A new auction chapter in presentation and approach
Author: Richard Brewster | Posted: 6th July, 2013
Leonard Joel has launched a new chapter in presentation and approach to Australian auctions with a MODERN + TRADITIONAL (old and new) auction concept that sees the auction house teaming up with well-known Australian artist David Bromley as curator of the sale.
The new style auction, from 11am tomorrow at 12 Smith Road Collingwood, presents selected pieces in context as part of a room, space or interior rather than as individual items on the auction floor.
The decision to adopt this new auction style follows three successful joint auction efforts in recent times between Leonard Joel and David Bromley.
“What we noticed at our three previous auctions was that buyers enjoyed seeing every piece in context rather than having to guess where to place a particular painting or sculpture,” David Bromley said.
Managing director of Leonard Joel John Albrecht said the special nature of tomorrow’s auction was not confined to the fact that items were being sold by categories.
“In this collection we really are seeing it curated in a very personal manner by an individual known for his extraordinary capacity to create visual stories,” he said.
The auction combines 20th century furniture, objects and art from numerous collections.
A major highlight is the art collection of the late Richard Young, founder and proprietor of Koala Koaches bus services in Queensland more than 50 years ago.
Richard’s art tastes covered a range of artists and genres – none more important than Heidelberg School artist John Ford Paterson’s work Rickett’s Point, Victoria 1908 along outer Melbourne’s coastline.
The painting is a classic early 20th century Australian impressionist work and reminded Richard and his wife of 59 years Louise of family picnics they enjoyed as children.
A passionate promoter of Australian art that captured the spirit of the bush, Paterson was born and trained in Scotland where he was influenced by the now famous group of Scottish plein-air impressionists the Glasgow Boys, who rejected pictorial realism for more decorative forms beautiful in both colour and tone.
Other artists to feature in the collection include Arthur Boyd, Robert Dickerson, Ray Crooke, Norman Lindsay, Rupert Bunny, James R. Jackson, Sydney Long and Harold Septimus Power.
The auction also contains several David Bromley paintings, Fred Williams Australian Landscape circa 1969-70, and a marble statue of a religious figure on a pedestal base.
Within the furniture is a pair of Joe Colombo Elda chairs in black leather and a Grant Featherston R1601 settee re-upholstered in red wool.
