There are some fabulous and outstanding art sales coming up in Melbourne and Sydney, with works from a few hundred dollars, for example Ray Crooke’s The Dancer, lot 473, at Lawson-Menzies, with estimates of $ 400 – $ 600, or Lionel Lindsay, Juno’s Bird, lot 355, estimate $ 300 – $ 500.
To Deutscher and Hackett’s painting by Robert Dowling from 1856 “Master George, William and Miss Harriet Ware with the Aborigine Jamie Ware” – their cover lot, estimate $ 550,000 – $ 650,000.
And Sotheby’s Brett Whiteley, Opera House, with, yes, an estimate of $ 2,000,000 to $ 3,000,000, or maybe you fancy Christo’s interpretation – a wrapped opera house of course – from 1969, estimate a mere $ 80,000 – $ 100,000.
However, if you are looking for a bargain picture of this famous building, how about John Olsen’s “Opera House 03”, a handcoloured etching, estimated at $ 2,000 to $ 2,500.
Whatever happens, try to make some time to view at least one of these Fine Art Auctions in the flesh – a great opportunity not to be missed, especially the Sotheby’s and Deutscher and Hackett shows.
They can be viewed as follows:
Lawson-Menzies
Auctions on 2 May, 3 pm and 6 pm, 12 Todman Ave, Kensington
Viewing until 29 April, 11 am – 6 pm, 12 Todman Ave, Kensington
www.lawsonmenzies.com.au
Sothebys
Auction on 7 May, 6.30 pm, Paddington Town Hall
Viewing in Melbourne: 27 – 29 April, 11 am – 5 pm, 926 High Street, Armadale
Viewing in Sydney: 4 – 6 May, 11 am – 5 pm, Paddington Town Hall
www.sothebys.com
Deutscher and Hackett
Auctions on 9 and 10 May, 7 pm, 105 Commercial Road, South Yarra
Viewing in Sydney: 26 – 29 April, 55 Oxford Street, Surry Hills
Viewing in Melbourne: 3 – 8 May, 105 Commercial Road, South Yarra
www.deutscherandhackett.com
If you need impartial and independent advice on any of the art on view, please let us know. We are also happy to bid on your behalf in Sydney or in Melbourne, get condition reports and also advise on setting limits for bidding on any works.
Just remember, it’s worth going just to look, an absolute feast of art.
Looking at the Deutscher and Hackett catalogue, its highlights include:
- lot 32, the Tom Roberts portrait of Eileen, c. 1892, estimate $ 100,000 – 140,000
- lot 25, William Robinson, to Beechmont with Storm Clouds building, 2002, estimate $ 180,000 – $ 240,000
- Lot 12, Bronwyn Oliver, Tendril, 2001, estimate $ 60,000 $ 80,000
- 3 major works by Jeffrey Smart
- another Whiteley, lot 2 “To Repeat without repeating”, estimate $ 100,000 – $ 200,000
- Lot 29, Charles Blackman, Prelude to Alice, 1955, estimate $ 160,000 – $ 200,000
- Lot 36, Lloyd Rees, Sailing Boats on the Derwent, 1981, $ 100,000 – 140,000
At Sotheby’s:
- another William Robinson, lot 25, this time with estimates of $ 200,000 – $ 300,000
- Lot 27, Eugene Von Guerard, Cabbage Trees Near the Shoalhaven River, NSW – this has to be more interesting than the title suggests – estimate $ 300,000 – $ 400,000
- Lot 32, John Peter Russell’s Boys on the Beach, Belle-Ile – looking to break some records at $ 800,000 – $ 1,2 million
- Lot 74, another big hitter from Fred Williams, Gum Trees at Colo Vale, should beat Cabbage Trees Near the Shoalhaven, as its estimate is $ 400,000 – $ 600,000 and may do a lot better still if judging by his last big sale, also at Sothebys.
We could go on and on as there is so much quality in these upcoming auctions, and we are looking forward to seeing the artworks in the flesh.
And for your information: we will be holding a free art appraisal day on 5 May with Stephen Coburn and Newport Artworks, from 11 am – 3 pm, at 343 Barrenjoey Road, Newport. Who knows what your art may be worth.