Dorrit Black’s prices erupt

By David Hulme & Brigitte Banziger, on 16-Apr-2014

A spectacular eruption in the prices for works by Dorrit Black was witnessed at Bonhams The Grosvenor School and Avant-garde British Printmaking sale in London on 15th April.

Dorrit Black in fact did witness the eruption of Mount Etna in Sicily in 1928 and created this linocut print of her experience (Lot 107 ). 

Dorrit Black’s The Eruption shown above, sold for $84,493 IBP, a new record for the artist in any medium at the Bonhams London Grosvenor School sale on 15th April

Bonhams perhaps saved the best until last with Australian Grosvenor School expats Ethel Spowers and Dorrit Black bringing up the rear of the auction, lots 94 to 107 of the 107 lot sale.  No doubt they were spurred on by the recent incredible prices being achieved for Ethel Spowers’ work. For example The Gust of Wind made AU$174,702 IBP in a Bonhams sale in April 2012, the highest price ever paid at auction for a print by any Australian artist, male or female.

A total of 13 prints by Spowers were included in this sale. Five of those sold for a total of AU$118,958 IBP, the highest price going to Swings from 1932 (Lot 94 ), which sold for $71,152 IBP.

Melbourne from the River (Lot 96 ), a beautiful and serene image with rather a New York feel to it, sold for AU$22,235 IBP, while Resting Models (Lot 100 ) sold for AU$14,453 IBP.

The last lot of the sale, Dorrit Black’s The Eruption (Lot 107 ), sold for $84,493 IBP, a new record for the artist in any medium.

Black’s previous highest price for a print at auction was for Naval Funeral sold by Deutscher + Hackett in August 2008 for $20,400 IBP.

Deutscher + Hackett is also offering two linocuts by Ethel Spowers in their upcoming sale in Melbourne on 30th April: The Bamboo Blind, 1926 (lot 68), with estimates of $8,000-$12,000 and The Rain Cloud, 1931 (lot 69) with estimates of $20,000-$30,000.

From 14th June to 17th September 2014, the Art Gallery of South Australia will exhibit Dorrit Black: Unseen Forces, showcasing 200 works of the modern art of this Adelaide born artist and will also publish a monograph on the artist.

2014 looks like Dorrit Black’s year to shine. 

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About The Author

Brigitte Banziger and David Hulme are the principals of Banziger Hulme Fine Art Consultants, established since 2003. With their combined experience of over 40 years, they provide private collectors as well as companies and public institutions with independent expert art valuations. In addition to their appraisals for insurance, family law, deceased estates and market values, they assist clients with transparent advice when buying or selling an individual artwork or an entire collection, for some of Australia’s most significant private collectors. David Hulme is an approved valuer for the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, and both Brigitte and David are members of the Art Consulting Association of Australia, where David served as President from 2015 to 2019. David Hulme is a regular art market critic and commentator on the Australian art market and has been interviewed by numerous media, including the 'Australian Financial Review', 'The Australian' and 'The Sydney Morning Herald'. He has also been interviewed on Network 10’s 'The Project', on the ABC’s Radio National Breakfast show with Hamish MacDonald, the ABC’s 'The Business' program amongst many others.

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