What You Need to Know about Art Auctions
Art auctions have been around for hundreds of years, going back to 1766, when Christies set up shop in London. In the 250 years since, they have become big business, with the global turnover in 2022 generating US$16.5 billion through fine art auctions. And for the first time ever, over one million lots were offered […]
Highlights from the Smith and Singer Auction – May 23
Smith & Singer’s first fine art sale of 2023 enticed buyers not with just one, but two hard copy auction catalogues. Totalling a higher than usual 100 lots, the first 13 lots were from the Selwyn and Renata Litton collection. From the provenance material supplied, the couple were regular auction house attendees and between 2001 […]
Fine Art Consultant
Fine art consultant David Hulme
Art Appraisal Specialist and Art Valuer – What to Look out for
“Art Valuer” and “Art Appraisal Specialist” are not registered professions, and anyone can call themselves art valuer and offer artwork valuations. So how do you find a reliable and knowledgeable art appraisal specialist that you can entrust your fine art appraisal to and be sure that you get accurate artwork valuations? And what do you […]
Dave’s Faves for the Bonhams auction – Aug 21
The Bonhams sale of Important Australian Art will proceed in Sydney on 24 August, with a live simulcast in Melbourne. Virtual viewings of the artworks will be available. Continuing the massive increase in interest for late 19th and early 20th century female artists, Bonhams begin their auction with artworks by Dorrit Black, Janet Cumbrae-Stewart, Clarice […]
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 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 […]
Dave’s Faves for the Deutscher + Hackett Auction August 2019
The Deutscher + Hackett fine art auction on 28 August features very important artworks from two outstanding art collections. These collections span two very different, yet important times in Australian art history: early modernism and contemporary Australian art, and complement each other beautifully in our view. They are also both great examples in how to […]
Dave’s Faves for Sotheby’s Auction August 2019 – Banziger Hulme
Among the 87 lots offered at Sotheby’s sale of Important Australian Art on 27 August, there are several multiple offerings from a number of Australian masters – including not surprisingly Arthur Boyd, Hans Heysen, Sidney Nolan, Arthur Streeton, Norman Lindsay and William Dobell. More surprising perhaps is the appearance of four works by Cressida Campbell. […]
Breaking Records: Australian Women Artists at Davidson Auctions
Numerous hammer prices at multiples of the estimates, auction records for six female artists, and a number of sleepers made for a very exciting auction for both sellers and buyers at Davidson Auctions’ Fine Art sale on Sunday, 21 July 2019. Robert Davidson, principal of the highly respected and well regarded Sydney boutique auction house, […]