Art auction house opens in Whanganui

One of the artworks on offer at Heritage Auctions is this oil painting titled In Flanders Fields, by George Sherriff. Photo / Supplied

Aimed at serving the lower North Island and providing an alternative to Wellington, September 1 is the launch date of Heritage Auctions, New Zealand's newest, and only totally dedicated, art auction house outside Auckland.

The auctions are being held in the appropriately named Heritage House, next to Whanganui's Grand Hotel.

The business is owned by Whanganui publisher Henry Newrick. With a long-time interest in art, especially of the 19th and early 20th century, Henry has for some time seen the need for a second art auction house in the lower North Island, thereby giving much-needed choice to vendors.

Based in Whanganui, a city that has been referred to as "the culture capital of New Zealand", Heritage offers easy access to those living in New Plymouth, Taupo, Napier and all towns south to and including Wellington.

This is not Henry's first venture into art. Growing up in Whanganui in the 1950s and 60s, surrounded by 18th and 19th-century European paintings collected by his father and grandfather (who ran the Sarjeant Gallery for 23 years), Henry helped fund his university studies buying and selling art and rare books.

After founding the National Business Review (NBR) in 1970, in 1973 he authored and published New Zealand Art Auction Records, the first definitive guide to art values published in New Zealand. An updated version is expected to be published this year.

For many years after that Henry published the New Zealand Art & Antiques Yearbook, an annual publication that tracked the markets. In the mid-1970s he purchased at Sotheby's (London) three large, original Maori watercolours by George French Angas for the then princely sum of about £30,000 – which at that time would have bought a fairly decent home in Wellington. From 1978-80, he owned Medici Galleries in Wellington.

Following his move to the UK in 1995, Henry spent many years tracking and purchasing early New Zealand/Australian artworks, which were then shipped to their respective homelands for subsequent sale by auction.

This passion for hunting down and repatriating works continues to this day and some of his recent overseas finds will be featured in the September auction.

It is intended to hold four auctions a year, both online and "live". The first live auction will take place at 2pm on Saturday, September 11, at Heritage House. The live auction will be preceded by online bidding starting on September 1.

Some of the lots will terminate online and others will move into the live auction. In total Henry expects up to 700 lots comprising paintings, watercolours, drawings, prints (engravings, etchings, lithographs), photographs and high-end art books.

There is special emphasis on works covering the period 1850-1950 but Heritage is also accepting art from outside this period.

For example, the September auction will also feature New Zealand prints and maps from the 1700s as well as quality art from the 2000s. One of the star items is a large oil painting circa 1600 by the Dutch artist Aert van Antum, featuring the Spanish Armada in battle. It will probably be acquired by an overseas buyer.

Among the benefits offered by Heritage is its commission rate to vendors. Many auction houses charge 17.5 per cent or more to sellers.

Heritage Art Auctions is offering sellers an attractive commission rate of 12.5 per cent on any works that sell for at least $500. With bidders able to bid online, Henry is confident there will be active foreign bidding based on inquiries already received.

Heritage Art Auctions is accepting further entries for its September auction. The market is strong, but should there be a recession this may change. Cut-off date for the September sale is August 1.

Late entries will be held for the December auction. The sale takes place in Heritage Month when thousands of visitors will be in Whanganui from throughout New Zealand.

For a free appraisal of any material you may wish to sell please call Henry Newrick on 027 471 2242.