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Olaf C. Seltzer, oil on canvas

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:7,000.00 USD Estimated At:70,000.00 - 90,000.00 USD
Olaf C. Seltzer, oil on canvas
SOLD
42,500.00USD+ buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2019 Mar 23 @ 13:21UTC-6 : CST/MDT
Olaf C. Seltzer (1877-1957) Trail of the Diamond R, Great Divide, Montana 24" x 36" oil on canvas Signed lower left Verso: Old gallery sticker, dating painting 1936. $70,000-90,000 Provenance: All proceeds to benefit the "Julie MacPhee Memorial Childbirth Center Endowment Fund. Property of Great Falls Brewing Co., given as gift to outgoing President MacPhee in approximately 1959. Present owner by decent. Letter to accompany the lot. States as follows: "Trail of the Diamond R" by O.C. Seltzer, noted Western Artist. Early day freight transportation was done by oxen, mules, or horses, and the Diamond R Company was at one time the biggest outfit in Montana with headquarters in Helena and working wagon trains in every direction from there. Each wagon train was made up of about three or four units- each unit having three wagons with from twelve to fourteen horses and the whole outfit was in charge of a "Wagon Boss". Besides such big outfits as the Diamond R, many small outfits of but one unit were operated by private individuals. A string of freight horses were handled by what is known as the "jerk-line" and is operated by the driver from the rear wheel horse, which he rides. The "jerk-line" runs forward through the left side eyes on the hames of all the horses on the left side only; being fastened to the bit of the near lead horse, which is the "key" horse of the whole string. One jerk of the line with the shout of the "gee" sends the horse to the left. Two jerks of the line with the shout of "haw" means to the right. In order for the "key" horse to work with his mate, this horse has fastened to the bottom front of the hames a wooden stick known as the "jock stick". The other end of which is fastened to the bit of his team mate - the other lead horse - and this enables the key horse to control all movements of the leaders conveyed to that one horse by the "jerk line" signals. This picture represents the Diamond R outfit of three units on the trail." Handwritten note below: "Diamond R operated in Montana in the "˜70s up "˜80s. Freighting was a tough game at the best and it was toughest on the horse (note skeleton of horse in foreground). This poor fellow died in the line of duty. The only ceremony was to take the harness off and leave him. This is truly a Montana picture by a Montana artist given by a Montana men to Mr. and Mrs. MacPhee."