Bonhams

Jewellery and other collectables belonging to the late Tony White – Sydney architect turned jeweller – will be auctioned from 2pm Sunday October 11 by Bonhams at 36-40 Queen Street, Woollahra New South Wales.

White trained formally in architecture and graduated in 1965 from Sydney University before practising his craft for five years in Sydney and Melbourne.

During this period he became interested in jewellery and, although having no formal training, began working full-time from 1971 as a jeweller.

An untitled work (lot 58) painted in 1941 by Ralph Balson (1890-1964) carries the highest catalogue estimate at Bonhams forthcoming Important Australian Art auction from 6pm Wednesday November 14 at 36-40 Queen Street, Woollahra in Sydney.

Coming direct from the artist’s estate to a private Sydney collection, the painting carries an estimate of $250,000-$350,000.

The year it was painted, the work was part of Balson’s solo exhibition of 21 paintings at the Fine Art Galleries in Anthony Horden’s George Street, Sydney department store.

Collectors will have a rare chance to obtain a piece of Australian art history when 22 of iconic modern artist Sidney Nolan’s Ned Kelly paintings – the most ever to come to market – are auctioned from 5pm Sunday November 19 by Bonhams at NCJWA Hall, 111 Queen Street, Woollahra in Sydney.

The paintings are part of the 118-strong collection assigned from the estate of Nolan’s widow, Lady Mary Nolan, who died last year in the United Kingdom.

Highlights of an art collection by the late John Cunningham – who left the largest ever bequest to the Art Gallery of New South Wales – will be auctioned by Bonhams as part of its Important Australian and Aboriginal Art sale from 6.30pm Tuesday November 22 at NCJWA Hall 111 Queen Street, Woollahra in Sydney.

Jeffrey Smart’s The Breakwater, Fiumicino 1986-87 is a major highlight of Bonham’s Important Australian Art auction from 6.30pm Monday November 24 at Byron Kennedy Hall, Moore Park in Sydney.

Estimated at $600,000 to $800,000, this painting is a hallmark landscape for the artist, painted some 20 years after he first arrived in Naples and became fascinated with the Italian urban environment.

The surrealist quality of the painting is exaggerated by imposing concrete shapes – the modern world’s alternative to using natural rocks and stones in breakwater construction.

Art lovers will have a fantastic opportunity to acquire a Sir Sidney Nolan painting for as little as $3000 when Bonhams auctions important later works by the artist from his estate from 6.30pm Monday October 13 at Como House in South Yarra.

Considering that Nolan’s painting entitled First Class Marksman sold in March 2010 for $5.4 million (still the highest price for a work of Australian art at auction and bought by the Art Gallery of New South Wales) through Menzies Art Brands, this is a rare chance for art enthusiasts to become part of history.

A rare player portrait from the early days of Australian Rules football will go under the hammer from 6.30pm Monday August 18 when Bonhams holds its latest Australian art auction at Como House in Williams Road, South Yarra.

Geoff Moriarty played for Fitzroy from the Victorian Football League’s inaugural season in 1897 until 1907 before becoming the club’s first official coach in 1911.

His son, legendary Fitzroy full-forward Jack Moriarty, also played for 10 years (from 1924-1933), topping the club’s goal kicking list every year except 1930.

The Milton and Alma Roxanas collection of Aboriginal art – that he began collecting in the 1980s after being introduced to Hogarth Galleries director and scholar Clive Evatt in Sydney – will be auctioned by Bonhams from 4pm on Sunday May 11 Byron Kennedy Hall in Moore Park.

Bonhams Aboriginal art specialists are confident the Roxanas collection will attract plenty of interest as it includes paintings by artists whose prices went through the roof when the auction house sold Clive Evatt’s comprehensive collection in November last year.

One of the biggest Fred Williams paintings to come onto the secondary market will be auctioned by Bonhams as part of its Important Australian Art sale from 6.30pm Monday May 12 at Byron Kennedy Hall, Moore Park in Sydney.

Painted in 1968, the massive 1.8-metre by three-metre work, entitled Ferns Diptych (in two parts Ferns I and Ferns II) reflects a tumultuous event in Williams’ life.

Several prominent art works will be major drawcards for Bonhams November 25 auction sale - part of its four-day Spring Auction Series - from 7.30pm at Byron Kennedy Hall, Moore Park, Sydney.

One is Arthur Streeton’s The Palace of the Doges c1906, which he painted during his Venetian honeymoon with his new wife, the celebrated violinist Nora Clench.

The month-long stay produced a renowned group of works depicting the sights of the watery city, romantically referred to as La Serenissima.