KEY POINTS:
Is it the weather, the economy, uncertainty over the rising dollar and interest rates, or simply mid-winter ennui? Whatever the cause, Webb's fine art sale this month had a flatness about it.
The small catalogue included many excellent works which might have been expected to fly out the door but 40 per cent of the offering was passed in or sold subject to buyer's approval.
A sequence of four Robin White oils of Paremata landscapes, for instance, failed to reach the lower estimate of $6000 each but sold later as a set for $16,000.
A late Charles Goldie of Te Arani of Ngati Whakaue, estimated at $160,000 to $190,000, reached only $120,000 but sold later at the lower estimate.
Negotiations continue over good works by Ralph Hotere (from the Aramoana series), Colin McCahon (an early French Bay painting), Michael Illingworth and an exceptional work by Max Gimblett.
Some lower-priced offerings did well. Table with Glass, a bronze by Terry Stringer from 1987, soared above the top estimate of $18,000 to reach $40,000. Kapaletu, a big work by John Pule, made $38,000 against a lower estimate of $35,000, and a catalogue cover painting, Jude Rae's Plates and Bowls, fetched $17,500 (estimate $15,000-$20,000).
Art+Object's July sale showed a strong secondary market for contemporary photography, with an artist record of $7500 for Fiona Pardington and Michael Parekowhai's Craig Keller hitting $10,000.
Paul Hartigan's nostalgic The Kean's Cowboy (who remembers "Keans for Jeans?") sold for $6500, against a top estimate of $4000.
But early works also did well, with prolific George Chance's academic landscapes attracting strong bidding and going from $375 to $1350.
Cordy's sale next month is over two days and includes many works from the collection of Geoff and Jean Fairburn. Geoff Fairburn was for many years arts, film and drama critic of the Waikato Times and also a painter and gourd decorator. Many of his and Jean's works are included in the auction.
The collection also includes several early works by Michael Smither, who was a close friend of the Fairburns.
Art+Object's sale to raise funds for medical treatment of Riduan Tomkins, senior lecturer at the Ilam School of Fine Arts in Christchurch from 1985 to 1995 and mentor to such artists as Tony de Lautour, Barry Cleavin, Mark Braunias, Seraphine Pick and Shane Cotton, brought in under $50,000.
Highlights were two exquisite small bird paintings by Cotton, which sold for $10,500 and $9500.
The International Art Centre's big collectable art auction next month includes mostly unreserved works estimated to sell for under $4000. Artists include Tom Mutch, Mervyn Williams, Ian Scott and Don Driver, with some from the collection of Murray and Faye Woodham.
Dunbar Sloane's new rooms at the city end of Dominion Rd are nearly finished. Sloane's will move in early next month, with the first auctions planned for October.
* Coming up:
Saturday: Art+Object, 20th century design.
August 6: Cordy's, paintings and prints.
August 7: International Art Centre, collectable art; Cordy's, fine and applied art, including pottery.
August 11: Art+Object, pop culture.
August 28: Webb's, A2 art.
August 29: Webb's, rare books, maps and photography.
August 30: Webb's, decorative and applied arts.
September 15: Art+Object, art, including the Bev and Murray Gow collection.
