artist dreamed of the American West of Buffalo Bill Cody. He and his mother Julie sailed to America on June 21, 1892 to join his sister Laura and her husband in Giant Springs, a short jaunt from Great Falls, Montana. His first job was a ranch hand for a local outfit, but soon he realized the wages were better working for the Great Northern Railway. In October 1893 he was employed as an apprentice machinist for the railway in Great Falls. A steady income allowed him to marry Mabel L. Cleland, and they eventually had two sons, Carl and Walter. Other jobs such as locomotive repairman found him riding trains throughout the northern Great Plains, sketching in his spare time. His big break came from Russell patron Dr. Phillip Cole who by 1925 was one of the most important collectors of Western American art in the country. Cole was born in 1883 in Illinois but raised in Montana. Cole had met Seltzer on one of his trips to Montana, and for a year starting in 1926 Seltzer moved to New York to work on art commissions for him. Many more would follow. In 1928 he purchased a home on East Central Avenue and completed for Cole a series of watercolors that would be called the "Western Characters. In 1933 Cole had yet another project for Olaf. He was to paint the history of Montana in a series of oils, measuring no greater than six inches. He and Cole worked together on the commentary for each piece. The last of the oils was delivered to Cole in the autumn of 1935. The next year Cole photocopied the miniatures and assembled them into an impressive suede-covered volume he titled Montana in Miniature. At least four copies were produced. But Cole wouldn’t enjoy his collection long. On June 29, 1941 he died of a stroke at age fifty-seven. Several years later, Oklahoma oilman Thomas Gilcrease purchased for $400,000 much of Cole’s collection that included 560 paintings, sixty-two bronzes, and historical material. Half of the paintings were executed by Seltzer. They eventually found a home in 1949 when the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art opened in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Seltzer died in a Great Falls convalescent home on December 16, 1957. He once said, "If there is anything of lasting value in my art, it will survive. If not, it will perish. He would be happy to know that him and his art—2,500 oil and watercolor paintings—were not forgotten. In 1960 the Montana Historical Society had a major retrospective of Seltzer’s paintings. Six years later art dealer Dr. Van Kirke Nelson in Kalispell, Montana and Cato K. Butler from Helena published Montana in Miniature, after finding one of Cole’s copies by the same name. In June 1979 the Gilcrease Museum had the largest one-man exhibit of Seltzer’s to date. Many exhibitions followed, including one at the C.M. Russell Museum in 2019. Besides his art, Olaf would be proud of his grandson, Steve Seltzer, who lives in Great Falls and is a noted and prolific artist.

        Davis Brothers Auction
      • In the Manner of Olaf Carl Seltzer (Danish-American, 1877-1957) Pencil Sketches on Paper, Ca. Early to Mid 20th C.
        Mar. 15, 2024

        In the Manner of Olaf Carl Seltzer (Danish-American, 1877-1957) Pencil Sketches on Paper, Ca. Early to Mid 20th C.

        Est: $150 - $250

        Monogrammed O.C.S. in the upper left. Pencil sketches on both sides of the sheet with horses, wolves, dogs and Native American gentlemen. Matted and framed under glass in a double sided frame, H 23.25", W 17.5" Provenance: Property of Prominent Collector, Birmingham, Michigan

        DuMouchelles
      • OLAF CARL SELTZER (1877-1957) - Indian Scout
        Jan. 18, 2024

        OLAF CARL SELTZER (1877-1957) - Indian Scout

        Est: $7,000 - $10,000

        OLAF CARL SELTZER (1877-1957) Indian Scout watercolor and pencil on paperboard 11 5⁄8 x 9 5⁄8 in. (29.5 x 24.4 cm.)

        Christie's
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) The Medicine Man sight 5 3/4 x 4 in. framed 15 x 13 in.
        Nov. 07, 2023

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) The Medicine Man sight 5 3/4 x 4 in. framed 15 x 13 in.

        Est: $2,000 - $3,000

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) The Medicine Man signed 'O.C. Seltzer' (lower left) and titled (lower center) watercolor, gouache and pencil on paper sight 5 3/4 x 4 in. framed 15 x 13 in.

        Bonhams
      • OLAF CARL SELTZER MONTANA LITHOGRAPH
        Aug. 27, 2023

        OLAF CARL SELTZER MONTANA LITHOGRAPH

        Est: $50 - $75

        Nice Antique Lithograph of a Wagon Train. 14" by 18".

        Davis Brothers Auction
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer Signed & Numbered Lithograph
        Jul. 29, 2023

        Olaf Carl Seltzer Signed & Numbered Lithograph

        Est: -

        Titled: Range Riders Resting. Frame is in good condition. Frame measures approximately 27.25in x 35in. Image measures approximately 19in x 26.5in. Signed in the lower right corner and numbered in the lower right corner. NR13036 SA

        EJ'S Auction & Appraisal
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877 - 1957)
        Jul. 22, 2023

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877 - 1957)

        Est: $5,000 - $7,000

        Artist: Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877 - 1957). Title/Description: Cowboy roping a Longhorn. Signature: Lower right. Date Created: 1909. Medium/Ground: Watercolor/gouache on paper. Size: 13 1/2" x 10 1/2". 17" x 14" (frame). Condition: Overall good, slight fading.

        Turner Auctions + Appraisals
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877 - 1957)
        Jul. 22, 2023

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877 - 1957)

        Est: $6,000 - $8,000

        Artist: Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877 - 1957). Title/Description: Cowboys Coming Across a Bear. Signature: Lower right. Date Created: 1908. Medium/Ground: Watercolor/gouache on paper. Size: 19 1/2" x 14 1/4". 27" x  21 1/4" (frame). Condition: Slight fading, 4 1/2" paper tear bottom right (no loss). 2 1/2" paper tear top left (no loss). 1 1/2" paper tear top right (no loss).

        Turner Auctions + Appraisals
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877 - 1957)
        Jul. 22, 2023

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877 - 1957)

        Est: $2,000 - $3,000

        Artist: Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877 - 1957). Title/Description: Native American. Signature: Lower right. Date Created: 1908. Medium/Ground: Watercolor/gouache on paper. Size: 9 1/4" x 6 1/2". 17" x 14" (frame). Condition: Good.

        Turner Auctions + Appraisals
      • OLAF CARL SELTZER HORSE WATERCOLOR PAINTING
        May. 07, 2023

        OLAF CARL SELTZER HORSE WATERCOLOR PAINTING

        Est: $2,000 - $3,000

        Title is Grazing Horse. 2 1/2" by 4 1/2" unframed. 9 1/4" by 11 1/4" framed. If there ever was an artist who inspired a fellow artist, it was Charles M. Russell who had a profound influence on Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957). The cowboy artist helped bring out the best in his younger, Great Falls, Montana friend. While Russell was gregarious and enjoyed a crowd, Seltzer was quiet and somewhat withdrawn. They both saw the same truth, their love for Montana and the "West That Has Passed." Born on August 25, 1877 in Copenhagen, Denmark to German immigrant parents, Olaf was abandoned in infancy by his father. He found solace in drawing, which led to acceptance at the Tekniske Selskabe Institute, known to develop artisans. Yet the young artist dreamed of the American West of Buffalo Bill Cody. He and his mother Julie sailed to America on June 21, 1892 to join his sister Laura and her husband in Giant Springs, a short jaunt from Great Falls, Montana. His first job was a ranch hand for a local outfit, but soon he realized the wages were better working for the Great Northern Railway. In October 1893 he was employed as an apprentice machinist for the railway in Great Falls. A steady income allowed him to marry Mabel L. Cleland, and they eventually had two sons, Carl and Walter. Other jobs such as locomotive repairman found him riding trains throughout the northern Great Plains, sketching in his spare time. His big break came from Russell patron Dr. Phillip Cole who by 1925 was one of the most important collectors of Western American art in the country. Cole was born in 1883 in Illinois but raised in Montana. Cole had met Seltzer on one of his trips to Montana, and for a year starting in 1926 Seltzer moved to New York to work on art commissions for him. Many more would follow. In 1928 he purchased a home on East Central Avenue and completed for Cole a series of watercolors that would be called the "Western Characters. In 1933 Cole had yet another project for Olaf. He was to paint the history of Montana in a series of oils, measuring no greater than six inches. He and Cole worked together on the commentary for each piece. The last of the oils was delivered to Cole in the autumn of 1935. The next year Cole photocopied the miniatures and assembled them into an impressive suede-covered volume he titled Montana in Miniature. At least four copies were produced. But Cole wouldn’t enjoy his collection long. On June 29, 1941 he died of a stroke at age fifty-seven. Several years later, Oklahoma oilman Thomas Gilcrease purchased for $400,000 much of Cole’s collection that included 560 paintings, sixty-two bronzes, and historical material. Half of the paintings were executed by Seltzer. They eventually found a home in 1949 when the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art opened in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Seltzer died in a Great Falls convalescent home on December 16, 1957. He once said, "If there is anything of lasting value in my art, it will survive. If not, it will perish. He would be happy to know that him and his art—2,500 oil and watercolor paintings—were not forgotten. In 1960 the Montana Historical Society had a major retrospective of Seltzer’s paintings. Six years later art dealer Dr. Van Kirke Nelson in Kalispell, Montana and Cato K. Butler from Helena published Montana in Miniature, after finding one of Cole’s copies by the same name. In June 1979 the Gilcrease Museum had the largest one-man exhibit of Seltzer’s to date. Many exhibitions followed, including one at the C.M. Russell Museum in 2019. Besides his art, Olaf would be proud of his grandson, Steve Seltzer, who lives in Great Falls and is a noted and prolific artist.

        Davis Brothers Auction
      • OLAF CARL SELTZER HORSES WATERCOLOR PAINTING
        May. 07, 2023

        OLAF CARL SELTZER HORSES WATERCOLOR PAINTING

        Est: $2,000 - $3,000

        Title is Mare and Colt. 3 1/2" by 4 1/2" unframed. 10 3/4" by 11 1/2" framed. If there ever was an artist who inspired a fellow artist, it was Charles M. Russell who had a profound influence on Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957). The cowboy artist helped bring out the best in his younger, Great Falls, Montana friend. While Russell was gregarious and enjoyed a crowd, Seltzer was quiet and somewhat withdrawn. They both saw the same truth, their love for Montana and the "West That Has Passed." Born on August 25, 1877 in Copenhagen, Denmark to German immigrant parents, Olaf was abandoned in infancy by his father. He found solace in drawing, which led to acceptance at the Tekniske Selskabe Institute, known to develop artisans. Yet the young artist dreamed of the American West of Buffalo Bill Cody. He and his mother Julie sailed to America on June 21, 1892 to join his sister Laura and her husband in Giant Springs, a short jaunt from Great Falls, Montana. His first job was a ranch hand for a local outfit, but soon he realized the wages were better working for the Great Northern Railway. In October 1893 he was employed as an apprentice machinist for the railway in Great Falls. A steady income allowed him to marry Mabel L. Cleland, and they eventually had two sons, Carl and Walter. Other jobs such as locomotive repairman found him riding trains throughout the northern Great Plains, sketching in his spare time. His big break came from Russell patron Dr. Phillip Cole who by 1925 was one of the most important collectors of Western American art in the country. Cole was born in 1883 in Illinois but raised in Montana. Cole had met Seltzer on one of his trips to Montana, and for a year starting in 1926 Seltzer moved to New York to work on art commissions for him. Many more would follow. In 1928 he purchased a home on East Central Avenue and completed for Cole a series of watercolors that would be called the "Western Characters. In 1933 Cole had yet another project for Olaf. He was to paint the history of Montana in a series of oils, measuring no greater than six inches. He and Cole worked together on the commentary for each piece. The last of the oils was delivered to Cole in the autumn of 1935. The next year Cole photocopied the miniatures and assembled them into an impressive suede-covered volume he titled Montana in Miniature. At least four copies were produced. But Cole wouldn’t enjoy his collection long. On June 29, 1941 he died of a stroke at age fifty-seven. Several years later, Oklahoma oilman Thomas Gilcrease purchased for $400,000 much of Cole’s collection that included 560 paintings, sixty-two bronzes, and historical material. Half of the paintings were executed by Seltzer. They eventually found a home in 1949 when the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art opened in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Seltzer died in a Great Falls convalescent home on December 16, 1957. He once said, "If there is anything of lasting value in my art, it will survive. If not, it will perish. He would be happy to know that him and his art—2,500 oil and watercolor paintings—were not forgotten. In 1960 the Montana Historical Society had a major retrospective of Seltzer’s paintings. Six years later art dealer Dr. Van Kirke Nelson in Kalispell, Montana and Cato K. Butler from Helena published Montana in Miniature, after finding one of Cole’s copies by the same name. In June 1979 the Gilcrease Museum had the largest one-man exhibit of Seltzer’s to date. Many exhibitions followed, including one at the C.M. Russell Museum in 2019. Besides his art, Olaf would be proud of his grandson, Steve Seltzer, who lives in Great Falls and is a noted and prolific artist.

        Davis Brothers Auction
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Native American Figures and Ponies at a Watering Hole sight 22 1/4 x 28 1/2 in. framed 28 1/2 x 34 1/2 in.
        Apr. 26, 2023

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Native American Figures and Ponies at a Watering Hole sight 22 1/4 x 28 1/2 in. framed 28 1/2 x 34 1/2 in.

        Est: $8,000 - $12,000

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Native American Figures and Ponies at a Watering Hole signed and dated 'O.C. SELTZER. / 1908.' (lower right) watercolor and gouache on paper sight 22 1/4 x 28 1/2 in. framed 28 1/2 x 34 1/2 in.

        Bonhams
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Bear and Horse with Saddle (a group of two) each 5 x 4 3/4 in. each framed 21 x 17 in.
        Feb. 07, 2023

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Bear and Horse with Saddle (a group of two) each 5 x 4 3/4 in. each framed 21 x 17 in.

        Est: $500 - $700

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Bear and Horse with Saddle (a group of two) each unsigned each pencil on paper napkin each 5 x 4 3/4 in. each framed 21 x 17 in.

        Bonhams
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer Danish/American, 1877-1957 The Guide
        Nov. 03, 2022

        Olaf Carl Seltzer Danish/American, 1877-1957 The Guide

        Est: $7,000 - $10,000

        Olaf Carl Seltzer Danish/American, 1877-1957 The Guide Signed O. C. Seltzer (lr) Oil on board 13 x 9 inches C 

        DOYLE Auctioneers & Appraisers
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Bear and Horse with Saddle (a group of two) each 5 x 4 3/4 in. each framed 21 x 17 in.
        Nov. 01, 2022

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Bear and Horse with Saddle (a group of two) each 5 x 4 3/4 in. each framed 21 x 17 in.

        Est: $1,000 - $1,500

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Bear and Horse with Saddle (a group of two) each unsigned each pencil on paper napkin each 5 x 4 3/4 in. each framed 21 x 17 in.

        Bonhams
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Duck hunting scene with hunter and dog sight 17 x 28 in. framed 29 x 39 in.
        Nov. 01, 2022

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Duck hunting scene with hunter and dog sight 17 x 28 in. framed 29 x 39 in.

        Est: $5,000 - $7,000

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Duck hunting scene with hunter and dog signed and dated with the artist's arrow device 'O. SELTZER. / 1900.' (lower left) watercolor and gouache on paper sight 17 x 28 in. framed 29 x 39 in.

        Bonhams
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Moving camp sight 3 x 4 1/2 in. framed 12 1/2 x 13 in.
        Nov. 01, 2022

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Moving camp sight 3 x 4 1/2 in. framed 12 1/2 x 13 in.

        Est: $3,000 - $5,000

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Moving camp signed with initials and dated 'O.C.S. / '48.' (lower left) watercolor, gouache and graphite on paper sight 3 x 4 1/2 in. framed 12 1/2 x 13 in.

        Bonhams
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Native American on Horseback sight 12 1/2 x 8 1/2 in. framed 20 1/2 x 16 1/2 in.
        Nov. 01, 2022

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Native American on Horseback sight 12 1/2 x 8 1/2 in. framed 20 1/2 x 16 1/2 in.

        Est: $6,000 - $8,000

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Native American on Horseback signed and dated 'O.C. SELZER. / 1915.' (lower right) watercolor and gouache on paper sight 12 1/2 x 8 1/2 in. framed 20 1/2 x 16 1/2 in.

        Bonhams
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Crow Warriors sight 8 1/2 x 11 1/2 in. framed 22 x 24 in.
        Nov. 01, 2022

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Crow Warriors sight 8 1/2 x 11 1/2 in. framed 22 x 24 in.

        Est: $6,000 - $8,000

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Crow Warriors signed 'O.C. SELTZER.' (lower left) watercolor and gouache on paper sight 8 1/2 x 11 1/2 in. framed 22 x 24 in.

        Bonhams
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) War Party on a Bluff sight 9 x 12 in. framed 17 x 20 1/2 in.
        Nov. 01, 2022

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) War Party on a Bluff sight 9 x 12 in. framed 17 x 20 1/2 in.

        Est: $10,000 - $15,000

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) War Party on a Bluff signed 'O.C. SELTZER' (lower left) watercolor on paper sight 9 x 12 in. framed 17 x 20 1/2 in. For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website

        Bonhams
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Native American Figures and Ponies at Watering Hole 22 1/4 x 28 1/2 in. framed 28 1/2 x 34 1/2 in.
        Nov. 01, 2022

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Native American Figures and Ponies at Watering Hole 22 1/4 x 28 1/2 in. framed 28 1/2 x 34 1/2 in.

        Est: $20,000 - $30,000

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Native American Figures and Ponies at Watering Hole signed and dated 'O.C. SELTZER. / 1908.' (lower right) watercolor and gouache on paper 22 1/4 x 28 1/2 in. framed 28 1/2 x 34 1/2 in. For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website

        Bonhams
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Cowboys Herding Longhorn sight 8 1/2 x 12 in. framed 17 x 21 in.
        Nov. 01, 2022

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Cowboys Herding Longhorn sight 8 1/2 x 12 in. framed 17 x 21 in.

        Est: $10,000 - $15,000

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Cowboys Herding Longhorn signed 'O.C. SELTZER.' (lower right) watercolor and gouache on paper sight 8 1/2 x 12 in. framed 17 x 21 in. For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website

        Bonhams
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Crow Scouts 11 x 15 3/4 in. framed 19 1/2 x 24 in.
        Nov. 01, 2022

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Crow Scouts 11 x 15 3/4 in. framed 19 1/2 x 24 in.

        Est: $25,000 - $35,000

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Crow Scouts signed 'O.C. SELTZER' (lower right) and signed again, titled, inscribed and dated 'GT. FALLS / 1930' (on a remnant of the original paper backing) oil on canvas 11 x 15 3/4 in. framed 19 1/2 x 24 in. For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website

        Bonhams
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Three Indians on Horseback 14 x 20 in. framed 22 x 28 in.
        Nov. 01, 2022

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Three Indians on Horseback 14 x 20 in. framed 22 x 28 in.

        Est: $25,000 - $35,000

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) Three Indians on Horseback signed 'O.C. SELTZER' (lower right) oil on canvas 14 x 20 in. framed 22 x 28 in. For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website

        Bonhams
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) The Scouting Party 20 1/4 x 30 1/4 in. framed 28 x 38 in.
        Nov. 01, 2022

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) The Scouting Party 20 1/4 x 30 1/4 in. framed 28 x 38 in.

        Est: $50,000 - $70,000

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) The Scouting Party signed 'O.C. SELTZER' (lower right) oil on canvas 20 1/4 x 30 1/4 in. framed 28 x 38 in. For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website

        Bonhams
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) A resting lion and lioness 16 x 24 1/2in (40.6 x 62.3cm)
        Oct. 06, 2022

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) A resting lion and lioness 16 x 24 1/2in (40.6 x 62.3cm)

        Est: $4,000 - $6,000

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) A resting lion and lioness signed and dated 'O. SELTZER / 1903' (lower left) oil on board 16 x 24 1/2in (40.6 x 62.3cm) For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website

        Bonhams
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) An African lion in the desert 24 x 36in (61 x 91.4cm)
        Oct. 06, 2022

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) An African lion in the desert 24 x 36in (61 x 91.4cm)

        Est: $5,000 - $7,000

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957) An African lion in the desert signed and dated 'O. SELTZER. / 1902.' (lower right) oil on canvas 24 x 36in (61 x 91.4cm) For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website

        Bonhams
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877–1957), The King's Mirror
        Sep. 17, 2022

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877–1957), The King's Mirror

        Est: $8,000 - $12,000

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877–1957), oil on canvas, 36 x 48, signed lower right: O. Seltzer . 1904

        Jackson Hole Art Auction
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957), Indian Brave in Blue Robe
        Sep. 16, 2022

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957), Indian Brave in Blue Robe

        Est: $2,500 - $4,500

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957), watercolor, pencil and gouache on paper, 7 x 5 (sight), signed lower right: O.C. SELTZER

        Jackson Hole Art Auction
      • Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957), Indian Chief
        Sep. 16, 2022

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957), Indian Chief

        Est: $3,000 - $5,000

        Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957), watercolor, pencil and gouache on paper, 7 x 5 (sight), signed lower right: O.C. SELTZER

        Jackson Hole Art Auction
      • OLAF CARL SELTZER RCMP MOUNTIE WATERCOLOR PAINTING
        Jun. 11, 2022

        OLAF CARL SELTZER RCMP MOUNTIE WATERCOLOR PAINTING

        Est: $2,500 - $3,500

        4 1/8" by 5 3/8" unframed. 14 5/8" by 16 5/8" framed. Title is "Mountie in Winter Dress". Provenance: Ex CM Russell Art Museum on loan by Jack Mahood Great Falls Montana. If there ever was an artist who inspired a fellow artist, it was Charles M. Russell who had a profound influence on Olaf Carl Seltzer (1877-1957). The cowboy artist helped bring out the best in his younger, Great Falls, Montana friend. While Russell was gregarious and enjoyed a crowd, Seltzer was quiet and somewhat withdrawn. They both saw the same truth, their love for Montana and the "West That Has Passed." Born on August 25, 1877 in Copenhagen, Denmark to German immigrant parents, Olaf was abandoned in infancy by his father. He found solace in drawing, which led to acceptance at the Tekniske Selskabe Institute, known to develop artisans. Yet the young artist dreamed of the American West of Buffalo Bill Cody. He and his mother Julie sailed to America on June 21, 1892 to join his sister Laura and her husband in Giant Springs, a short jaunt from Great Falls, Montana. His first job was a ranch hand for a local outfit, but soon he realized the wages were better working for the Great Northern Railway. In October 1893 he was employed as an apprentice machinist for the railway in Great Falls. A steady income allowed him to marry Mabel L. Cleland, and they eventually had two sons, Carl and Walter. Other jobs such as locomotive repairman found him riding trains throughout the northern Great Plains, sketching in his spare time. His big break came from Russell patron Dr. Phillip Cole who by 1925 was one of the most important collectors of Western American art in the country. Cole was born in 1883 in Illinois but raised in Montana. Cole had met Seltzer on one of his trips to Montana, and for a year starting in 1926 Seltzer moved to New York to work on art commissions for him. Many more would follow. In 1928 he purchased a home on East Central Avenue and completed for Cole a series of watercolors that would be called the "Western Characters. In 1933 Cole had yet another project for Olaf. He was to paint the history of Montana in a series of oils, measuring no greater than six inches. He and Cole worked together on the commentary for each piece. The last of the oils was delivered to Cole in the autumn of 1935. The next year Cole photocopied the miniatures and assembled them into an impressive suede-covered volume he titled Montana in Miniature. At least four copies were produced. But Cole wouldn’t enjoy his collection long. On June 29, 1941 he died of a stroke at age fifty-seven. Several years later, Oklahoma oilman Thomas Gilcrease purchased for $400,000 much of Cole’s collection that included 560 paintings, sixty-two bronzes, and historical material. Half of the paintings were executed by Seltzer. They eventually found a home in 1949 when the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art opened in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Seltzer died in a Great Falls convalescent home on December 16, 1957. He once said, "If there is anything of lasting value in my art, it will survive. If not, it will perish. He would be happy to know that him and his art—2,500 oil and watercolor paintings—were not forgotten. In 1960 the Montana Historical Society had a major retrospective of Seltzer’s paintings. Six years later art dealer Dr. Van Kirke Nelson in Kalispell, Montana and Cato K. Butler from Helena published Montana in Miniature, after finding one of Cole’s copies by the same name. In June 1979 the Gilcrease Museum had the largest one-man exhibit of Seltzer’s to date. Many exhibitions followed, including one at the C.M. Russell Museum in 2019. Besides his art, Olaf would be proud of his grandson, Steve Seltzer, who lives in Great Falls and is a noted and prolific artist.

        Davis Brothers Auction
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