The sale got off on a high note when the pair of large Mimi Spirit sculptures by Crusoe Kurddal (Lot 1 ) sold above the high estimate for $7,500 and this was soon followed by energetic bidding on a Central Australian Landscape by Otto Pareroultja (Lot 3 ), that was eventually knocked down to a successful phone bidder for $16,000.
Following the first 20 items the heat drained considerably due to the failure of Tommy McRae’s Returning from the Chase (Lot 6 ) and the withdrawal of an early board attributed to Johnny Warangkula. Two early boards by Long Jack Phillipus and two major barks by Mawalan and Mathaman Marika also failed to sell, further compounding the dull and patchy early start.
However Central Australian Landscape c1953 (Lot 20 ), a solid though pedestrian work by Albert Namatjira, sold for $28,000, exceeding its presale estimate of $20,000-$25,000.
In a sale devoid of high-ticket items, Joowarringayin-Devil Dreaming, 2000 (Lot 26 ), the evening’s highlight, sold to a phone bidder for $130,000 on the hammer, $30,000 above its high estimate. Paddy Bedford’s major 180.5 x 150 cm work had been created for Jirrawun Arts. If the bush telegraph can be relied upon Jirruwun is currently moribund since its Chairman, Freddy Timms, has returned to his old stamping ground at Frog Hollow after abandoning the ‘white cube of Gidga modernism*’ in Wyndham. Niagara Gallery’s Bill Nutall, was the clearly disappointed underbidder in the room when the painting was sold over the phone.
Other works that notably exceeded their high estimates were Daniel Walbidi’s, All the Jilla, 2007, which sold for $16,000, (a small but very similar work to that used in the endpapers of the book Beyond Sacred, Works from the Colin and Elizabeth Laverty Collection); and the particularly attractive Queenie McKenzie Nyutburria Dilmadi , 1996 (Lot 69 ), which went for $26,000. In what was expected to be a significant result for the artist, Ronnie Tjampitjinpa’s Tingari Ceremonies at the Waterhole Site of Pinari, 1997 also exceeded its $25,000 high estimate.
The best result for the bark paintings included those for the two Groote Eylandt works by Thomas Nanjiwarra Amagula (Lot 99 ). They hammered for $13,000 against a presale estimate of $8,000-$10,000. However the large number of works by Tiwi artist Kitty Kantilla fared particularly badly continuing her dramatic downward spiral at auction. Of seven works on offer only the crudely executed wooden sculpture (Lot 176 ) excelled. It hammered for $5000 against the $2500-$3500 estimate. However four works failed to sell altogether and, the other two found buyers at reserves below the very conservative reserves that D+H specialist Crispin Gutteridge had placed on them.
As expected both the cover work by Anatjari Tjakamarra (Lot 28 ) and Ginger Riley’s large early work Limmen Bight Country, 1989 (Lot 36 ) only sold at reserves well below the low estimate. So too did Emily Kgwarreye’s pretty average Untitled c1991 (Lot 30 ). Estimated at $90,000 - $120,000 it achieved only $80,000, while a superior work of the same size by this artist, Alatji - Wild Yam 1992 (Lot 119 ). sold at its low estimate of $40,000
As expected, Papunya Tula works fared particularly poorly. One canny collector picked up The Rockhole Site of Yumarra, 2002 (Lot 142 ), a large competent work by Nyurapayia Nampitjinpa for $16,000, less than half the current asking price from the Papunya Tula art centre for of a painting by this artist, alternatively referred to as Mrs. Bennett, of its size and quality.
During the auction, five staff worked the phones, but there were rarely more than two calls on any lot throughout the 274 item sale. The only really enthusiastic and exciting bidding exchanges during the entire evening were for the Paddy Bedford (Lot 26 ), which sold for $130,000, and the Daniel Walbidi (Lot 51 ), which sold for just $16,000. Overall it was a pretty lacklustre evening with most of the activity provided by dealers or committed collectors in the room. As the night wore on, room numbers dwindled until barely a handful remained. It all made for a very slow and long drive home for auctioneer Anita Archer.
Despite the conservative mood, specialist Crispin Gutteridge had keenly negotiated the estimates and reserves of all items in the sale. As a result, the close to 60% sale rate after the ‘going going gone’ was over, is likely to be boosted by at least another 10% in post auction sales during the next few days. This could well lead to the predicted 70% success rate forecast in our AASD presale review.
* Nicolas Rothwell, A Dream of a Studio, The Australian, July 21, 2007
