Dave’s Faves Sneak Preview Summer Auctions – 2020
Art sales at auction have been extremely successful in the last several months, defying predictions. The fine art sales of Deutscher + Hackett in July, and in September at Smith & Singer, Shapiro’s, Leonard Joel and Davidson Auctions all reported total sales values of well over 100%, eclipsing their pre-sale high estimates. So we are […]
Double No Trouble at Smith & Singer
A few years ago, 30 people at a major fine art auction, like at the Smith and Singer sale on Wednesday evening, September 2, would have looked like a looming disaster. However, stand-in auctioneer, Stuart Davies, chief auctioneer of Sotheby’s International Realty, assured the audience that they were prepared for a large number of phone […]
Dave’s Faves for the Smith & Singer Art Auction Sep. 2020
In the first auction of spring 2020, Smith & Singer (formerly trading as Sotheby’s) offer 55 lots in their 2 September sale held live in Sydney. It may look like a small sale by number of lots, however the pre-sale estimates of $4,219 million to $5,781 million tell the true story: most lots are packing […]
Dave’s Faves for the Leonard Joel John Schaeffer Sale
It was a sad day for the arts in Australia when Sydney art collector and philanthropist John Schaeffer passed away at the age of 79 just a few weeks ago after being hit by a vehicle. This planned sale of almost 500 lots at Leonard Joel spans a wide spectrum: not just art including paintings […]
Successful Start for Smith & Singer
Of late, there has been much discussion about the success of online art sales at lower levels of the market. However, we have been holding our breath for the most important test, at the top end of the Australian art market. Would that confidence extend to the highest echelon of art buyers prepared to spend […]
Dave’s Faves Deutscher + Hackett 15 July 2020
The first very major auction season is well and truly upon us, with many of Australia’s most enthusiastic and discerning art collectors having to wait some considerable time for the main event. A big part of this is the Deutscher + Hackett auction on 15 July in Melbourne. A healthy 129 lots include some of […]
Dave’s Faves Menzies 9 July 2020
Menzies Auctioneers will hold their fine art sale on 9 July 2020 in Sydney, their first live auction after the suspension of public gatherings. Personal viewing is available as is usual both in Melbourne and Sydney prior to the auction: in Melbourne from 24 to 28 June at 1 Darling Street, South Yarra in Sydney […]
Dave’s Faves for the Smith & Singer auction 24 June 2020
Geoffrey Smith and Gary Singer have produced their first sale of Australian and International Fine Art under their own names after their departure from Sotheby’s. Geoffrey Smith has made it very clear that they are only interested in pursuing sales of the most valuable artworks that they can find, and their upcoming auction is a […]
Leonard Joel’s groundbreaking sale of contemporary art
Even though room audiences in major art auctions have shrunk over the last few years, no auctioneer would have been quite prepared for zero attendees for a major sale of fine art. Recently introduced rules on property inspections and art viewings as well as auctions to restrict gatherings of people meant that Leonard Joel managing […]
First major COVID- 19 online-only auctions achieve good results
While the coronavirus lockdown removed live auction bidding, many of the Australia and New Zealand auction houses have continued sales with online-only auctions, while others have closed their doors until the crisis passes. Prior to the lockdown, there were three possible auction formats: live only, both live and online and online-only, with the latter being […]