Whanganui online art auction now in full swing

This cartoon by Peter Bromhead is on sale in the Heritage Art Auctions. Photo / Supplied

With just four days to go, the online auction from Whanganui's Heritage Art Auctions has been attracting bids from throughout New Zealand.

There are 400 paintings, watercolours, prints, drawings and photos in the auction with prices starting from just $20. Among the drawings are five original pen and ink cartoons from two of New Zealand's best-loved cartoonists — Minhinnick and Bromhead.

Leading the charge is Sir Gordon Minhinnick (1902-1992), arguably New Zealand's greatest cartoonist after Sir David Low who spent most of his working life in the UK. When Henry Newrick, director of Heritage Art, was at university there was a rumour that the Security Intelligence Service (SIS) had infiltrated student ranks so as to keep an eye on potential troublemakers. It then became a guessing game among students of how to spot the "spies". Minhinnick captured this beautifully with his 1972 cartoon with the caption "That'll be one — Plain Clothes Man".
The original cartoon is in the auction along with two other original Minhinnick cartoons. It carries a low estimate of $150-$250. Original Minhinnick cartoons often fetch $500-$1,000-plus.

Another of New Zealand's great cartoonists over the past 40 years is 88-year-old Peter Bromhead, who had the uncanny knack of capturing the moment with his biting cartoons. One of these from about 40 years ago has a crack at the National Party.
It simply states "NZ — The Way the National Party Wants It" (pictured), and shows someone with their tongue nailed down as they attempt to speak up.
It's a typical Bromhead and Heritage Art has the original pen and ink drawing on sale in its sale along with another work by Bromhead. This original work has a modest price guide of $100-$150 with a starting bid of just $50. Bromhead cartoons have in the past fetched up to $400-plus.

These and other artworks can be seen at www.HeritageArtNZ.com. The auction is in progress and bids can be submitted any time up to 6pm Sunday when the auction closes.