Offering up a gentle tease to the crowd of 80-100 people, he added, “there are bargains to be had, so it is definitely worth putting your hands up”, before finishing his pre-sale spiel with the emphatic declaration “I am here to sell!” As if there was ever any doubt …
The 118 lots cleared all but two (lots 112 and 196), and while a few bargains were had, especially for the more difficult commercial prospects, works mostly kept close to the reasonable estimates, aside from the Kelly works on paper, which were the prizes of the sale, and which were all heartily fought for, surpassing expectations in most cases.
The cover lot, according to Fraser, “one of Nolan’s finest paintings”, made its mid-estimate of $100,000. Accorded great sentimental value, having hung in the drawing room of the Nolan’s stately English mansion, the elegant Gazelle, c. 1963 (Lot 111 ) was one of a group of African works in the sale.
Bidding on most lots was steady-as-she-goes, except for the strangely webbed early oil, Swagman, c. 1948 (Lot 131 ), which was pre-empted by Fraser sensing that he “should see a sea of hands”, happily adding next breath “and I have them immediately!” It sold for $85,000, just over its high-end.
Two of the artist’s landscapes snared $55,000 winning bids: Cape Crozier, Antarctica, 1964 (Lot 135 ), estimated at $65-85,000, which sold on the one hour mark (yes, only 35 lots into the sale), and Landscape, c. 1962 (Lot 188 ), which was introduced as “the pride and joy of Lady Nolan” (est. $80-100K), clearly representing one of the bargains Fraser mentioned at the outset.
The offering featured a core of Gallipoli works, and the most beautiful and romantic of which, Gallipoli Soldiers, 1961 (Lot 191 ), blitzed its conservative ‘work-on-paper’ estimate of $10-15K selling for $30,000.
Head, 1973 (Lot 202 ), was catalogued as being related to the AGSA’s Ern Malley, and sold mid-estimate for $30,000. Another head, the dark and icy and rather crazed Antarctic Explorer, 1964 (Lot 206 ) was a highlight of the sale’s back-end, selling 3 hours in for $65,000 (est. 40-60K).
The sale was full of heads, many of them strange, several downright ugly. The most recognisable, that of armoured Ned Kelly, appeared strategically every ten lots or so. Of the 21 works, all but two were works on paper, and with estimates averaging $12-18,000, and reserves well below, this core offered buyers a real chance to acquire an image that has captivated many of Australia’s artistic, literary and cinematic talents.
The monochromatic works fared particularly well; their paper’s brightness accentuating the composition’s contrasts and making the figure of Kelly especially vivid. Kelly and Rifle, c. 1961 (Lot 143 ) saw very active bidding to make $34,000 against its estimate of $15-20K. A more typical work, another Kelly with Rifle (Lot 152 ) also sailed into the top ten prices with fierce competition, making $33,000 (est. $12-15K).
In general, Nolan’s late spray-painted works are a hard sell. Not so Kelly, 1982 (Lot 176 ), which took off quickly from its opening call of $12K to reach $35,000 (est. 20-30K).
Mark Fraser kept instructing the audience about the overlooked significance of the spray paint works with repeated “mark my words” encouragements.
That Nolan’s foray into the use of spray paint late in life mirrored the rise of street art’s credibility says much about his engagement with the art world. It is bizarre that its exponents have risen to achieve market stardom, while the efforts of one of Australia’s most important painters using the medium are repeatedly dismissed as lazy late works of questionable import. Place your bets people … A few in the room did, with the very large Bird and Egg, 1988 (Lot 186 ) selling for $16,000 (est. $28-35K), and Bird and Snow, China, c. 1984 (Lot 195 ), being snapped up for $8,000 (est. $15-20K).
Birds featured heavily in the sale (twenty-one works, including five ordinary Leda and Swans), from the exquisite and delicate Hummingbird and Vine, 1961 (Lot 105 ), which saw an early flurry of bidding to make $10,000 (est. $5-7K), to the grandiose Cockerel with Red Comb, c. 1975 (Lot 154 ), which ran through its estimate for $20-30K to sell for $45,000.
Mark Fraser conducted the sale with a clear reverence for the estate, and for many of the works. The crowd agreed, and in certain cases it was clear that the cachet of a work’s provenance was more important to buyers than its calibre.
In the earlier sale of Important Australian and Aboriginal Art including works from the Estate of Mary Macha, the opposite was in evidence, with a clearance of 72% (52 from 71 lots; lot 57 was withdrawn) indicating greater buyer discernment.
Brett Whiteley’s Platypus, 1970 (Lot 1 ) kicked off things well, with a sale of $45,000, just above its high end. This was followed by Sidney Nolan’s Dog and Duck Hotel, c. 1975 (Lot 3 ), which sold a few bids over the low end at $47,000.
The rather glum major lot by Ian Fairweather failed to attract a bid, despite a podium call suggesting it was “in perfect condition” (really? are they ever?). This left a gaping $100,000 hole in the sale’s total of $2.86 million (including buyer's premium of 22%) which was also pulled down by the non-sale of the cover lot, a 1911 somewhat stiff image of Bondi by Elioth Gruner, which had the whiff of a study about it compared to the sparkling allure of a similar subject from 1918 that sold in August for $200K.
A handful of undervalued works, however, helped claw back some ground.
A lovely composition by Bessie Davidson, Purple Flowers (Lot 13 ), deserved its sale price of $42,000 (est. $25-35K), as did Thea Proctor’s Two Figures and Doves in a Landscape (Lot 15 ), which made $8,000 (est. $3-5,000). Study of a Woman, 1942 (Lot 11 ), by Jean Appleton, which was actually four separate studies, drew lots of attention and hands in the air to sell for $9,500 against a wowser-like estimate of $2-4K.
An unusual work by Sali Herman, The Beached Boat, 1950 (Lot 58 ), made $9,000 (est. $4-6K). Elioth Gruner’s The Orchard, 1934 (Lot 40 ) eclipsed its estimate of $20-40K to make $50,000, while the much more beautiful painting by Sydney Long, Narara Creek, c. 1895 (Lot 41 ), was one of the best performing works, selling to dealer Christopher Day for $21,000 (est. $6-9K).
Decorative works by solid names met their low-end estimates and helped keep the momentum from stalling, including Tom Robert’s Putney Bridge, London, c. 1905 (Lot 42 ), which was bought by “the youngest hand in the room”, a boy in the front row, for $10,000. Rupert Bunny’s The Chapel in the Hills, c. 1925 (Lot 43 ) and Hans Heysen’s Woodside Pastoral, 1919 (Lot 44 ) both for $15,000, Charles Blackman’s Interior with Girl, 1986 (Lot 54 ), for $18,000, and Sydney Long’s Potts Point, Sydney Harbour, 1921 (Lot 56 ) for $22,000.
Lin Onus is a sure bet these days, as is Sally Gabori, and works by these artists did not disappoint: Onus’ Ongoing Adventures of X and Ray (Lot 18 ) made $11,000 against $6-8K, while his Untitled work (Lot 19 ) made $9,000, just over the high end. Sally Gabori’s My Country, 2010 (Lot 8 ) sold to art consultant Alison Renwick, for $10K, also just over its high end.
The Mary Macha Estate works contributed to the top ten, albeit with mixed results compared to expectations.
Wandjinas by Alec Mingelmanganu are also usually a safe bet, with (Lot 20 ) selling to an absentee bid for $40,000 (est. $40-50K), while a rarer work (Lot 29 ) sold to dealer Tim Klingender for $22,000, well under its estimate for $30-40K. Paddy Jaminji’s (Tawurr the Kangaroo), c1978/79 (Lot 31 ) scraped over its high end to sell for $13,500, while Rover Thomas’ Kankamkankami, 1989 (Lot 32 ), which featured in the artist’s retrospective, just made its low-end of $50K.
It’s always a good signal to buyers when the auctioneer mentions “a willing vendor”. In the case of Donald Friend’s The Sleepout, Hill End, c. 1979 (Lot 53 ), the briefly retired dealer Denis Savill pricked up his ears and took it home for $1,000 (plus BP, of course).
Bonhams could have done with a few more willing vendors, but the Nolan Estate sale was a boon, and helped rally their otherwise humble end-of-year tally of $11.2 million, which sees them place a self-professed happy (but perhaps not beaming) fourth in the major league.
Major Unsold Lots - Important Australian and Aboriginal Art
Lot 4 - Arthur Boyd, Near Harkaway, c. 1950, $20-30,000
Lot 5 - Arthur Boyd, Wimmera Landscape, c. 1950, $20-30,000
Lot 6 - Ian Fariweather, Painting VI, c. 1960, $150-200,000
Lot 17 - Margaret Preston, Basket with Aboriginal Motifs, 1950, $15-20,000
Lot 22 - Rover Thomas, Mistake Creek, c. 1983, $15-25,000 (Maha Estate)
Lot 30 - Rover Thomas, (Goorgoor Owl), c. 1983, $30-40,000 (Maha Estate)
Lot 39 - Elioth Gruner, Bondi Beach, 1911, $70-100,000 (cover lot)
Lot 47 - Godfrey Miller, Still Life with Comport and Fruit, 1950, $40-60,000
Lot 48 - John Perceval, Scallop Boat on the Slips, Triabunna, 1967, $60-80,000
Other Notable Sales - Important Works of Art from the Estate of Lady Nolan
Lot 120 - Adelaide Lady with Blue Ribbon, 1964, $22,000 (est. $25-35K)
Lot 134 - Kelly and Landscape, c. 1965 (work on paper), $26,000 (est. $20-30K)
Lot 142 - Miner, c. 1972, $20,000 (est. 22-28K)
Lot 146 - Kelly and Rearing Horse, 1961 (work on paper), $23,000 (est. 12-18K)
Lot 149 - Adelaide Lady in Large Hat, 1964, $25,000 (est. $20-30K)
Lot 157 - Gallipoli Head, c. 1959, $22,000 (est. $12-18K)
Lot 163 - Bird, 1975, $26,000 (est. $20-30K)
Lot 166 - Adelaide Lady with Flower Garland, 1964, $20,000 (est. $20-30K)
Lot 182 - City, c. 1962, $25,000 (est. $15-25K)
Lot 187 - Kelly, 1961 (work on paper), $25,000 (est. $12-18K)
Lot 194 - Aboriginal Hunt, Tasmania, 1988, $20,000 (est. $20-30K)
Lot 205 - Kelly and Homestead, 1961 (work on paper), $25,000 (est. $12-18K)
Lot 218 - Kelly and Rifle, c. 1961 (work on paper), $20,000 (est. $10-15K)
