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
Delighting and dealing in art
July 27, 2010 [ Archived ]
The antique road show came to Grahamstown last week where Strauss & Co directors Stephan Welz and Vanessa Phillips appraised the art and antiques of community members at the Observatory Museum. Grocott's Mail had two pieces evaluated; Jeff Grocott's antique display cabinet and Louise Vale's chandeliers, which currently hang in the Grocott's Mail building.
Discovering Local Gems...Fleur Way-Jones, curator of the Albany History
Museum poses with Stephan Welz and Vanessa Phillips, Strauss & Co directors
in the Observatory Museum. Strauss & Co acquired a landscape painting by
Eastern Cape artist John Brown for auction. Photo: Theresa Taylor
Welz likens what they do to being in a casino; you never know what you are going to find. Last year, an Eastern Cape local had a piece auctioned off for R2.3 million.
This was one of four large bronze sculptures entitled Bad News created by Anton van Wouw in 1907, which the seller's father purchased from the artist.
"The antique road show provides a service to the community. Many people have no interest in selling but simply want to know what their belongings are worth," says Welz. From the 150 items appraised in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday, only eight paintings where selected for auction.
Community members must give a compulsory donation of R15 for each item that the appraisers evaluate. This money is handed over to local museums for their much needed upkeep.
Despite some 70 years combined experience between Welz and Phillips, she insists that she learns new things everyday and modestly adds, "Most collectors know more, or as much, as we do." Phillips encourages pieces to be sold within the area they were created as it is historically correct to keep them in their original context.
Welz, who has tried to retire, keeps being drawn back to his job. "A very small percentage of people who get up in the morning are enthusiastic," said Welz, "I'm one of those people." His credentials include an antique television show during the 80's and a stint as director of Sotheby's auctioneers in London.
Two years ago Welz and two friends, former Standard Bank chairman Dr Conrad Strauss and former Toyota SA manager Elisabeth Bradley, "crawled out of retirement" and began Strauss & Co. The comapny is currently the largest fine art and antiques auctioning house in South Africa.
