13 ink drawings and watercolours no larger than A4 start off the Deutscher + Hackett sale on 28 November in Melbourne.
Their modest size and medium belies their importance: among them are the last pre-settlement portraits of Tasmanian Aboriginal people and extremely early depictions of Western Australia, created between 1801 and 1804 on the Baudin voyage to Australia by French artists and naturalists Nicolas-Martin Petit and Charles-Alexandre Lesueur.
These pieces of what is termed voyage art were completely unknown until very recently. It is difficult to overstate their rarity and significance, and consequently they are given the royal treatment with an extensive separate catalogue produced by D+H in association with rare books specialist Hordern House.
If you were thinking of purchasing, you would have to be prepared to compete with several public institutions and dig very deep, as estimates range from $35,000 to $900,000 – we look forward to being in the room on the night…
The 126 lots in the main catalogue offer a wonderful array of impressionist, modern and contemporary Australian art, among them the cover lot, an outstanding and large John Brack Nude from 1980.
You can view the artworks personally:
in Sydney, from 15 to 20 November, at 16 Goodhope Street, Paddington
in Melbourne, from 22 to 27 November, at 105 Commercial Road, South Yarra
The auction is held on Wednesday, 28 November, 7 pm, at the D+H premises at 105 Commercial Road, South Yarra.
We will be attending the last major auction of 2018, and would be delighted to assist you with due diligence prior to the auction for astute buying, bidding on the night and management of after-sales. Phone us on 02 9977 7764 or email info@bhfineart.com
And here are Dave’s Faves:
Lot 7 – Nicolas-Martin Petit, Femme Sauvage de l’ile van Diemen, early 1802, 20.5 x 20 cm, est. $700,000-900,000. Join the ExpeditionLot 14 – Cressida Campbell, Gum Blossom, 2000, 111 x 87 cm, estimate $75,000-95,000. Wake up and smell the EucalyptsLot 15 – Del Kathryn Barton, Girl #7, 2004, 120 x 86 cm, estimate $55,000-75,000. Girl PowerLot 16 – Brett Whiteley, Melancholy, 1970, 72.5 x 75.5 cm, est. $120,000-180,000. Give us a WaveLot 17 – Joel Elenberg, Makiko, 1980, 76 cm high, estimate $150,000-200,000. Magical Marble MakikoLot 24 – Charles Blackman, Window Light, 1965, 151 x 130.5 cm, estimate $120,000-180,000. Chairwoman of the BoardLot 26 – Fred Williams, Untitled Landscape I, c.1966, 75.5 x 57.5 cm, est. $45,000-65,000. Landscape LuminaryLot 28 – John Brack, Reclining Nude, 1980, 127 x 153 cm, est. $550,000-750,000. Back to BrackLot 31 – Emanuel Philips Fox, Fishing Boats and Jetty, Le Brusc, c.1912-13, 38 x 46 cm, est. $25,000-35,000. Gone Fishin’Lot 32 – Elioth Gruner, September Morning, 1926, 29 x 24 cm, estimate $20,000-30,000. Light FeverLot 36 – Fred Williams, Karratha Station, c1979-81, 58 x 76.5 cm, estimate $40,000-60,000. Rich with Minerals, Rich with PaintLot 48 – Paddy Nyunkuny Bedford, Bush Turkey Dreaming, 2001, 135 x 122 cm, estimate $40,000-60,000. Enter the DreamtimeLot 69 – J.H. Scheltema, Picking Fruit, c1890, 61 x 92 cm, est. $15,000-20,000. Invest in AppleLot 99 – Charles Blackman, Children and Dog Playing – Glasshouse Mountains, 1974, 19.5 x 27 cm, est. $6,000-9,000. Dog Day AfternoonLot 112 – Arthur Streeton, Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, 1908, 22.5 x 32 cm, est. $6,000-8,000. Extremely Rare Venice SketchLot 120 – Alison Rehfisch, Cagnes-sur-Mer, c1937, 49 x 49 cm, estimate $2,000-3,000. Give this one a Butcher’s HookLot 122 – Eveline Syme, Barwon Heads, c1930s, 16.5 x 20 cm, est. $3,000-5,000. Smooth SailingLot 124 – Weaver Hawkins, Landscape, 1949, 38 x 56.5 cm, est. $1,500-2,500. Landscape EscapeLot 127 – Brett Whiteley, Kerry, 198, etching 21/30, 63.5 x 47.5 cm, est. $4,500-5,500. The Eyes have itLot 134 – Harry J Wedge, Sorry Business I, 2005, 79 x 198 cm, est. $3,000-5,000. You won’t be sorry
