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It is probably no surprise that Rupert Bunny’s (1864-1947) important circa 1899 religious painting St Veronica (lot 23) scooped the pool at Melbourne-based Gibson’s Auctions Australian & International Art sale on Sunday April 18 with a $26,840 (including buyer’s premium) result.
It is a powerful and timeless image that portrays the legend of Veronica witnessing Jesus carrying the cross for his crucifixion and offering her veil as a towel.
The image...
Ben Quilty would be more than pleased with the results of Menzies Sydney art auction on March 31 given that his painting Beast 2 (lot 20) went under the hammer for $220,000 – an auction record for one of his works.
Born in 1973 in Sydney, Quilty is recognised as one of Australia’s leading contemporary artists and has won several major prizes including the 2011 Archibald.
In October that year he also was attached to the Australian Defence Forces to...
Someone must have really desired the George III flame mahogany linen press (lot 7) at Gibson’s Auctions Melbourne Interiors March 28 sale because they were willing to pay $5368 including buyer’s premium when it was listed in the auction catalogue with a $500-$800 estimate.
A Gibson’s representative commented after the sale ‘it was good to see brown furniture finally making a bit of a comeback.
A circa 1790 English burr walnut chest of drawers (lot 12) wasn’t a...
When historians sit down at some future date to examine the impact that COVID-19 had on the world, they hopefully might find time to make a fleeting reference to the art auction industry.
While the colossal number of cases and massive loss of life is tragic in anyone’s language, the value attached to works of art during this period, both in Australia and overseas, just continues to climb.
This despite the fact that buyers ability to physically attend auctions...
While an oil painting on woven cotton entitled Two Nudes by Teng from the Thai School (lot 920) was not the highest priced item at Leski Auctions Melbourne Decorative Arts & Collectables sale on February 27 and 28, at $4302 (including buyer’s premium) it was a staggering more than 21 times its upper catalogue estimate of $200.
Obviously, no one at the auction house could have predicted such an unexpected result (otherwise no doubt the catalogue estimate...
A £2 Black and Rose block of four Australian kangaroo stamps (lot 101), which changed hands for $50,190 including buyer’s premium, scooped the auction pool at Leski Auctions Melbourne sale on February 7.
Many of the 1500-plus lots in the sale (900-plus of which were offered online in the days leading up to the auction) sold well within or above their catalogue estimates, with collector interest peaking for the 600-odd items proffered on the day.
Another top...
Esteemed Prussian-born woodcarver and cabinetmaker Robert Prenzel (1866-1941), who migrated to Melbourne in November 1888 and was widely renowned for his Australian flora and fauna carvings, has stolen the limelight at Melbourne-based Leski Auctions Australian & Historical sale on November 28-29, that paid tribute to enthusiastic collector and antique dealer the late Marvin Hurnall with 165 items from his collection on offer.
A spectacularly carved mirror by the...
An attractive 20th century Huanghuali square waisted table from Fangzhou, China (lot 88) sold for $15,860 including buyer’s premium, slightly above catalogue estimate, at Gibson’s Auctions Melbourne-based Spring sale as 88 per cent by value of the listed items changed hands on Sunday November 29.
This is Gibson’s final live auction for 2020 in what has been an extremely difficult year as the world still struggles to overcome the rampant coronavirus...
Brett Whiteley created a new Australian art record on Thursday November 26 when his Henri’s Armchair 1974-75 sold for $6.125 million including buyer’s premium and GST at Menzies single lot auction in Sydney.
Well-known leading Sydney barrister the late Clive Evatt QC purchased the painting directly from the artist and kept it at his Turramurra home until his death in 2018, loaning it to various institutions during that time.
The painting eclipses...
The almost 12-month global COVID-19 pandemic and its associated lockdowns in Australia does not appear to have dampened buyer enthusiasm for art on the secondary market.
Deutscher and Hackett’s recent mid-November Melbourne sale where 88 per cent of paintings sold and Smith & Singer’s Sydney similar result by value at auction on November 18 augur well for a strong recovery from any potential long-term damage to the Australian art industry caused by the virulent...
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