The sale got off to a cracking start; Lot 1, Margaret Olley’s Still Life was hotly contested and ultimately secured by a bidder at 30% above upper estimate for $65,500 hammer.
Sadly, however this did not prove to be the tenor for first half of the sale where the value-heavy works sat.
Solid, quality works occupying the middle ground $20-50k bracket did not capture any interest or were bid below reserve.
Three such works were referred and sold afterwards: John Brack’s Untitled, Reclining Nude sold for $25,000 hammer, George Baldessin’s Night Personage for $20,000 and Sali Herman’s Terrace Houses 1969 for $26,500.
It was perhaps less surprising that minor works by Sidney Nolan carrying plump presale estimates, a less resolved Clarice Beckett and a re-offered Kaapa Tjampitjinpa failed to find new homes.
In spite of the scene setting audio track played as a lead in to lot 13, Brian Clinton’s The Greatest Race Never Run, unfortunately lived up to its title.
Thankfully bucking the pass-in trend were Roger Kemp’s elegant Sequence no 6., 1965-75 (Lot 16 ) acquired at $28,000 hammer, There’s a Ship in the Harbour by David Bromley (Lot 20 ) sold mid-estimate at $11,000 and Howard Arkley provided the highlight of the evening when his Shadow Factories 1989 (Lot 8 ) was snapped up by a telephone bidder against an absentee contender for $115,000.
There was a noticeable shift in pace and pick up when auction attention turned to the Avery Collection.
Albeit the collection was comprised of less recognizable artists and predominantly sub $500 estimates, this did nothing to deter bidders or detract from the results. It in fact, it drew a line in the sand from the preceeding lots and became the star turn achieving sales results of 78.5% by volume and an impressive 160% by value.
The Avery highlights included Kristin Headlam’s Untitled (Soldier) which quashed its $400 low estimate to sell for $2,000 and likewise Robert Barnes New Year Flowers sold at $2400 well above its $200 presale expectations.
Ken Perkins Huon Pine Bench was desperately wanted for $7,000 against a $1000 estimate.
Sculpture proved to be extremely popular, particularly works by Tasmanian sculptor Peter Taylor which consistently sold well in excess of his estimates . Lot 65, Figurative Form capped his popular run and set a record of $3,200 crushing the $400 estimate in the stampede.
By the close of the Australian art sale, the rooms at Mossgreen were full to overflowing with excited attendees for the Dunraven sale. This section of the auction was a different beast, achieving an outstanding result of 187% by value.
The power of provenance is perhaps no better illustrated by the fate of Dunraven’s Ray Crook painting Islanders Relaxing on Veranda (Lot 221 ). Estimated at $20-30,000 its result doubled to $44,000 hammer, and was described by Director Paul Sumner as “an example of a commercial picture achieving an extraordinary price”.
Perhaps holding the Part One sale at 6pm was a touch too early and left it unable to fully harness the energy surrounding the Dunraven sale.
The successful results for the Avery and Dunraven collections, have, in Sumner’s view, demonstrated the public fascination with provenance and “reaffirmed the success of single owner sales”.
Confirmation, at least, for Mossgreen that they have found a good niche in a competitive and challenging market.
