Quality pieces up for auction

October 3, 2009   [ Archived ]

Staff Reporter - Business Day

STRAUSS & Co's first two auctions this year have totalled R63m, placing this new auction house firmly at the helm of the South African paintings market.

Strauss & Co is holding its inaugural Cape Town auction of important paintings, furniture, silver and ceramics next week at the Vineyard Hotel, Newlands.

Strauss & Co has been entrusted with the sale of several important works from private hands that are fresh to the market, either acquired directly from artists or their estates or that have been out of the public domain for years.

This includes the late Leslie Milner collection of 42 South African works assembled in the 1950s and 1960s.
The cover of the catalogue features Irma Stern’s Carla — a powerful and sensual portrait (estimated value R25m-R3,5m ).

Also acquired directly from the artist is the exuberant Still Life with Red Flowering Gum executed in 1936 (estimated value R3m-R4m) .

From the Charles te Water collection is Jean Welz’s Still Life ( estimated value R800000- R1,2m ). Charles te Water was a South African politician who served as high commissioner in London, became president of the League of Nations in 1933 and went on to represent SA in various countries.

Heading the furniture session is a highly important mid-18th-century Cape coromandel buffet with silver mounts by Johannes Casparus Lotter (estimated value R550000-R650000).Unrecorded in any literature, this fine and rare piece has been in the same family for six generations and was inherited by the owner in 1968.

A pair of George III silver wine coolers and liners,
Paul Storr, London 1819

Opening the evening session is a rare and important pair of George III silver wine coolers dated 1819 by Paul Storr, the leading Regency silversmith. These elegant coolers are in the revived rococo style .

 Strauss & Co is SA’s newest fine art auction house, and is the creation of two captains of industry, Elisabeth Bradley and Dr Conrad Strauss. Both seasoned collectors, their passion for South African art prompted them to approach Stephan Welz.

With emphasis very strongly on quality, Strauss & Co hopes to bolster connoisseurship and passion at the top end of the local art market.

Strauss & Co’s inaugural Cape Town auction takes place on Thursday, October 8, at the Vineyard Hotel, Colinton Rd, Newlands, at 4pm and 8pm. For more info contact Bina Genovese on 083 680-9944 www.straussart.co.za

Published by The Business Day