Top price in the sale was for Deep Water, Matong 1995 by iconic indigenous artist Lin Onus (1948-1996) which sold for $343,636 including buyer’s premium, on a $180,000-$250,000 catalogue estimate.
Emile Kame Kngwarreye (c1910-1996) filled second spot in the top 10 with Untitled 1995 (Lot 6 ) but also featured three more times among the best results with Alalgura Landscape II (Lot 31 ) at $184,091, Awelye (Lot 30 ) at $109,227 and (Lot 7 ) Untitled (Yam Dreaming I) and Untitled (Yam Dreaming II).
Lot 5, a painting entitled Ninjilki 2008 by another notable woman, Mirdidingkingathi Juwarnda Sally Gabori (c1924-2015) was the third highest result at $251,590 and one of the auction records.
Another was Nongirrna Marawili’s work Baratjala 2018 (Lot 1 ) bringing $153,409 on a $30,000-$40,000 catalogue estimate. She also featured again in the top 10 results with lot 4, also entitled Baratjala, that sold for $92,045.
Rover Thomas (1926-1998) is another iconic indigenous artist and his work Yelda, Well 33 on the Canning Stock Route (Lot 23 ) returned a top estimate price of $120,000 ($147,273 with BP) – while John Mawurndjul’s Ngalyod, Rainbow Serpent (lot 20 and featured on the catalogue’s front cover) was a respectable $113,523.
Other artists to achieve auction records were Malaluba Gurmana for Larrakitj 2015 that changed hands for $40,500, Rammey Ramsey with Warlawoon Country 2007 ($33,136), Tjunkiya Napaltjarri for Women at the Rockhole Site of Umari 2004 and Gunybi Ganambarr with Milngurr/Milnjurr 2011 – each of which sold for $24,545.
