Solid Results from our March auction Thu, 06 Apr 2006

International Art Centre's first major offering of paintings for 2006 was received by the New Zealand art market with very pleasing and positive results.

The March 21 sale attracted bids from keen collectors nationwide along with strong interest from overseas collectors for the internatonal pictures.

Helen Brown's Lot 1 'Island & Clouds' (pictured) fetched an auction record of $7,945 against an estimate of $4,000 - 6,000. Quality works by this artist are consistenly well received. A smaller watercolour from the sale, sold without reserve, fetched $1,021.50.

All four works by Karl Maughan sold. The artist's international success was acknowledged by the enthusiastic bidding in International Art Centre's auction rooms. Athough not major works, 'Untitled Garden, September 1990' achieved $3,972 against its estimate of $2,500 - 3,500, whilst 'Detail, Albert Park I' & 'Detail, Totoki Point II' sold for $3,064 and $3,405 respectively. A great result for these minor works. 'Christchurch' achieved $11,350, the highest price paid for a Maughan painting on the night.

Buyers chased Lot 8 by Olivia Spencer-Bower 'Canterbury Summer' well beyond its top estimate of $3,500, to a final price of $5,107. Tony Fomison's Lot 19, a small but interesting oil titled 'The Moon and The Road Home' fetched $18,160 . A small Peter Siddell pastel more than doubled it's reserve fetching $7,000 ( Estimate $3,500 - 5,500).

A rare Isobel Field (sister of Frances Hodgkins) 'Waikanae Landscape consigned by a U.K. collector, fetched $12,485 (Estimate $8,000 - 12,000).

A collection of unsigned Lois White paintings, without reserve, fared well. 'Dancing Women' sold for $20,430, while 'St Francis' and 'Moses in the Bull Rushes' achieved $3,405 & $4,823.75. A rare self portait from the same era by James Turkington went for $3,972.50 (Est $2,500 - 3,500)

Top price went to Don Binney's 'New Summer Te Henga' at $130,525, one of the highest auction prices for a Binney. A work of similar quality had fetched $66,750 in our November 2002 auction indicating a doubling in price for some of the 1960's works since then. Another Binney 'Mana Island XV' measuring 56.5 x 75 cm sold for $41,995 - well within its estimate fo $35,000 - 45,000.

Don Peeble's, 'The Cross' reached $2,837.50 despite a pre-sale estimate of $7,000 - $9,000. Obviously an excellent buying opportunity afforded to those attending the sale. At auction, the old adage ' nothing beats being there' certainly rings true. Geoff Thornley's paintings were also extremely good buying with an astute collector securing '#9 Dyad for $5,107, 'Edgings and Inchings of Final Form' for $5,675 and 'Non Linnaeus #2' for $3,405.

A good example of a work by an artist rarely seen at auction, Dr Wilfrded Stanley Wallis, sold for $6,242.50. This work, 'Road Through the Mamukas' was one of no more than six sold by IAC during our in 35 years in business.

An impressive oil panorama, dated 1895 by Charles Blomfield of Lake Wakatipu and Mt Earslaw achieved $31,212.50, almost double its selling price of $15,000 at International Art Centre's April 1995 auction. Clear confirmation of the market's confidence in quality works from this period. A charming D K Richmond of Nelson and a small Alfred Walsh, Lots 49 & 50, were both sold post auction for $4,540 and $1,702.50.

A large Charles Frederick Goldie, 'Portrait of the Burgomaster, after Rembrandt, Royal Gallery, Antwerp' caused much excitiment during the viewing but did not sell on the night. Something of a post auction frenzy saw the work sell for $113,500 within an hour of opening the following morning. The painting had las been exhibited at the major Goldie exhibition of 1997. Prior to that that it had been held in a priavte collection for 55 years.

An unknown artist painting historical subjects seen in the works of George Angus, 'E Rangi and E Tohi, Girls of Port Nicholson, with Kito, an Old Woman of Tiakiwai and an Unknown Figure' fetched $6,242.50 . A pair of watercolours of 'Tenawa, Chief of the Ngatiawa and 'New Zealand Girl Auckland', also by an unknown artist, went for $12,485.

Nicholas Chevalier's Lot 67 of 'Pigeon Bay' saw a private collector outbid an institutional buyer. The small but charming watercolour was the finished study from a drawing featured in Melvyn Day's publication on the works of Nicholas Chevalier. The watercolour sold for $19,295 against an estimate of $10,000 - 15,000. Another Chevalier - 'Madeira' completed during the artist's time in Spain reached $12,485.

Other points of interest from the sale include Lot 69 by John Sheldon Adams of Auckland Waterfront which sold for $9,080. John Backhouse's unsigned 'White Terraces' painting fetched $5,391.25 (Estimate $1,500 - 2,500) and a work by H W Tizzard went for $4,540, well above its $2,000 - 3,000 estimate. The rarity value of some of these entries contributed to the good prices achieved for historical works. A Charles Henry Howorth oil made $7,377.50, with two watercolours by the same artist selling for $1,248.50 and $1,929.50. In view of these sales it was rather surprising that perhaps the most interesting of all four Howorths on offer was passed in. The vendor is prepared to sell this painting for $3,000 - excellent buying.

An Archibald Frank Nicoll of Judges Bay fetched $5,221 (Est $3,000 - 5,000) confirming yet again that backdrop of the Waitemata Harbour is always saleable subject matter. A watercolour of a Canterbury Stream by Nicoll was sold for $1,589.

Whilst some works did not achieve reserve on the night, post sale interest was exceptional. Within a few days of the sale 80% of the 200 lots on offer were sold. An even better result than our March 2005 sale.

Entries are now invited for July Fine Art Auction. Contact us now for a free and confidential no obligation estimate. Richard Thomson richard@artcntr.co.nz or toll free 0800 800 322.

Prices include buyers premium of 12% + GST