Museum’s $1,250 purchase pays off

The Field Museum in Chicago has sold a series of Western scenes and 19th century Native American portraits at auction for $15.5 million, money the museum will use to buy new pieces for its collections.

The 31 paintings done in 1831 by artist George Catlin were sold Thursday along with three others to an anonymous bidder at Sotheby’s in New York. The museum bought the collection for $1,250 in 1893.

With the proceeds of the sale, the museum will set up a special endowment so it can buy new objects and specimens, museum President John McCarter said in a statement.