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Stern and Kibel confirm the strength of the South African art market

5 Feb 2013

In the Evening Session 88 paintings realised R36 million. The highlight was Irma Stern’s Malay Girl that sold for R11,7 million followed by Wolf Kibel’s Houses with Red Roofs which raised the proverbial roof, selling for R3 564 800, more than doubling the previous highest price paid for this artist. Other highlights selling above R2 million included a fine Anton van Wouw bronze, Mine rwith Hand Drill and Maggie Laubser’s Portrait of a Girl with Geese.

The more contemporary Walter Battiss’s Figures in a Landscape sold for R1 949 500. One of the biggest surprises of the night was the astonishing R668 400 for a pastel drawing titled Imaging by the celebrated contemporary artist Penny Siopis.

The complete sale which totalled R46 044 43 included high prices achieved for excellent examples of Cape Furniture and Cape Silver as well as ceramics and jewellery. Strauss & Co scored a hole-in-one with the earliest recorded 19th Century Cape Silver presentation covered cup which sold for R534 720 and R690 680 for an 18th Century West Coast Cupboard with impeccable provenance.

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