Bidding battle sends price soaring

One of the great thrills of attending auctions comes when keen and determined competition sends bidding unexpectedly through the roof - unless you are after the item yourself.

Toby jugs, except for those who collect them, are among the more mundane and common items appearing at antique and general auctions.

Royal Doulton sets the benchmark and they generally go for about $100 to $120.

Buyers at Cordy's last week, and a group of overseas phone bidders, obviously appreciated that one particular jug, depicting a Maori chief, was more than just rare.

Of a design that was never put into production, it might be the only one in the world.

"No one knows how many pilots were made, in two versions," says auctioneer John Maconie. "Certainly no more than five or six - and this could be the only example of this version."

The jug was being sold on behalf of a local vendor whose collection resulted from annual gifts from a British business associate. He knew this one was a bit unusual and could fetch $300 or so.

Cordy's was more optimistic, setting an estimate of $25,000. Imagine the owner's delight when it sold on the phone to an overseas bidder for $65,650 (with 10 per cent buyer's premium and GST).

Some price, some jug. One similar, but not quite the same, sold in Britain in 1998 for £21,850, then the equivalent of $68,000.

The under-bidder, a local collector at the sale, went to $58,000.

On more serious art matters, Webb's art sale late last month was a mixed bag, according to art department head Ben Plumbly.

"A great crowd, heated bidding on several lots, unprecedented prices paid for some paintings, versus only an average turnover and percentage of lots sold, few new record prices and the standard large amount of work to be done on subject sales the next day," Plumbly said.

Even so, turnover topped the million-dollar mark, with works by Pat Hanly selling exceptionally well.

The artist's Hibiscus from 1968, for instance, went well above its upper estimate of $80,000 to sell for $103,000 ($117,485 with buyer's premium of 12.5 per cent plus GST). While not a record for Hanly, this was a very good price for a very good work.

Another artist to do better than expected was the prolific Peter McIntyre. His charcoal portrait of Charles Upham, the double Victoria Cross winner in World War II, was estimated to sell at between $1500 and $2500 - it hit $14,500 ($16,540).

Another military subject, Battle Scene, showing New Zealand gunners in action, went for $28,000 ($31,935), $8000 above the top estimate.

It seems militaria collectors are just as determined as those who go for toby jugs.

Coming up:

Tuesday, July 25: International Art Centre, fine art. The offering includes some good works by Raymond Ching, Peter McIntyre and Shane Cotton and, exceptionally, a watercolour of the Plains of Waterloo by the great British artist J.M.W. Turner. Strong overseas interest expected.

Wednesday/Thursday, July 26/27: Dunbar Sloane, Wellington, antiques and decorative arts.

Tuesday, August 8: Webb's, affordable art; Cordy's, antiques.

Monday, August 21: Cordy's, fine art.

Tuesday, August 22: Cordy's, applied and fine art, including pottery, glass and photography.

Wednesday/Thursday, August 30/31: Dunbar Sloane, Wellington, applied and fine art.