2017 Coeur d’Alene Art Auction / Lot 121236 / 306  •  View Catalog  •   • 

121
Charles M. Russell (1864 – 1926)
To Noses that Read, A Smell that Spells Man
bronze
4.5 inches high
stamped in base: top - To Noses that Read | a Smell that | Spells Man | side - CM Russell [skull] | R.B.W.

According to Rick Stewart, “Russell modeled the small figure of a wolf shying away from a bottle in 1920. Like the artist’s first depiction of a wolf in bronze, The Last Laugh, it is in ashtray form and represents the wolf’s controversial relationship with man. Russell’s title, To Noses That Read, A Smell That Spells Man, appears on the surface of the base—one of the few instances where he inscribed a title directly on one of his bronze subjects. In a skillfully rendered moment, the wary animal recoils from the scent of an object that represents the wolf’s bitter enemy, man.”

PROVENANCE
The Artist, gifted to
John Boles (Hollywood actor), Beverly Hills, CA circa 1925
Present owner, by descent

LITERATURE:
Rick Stewart, Charles M. Russell, Sculptor (Fort Worth, TX: Amon Carter Museum, 1994), pp 243-8, example illustrated

121

Charles M. Russell

1864 – 1926

To Noses that Read, A Smell that Spells Man
bronze
4.5 inches high
stamped in base: top - To Noses that Read | a Smell that | Spells Man | side - CM Russell [skull] | R.B.W.
Sold at Auction: $166,600
Condition ReportBronze is in excellent condition.

Important Notice: Statements of condition are provided as a service to potential bidders; such statements are educated opinions and should not be regarded as facts. The Coeur d’Alene Art Auction has no responsibility for any errors or omissions.