Thirty-nine of the 50 works (78%) sold on the night with several of the paintings bringing more than their catalogue estimates.
Garry Shead’s The Presence II, 1992 (Lot 19 ) finished in second spot, changing hands for $40,000 – below its $40,000-$60,000 estimate – but others fared better, including John Coburn’s (1925-2006) Embleme, c1968 (Lot 8 ) which sold for $38,000 and another of his works Spring Garden, 1971 (Lot 4 ) brought $20,000.
Cherry Bar and Smoke, 1998 (Lot 7 ), a typical Tim Storrier creation, was solid at $24,000, while Ray Crooke’s Islanders (Lot 5 ) purchase for $26,000 was within its catalogue estimate range.
Iconic Australian artist Brett Whiteley (1939-1992) featured amongst the top works with his Lavender Bay in the Rain, 1987 (Lot 1 ) bringing its bottom estimate of $18,000.
Two of Guy Grey-Smith’s (1916-1981) paintings performed well – Place du Tetre, Paris, 1947 (Lot 9 ) selling above its estimate for $14,000 and Village Scene, Cornwall, 1945 (Lot 11 ) doubling the catalogue figure to bring $11,000.
Pioneering modernism in Western Australia, Grey-Smith – a painter, printmaker and ceramicist – has been described one of Australia’s most significant 20th century artists who spent time in England as an RAF bomber pilot during and after World War II before studying to become an artist at the Chelsea School of Art.
Another formidable Australian artist John Brack (1920-1999) appears in the top 10 with his Study for the ‘Mertz Nude’, 1965 (Lot 18 ) that sold for $14,000.