Saleroom: Art buyers spoiled for choice

Auckland art buyers - and auction watchers - are in for a busy month, with the three major art houses in Auckland all planning big sales.

First off the block is the International Art Centre, with 218 lots at Holy Trinity Cathedral on Thursday, March 29. The sale will mark the Parnell centre's 30th anniversary.

Then comes the grand reopening of Webb's refurbished gallery in Manukau Rd, with a three-day sale on April 3, 4 and 5 (art on Tuesday, April 3).

Webb's has gutted its original premises to create a big new saleroom and exhibition space, with most offices and colonial sales shifted to the first floor. Director Peter Webb will present special exhibitions in the new display area between auctions, and a licensed cafe is planned as part of the refurbishment. Concerts will also be on the menu.

Finally, Dunbar Sloane will hold its last auction at the White Heron, Parnell, on April 26 and 27. The Wellington firm is looking for its own premises, possibly in Newmarket; director Dunbar Sloane sen says it is an Auckland fixture now.

Plans are for the major art sale to be held on the Thursday, with a spillover of affordable art on the morning of Friday, April 27.

While only the International Art Centre's catalogue is for sale now (and has been available for some time on the centre's excellent website, www.internationalartcentre.co.nz), all three houses are predicting strong offerings.

Webb's will, as usual, have a wide range of modern works, including several by Colin McCahon.

The International Art Centre's emphasis is on more traditional works, although it has a fine early Binney from 1963 (Kereru over Dunedin, value estimated at between $25,000 and $36,000) and a good example of Jenny Dolezel's work (Protected Vision, 1988, $8000-$12,000).

There is a Lindauer portrait of a Maori elder, named as Kewene Te Haho, complete with full moko, mere and feather cloak. A good example of the artist's work, it is estimated to go for between $140,000 and $160,000.

A similar, if considerably smaller, Goldie of Wharekauri Tahuna is estimated at $65,000 to $85,000, while one of Goldie's rare European portraits - much bigger, of Aucklander Claude Lorraine Kerry - is estimated at between $60,000 and $100,000. In view of the current passion for works depicting Maori, whoever the artist, it will be interesting to see what this out-of-character Goldie fetches.

The sale also includes several works by John Barr Clarke Hoyte, in whom there is always interest, and Sydney Lough Thompson, whose works are growing in popularity - and price.

And there is a strange little painting by Major Charles Heaphy, VC, called Shooting Party, Kawau (1853). It shows three elegantly crinolined ladies, one of whom is aiming a gun out of the frame - at what?

The works will be on show from next Sunday.

Webb's catalogue will be out next week, and will feature several good works by Ralph Hotere and Milan Mrkusich, plus a major painting by Bill Hammond, the South Island artists who is commanding very high prices.

But the prize of the collection is expected to be a rare koru painting by Gordon Walters - most are now held by institutions. Called Tirangi, it is estimated to sell for between $250,000 and $350,000, and could well set a record for the artist.

Dunbar Sloane, still working on the catalogue for the April sale, is featuring what it calls "the most beautiful Goldie ever to be offered for auction" - a portrait of Ngapuhi chieftainess Harata Rewiri Tarapata. More on that next month. Cordy's sale tomorrow night includes around 50 paintings and prints, most of them moderately priced.