The auction provided the usual mix of historical, modern, contemporary paintings and sculpture so there was a good mix in the catalogue with something to cater for all tastes.
The sale started with prints from the Kapiti Coast collection by the ever popular Robin White, whose prices are rising all the time at auction. These three works easily sold, with Hoopers Inlet (Lot 1 ), selling for $7,500 against a low estimate of $3,000 and setting a new record for this print.
Mention must be made of the moody and eerie work by Stanley Palmer, Mini Whangata, (Lot 20 ), again from the same collection, which well exceeded low estimate of $8,000 to sell for $16,000. The next exceptional result was the Don Binney, (Lot 27 ), Puketotara Once Bittern, which was the subject of bidding by telephone, room and absentee bidders. This competition took the price to almost double low estimate and realise $62,500 against a low estimate of $35,000.
A number of the same bidders also put their hands in the air for the calm and beautifully balanced watercolour by Robin White Hokianga Sandhills, (Lot 28 ), which also provided a brilliant result by realising $34,000 against a low estimate of $16,000. The estimate was extremely reasonable and no doubt contributed in encouraging lots of competition, but watercolours of this quality rarely appear on the market and when they do, are extremely sought after. The same private client purchased both the Binney and the White ensuring that these two works will remain in the same collection
The highest price of the night was achieved by a truly stunning pencil drawing by the British artist L.S Lowry, Dinner Time (Lot 52 ). The work was from a Wellington collection, and had been in their collection since it was purchased at the Lefevre Gallery, London 1958.
Given how many problematic Lowry’s exist on the market, the presence of gallery labels on the back would have been reassuring for the potential buyers of the work. Based on the sales results of other Lowry drawings, the estimate was strong, although this didn’t matter on the night, with the work realising $95,000 hammer against a low estimate of $80,000.
The London trade purchased the work possibly for a private client although this is not confirmed.
Reflecting on the results, this was a extremely successful sale by Dunbar Sloane. A high proportion of the works sold over low estimate, suggesting genuine competition and spirited bidding. A good mix of stock and reasonable estimates were the key to success. Lets hope the private collector from Kapiti Coast has even more pictures to sell!
Sales figures released by the auction house on the following day, showed the auction had cleared by 80% lot and 99% by value, with a hammer total of $619,150.
