Saleroom: Fine judgment appeals

Girl in Blue by Helen Stewart, from the collection of Sir Ivor Richardson and his wife Jane.

It has taken a little while to get started, but 2006 looks like being a bumper year for art auctions.

Webb's, which has good claim to be Auckland's - New Zealand's? - premiere art auction house, will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a very strong sale on April 4.

Dunbar Sloane has nothing on the immediate art front in Auckland but is offering an extraordinary private collection in Wellington three weeks from today.

The International Art Centre will have its first sale for the year, marking its 35th anniversary, a day earlier, while Cordy's, under new owner Andrew Grigg, will be making a determined foray into the market with its first art-only auction for many years, on May 1.

Webb's was first out of the gate with its A2 art sale last week in Auckland. Buyer interest was a bit slow, and unfamiliar artists failed to draw attention - yet good prices were paid for the usual suspects such as Dick Frizzell and Michael Smither. The high point of the evening was the $9400 paid for a cast-glass green pod vase by Ann Robinson ($10,721, with buyer's premium and GST).

Robinson has a deserved international reputation and this imposing piece attracted two keen bidders, selling for well above the estimate of $1000 to $2000.

Dunbar Sloane kicks off the year with a fascinating sale in Wellington. Appeal Court judge Sir Ivor Richardson and his wife Jane started collecting in the late 1970s, concentrating on works by New Zealand women artists from around 1890 to 1950 including Rita Angus, Rhona Haszard, Frances Hodgkins, Evelyn Page and Lois White. All are well represented in Sloane's sale, along with others such as Mina Arndt, Maud Sherwood, Frances Ellis, Helen Crabb and Helen Stewart.

Not all the works for sale are by women - there are strong offerings from male artists including Toss Woollaston, Thomas McCormack and John Weeks, plus an interesting McCahon from 1978.

The catalogue for the 207 works is worth an offer in itself. It's well-illustrated and contains excellent essays on many of the artists. And while it's hard to say just what the market will do after two fairly static years, the estimates seem refreshingly low for some lovely works.

Aucklanders will be able to view highlights from the sale at the John Leech Gallery, Kitchener St, from Friday through to Tuesday (no viewing Sunday).

The International Art Centre has good works by Don Binney as well as a nice selection of rare 19th-century New Zealand works.

Binney paintings are at last achieving the popularity they deserve - a splendid Kereru at Te Henga from 1966 went for $171,000 (premium and GST included) at Sloane's Auckland sale in December.

A reminder for buyers this year: the International Art Centre has put its buyer's premium at 12 per cent. Take in GST, and it adds 13.5 per cent to the hammer price.

Webb's and Dunbar Sloane have premiums of 12.5 per cent, adding 14.06 per cent, while Cordy's has kept its premium at 10 per cent (11.25 per cent, with GST).

* Coming up:

March 14: Cordy's, 180 Great South Rd, monthly antiques and art.

March 21: International Art Centre fine art, 272 Parnell Rd.

March 22: Dunbar Sloane, Wellington, the Sir Ivor Richardson collection.

April 4: Webb's, 18 Manukau Rd, 30th anniversary sale, including four major McCahons from the collection of Professor Robert and Noeline Chapman.

May 1: Cordy's, 180 Great South Rd, fine art and applied art.