Following their standard format, this catalogue included 11 commissioned essays on key artists featured in the sale.
Most of the works on offer were of domestic scale. Two works by the late Paul Cullen, one of the unsung heroes of contemporary sculpture practice, both entitled Models, Methods and Assumptions 2012 (Lot 10 ) and (Lot 11 ) sold for $800 and $900 respectively, while a neon work by Paul Hartigan entitled String Ball (Lot 30 ) sold for $10,000, a record price for one of his neon sculptures.
Michael Parakowhai's painted fiberglass figure of a security guard greatly reduced (to 41 cm), entitled Kapa Haka (Lot 43 ) sold just above the high estimate at $12,500, while the following lot, a white painted packing crate from 1994 with the words This Weeks Special (Lot 44 ) scrawled across it in black and red and black oilstick realised only $7,000 subject to vendor approval. These corrected ready-mades of Peter Robinson have always been a personal favourite of mine, although not always appealing to collectors.
The perspex and plastic hose sculpture, Around 1971, (Lot 47 ) of Carl Sydow sold just above the lower estimate of $3,000 for $3,250, while a suite of rare sculptures in a range of media by the noted Maori sculptor, the late Arnold Manaaki Wilson all sold to an Auckland art dealer. Hine of the Lake (Lot 49 ) sold for $8,250 while the next lot Untitled (from Toki series) (Lot 50 ) from the Toki series went for $6,750.
A rare flocked oar with vinyl record (Lot 62 ) by Waiheke Island artist Denis O'Connor brought $1,750, just above the low estimate of $1,500.
One of the star lots in the auction, a cement fondue sculpture by Russell Clark entitled Seated Figures (Lot 64 ) from 1954 was sold subject to vendor approval for $18,000. Although well below the low estimate of $25,000 it clearly illustrated the influence of modern British sculpture in this hemisphere.
A sequin covered polystyrene gourd shaped ''object'', entitled Untitled (Time and Place) (Lot 75 ) by glitter artist Reuben Paterson sold for $1,200, just above the top estimate of $1,000.
Towards the end of the auction a perspex boxed multiple by Gregor Kregar entitled I Disappear [Black] achieved $4,900 against a top end estimate of $3,000.
Top price realised in the sale was a fine painting from 1995 by Michael Smither entitled In Bed (Lot 58 ) which sold for $71,000 against a presale estimate of $45,000 - $65,000.
With around $250,000 worth of sculpture and paintings selling, and a number of key works being negotiated in post auction sales the ''David'' on the Auckland art market, Bowerbank Ninow have certainly cemented a permanent foothold in the vibrant auction scene and they should be pleased with their year-end results, and the support they have been getting from a growing sector of younger collectors.
