The culmination of Strauss & Co’s February energetic programme of auctions, exhibitions and talks, the live-virtual sale Portway to Cohen: A Collector’s Legacy and Other Properties (21 February 2026 at 6pm) brings together a focused selection of contemporary South African painting assembled by a discerning worldly collector, complemented by works from other properties. The sale
Strauss & Co, the leading auction house for South African art, is pleased to offer works by African artists at the cutting edge of current artistic practice globally. Many of the artists featured in the company’s forthcoming Cape Town sale of contemporary African art – among them Lisa Brice, Omar Victor Diop, Zanele Muholi, Berni Searle and Mary Sibande – have in the last few years presented well-received exhibitions across of the world.
Strauss & Co, in partnership with Brickfield Canvas, is honoured to present Faces of Cape Town: Portraits by Irma Stern, a capsule exhibition opening on 14 February. Showcasing a selection of portraits drawn from the Irma Stern Trust Collection, the exhibition offers a rare opportunity to encounter Stern’s deeply human depictions of the people who
Cape Town, with its diverse and sophisticated ecosystem of galleries, museums, institutions and events, has over the last few years established itself as a global art capital. Launched three years ago at the V&A Waterfront, Strauss & Co’s contemporary art sale is an important addition to this vibrant network of opportunity for artists and collectors.
Talented multi-media artist Athi-Patra Ruga once again topped Strauss & Co’s annual contemporary art sale in Cape Town when his wool and thread tapestry measuring three-metres high sold for R796 600. Held in a portside warehouse in the V&A Waterfront, the 102-lot sale grossed R12.3 million with a lot sell-through rate of 71%.
Strauss & Co achieved total sales of R475.5m / $28 million from 6,927 lots sold through the various sales channels in 2025, an increase of 26% over 2024. The figure includes 83 non-charity, revenue-generating auctions and private sales. International engagement remained a priority, with focused marketing activities in Europe and the UK and a highly successful inaugural auction in Kenya, extending the company’s regional footprint. Strauss & Co continued to grow
Strauss & Co’s forthcoming online auction of Modern, Post-War and Contemporary Art, Asian Arts, Jewellery and Wine, which runs from 6 to 14 April, offers collectors an opportunity to acquire exciting works in various media while respecting the terms of the public health lockdown. Highlights include a stirring portfolio by Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Greg Marinovich, an imaginative depiction of a dog by Norman Catherine, and important portfolio of prints by Diane Victor, an edition of which is in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York.
Strauss & Co springs into action in the new year with an impressive roster of online auctions for its first offering in 2026. The February timed online auctions have commenced and will close from 2pm on 9 and 10 February. Mirroring Strauss & Co’s online auction model, the current sale is designed to offer collectable
Strauss & Co’s eagerly awaited Online auction commences on 6 April. In these troubled times when one is housebound, there can be no better way of whiling away the hours than browsing through the amazing array of pieces consigned for this auction.
Robust bidding for the 695 lots in Strauss & Co’s second online auction for 2020 saw this “lockdown” sale total R6 million from 499 lots sold, (inclusive of aftersales), a new company record for online. Speaking via Zoom from his home in Cape Town due to restrictions imposed by a national health lockdown, Strauss & Co chairperson Frank Kilbourn said the sale affirmed a company decision in 2013 to embark on a digital journey.
