Three paintings by an individual going under the hammer at once isn't something that happens every day, let alone three by one of the country's most celebrated artists.
Last night a trio of Don Binney paintings fetched just under $1.5 million when they went to auction at Art+Object in Newton.
Binney, who died in 2012, is renowned for his famed style and love of Auckland's West Coast and, in particular, New Zealand birds.
Art+Object art director Ben Plumbly told the Herald the three paintings came from Binney's most celebrated period, 1965-1970.
"We had literally hundreds of people through in the weekend just coming to see them because it was so nice to see them.
"They are particularly important paintings for Auckland in a way, but to have three together in effectively what was a miniature retrospective of his practice from his key period was pretty special."
The biggest painting, Pastoral, Te Henga, sold for $684,000, Summer Fernbird II fetched $426,000 and the smaller work, Beyond Kuataikia sold for $348,000.
The paintings were sold to three separate private collectors and are staying in New Zealand, Plumbly said.
The auction total for the night, including the three Binney paintings, was $3.25m.
Plumbly said it had been a number of years since there had been a major Binney auction like it.
"This is an unprecedented offering insofar as never before have three such significant paintings been offered together in the same auction.
"We haven't had a major Binney painting at auction for a number of years — and then all of a sudden, three come in.
"It's just the reality of what we do in the winds of supply. Sometimes the planets align and we get a perfect storm, which is what's happened here."