Sotheby’s present 79 lots in their spring 2019 auction, with some truly outstanding offerings. We are particularly captivated by lot 26, “Woman in a Salon”, William Dobell’s portrait of Helena Rubinstein, founder of the eponymous cosmetics empire. What an extraordinary woman and life – and what a striking painting by one of our most incisive portraitists. Dobell created several portraits of this formidable self-made entrepreneur, illustrated in a separate brochure entirely dedicated to this lot.
Remember the offering at Sotheby’s in August this year of “The Dead Landlord”, and you can see the breadth of Dobell’s humanity.
Starting the sale off however are two iconic photographs by Carol Jerrems, who captured the 1970s like no other Australian photographer; Jerrems’ life was tragically cut short in 1980 at the age of just 31.
We also like very much the assembly of several outstanding Australian impressionist paintings by Tom Roberts, Arthur Streeton, Rupert Bunny and John Russell.
Howard Arkley is still very much in favour, and present with not one, but two stunning interiors, and both offered at auction for the first time since they were purchased in the early 1990s.
If you have a chance, go and view the paintings in Melbourne or Sydney:
6 – 10 November, 14-16 Collins Street, Melbourne
14 – 20 November, 30 Queen Street, Woollahra
The auction takes place on 20 November, 6.30 pm, at the Intercontinental Hotel in Sydney.
We would be delighted to assist you with pre-purchase advice and due diligence reports on any lots to provide you with as much intelligence as possible prior to the auction and represent you on the night with experienced strategic bidding.
Contact us on 02 9977 7764 or info@bhfineart.com if you would like to know more how we can assist you.
And Dave’s Faves for Sotheby’s are (some with added links):
Lot 1 – Carol Jerrems, Vale Street, 1975, 20.1 x 30.4 cm, est. $30,000-50,000. Vale Carol Jerrems – her photos however live onLot 2 – Juliet Holding Vale Street, 1976, 30.5 x 20 cm, est. $20,000-30,000. Don’t hold back!Lot 14 – Hans Heysen, Ambleside 1924-25, 21.7 x 40.5 cm, est. $15,000-20,000. The Master of LightLot 15 – Arthur Streeton, The Landing Place (Hawkesbury River), 1896, 30.3 x 35.7 cm, est. $35,000-45,000. This could be the day to land your StreetonLot 16 – Tom Roberts, She-Oak and Sunlight, 1889, 30.5 x 30 cm, est. $220,000-280,000. “The perfect expression of one time and place” – Tom Roberts, July 1890Lot 17 – Arthur Streeton, View from Mt Toorong (Study for Australia Felix), 1907, 18.5 x 24.2 cm, est. $40,000-60,000. Plein Air PanoramaLot 18 – Tom Roberts, The Two Roads to Monbulk, 1924, 44.6 x 58.5 cm, est. $160,000-190,000. I can see the Forest for the TreesLot 20 – Arthur Streeton, Garden Green, 1940, 76.3 x 76.3 cm, est. $150,000-200,000. How green is my wheel barrow?Lot 24 – Jeffrey Smart, Approach to a City III, 1968, 66 x 81 cm, est. $650,000-850,000. We’re on a road to somewhereLot 26 – William Dobell, Woman in a Salon (Helena Rubinstein), 1960, 40.5 x 51 cm, est. $400,000-600,000. “There are no ugly women, only lazy ones” – Helena RubinsteinLot 33 – Howard Arkley, Neapolitan Delight 1993, 175.2 x 134.7 cm, est. $800,000-1,000,000. Colour eruptionLot 35 – Howard Arkley, Plain and Fancy, 1993, 173 x 135 cm, est. $600,000-800,000. Fancy thatLot 41 – William Robinson, Across the Gorge Landscape, 1988, 85.5 x 92.8 cm, est. $60,000-80,000. Gorgeous GorgeLot 43 – Fred Williams, Red Landscape, 1966, 86 x 71 cm, est. $100,000-150,000. Now let’s not argue about the colour, pleaseLot 45 – Margaret Olley, Melbourne Hotel, South Brisbane, 1948, 63 x 76.5 cm, est. $60,000-80,000. Living it up at the Hotel MelbourneLot 48 – Lloyd Rees, City Skyline, 1955, 35.7 x 44.8 cm, est. $30,000-40,000. Spires to inspireLot 58 – Herbert Badham, Port Said 1954, 38 x 30.5 cm, est. $10,000-15,000. He said, she said, Port SaidLot 60 – Weaver Hawkins, Rola 1933, 91.5 x 70.4 cm, est. $35,000-45,000. I’ve been everywhere man, Ballarat, Melbourne, Hamilton, Castlemaine, Geelong, Horsham, Ararat, Mildura, Sale, Warrnambool, Newcastle, Brisbane, Sydney (with apologies to Lucky Starr)Lot 65 – Brett Whiteley, Spooked by Egypt, 1984, 70 x 50.2 cm, est. $25,000-35,000. The Eyes have itLot 69 – Robert Klippel, Untitled, 1992, 92.5 x 122 cm, est. $10,000-15,000. Colour me badd
