Page 65 - 87-BOOK2

LOT 1071
Fine Donald Yena Bronze and Print Set, “The Long Shot”, with Correspondence, Attributed to the Inventory of Colt Industries - Born up north and raised in Texas, Donald Yena is chiefly noted for his paintings of Texas and the historic American West, with limited entries into bronze work. “The Long Shot” was produced both as a bronze statue and as an art print, with a planned limited run of 25. However, per a photocopied letter from the artist, the process of making the bronze turned out more complicated and expensive than originally imagined, and the plug was pulled at only
8. Additionally, this letter and other included correspondence from a prior owner indicate that this particular set of print and bronze was procured by Colt, with an eye to a possible promotional run. Much like the bronze itself, this plan was eventually scrapped, and the statue and print were handed over to a PBS station to be auctioned as a fundraiser. Both the print and
the bronze depict a frontier marksman seated on the plains, lining up his shot with a Sharps rifle, muzzle supported by a shooting stick and elbows braced against the legs. Around him on the ground are a number of loose cartridges and ammo boxes, and riding on his left are a large bowie knife and a revolver in a cross-draw flap holster. The print measures 15 1/2 inches tall and 23 1/2 inches wide, set in a hardwood frame, with “DONALD M. YENA/71” signed in the lower right hand corner. The bronze is installed on
a hardwood base with integral drawer, 10 1/2 inches tall, 14 3/4
inches long and 9 5/8 inches wide, dated 1970, and marked “FENN/
BRONZE” and “COLT 3/25”.
CONDITION: Both print and bronze are very fine, with some light
handling marks.
Estimate: 8,000 - 11,000
63