A hard core collection of non figurative abstraction nets a tidy sum in Auckland

By John Perry in Auckland, on 03-Nov-2017

When a multi-millionaire who just happens to be a man of letters, art and wine sells a significant portion of his extensive and uncompromising art collection, people in those circles usually sit up and take note, and when that man, Glenn Schaeffer gives a rare public interview the event is guaranteed to draw a good crowd.

Explaining his hard-core position and shedding light on some of his methodologies to a large crowd at the Art + Object rooms in Auckland on the Saturday preceding the sale, Schaeffer spoke quietly and with authority about his position as an art collector, philanthropist and wine maker.

One of the few figurative works included in the 155 lot Art + Object sale of the Glenn Schaeffer Collection on 31 October, 2017, Paul Dibble's cast bronze sculpture Haeta / Dawn (after Michelangelo's Tomb for the Medici) sold for $22,000 against an estimate of $7000 - $10,000. The sale raised around $1.5 million.

Art + Object had produced another large and lavish catalogue to accompany the 155 lot auction of the The Glenn Schaeffer Collection sold on 31 October 2017, and the sale got off to a flying start with Mahana Dome (Marquette), (Lot 1 ) a specially commissioned work by Christchurch sculptor Neil Dawson, selling just above the top end of the estimate for $25,000.

An early Don Driver work from the 1970's, Blue and Red Relief (Lot 5 ) sold for $40,000 well over the top end estimate of $30,000, while the cover lot, The Beautiful Game, (Lot 12 ) a 375 mm diameter ball encrusted with Chinese fire crackers in the form of an American flag from 2008 by Chinese/New Zealand artist Yuk King Tan sold for $15,000, just above the low estimate.

Bosom of Abraham (Lot 13 ) by Michael Parakowhai, a silkscreen vinyl printed on a fluoroscent light housing sold for a $19,500 against a top end estimate of $12,000.

The sale included three of Milan Mrkusich's large institutional sized lots, each 227 x 151 cm, but they failed to attract any bids on the night, as did Colin McCahon's triptych, Can You Hear Me Saint Francis (Lot 24 ) which had also been unsuccessfully offered in 2016, its last sale being in Melbourne in 2004.

Phone and room bidders fought to own one of the very few figurative works in the sale, Paul Dibble's cast bronze sculpture Haeta / Dawn (after Michelangelo's Tomb for the Medici) (Lot 27 ) which sold for $22,000 against an estimate of $7000 - $10,000.

A small series of contemporary Aboriginal art works failed to ignite buyers on this side of the Tasman Sea, except for Kathleen Petyarre's untitled work (Lot 32 ) which achieved $27000, $1000 above the high estimate, which would probably be a record price for a work of Aboriginal origin selling for in N.Z.

A pair of copper chairs (Lot 46 ) by American minimalist Donald Judd were knocked down for $34,000 against a pre sale estimate of $45,000 - $65,000.

Japanese born Los Angeles based artist Kaz Oshiro is certainly a master of deception with his acrylic and bondo tailgate painting on canvas from 2007 entitled Tailgate (Oyo Drips) (Lot 66 ) which sold for $1,000 above the low estimate at $17,000 and is now headed off to America.

As many of the big ticket items on offer failed to attract bids that met with the vendor's reserve, a number of key lots are under negotiation, but I believe both the vendor and the auction house would be very happy with the end result of around $1.5 million dollars for the non-figurative art, tribal art, ceramics, and photography from the collection. The atmosphere of the sale was not assisted by the air of uncertainty enveloping the country due to the change of government, producing a ''wait and see'' attitude amongst potential buyers.

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All prices quoted are in $NZ.

Sale Referenced:

About The Author

John Perry is known locally as a collector / consultant / curator/ educator and artist and is a former director of the Rotorua Museum of Art and History. For the last 20 years has worked as an antique dealer specializing in ''man made and natural curiosities'' from an old art deco cinema on the outskirts of Auckland. Over the last 16 years he has developed a multi million dollar collection of 19th and 20th century artworks for the Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust. He recently donated 120 artworks from his collection in various media to the East Southland Art Gallery in Gore. A committed ''art o holic'' he continues to develop collections of New Zealand and International fine art / folk art / ceramics and photography for future usage in a private/public ARTMUSEEUM of NEWSEELAND, not to be confused with Te Papa Museum of New Zealand.

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