 Monarchs of the Plains
If you have ever wanted to step back in
time to the richness and ruggedness of Montana a century
ago, you are in luck. Only a 20-minute drive from downtown
Missoula stands the home and gallery of John R. Howard.
Within the elegantly designed site you will discover, and
have a chance to view and purchase, a rare collection of
late 19th and early 20th Century paintings and bronzes by
such artists as Charles M. Russell, Joseph Henry Sharp,
Edgar Paxson, Frederick Remington, O.C.Seltzer and the Taos
Society of Artists (Sharp, Berninghause, Adams, Higgins,
Hennings, Dunton, Blumenschein, Ufer, Couse and Phillips),
among others. Enriching the experience, and supporting this
extraordinary collection of western art are original late
19th and early 20th Century territorial maps, Montana
newspapers, photographs and other authentic memorabilia and
historic gems. To put all of this visual history into
context you can peruse first edition historical texts in a
library that contains over 500 volumes of research material.
The name of the gallery “The Monarchs of the Plains,”
representing the convergence of the Longhorn (Cowboy) and
the Buffalo (Native American) in Montana history is apparent
when you open the beautifully carved door by pushing on a
brass carved buffalo horn. The windows adorning the front
door are made of intricately etched glass depicting scenes
of the Montana Cowboy and the Native American Blackfeet
Indian from the iconic western artists Russell and Seltzer.
When you enter into the gallery, stepping into the Longhorn
Room and looking up, you will see etched glass panoramas of
scenes from early Montana.
 As
you enter the Longhorn room you cannot help but be drawn to
the majestic 72” Longhorn mount. Purchased in 1989, the
Longhorn was part of the Montana Centennial Statehood
celebration. The celebration was marked by one of the
largest cattle drives in Montana history and stands as a
tribute to the cattle industry. Following the artwork in the
Great Room is the Buffalo Room. Framing a large John Fery
oil painting of the Blackfeet holy ground Chief Mountain in
Glacier National Park, you will notice mounted heads of a
Buffalo bull, cow and a calf. These were three of the last
100 head of buffalos that survived the end of the 19th
Century, symbolic of the demise of the traditional Native
American culture and the transition from the old order of
the west to the new.
Materials ranging from iron, copper, wood and glass are
incorporated to create an environment that symbolizes
different aspects of historic Montana. Using old Montana
craftsmanship, the interior and exterior of the gallery
exhibit creative use of local materials. Horseshoes are
transformed into cabinet handles and railings; copper strips
frame the exterior and interior, paying homage to the time
of the Montana copper kings. Iron ties and bands remind one
of the old railroads. Territorial antiques, represented by
Buffalo chairs, Longhorn chairs and other early day pioneer
artifacts are found throughout the gallery. What truly gives
this unique place its warmth, though, is the owner and
proprietor, John R. Howard. He will greet you with a big
Montana welcome and make you feel right at home.
Once you enter, you step back into the time when Montana was
just becoming a state; gold seekers and business people were
shifting the territory from the Native American population
to their own hands, pioneer families were staking land for
themselves and the West was in conflict. Throughout all
these changes, talented artists mapped, drew, painted,
sculpted and photographed the transitions. As you walk
through the Monarchs of the Plains Gallery you can view the
original testaments to a turbulent and fantastic era, all in
the comfort of a home.
Passionate about his work and clear about his vision,
Howard, a native Montanan from Great Falls, began his
project in 1998 when he purchased the property. Although he
has been dealing and appraising western art since 1980, it
was when he moved back to Montana in 1998 that it became
apparent that this was where he wanted to establish a
historical western gallery along the Bitterroot River. “I
wanted to create a business that would be a destination
place for people from all over, a place where they could
stop by and look and learn about the rich history of
Montana’s beginnings,” says Howard. Only later, after he
bought the property, did he discover the land was noted in
the original Lewis and Clark journals and was in the
vicinity of Travelers’ Rest (a scientifically documented
site where Lewis and Clark camped and stored supplies before
continuing
on with their journey toward the Pacific Ocean).
Howard’s introduction to western art goes back to his early
childhood. After WWII his father’s insurance company in
Great Falls covered many of the early pioneering families.
For many years Howard’s father handled the insurance and
financing requirements for Charles and Sue Bovey in their
reconstruction effort of Virginia City, Montana (Montana’s
second territorial capital). Along with the Boveys’ and
other prominent Great Falls families, the Howard family was
also instrumental in the creation of the Charles M. Russell
Museum in Great Falls in the early 1950s.
Growing up in such an environment exposed Howard to the
likes of O.C. Seltzer, a contemporary of Russell (to whom he
delivered newspapers when he was a kid), Edgar S. Paxson,
Ralph DeCamp and others. His love for historic western life
and art inspired Howard to deepen his understanding of the
field and eventually led him to begin collecting and
selling.
All the work that comes into the gallery is painstakingly
scrutinized with background checks to insure authenticity,
conservation and restoration of the art brings it as close
to its original form as possible. According to Howard,
“Researching the pieces unearths some amazing historical
stories. Paintings by Russell, Paxson, Seltzer and others
have been passed from one family member to another and, for
one reason or another, may have been brought to the outside
market, and that is when I get involved.”
Appraising western art is another service John provides and
his expertise and experience of over 30 years in buying and
selling western art gives him insight into the value and
quality of every piece he evaluates. If you’re lucky, he may
even weave a history lesson around your art piece.
According to John, “I sell Montana history as much as art.”
This is apparent by his extensive library of early Montana
books, maps, photographs, diaries and more.
The Monarchs of the Plains Gallery is a private operation,
but one open to the public. If you are planning a visit
please call first to make an appointment. Most likely John
will warmly answer the phone and answer any questions you
may have. To ease your mind and rest your eyes, don’t forget
to take in the historical beauty inside and out.
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