The first part of the auction was the sale of 66 paintings from the collection of the pokies heir Kjerulf Ainsworth. It comprised both Indigenous and non-Indigenous paintings and made up almost half of the total sale value.
The offering mostly comprised paintings from the Kimberley region, and was just a small sample of Ainsworth's vast collection. Observers familiar with some of Ainsworth's purchases believe that the millionaire has retained the best of his collection.
Nevertheless, the offering, presented in its own fully illustrated catalogue, had its fair share of quality works by blue chip artists at what appeared to be reasonable prices – undoubtedly much lower than what the vendor would have paid with the majority of the paintings purchased between 2002 and 2008 - the height of the Australian art market.
There was a promising start to the sale, with the first three lots finding new homes, including the bold and impressive cover lot by Wakartu Corry Surprise, Kutarmiti 2008 (Lot 1 ) hammered at $18,000.
However, a procession of unsold major works set the tone for the remainder of the evening. Paddy Bedford's Mendoowoorrji – Medicine Pocket 2006 (Lot 4 ), a painting exhibited in the artist's touring exhibition organised by the MCA in 2007, was one of the top lots of the evening. It failed to attract any attention even at 25% under the low estimate and incredibly, none of the other three Bedford's sold.
The auctioneers will regret the inclusion of a modest number of non-Indigenous works into an evening dedicated to Indigenous art, even if this decision was imposed by the vendor.
Cross pollination between Indigenous and non-Indigenous art collectors is increasing and this is certainly welcome. However, auctioneers need to strike the right balance if they are to get the mix right. Having just a small number of incongruously placed non-Indigenous paintings was going to always prove a difficult sell.
A late study by Jeffrey Smart, Figure Study for Via Della Francesca (Lot 8 ) passed in at $26,000, Tim Storrier's Bunce, Banana and Hind Quarter (Lot 9 ) found no friends at $85,000, and Bill Robinson's large and impressive, if a somewhat formulaic, Rainforest with Filtering Sunlight (Lot 21 ) didn't attract a single bid at 40% under the low estimate.
The most expensive lot from the collection was the largest of the Lawrence Daws paintings on offer. Night Pool 2006 (Lot 12 ) hammered for $38,000, just under the low estimate with all other Daws works remaining with the vendor.
The second most expensive lot was the large and impressive Freddie Timms, Crocodile Hole 2005, (Lot 14 ) which sold for $35,000 after a protracted telephone bidding war.
The mixed vendor sale was generally more successful. Gulumbu Yunupingu's Gan'yu 2009 (Lot 72 ) was one of the best examples by the artist to have surfaced to the market and justly set a new record for the artist when it was hammered to local dealer Michael Davidson, possibly bidding on behalf of an institution, for $24,000.
Three Papunya boards (lots 73-75) from 1972-3 which had all previously sold through Sotheby's in the early 2000s failed to reach the reserve price on the night.
However, Lin Onus' fresh to the market Guyi Ga Ginimbirri 1992 (Lot 76 ) sold to the telephones for $110,000, just shy of the low estimate. The Onus was followed by the important Emily Kngwarreye Untitled also selling to the telephones at under estimate. The sale of these two works proved crucial as they contributed 32.5% of the sales total for the evening.
The large and striking Mushroom Dreaming by Maggie Watson (Lot 86 ) found a new home at $55,000 and Bush Mellon by Minnie Pwerle (Lot 114 ) went to an anonymous telephone bidder at the mid estimate of $17,000.
The two Tommy Watson's in the catalogue did not attract any interest. With the exception of the later Papua New Guinean objects, the majority of the carvings, sculptures and artifacts sold.
Of the lots sold, 65% went to absentee and telephone bidders with the remainder going to punters in the room including at least five lots going to Melbourne gallerist Bill Nuttall of Niagara Galleries. Surprisingly there was not a single bid taken from the online console.
With the exception of the superlative Laverty Collection at Bonham's last year, sales of Indigenous art have been lacklustre since 2007. If we have learned anything, it is that astute collectors are after rare, high quality works in what is now a diluted market.
With the exception of the superlative Laverty Collection at Bonham's last year, sales in Indigenous art have followed a lacklustre trend. If we have learned anything, it is that astute collectors are after rare, high quality works in what is now a diluted market. Results of 40-60% by volume and value appear to be the new norm.
Auction houses will need to adapt and evolve and the industry in Australia has been notoriously slow to adapt to changing market conditions. Consider that Sotheby's International began on-line bidding in 2000 and that the majority of auction houses in Australia have only started offering the service in the last 3-5 years.
However, the lack of internet bidders generally reflects the fact that many Australian buyers are still hesitant to embrace the new technology. And this is partly because the new technology is most effective with younger tech-savvy audiences. The leaders in the auction businesses will need to look at innovative measures to attract new and younger collectors for contemporary works if they wish to sustain the market for the world's oldest continuing cultural tradition.
THE SALE RESULTS ON THE NIGHT, AT A GLANCE
AINSWORTH NON-INDIGENOUS COMPONENT ESTIMATES: $406,000 – $589,000
(Realised $78,300, 19% by value and 43% by volume)
AINSWORTH INDIGENOUS COMPONENT ESTIMATES: $630,600 – 854,300
(Realised $195,850, 31% by value and 81% by volume)
AINSWORTH TOTAL ESTIMATES: $1,360,600 – $1,443,300
(Realised $274,150, 26.5% by value and 61% by volume)
MIXED VENDOR ABORIGINAL ART AUCTION ESTIMATES: $1,330,900 – 1,874,100
(Realised $618,550, 46.5% by value and 47% by volume)
OVERALL AUCTION NIGHT RESULT: $892,700 (33% by value and 52.5% by volume)
