Maritime auction announced for America's Cup year

News Release
2 August 1999

Maritime auction announced for America's Cup year

A major maritime sale has been announced for America's Cup year. The sale is to include nautical art, memorabilia, classic yachts and maritime antiques.

It will take place over two days on January 17 and 18, 2000, just before the Louis Vuitton Cup finals.

Leading Auckland-based auctioneer Peter Webb has joined forces with local collector and consultant Win Charlebois to organise and run the sale.

It's called the Webb's Maritime Sale. Webb and Charlebois have linked in with Sydney-based auction house Brooks Goodman, itself a partnership between Brooks from London and Sydney's Goodman.

The organisers have secured the support of American Express, the principal sponsor of the American Express New Zealand Cup Village at Viaduct Quay where the America's Cup syndicates are based.

Webb's is well known as an Auckland fine art house while Charlebois owns The Diamond Shop and is an associate of Sotheby's in London.

The organisers have secured some substantial and historic works. There's a major international collection of photographs of America's Cup winners dating from the 19th century to 1995 as well as an important private collection of New Zealand marine paintings and memorabilia - currently on loan to the New Zealand National Maritime Museum in Auckland.

There's also the world's biggest collection- 25 in all - of nautical paintings by William Forster, one of the world's pre-eminent historical maritime artists.

Webb says the auction will include not only marine paintings but also nautical photographs, instruments and antiques, pond yachts, classic yachts and other nautical collectibles. He expects the auction to generate sales in excess of NZ$1 million.

"Even though we're a relatively young country we are a maritime nation," he says. "There's wide interest in nautical collectibles in New Zealand and with the international focus provided by the America's Cup we expect to gain entries both from within New Zealand and abroad.

"This is a major opportunity for collectors in New Zealand - there will be world-wide focus on this event through a specially-established computer web site and American Express connections world-wide."

American Express is a major sponsor of the America's Cup village at the Viaduct Basin in downtown Auckland and the company is also supporting the maritime auction.

Both principals are widely respected in their areas of expertise.

Win Charlebois is an American-born New Zealand national who sailed his own yacht here in 1976 and fell in love with the country. He is managing director of The Diamond Shop in Auckland and as an associate of Sotheby's he is a preferred supplier and advisor to the respected London auction house.

Peter Webb is managing director of Peter Webb Galleries Ltd which has been operating as a fine art auctioneer in Auckland for more than 30 years.

Entries for Webb's Maritime Auction close at the end of October and a full colour, glossy catalogue will be produced in November Webb says. Viewing will take place during the week prior to the auction date of 17 January.

ends

Issued for Webb's Maritime Auction by David Paine

Contacts

Peter Webb----|-----Win Charlebois----|-----David Paine
Webb's----|-----The Diamond Shop----|-----Media Liaison
Tel: 0-9-529 5602----|-----Tel: 0-9-358 4683----|-----Tel: 0-9-575 6455
Mob: 025 867 263----|-----Mob: 025-921 500----|-----Mob: 021 660 749

NOTE: Pictures of items to be included in the sale are available on application to David Paine at the numbers listed above.

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