Press Office

Art session proves no recession

October 6, 2012   [ Archived ]

Strauss & Co: At yesterdays Strauss & Co auction which took place at the Vineyard Hotel in Cape Town, the extraordinary results totalling in excess of R37 million proved that the best art, decorative arts and jewellery are in great demand. Bidders competed actively for desirable items which were from private collections, fresh to the market and rarely seen at auction.

Three new artist records were broken, for Johannes Meintjes’ Swazi Landscape that sold for R666 000, Cecily Sash’s Young Violinist that sold for R188 700 and Gerard Bhengu’s Figures in a Kraal that sold for R155 400. Irma Stern continues to dominate art markets with her Still Life with Pomegranates achieving R7 798 000 and Câmara de Lobos, Madeira selling for R2 005 200. Other highlights include a William Kentridge drawing and a Stanley Pinker painting both selling for 891 200 as well as a unique Walter Battiss painting which sold for R779 800. Ferocious bidding for several major sculptures resulted in Dylan Lewis’s Sitting Cheetahs realising R724 100.

The 55 lots of jewellery from the Vivienne Linder Collection sold for a total of R2,4 million. The top lot was a glamorous pair of diamond ear pendants which sold for R233 940 almost ten times the pre-sale estimate. Quality furniture faired well and high prices were achieved, amongst others, for a pair of Chinese Famille Rose Temple Jars and a pair of Swedish walnut bookcases formally belonging to the famous soccer player Kevin Keegan selling for R122 540 respectively.

Media enquiries
Bina Genovese
bina@straussart.co.za
083 680 9944

www.straussart.co.za