The 600 seats for the close to 600 lots were nowhere near enough as a torrent of people filled the expansive AGNSW main hall. A large number of art sofas and stools were hastily dragged out, and still there were many left standing.
Inevitably helped by very low estimates on all lots, it became clear within the first lots of the sale that prices were going to well exceed what we have come to expect in the current market, making it a challenge for the many eager buyers getting their bids not only seen, but taken and ultimately hammered. ‘What’s your bidder number?’ far outweighed the ‘We’ll pass that’. According to Paul Sumner, 98 % sold by lot, with a grand total of $4.2 million including buyer’s premium, including art and non-art lots.
Lewis family members joined the spirited bidding on a number of works, and even bidding against each other in attempts to secure works from the estate.
There was a strong presence from the Sydney and Melbourne art trade, yet they were no match for a very enthusiastic and exceptionally large group of first time auction attendees who were determined to get their piece of art once owned by Ann Lewis.
Even radio heavyweight Alan Jones didn’t manage to join the bidding frenzy, even though he came well prepared as the large number of post-it notes in his catalogue indicated.
Collecting colossus Pat Corrigan however was in the mood to bid. He raised his hand on many lots, including works by Tom Moore, Tjanganka Woods and Ken Whisson, usually bidding to half of the eventual sale price. He did however secure lot 65, James Dorahy’s Men – International First Class Excess Baggage No. 07 for $2,440 incl. buyer’s premium.
This was probably mirrored in the view of many dealers who thought the prices went too high for them to bid, as competition was too fierce.
The offering was far from your typical Australian fine art auction – no Dickersons, Boyds or Blackmans to be seen anywhere. A large number of works showed a very contemporary edge, often sporting a Gallery A provenance (the gallery that Ann Lewis founded in the 1960s), and not normally considered easy sales.
However more traditional auction fare was still to be had: the star lot was Fred Williams’ Hillside 1’, 1965, (Lot 85 ) estimated at $1 million - 1.5 million. It just sneaked over the 1 million dollar mark, selling at 1.05 million hammer or $1.28 million incl. buyer’s premium. Underbidding the work was Rob Gould of Gould Galleries, Melbourne: it sold to a bidder on the phone.
The second most valuable lot of the night was Rosalie Gascoigne’s well regarded Summer Swarm, 1995, (Lot 80 ), with estimates of $100,000 - $150,000. It comfortably trounced the high estimate to sell for $268,400 incl BP. again to a phone bid, leaving Richard Martin of Richard Martin Art an underbidder. This comfortably placed the work in the top 10 prices of works sold by Gascoigne at auction.
Three Clement Meadmore sculptures achieved solid results:, Throughout, 1973, (Lot 70 ) estimated at $8,000 - $12,000 sold for $23,180 incl bp., Flippant Flurry, 1977, (Lot 71 ) with the same estimate, sold for $20,740 incl. bp., while Up, 1971, (Lot 79 ) sold for $67,100 incl. bp on estimates of $30,000 - $50,000.
Filming the sale of the Meadmore works were Amanda King and Fabio Cavadini for their documentary on the artist, A Matter of Looking. Amanda tells us they still need to secure further funding for this timely project (interested? see www.frontyardfilms.com.au/clementmeadmore.)
With Ann Lewis an early supporter of Shaun Gladwell, his works sold very well. The highest price on the night was bid for Pacific Undertow Sequence (Bondi), 2010, (Lot 35 ) which sold for $36,600 incl. bp.
The Robert Klippel sculptures were well received, with the stand-out lot being Metal Sculpture number 182, 1965. (Lot 83 ) With its very Jean Tinguely feel, it deservedly sold for $73,200 incl bp, streets ahead of the $12,000 – 18,000 estimate.
It was also the perfect climate for new auction records, both for contemporary and Aboriginal Australian artists. Ildiko Kovacs broke her auction record twice, with Twist 2, 2002-09 (Lot 34 ) achieving $29,280 incl bp on estimates of $10,000 – 15,000. Her previous highest price was set in 2001 when Christies sold Untitled, 1998, for $10,575 incl bp.
Suddenly, from no presence at auction at all, 8 of Emma Walker’s works appeared in one night. The artist, represented by Tim Olsen Gallery, blitzed her pre-sale estimates, in particular, Oasis, 2009, (Lot 319 ) estimated low at $3,000 – 5,000 and selling for a record $21,960 incl bp.
Sally Gabori was another female artist to reach new auction records, after lots 62, 63 and 64 all on estimates of $4,000 – 6,000 sold for $29,280, $26,840 and $36,600 incl bp, all purchased by a member of the Lewis family. Gabori’s previous high point at auction was for Dibirdibi Country, 2007, at Deutscher + Hackett in October 2009, for $7,880 incl bp.
In the context of this large collection, which included much Aboriginal and also Papua New Guinea tribal art, the synergy worked well. The otherwise declining interest in Aboriginal art was completely reversed with many big results; hopefully this translates across future Aboriginal art sales.
