Four Auckland fine art auctions

Important Paintings & Contemporary Art, Mossgreen-Webb's, April 11 ; Art + Object, April 6; International Art Centre, April 4; Bowerbank Ninow, April 5

The Mossgreen-Webb's Important Paintings and Contemporary Art auction generated sales of more than $1.9 million, achieving the highest total in the market so far this auction season.

The two works by Charles Goldie achieved prices higher than their upper pre-sale estimates. Portrait of Te Hei (1941) sold to a bidder in the room for $869,500 (estimate $500,000-700,000), the second-highest price ever achieved for a Goldie work at auction and A Hot Day (1919) sold for $517,000 ($280,000-380,000), a record price for a small format work by the artist.

The early modernist works sold well on the night. The Charles Tole, Kawerau Motif, fetched $30,550 ($15,000-20,000); Colin McCahon’s “Landscape Multiple No 2,” achieved $41,125 ($35,000-45,000); and an important self-portrait by Leo Bensemann sold for $30,550 ($18,000-25,000).

The sale included a strong offering of contemporary practice. Among the highlights were: The Moment of Cubism, by Michael Parekowhai, which went for $32,980 ($25,000-35,000); Andrew McLeod’s diptych, Painter Silhouette, sold for just over $44,000 ($40,000– 65,000) and a vivid glitter canvas by Reuben Patterson entitled The Signified went for $17,037 ($10,000-12,000).

Art+Object auction recorded sales on the night of $1,532,730. Top sale of the evening went to Colin McCahon’s I know that whatever you ask of God at $156,155 and numerous lots sold well more than their estimates.

Works from the Paint+Paper collection which has focused on New Zealand painting, prints and photography sold well, with all but one of the 39 works sold.

One of Fiona Pardington's works from her series of images of native birds Female Huia sold for $15,315 ($8000-12,000) as well as Ka Koriki Te Manu $5405.60 ($5500-7500)

Another of Pardington’s works, Sister Huia $18,500 ($13,000-18,000), sold later in the sale.

An untitled figure photograph by Yvonne Todd sold for $6605 ($4000-6000) and a portrait by Roberta Thornley, Spell went for $4685 ($2500-4000)

Richard Lewer’s charcoal drawing, Let us Pray, went for $8705 ($4000-6000) and Jude Rae’s still life watercolour SL 106 went for $11,000 ($4000-6500)

Michael Parekowhai’s light box work, The Bosom of Abraham, went for $15,025.50 ($7000–10,000), Lois White’s Allegro for $55,858 ($8000-12,000) and a Picasso vase for $12,613 ($8000-12,000).

The International Arts Centre sale would probably have been well in excess of $1 million if its two Lindauers hadn’t been stolen just a few days before the auction. The remaining Lindauer in the auction was unsigned and attributed to the artist. It sold for $72,075 ($30,000-40,000).

There were a few other highlights including one of Ray Ching’s large bird narratives, Flotilla, selling for $120,125 ($90,000-115,000).

A Piera McArthur work, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, sold for a record price for the artist at $13,213 ($8000-12,000).

A Frances Hodgkins portrait of Isabel Jane Hodgkins (her elder sister) “sold for $26,028 ($15,000-25,000)

Other works included a Peter McIntyre watercolour of Vulcan Lane going for $25,226 ($12,000-16,000) and a Mark Cross landscape Dark Reef $21,622 ($20,000-30,000).

The latest Bowerbank Ninow auction featured mainly photography, both historical and contemporary.

There was an early George Valentine image of Pink Terraces, Lake Rotomahana selling for $600.63 ($4000-6000) and two Henry Winkelmann images of sailing ships each selling for $810.80 ($500-700) each.

One of Marti Friedlander’s iconic images of sheep seen through the early morning mist, Eglinton Valley, went for $9610 ($500-800) and one of Ian MacDonald’s images of McCahon’ s studio went for $2762.88 ($800-1600).

Laurence Aberhart’s portrait of David Bowie went for $4805 ($2000-4000) and Peter Peryer’s portrait of Erika went for $12,312.81 ($6000-9000).