Six canvases variously depicting wattle, hot Australian skies and intimations of dark colonial history are coming to the auction market, having all hung in the Manhattan apartment of the Sydney-born former president of the World Bank, Sir James Wolfensohn KBE AO.
Wolfensohn, who died in New York in 2020, was the first and only owner of the six pictures – two by Arthur Boyd and four by Fred Williams.
Paintings owned by two men who spent decades doing deals delivered a bumper auction result, with 28 works from the collections of veteran Sydney art dealer Denis Savill and late Melbourne businessman Ron Walker selling for a total of more than $8.2 million including buyer’s premium.
Twenty artworks from Ron Walker’s deceased estate to go under the hammer, along with seven Arthur Boyd paintings
Important Australian Art from the Estate of the Late Ron Walker AC CBE will be offered via a live auction by Smith & Singer in Melbourne on Wednesday July 24, 2024. With only 20 works, the sale is valued between $5.6 – $7.9 million.
Seven paintings by celebrated Australian artist Arthur Boyd have emerged from the private collection of his friend and promoter, Sydney art dealer Denis Savill, and will be offered at auction on July 24 – the date on which the artist would have turned 104.
Ron Walker helped build modern Melbourne but the works that hung in his Toorak mansion, and are now for sale, had a very Sydney flavour.
OnlySydney
One of our favourite Sydney artworks is impressionist Arthur Streeton's masterpiece: Sunlight at the Camp painted in 1894.
The Melbourne exhibition for the forthcoming Important Jewels & Watches auction will be open to the public from Saturday 27 April to Sunday 28 April, from 10 am – 5 pm, at 14-16 Collins Street, Melbourne.
The May 2024 sale features an impressive selection of rich coloured gemstones that sit amongst sparkling diamonds. We also present a significant private Cartier Collection from Victoria. Elsewhere we see unique pieces from Van Cleef & Arpels, Stefan Hafner and Paspaley. The sale concludes with a selection of watches by Panerai, Patek Phillippe and Alfred Dunhill.
A particular highlight of the collection is this stunning Cartier Rotonde de Cartier Ref HPI00583 18ct white gold, diamond and straw marquetry limited edition No. 3/20 wristwatch, 2012 (lot 97, estimate $40,000–60,000, pictured above).
VIEWINGS
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MELBOURNE Saturday 27 April – Sunday 28 April |
SYDNEY Saturday 4 May – Monday 6 May |
AUCTION IN SYDNEY
7 MAY 2024 l 6.30 PM
SMITH & SINGER
30 QUEEN STREET, WOOLLAHRA
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For more information, please contact: |
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Masis Agopyan
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Anna Booty |
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Pictured top Lot 97Cartier Rotonde de Cartier Ref HPI00583 18ct white gold, diamond and straw marquetry limited edition No. 3/20 wristwatch, 2012Estimate $30,000–40,000 |
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A 130-year-old painting, hidden from view for literally decades, catapulted out of the woodwork to score the highest bid at Smith & Singer’s first major Australian art auction of the year.
The digital catalogue for the upcoming Important Jewels & Watches auction at Smith & Singer is now available to view online.
The May 2024 sale features an impressive selection of rich coloured gemstones that sit amongst sparkling diamonds. We also present a significant private Cartier Collection from Victoria. Elsewhere we see unique pieces from Van Cleef & Arpels, Stefan Hafner and Paspaley. The sale concludes with a selection of watches by Panerai, Patek Phillippe and Alfred Dunhill.
A particular highlight of the Collection is this stunning pair of tanzanite, diamond, emerald, sapphire and onyx ‘Évasions Joallières’ earrings, Cartier, 2011 (lot 75, estimate $30,000–40,000, pictured above).
VIEWINGS
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MELBOURNE Friday 26 April – Sunday 28 April |
SYDNEY Saturday 4 May – Monday 6 May |
AUCTION IN SYDNEY
7 MAY 2024 l 6.30 PM
SMITH & SINGER
30 QUEEN STREET, WOOLLAHRA
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For more information, please contact: |
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Masis Agopyan
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Anna Booty |
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Pictured top Lot 75Pair of tanzanite, diamond, emerald, sapphire and onyx ‘Évasions Joallières’ earrings, Cartier, 2011Each circular surmount, centring a bezel-set circular-cut emerald framed by pavé-set brilliant-cut diamonds between two borders of black onyx and accented by two circular-cut sapphires, suspending an onyx and diamond-set cap terminating in a tassel of tanzanite beads, the diamonds together weighing approximately 3.75 carats, length approximately 85mm, signed Cartier, numbered 36838F, French assay marks, post and clip fittings. |
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