Frank Barnes, Working c1897-1934 has 73 works listed in the Australian Art Sales Digest.

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Frank Barnes, Working c1897-1934, New Zealand.

Very little is known of the life of the artist Frank Barnes although he was one of New Zealand's most prolific maritime painters.
His career spanned about 40 years from 1899 to 1940. Reputed to be an ex-mariner, Frank Barnes was a shepherd who lived in Barney's Whare on the Orongorongo Station, Wellington, from about 1895 until his death in Upper / Lower Hutt about 1940.
During the latter part of his life he spent a hermit like existence training dogs for the station and painting portraits of ships which sailed through the harbour entrance. Apparently he would come to town once a year to 'knock back his cheque' (In the best Australasian tradition), and relying on memory, then paints ships portraits for the publican to pay for additional drinks.

Top Five Sale Prices

Frank Barnes, Departure of the Ss Waiwera, oil on board, signed lower right Frank Barnes, inscribed below: Departure of The SS Waiwera From Wellington NZ Oct 21, 99 With NZ Contingent For The Transvaal Escort of Steamers Returning To Port., 59.5 x 99 cm, Price $****, Lawson~Menzies, Sydney, 30/04/07

Frank Barnes, S. S. Waiwera Leaving Wellington with the 2nd N,z Contingent for S. Africa, Jan 20th 1900. Escort of Steamers Returning, oil on board, signed and extensively inscribed with the ship's names, 59.5 x 90 cm, Price $****, John Cordy Limited, Auckland, 06/08/07

Frank Barnes, SS Waiwera Escorting Steamers Returning to Port, oil on board, signed 'F. Barnes' lower right inscribed 'SS Waiwera Escorting Steamers Returning to Port' lower centre and inscribed 'Farewell to N.Z. Continent Bound to Transvaal From Wellington N.Z.'99 lower left, 25 x 54.5 cm, Price $****, Joel's, Melbourne, 01/05/01

Frank Barnes, HMS New Zealand, oil on board, signed and dated lower right Frank Barnes 1910 inscribed lower left HMS New Zealand/Passing Pencarrow/Wellington NZ, 36 x 61.5 cm, Price $****, Lawson~Menzies, Sydney, 30/04/07

Frank Barnes, Tokomaru, oil on board, signed lower right and entitled lower left, both partially obscured by frame, 49 x 67 cm, Price $****, Dunbar Sloane, Wellington, 15/11/06

The table below shows the number of works of art by Frank Barnes offered and sold by auction in Australia and New Zealand over the last thirty years and listed in our database. Full details of each work, including title, medium, size, signature and sold price are available to subscribers.

Medium Offered Sold

Paintings 68 54

Works on Paper 1 1

Objects 4 4

The Australian Art Sales Digest is a database of over 300,000 works by more than 11,400 artists who have either lived or worked in Australia or New Zealand, offered for sale by auction in Australia and New Zealand since the early 1970s. The database is regularly updated with current year auction results, as they become available.
The information is used Access to the database is available on either a monthly subscription for $Au25.00 or annual subscription for $Au145.00. During the subscription period you have unlimited access to the site. If you would like to subscribe, please click here for our Secure Subscription Form
Please note we do not buy, sell, appraise or value works of art, but offer an information resource used by auction houses, collectors, commercial galleries, valuers, researchers and consultants.

The Australian Art Sales Digest is published by John Furphy Pty. Ltd., Melbourne, Australia.

Frank Barnes, Working c1897-1934, New Zealand.
Very little is known of the life of the artist Frank Barnes although he was one of New Zealand's most prolific maritime painters. His career spanned about 40 years from 1899 to 1940. Reputed to be an ex-mariner, Frank Barnes was a shepherd who lived in Barney's Whare on the Orongorongo Station, Wellington, from about 1895 until his death in Upper / Lower Hutt about 1940. During the latter part of his life he spent a hermit like existence training dogs for the station and painting portraits of ships which sailed through the harbour entrance. Apparently he would come to town once a year to 'knock back his cheque' (In the best Australasian tradition), and relying on memory, then paints ships portraits for the publican to pay for additional drinks.
Top Five Sale Prices
Frank Barnes, Departure of the Ss Waiwera, oil on board, signed lower right Frank Barnes, inscribed below: Departure of The SS Waiwera From Wellington NZ Oct 21, 99 With NZ Contingent For The Transvaal Escort of Steamers Returning To Port., 59.5 x 99 cm, Price $****, Lawson~Menzies, Sydney, 30/04/07
Frank Barnes, S. S. Waiwera Leaving Wellington with the 2nd N,z Contingent for S. Africa, Jan 20th 1900. Escort of Steamers Returning, oil on board, signed and extensively inscribed with the ship's names, 59.5 x 90 cm, Price $****, John Cordy Limited, Auckland, 06/08/07
Frank Barnes, SS Waiwera Escorting Steamers Returning to Port, oil on board, signed 'F. Barnes' lower right inscribed 'SS Waiwera Escorting Steamers Returning to Port' lower centre and inscribed 'Farewell to N.Z. Continent Bound to Transvaal From Wellington N.Z.'99 lower left, 25 x 54.5 cm, Price $****, Joel's, Melbourne, 01/05/01
Frank Barnes, HMS New Zealand, oil on board, signed and dated lower right Frank Barnes 1910 inscribed lower left HMS New Zealand/Passing Pencarrow/Wellington NZ, 36 x 61.5 cm, Price $****, Lawson~Menzies, Sydney, 30/04/07
Frank Barnes, Tokomaru, oil on board, signed lower right and entitled lower left, both partially obscured by frame, 49 x 67 cm, Price $****, Dunbar Sloane, Wellington, 15/11/06
The table below shows the number of works of art by Frank Barnes offered and sold by auction in Australia and New Zealand over the last thirty years and listed in our database. Full details of each work, including title, medium, size, signature and sold price are available to subscribers.
Medium	Offered	Sold
Paintings	68	54
Works on Paper	1	1
Objects	4	4
The Australian Art Sales Digest is a database of over 300,000 works by more than 11,400 artists who have either lived or worked in Australia or New Zealand, offered for sale by auction in Australia and New Zealand since the early 1970s. The database is regularly updated with current year auction results, as they become available. The information is used Access to the database is available on either a monthly subscription for $Au25.00 or annual subscription for $Au145.00. During the subscription period you have unlimited access to the site. If you would like to subscribe, please click here for our Secure Subscription Form Please note we do not buy, sell, appraise or value works of art, but offer an information resource used by auction houses, collectors, commercial galleries, valuers, researchers and consultants.