Two banks of 4 telephone operatives looked down from the flanks of 70 chairs arranged in front of auctioneer Martin Gallon but only 35 people turned up. In the Sydney Morning Herald on the following Friday, Wendy Frew’s summary was headlined Passion for Aboriginal work fails to Ignite. Her subs had been kind. Passion was an element in very short supply.
In her SMH article Frew observed that the whole point of an auction is to create a competitive space. Clearly this is not working. She speculated that serious buyers were simply holding back waiting to pick up pieces at lower prices after the auction was over.
This certainly seemed to reflect the presale interest noted by Sotheby’s specialist D’Lan Davidson. Before the sale he expressed confidence that international buyer interest would be stronger…as it turned out this interest failed to turn up on the night.
It seems serious collectors are keeping a close eye on the market but are not be prepared to re-enter the game just yet. However in keeping with Frew’s sentiments post sales did materialize with another 10 lots worth $80,000 snapped up during the following week and four more (worth $100,000) in play as I write.
D’Lan Davidson had put together a very nice end of year offering for this Important Aboriginal and Oceanic Art sale. There were many fine works including an early Clifford Possum board (Lot 53 ) that had been ‘discovered’ in New York only weeks earlier.
The Possum board attracted intense media interest in the lead up to the sale but was pursued by only two telephone bidders. No institutions threw their hats in the ring and the work sold for its low estimate of $120,000 hammer.
Not so fortunate was the lovely New Zealand treasure box, (Lot 15 ) which failed to attract a bid, and has now failed twice (at Mossgreen in August 2009, Lot 42) carrying $65,000-70,000 and in this Sotheby’s sale at $60,000 to $80,000)
Only two of the works on offer created a stir. Both were artifacts originally collected by Melbourne collectors Joan and Robert Rowland.
The first, a superb southeast Australian broad shield (Lot 4 ), sold well above its $50,000 high estimate. The piece was won on the phone with a bid of $68,000 by Mossgreen tribal specialist Bill Evan’s against two dealers in the room.
The second was the extremely rare New Caledonian Dagak Mask (Lot 10 ) purchased when Alex Phillips on the phone asked for a half bid after Malcolm Davidson in the room reached his $100,000 upper limit. Malcolm Davidson is the son of Jim Davidson who originally sold the piece to Rowland.
Most disturbingly, interest failed to materialize in contemporary Aboriginal paintings created post 1980. While Paddy Bedford’s Biriyalji – Fish Hole sold at its low estimate of $100,000 hammer only 6 or 18 East Kimberley works sold on the night.
None of the high quality works from Balgo Hills sold and only one of eight Papunya Tula paintings found a buyer. The large work by Makinti Napanangka ( lot 66) sold just below it low estimate at $26,000 plus BP.
The only contemporary Aboriginal painting that ignited strong interest was Daniel Walbidi’s major canvas Winpa which sold for $34,000 + BP in the room on behalf of a UK collector. This work was easily the largest work ever created by Walbidi who has proven to be amongst the hottest of the currently practicing contemporary indigenous painters.
Meanwhile Deutscher and Hackett’s exhibition concluded on the 22nd of October. It opened with a nice catalogue of 68 pieces worth just on $1 million, but another 14 works (worth $300,000) were added after the catalogue was published and distributed. I would expect D & H to continue to offer the unsold works by private treaty over the summer months.
This buyers market is likely to continue well into the New Year., But before then all eyes will now be on Bonham’s sale of the Paddy Bedford Estate.
More about that in November.
