Saleroom: Art of bidding for the best bargains

By DON MILNE

"Affordable", according to my good old Shorter Oxford (1933 edition), means "that can be afforded, spared, or yielded". And the earliest definition of "afford" is "to have the means, be able".

So what most of us can afford may be rather different from the amount spent by those who last December paid a record $155,000 (before buyer's premium and GST) on Michael Smither's Sarah with cat, and $240,000 on Bill Hammond's Whistlers Mothers, Sticks and Stones.

Those works were sold in Webb's final sale of last year, which brought in more than $2.4 million.

At the other end of the scale, quite presentable and attractive works by generally unknown artists can be picked up for as little as $5, and often no more than $100, at the estate sales of many auctioneers, including Dunbar Sloane and Cordy's. And you never quite know when you might pick up a hidden bargain.

Witness the Auckland woman who went to a general estate sale some years ago to buy a cheap bed for a holiday home.

"Painting by Duncan Grant," said the auctioneer. The name rang a meaningful bell, and she picked it up for $50.

The pastel proved to be indeed by Grant, of the Bloomsbury set, and a few years later she sold it for $3300.

Sophie Coupland of Webb's, which has an affordable art sale next week, certainly knows a Duncan Grant when she sees one. But she has a problem with the term "affordable" when many works sell for thousands of dollars. Any suggestions for a new name are welcome.

Richard Thomson of the International Art Centre offers two categories - fine paintings and collectable art. But surely all art that sells is collectable?

Dunbar Sloane prefers two titles - investment art and affordable art. Yet presumably those who buy art as an investment still like to see their purchases gracing their walls and giving them pleasure.

Whatever it may be called, Webb's sale next week has a wide range of interesting works, many expected to sell for less than $1000. A feature is a small section of contemporary New Zealand photography - a field of growing interest, and prices.

Included in the decorative arts and antiques are some 40 lots of New Zealand studio pottery, including several by living treasure Len Castle.

Coming up: Webb's affordable art sale is next Tuesday, followed by jewellery on Wednesday and decorative arts on Thursday. The first big Webb's sale for the year (investment art, jewellery and antiques) will be on March 30, 31, and April 1.

Cordy's next art and antiques sale is on March 16, with morning and evening sessions. The International Art Centre has its first big sale of the year on March 25, with a collectable art auction in its Parnell gallery on Sunday, April 4.

Dunbar Sloane's next investment art sale is on April 28. A feature will be a huge (1219mm by 1829mm) early oil by Robin White of Mana railway station, at one time in the collection of the late lawyer and politician Dr Martyn Finlay. It could well set a record for this artist; the estimate is from $90,000 to $140,000.