SANTA FE, N.M. – Edward S. Curtis’ (1868-1952) haunting portraits of the American West and its first inhabitants crossed the block on Saturday, June 26, at Santa Fe Art Auction. The first installment of the unparalleled collection of the late dealer and collector Christopher Cardozo (1948-2021), the two-session, 316-lot sale generated roughly $1.8 million, including premium for a diverse selection of Curtis’ rare bound volumes, gelatin-silver prints, cyanotypes, gold-toned prints, and experimental and hand-colored images. Leading the group was Curtis’ masterwork, the 20-volume series The North American Indian, produced between 1907 and 1930. According to SFAA president and chief executive officer Gillian Blitch, its $895,000 selling price is likely a record at auction for the volumes only. Sets of volumes with accompanying loose portfolio images have garnered as much as $2.9 million. Watch for a complete report in Antiques and The Arts Weekly.