In the News
2010 Archive
- Oct 23. Pierneef se Bosveldbome simbolies van lewe
- Oct 22. Stern lilies in Strauss's highest-value sale
- Sep 18. Maud Sumner die kunstenaar was ook 'n digter
- Sep 10. Welz en die 'vloek van veilings'
- Sep 01. Pierneef Panele by Die Rupert Museum, Stellenbosch
- Aug 28. Pierneef het hom ook skildersvryhede vergun
- Aug 15. Polish your knowledge of jewellery
- Aug 01. Stephan Welz honoured for giving gallery new life
- Jul 27. Delighting and dealing in art
- Jul 26. Auctioneers find prized pieces in Eastern Cape
- Jul 23. Rare art find in EL worth more than R1m
- May 30. Rhodes statue led Welz to success
- May 28. Wêreldrekord van R7,575 miljoen vir Irma Stern-skildery
- May 26. Record price for Stern painting
- May 26. Skildery van Irma Stern behaal nuwe rekordprys
- May 26. Irma Stern-skildery behaal wêreldrekordprys
- May 15. Groot name in SA kuns kom onder hamer
- May 12. Art sale breaks mould
- May 09. Local art in full flower at major sale
Auctioneers find prized pieces in Eastern Cape
July 26, 2010 [ Archived ]
Strongly underscoring the significance of the Eastern Cape as a brimming treasure trove of quality and rare art, antiques and collectibles, renowned experts and auctioneers Strauss and Company this week assessed more than an R7-million in pieces during a whirlwind visit to three historical centres in the province.
THE ART OF ASSESSMENT:
Art expert Stephan Welz displays a landscape painting
by Netherlands-born artist Frans Oerder.
And in what was described as significant finds during visits to Port Elizabeth, Grahamstown and East London, the fine art auctioneers and consultants, headed by well-known experts Stephan Welz and Vanessa Phillips, discovered three paintings with a collective estimated value of well over R2-million.
In Port Elizabeth, Welz uncovered a landscape painting by influential Netherlands-born artist Frans Oerder with an estimated value of R100 000, while another two works, with values estimated at between R600 000 and R800 000 and R1-million and R1.2-million, were discovered in Grahamstown and East London, respectively. “These two paintings were also significant finds,” said Welz.
“Strangely, while they appeared in different areas, the paintings were by the same artist – Pieter Wenning – who was also a Dutch artist.” Welz added that the works comprised a landscape of Durban and a painting of the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
While in Port Elizabeth, where 143 people brought items either simply for assessment or valuation, or for auction, Welz and his colleague estimated they had assessed items worth R5-million. “Being a very historical area, Port Elizabeth is a mine of collectibles,” said Welz, who has been hunting treasures in the province for 25 years. “People also retire to this area from other centres and bring their valuables with them.”
During the course of the day, the consultants saw four works by famed local artist George Pemba, but these were not left for auction by Strauss, which is collecting such pieces for an auction in Cape Town later this year.
According to Welz, the assessments – which are charged at R15 per item, with the proceeds going to the host museum in Grahamstown and East London – were also very well supported.
Welz, who hails from Johannesburg, said many people used the opportunity to assess their collectibles for insurance, while others hoped they had pieces that would fetch solid auction prices. Many people, however, go away disappointed after discovering their items did not have significant value, he said.
