Important Works Of Art – Tue 30 Apr 2010

Important Works Of Art – Tue 30 Apr 2010

Webb’s final sale for the financial year, held last night in Auckland, offered the market an opportunity to consider a wonderful range of quality works. Confident bidding reflected a well informed market responding enthusiastically to a great selection of important historical, modern and contemporary works. Click here for full catalogue. Sophie Coupland took the rostrum selling $1.25* million under the hammer. Total sales as of today are heading towards $1.7m.

The important and monumental work by Shane Cotton from 2001 titled Blackout Movement sold for $228,000, a record for this artist’s work on the auction market. Unquestionably the most significant work by Shane Cotton to have been offered on the secondary market, this work deserved to set a new benchmark. Another highlight in the sale, Bill Hammond’s A Lullaby of Birdland, was also keenly competed for and finally achieved $251,000. In contrast to a trend over recent sales for major works to sell in post-sale negotiations, most of the high value works sold under the hammer and several achieved figures well in excess of their published estimates.

Works which generated considerable competition include Dick Frizzell, Ocean Beach which sold at $59,300 (estimate 30,000 - $40,000); Milan Mrkusich, Painting 1 ’50 at $41,000 (estimate of $25,000 - $35,000); and the Rita Angus Canterbury Landscape at $34,200 (estimate $15,000 - $20,000). With substantial sale rates, both by volume and value, excellent results also included the two works by Tony Fomison, Hill Top Watcher which achieved $137,000 and Dan Wilson on his 21st which made $88,400; the Michael Smither, Fern Frond sold for $51,300; and the superb Bill Hammond, Ancestral E which was negotiated at $154,000.

To view the full catalogue see http://www.webbs.co.nz/auction/important-works-art-7 Entries are currently invited for the winter sale of Important Works of Art to be held mid-year.

Please contact Sophie Coupland, Director or Emma Fox, Head of the Fine Art Department. *All prices are inclusive of buyer’s premium (12.5%) and gst on the premium, rounded to the nearest $100

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