Important Australian Art

AU0874 | 8 April 2025 | Sydney | 6.30pm

ARTHUR BOYD 1920-1999 Bride in Hibiscus Bush (1958)
oil and tempera on composition board, 91.2 x 122.2 cm
Estimate $1,000,000–1,500,000
Sold for $1,779,545
© Arthur Boyd/Copyright Agency, 2025

JOHN RUSSELL 1858-1930 Vue de la Seine, Bougival
View of the Seine, Bougival, Spring (1887)
oil on canvas, 54.5 x 64.5 cm
Estimate $1,200,000–1,600,000
Sold for $1,472,727

JEFFREY SMART 1921-2013 The Lighthouse, Fiumicino (1968-1969)
oil on canvas, 81.3 x 65 cm
Estimate $500,000–700,000
Sold for $613,636
© The Estate of Jeffrey Smart

BRONWYN OLIVER 1959-2006 Shoal (1995)
copper, 120 x 120 x 26 cm
Estimate $600,000–800,000
Sold for $736,364
© Estate of Bronwyn Oliver. Courtesy Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney

EMILY KAM KNGWARREYE 1908-1996 Untitled (1996)
synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 121 x 91 cm
Estimate $200,000–300,000
Sold for $349,773
© Emily Kam Kngwarreye/Copyright Agency, 2025

JOHN OLSEN 1928-2023 A Field of Wattles 1981
oil on canvas, 137.2 x 152.5 cm
Estimate $200,000–300,000
Sold for $460,227
© John Olsen/Copyright Agency, 2025

CRESSIDA CAMPBELL born 1960 Garden Island 1990
watercolour on incised woodblock, 91.5 x 148.5 cm
Estimate $250,000–350,000
Sold for $355,909
© Cressida Campbell/Copyright Agency, 2025

ARTHUR BOYD 1920-1999 Narre Warren, Victoria (1952)
oil, tempera and resin on composition board, 77.5 x 102.8 cm
Estimate $200,000–300,000
Sold for $331,364
© Arthur Boyd/Copyright Agency, 2025

CAROL JERREMS 1949-1980 Vale Street 1975
gelatin silver photograph, edition of 9, plus artist’s proofs
20.1 x 30.4 cm (image); 40.6 x 50.7 cm (sheet)
Estimate $50,000–70,000
Sold for $270,000
AUCTION RECORD FOR THE ARTIST
AUCTION RECORD FOR AN AUSTRALIAN PHOTOGRAPH
© Ken Jerrems and the Estate of Lance Jerrems

LIN ONUS 1948-1996 Michael and I are Just Slipping Down to the Pub for a Minute (1992)
gouache on board, 50 x 38 cm
Estimate $200,000–300,000
Sold for $306,818
© Lin Onus/Copyright Agency, 2025

Sale Number: AU0874

IMPORTANT AUSTRALIAN ART

Smith & Singer’s tightly curated April 2025 auction of Important Australian Art achieved exceptional results for traditional, modern and contemporary Australian art with a total of $11,533,295 (including buyer’s premium).

Determined bidding from clients in the saleroom, on telephones, and online resulted in an outstanding sold rate for a mixed vendor sale of 127% by value and 78% by volume, showing the depth of demand across all categories.

Compositions by Arthur Boyd and John Russell sold for well in excess of $1,000,000 each, representing the two highest results for art sold at auction in Australia this year, with numerous other works well exceeding their upper estimates. Results were led by stellar performances by artists including Arthur Boyd, Cressida Campbell, Emily Kam Kngwarreye, Bronwyn Oliver, John Olsen, Lin Onus, John Russell, Jeffrey Smart, and Arthur Streeton. Carol Jerrems established a new world auction record for an Australian photograph, far exceeding the $50,000–70,000 estimate, realising a price of $275,000.

To participate in a Smith & Singer sale, please contact our highly experienced specialists for a confidential appraisal. You may also use our appraisal estimate form.

CONTACT INFORMATION +


Specialists
	Geoffrey Smith Chairman Australian & International Art Melbourne \| Sydney T: +61 (0)3 9508 9900 T: +61 (0)2 9302 2402 E: Geoffrey Smith	Gary Singer Chief Executive Officer & Director Australian & International Art Melbourne \| Sydney T: +61 (0)3 9508 9900 T: +61 (0)2 9302 2402 E: Gary Singer

	Jessica Velasquez Executive Assistant Australian & International Art Melbourne T: +61 (0)3 9508 9900 E: Jessica Velasquez	David Mackay Manager, Sydney Gallery, Marketing & Media Australian & International Art Sydney T: +61 (0)2 9302 2402 E: David Mackay

BUY CATALOGUE

Auction Results & Details

Sale Total: 11,533,295 including Buyer's Premium

51 RUPERT BUNNY
1864-1947

Sur La Plage
On the Beach (circa 1920)

$8,000-12,000

52 ADRIAN FEINT
1894-1971

The Dragon Fly 1948

$15,000-25,000 Lot Sold: $34,364 (including buyer's premium)

53 JOHN KELLY
born 1965

Form and Function 2001

$20,000-30,000

54 JOHN COBURN
1925-2006

Emblem 1966

$40,000-60,000

55 CHARLES BLACKMAN
1928-2018

A Boy and a Girl in a Field 1970

$150,000-250,000 Lot Sold: $184,091 (including buyer's premium)

56 ROBERT DICKERSON
1924-2015

Man in Darlinghurst (1962)

$25,000-35,000 Lot Sold: $39,273 (including buyer's premium)

57 ALBERT TUCKER
1914-1999

Girl Bathing (1971)

$15,000-25,000 Lot Sold: $18,409 (including buyer's premium)

58 ALBERT TUCKER
1914-1999

Intruder and Parrots 1970

$40,000-60,000

59 LOT WITHDRAWN FROM SALE

60 ARTHUR BOYD
1920-1999

Flame Trees and Cockatoos

$30,000-40,000 Lot Sold: $63,818 (including buyer's premium)

61 SIDNEY NOLAN
1917-1992

Landscape 1969

$45,000-65,000 Lot Sold: $73,636 (including buyer's premium)

62 CLIFTON PUGH
1924-1990

Marking the Bull 1963

$20,000-30,000 Lot Sold: $24,545 (including buyer's premium)

63 HANS HEYSEN
1877-1968

A Pastoral

$30,000-40,000 Lot Sold: $39,273 (including buyer's premium)

64 ALBERT NAMATJIRA
1902-1959

Mount Sonder (Morning)

$30,000-40,000 Lot Sold: $42,955 (including buyer's premium)

65 ALBERT NAMATJIRA
1902-1959

Old Man Ghost Gum (circa 1952)

$30,000-40,000 Lot Sold: $36,818 (including buyer's premium)

66 FRED WILLIAMS
1927-1982

Morning, Kosciusko (1975)

$50,000-70,000 Lot Sold: $92,045 (including buyer's premium)

67 FRED WILLIAMS
1927-1982

Chichester Cathedral (1954)

$8,000-12,000 Lot Sold: $27,000 (including buyer's premium)

68 JOHN OLSEN
1928-2023

Landscape

$20,000-30,000 Lot Sold: $69,955 (including buyer's premium)

69 DAVID BOYD
1924-2011

Wanderer Trying to Push Crown Off (The Wanderer Series) 1969

$30,000-40,000 Lot Sold: $61,364 (including buyer's premium)

70 DAVID BOYD
1924-2011

Landscape with Cockatoo Man (The Wanderer Series) 1969

$25,000-35,000 Lot Sold: $30,682 (including buyer's premium)

71 JOHN PERCEVAL
1923-2000

Winkie Holding a Baby 1965

$25,000-35,000

72 LOT WITHDRAWN FROM SALE

73 DONALD FRIEND
1915-1989

Stepney Winter Scene 1953

$2,000-4,000 Lot Sold: $2,455 (including buyer's premium)

74 IVOR FRANCIS
1906-1993

The Rubbernecks 1941

$10,000-15,000

75 ELAINE HAXTON
1909-1999

Turkish Delight (1943)

$6,000-9,000 Lot Sold: $15,955 (including buyer's premium)

We use our own and third party cookies to enable you to navigate around our Site, use its features and engage on social media, and to allow us to perform analytics, remember your preferences, provide services that you have requested and produce content and advertisements tailored to your interests, both on our Site as well as others. For more information, or to learn how to change your cookie or marketing preferences, please see our updated Privacy Policy & Cookie Policy.

By continuing to use our Site, you consent to our use of cookies and to the practices described in our updated Privacy Policy.

CONTINUE

Important Australian Art

Specialists

Geoffrey Smith

Gary Singer

Jessica Velasquez

David Mackay

Auction Results & Details