A small but very enthusiastic crowd combined with animated phones, the internet and absentee bidding to make for a very successful and enjoyable art auction last night.  The sell-through rate was a very high 81% with many works selling around and over their top estimates.  The top price of the evening went to Colin McCahon's Near Craigieburn which made a healthy $44 555.  With little in the way of negotiating subject bids to process we will be posting results on the website shortly but in the meantime here are a few of last night's highlights:

5. Giovanni Intra $1815
7. Richard Killeen $18 170
10. John Reynolds $4570
14. Ralph Hotere $16 415
19. Denis Knight Turner $12 895
28. Peter Robinson $11 135
29. Peter Robinson $10 665
30. Peter Robinson $16 415
32. Andrew McLeod $7035
33. Andrew McLeod $5625
36. Seraphine Pick $5860
48. Tony de Lautour $4690
51. John Reynolds $5975

* prices realized include GST and buyer's premium

Pam Plumbly, our Rare Book Consultant, is featuring as part of the Auckland Writers and Readers Festival this Saturday from 11am to 1pm at the Aotea Centre.

A superb and tightly-focussed auction was met with great enthusiasm by a good crowd at last night's first auction ofImportant Paintings and Contemporary Art.  Just over two million dollars of New Zealand art was sold under the hammer.  Some of the highlights from last night's sale included: 

Lot 2. Pat Hanly,Golden Age $41 035
Lot 4. Allen Maddox,Marilou Has Left $34 000
Lot 6. Andrew McLeod,Kowhaiwhai Sun $43 380* A record price for the artist's work at auction. 
Lot 9. Gavin Hipkins,The Homely $21 100
Lot 15. Colin McCahon,Necessary Protection $47 485
Lot 18. Bill Hammond,Untitled $175 875
Lot 19. Gordon Walters,Tautahi $439 685 (illustrated)* A record price for the artist's work at auction
Lot 31. Milan Mrkusich,Painting Red1976 $87 935
Lot 32. Colin McCahon,Rosegarden III $140 700
Lot 33. Colin McCahon,Noughts and Crosses $281 400
Lot 36. Tony Fomison,Ko te Kingitanga $146 560
Lot 42. Michael Illingworth,Land, Land and Island $100 510
Lot 54. John Pule,The Place Where I've Not Been $52 760

All prices include buyer's premium.  A full list of prices realised will appear on the website in due course.

Fashion fans will be interested to see the April 10 edition of the NZ Herald's VIVA magazine - works by John Pule, Gordon Walters, Andrew McLeod and Dick Frizzell together with the latest winter season fashions - some striking images which fully reveal the scale of many of the major works in our current catalogue

Watch A+O Directors Hamish Coney and Ben Plumbly discussing some highlights from next Thursday's sale which includes five paintings from the estate of Gordon Walters.

We are delighted to report that from the small offering of five works in the recent New Collectors' art auction, over $23 000 was raised on behalf of The Hone Tuwhare Charitable Trust.  The money will go towards the Trust's goals of building a writers' residency at Hone Tuwhare's old property at Kaka Point in the Catlins.  ART+OBJECT and the Trust would also like to make special mention of the artists who so generously supported the Trust: John Pule, Stanley Palmer, Tracey Tawhiao, Ans Westra, and Wayne Youle.  Hone was always quick to share his talent with artists from all walks of life and he surely would have been humbled by these generous gifts.

Should you wish to support the trust in their goal of restoring the crib and creating an artist's residency, please visit the 'support us' page to find out how: honetuwhare.org.nz/support-us.

A strong crowd turned out last night for A+O's first sale of 2013, New Collectors Art.  Bidding was strong throughout the just over 200 lot auction and many good prices were realized.  Just over $300 000 of art was sold under the hammer and some of the preliminary highlights included:

2. Gordon Walters, Kapiti $6565

4. Robin White, Buzzy Bee…  $5745

7. Peter McIntyre, Pacific $6450

9. Bill Hammond, Singer Songwriter III $3870

17. Stephen Bambury, Siena (X) $5860

29. Peter Stichbury, Braxton $5860

30. Neil Dawson, Dart Dome $15 240

34. John Pule, The Sun…  $19 930

43. Michael Parekowhai, Portrait of Elmer Keith I $18 170 (illustrated)  

44. Michael Parekowhai, Larry Vickers $9965

46. Allen Maddox, Verse from Keats $10 550

53. Ralph Hotere, Winter Solstice $19 930

55. Set of Barry Lett Multiples $14 070

68. Peter Peryer, Hercules…  $4395

108. A. Lois White, Figure Study $4690

155. E. Mervyn Taylor, Two Kereru $1350

165. Andre Hemer, I'm Queasy…  $2050

172. Anne Reithmeir, Colour Concept I $1755

188. Pat Hanly, Tamarillo $4800

Prices of been rounded to the nearest $5.00 and include buyer's premium and GST.  All prices will be posted on the website shortly.

Director of Art, Ben Plumbly will be in Wellington this Thursday and Friday appraising final entries for ART+OBJECT's first major art auction of 2013, Important Paintings and Contemporary Art.  To make an appointment please contact Ben:

ben@artandobject.co.nz
DDI: 09 306 6191
Cell: 021 222 8183