Multiple bidders competed on phones and online for the first few lots which made for incredibly strong prices. Minor works by significant mid-career artists Richard Lewer and John Reynolds both achieved prices well over retail with Lewer’s Believe me It’s Hard at the Top (Lot 1 ), reaching $2,100 against an $800 estimate and Reynolds, Tough Shit (some freaky shit) (Lot 2 ) possibly summing up the buyers’ current attitude to Covid-19 to make $4,100 against a $1,500 reserve.
Success followed for a suite of six mid-1960s works on paper by Ralph Hotere from a single collection, all with the same provenance, gifted by the artist. Scare to the auction market, but usually not an easy sell, room and phone buyers relentlessly chased the works well over estimates, and despite subtle differences between the abstract compositions and all being estimated at $5,000-$8,000, the hammer prices went from $6,250 at the lowest for Untitled (Lot 10 ) to $18,250 for Untitled (Lot 9 ).
Other early lots which sold well were a well referenced silver gelatin photograph Composition with Cactus (Lot 18 ) by important emigre photographer Frank Hoffman which sold for $7,500 online against a $3,000 low estimate and another Fiona Pardington Huia photograph Huia Kani Kani (Lot 20 ), the mania for these shows no signs of abating, which hammered down at $32,500 in line with recent sales.
Two curious inclusions in the sale were a pair of watercolours by Maori artist Cliff Whiting who was better known as a carver and educator of significance. These two works had a gentle, almost naive quality to them and looked as if they would be better suited to a second tier sale, however the intuition of Head of Art Charles Ninow to include them in the sale paid off, with (Lot 33 ) Untitled 1956 realising $7,000 against a $2,000 estimate.
Sitting next to the Whiting’s in the viewing and also in the catalogue was the most anticipated lot of the sale or perhaps in this auction season, Tony Fomison’s Watcher on the Shore (Lot 34 ). The painting had been owned by author and historian of note, Dick Scott who recently died aged 96, and had been in his collection since it was painted. Fomison can be hit and miss at auction. Generally, his works have a dark tonality and the subject matter can be difficult, especially for less sophisticated collectors. This painting however had the X factor, it was large, 91 x 120 cm when most are small, it was light with beautiful hues of blue and the subject matter was enigmatic and not at all confronting – a Fomison for the masses. Indeed it was the masses who turned out to bid, encouraged perhaps but the extremely low estimate of $150,000-$250,000, well below the $320,000 that the last comparable example sold for two years earlier in the Les and Milly Paris Part II sale. With three hopeful phone bidders, a bid on the sheets and at least another three serious contenders in the room, all represented by art consultants, the lot set off at pace at $110,000. Bidders dropped in and out and some didn’t even get a chance to raise their hands but in the end it was a two horse race between the consultants with the painting finally realising $400,000, purchased by John Gow on behalf of a client and setting a well deserved record for the artist.
A diminutive example of the Jump series (Lot 36 ) by Colin McCahon sold well to realise $57,500 against a $50,000 low estimate and the interest in paintings by Michael Smither also continues, with the easy appealing images finding buyers. Two phone bidders competed for (Lot 48 ), Manifesto Café realising well over the $75,000 reserve to achieve $123,000 on the hammer, more than doubling its $55,000 sale price in 2004.
The remaining lots in the 71 lot sale also did extremely well, with interest across all areas of the sale, low to high end. More excellent results for McCahon, Hammond and Gimblett followed as well as other works from the Dick Scott Trust including a desirable Dryad figure by Bronwynne Cornish (Lot 29 ) which made $3,250 against a $700 reserve.
The auction was a resounding success for Webb’s, who immediately reported a sale total of $1,150,000 hammer and have been negotiating post sales since. Over 200 bidders had registered via various channels and this auction saw a definite increase in phone and internet bidding compared to recent sales. There is a lot of talk in the industry about recent success in the art market due to art being a tangible place to park money with interest rates being so low. However I don’t think there is enough being said about the emotional connection buyers have with artworks. In a time of great uncertainty and stress, perhaps they just want something on the walls to cheer them up.
All prices quoted are hammer prices in $NZ.
