Sculptor gives away $1m collection

Peter Sauerbier with one of his works,

The man whose artistry with metal adorned many Auckland hotels, restaurants and churches has given more than 100 pieces of his work to Waitakere City.

Peter Sauerbier says he withheld some of his creations of birds, gladiators and masks from sale with the aim of giving them to the city where he has lived since coming from Holland in 1951.

The wish of the 79-year-old sculptor came true in a ceremony at the West Harbour Gardens private hospital, where Mayor Bob Harvey accepted the collection.

He said Mr Sauerbier was outstanding in his field.

"You are a genius. You are able to see how intricate pieces of recycled materials can form quirky creatures and you make them to the finest quality. Future generations will say, 'Wow, this is fantastic'."

The collection has been valued at more than $1 million.

Mr Sauerbier has also left the city his Massey home and workshop.

He puts his success down to a vivid imagination and craftsmanship learned from varied metal-working jobs he had to do to raise his family of three daughters.

Constructing steel on the Marsden Pt oil refinery project, and making ornamental items from No 8 wire and wrought iron, were part of that experience.

"I did jewellery repairs to make a buck."

Through word of mouth he became known as a "handy guy", which led to commissions to create fittings for trendy restaurants of 1960s Auckland such as El Matador in Symonds St.

Making interior decorations for restaurants, bars and hotels brought in steady work for 20 years, but little public recognition. That was to come, slowly, as sculptures emerged from his modest home workshop.

Although he also worked in ivory, hardwood and silver, most of his pieces were formed with the results of treasure hunts in secondhand markets, building sites and scrap-metal yards.

His first retrospective exhibition, Precious Past, in 2004 was the most popular event held at the Corban's Estate Art Centre in Henderson.

The collection will eventually go on permanent display at the centre.