It has scheduled a three-day auction of antiques, jewellery and decorative art – along with classic cars - in November. The sale centres on a second part of the Owston collection but will also feature rich pickings from other vendors.
The auction will be on November 13, 14 and 15 at Byron Kennedy Hall in the Entertainment Quarter (formerly Fox Studios) at Moore Park in Sydney’s east.
Meanwhile, following the appointment of James Hendy as its chief executive and James Bruce as its chairman, the firm has hired respected Sydney decorative art authority and auctioneer Dalia Stanley as senior specialist. All three were formerly involved with the old Bonhams & Goodman venture, which was abruptly sundered when its owner, Tim Goodman, took over the Sotheby’s Australia name in December 2009, leaving the UK-based partner Bonhams out in the cold.
According to James Hendy, Bonhams Australia is now interviewing specialists in the fields of paintings and jewellery, having already established a classic cars division. Its London-based head of jewellery will also be here in September to help consign material for the sale.
Currently operating from offices in the MLC Centre in Martin Place and a warehouse at Waterloo, Bonhams is negotiating for a more permanent base in the eastern suburbs. The location, with a lease expected to be finalised by the end of August, will be used for “events” rather than actual auctions, Hendy says.
The company’s moves so far suggest Bonhams will focus on Sydney as a sales venue. Rival auctioneers including Sotheby’s have tended to favour Melbourne – where they have saleroom premises - for their major fine art and decorative arts sales.
The second bite of the Owston cherry is said to be more modest than the 1300 lots offered in June, but nevertheless will feature some classy wares. The June sale, for instance, included around 30 dining tables and as many bookcases – some of which fetched six-figure sums.
The kaleidoscope of Owston offerings, of course, is part of a very public break-up between millionaire developer Warren Anderson and his wife of 40 years, Cheryl. The settlement between the pair involved the liquidation of an Anderson family company, Owston Nominees No 2, and its assets – including the fabulous contents of a number of homes across the country. Hence the title the Owston Collection. Warren Anderson, who accumulated the collections from worldwide sources apparently with little regard for cost, has vigorously opposed the sales - so far without success.
Hendy says a highlight of the upcoming sale is a “very smart” and important pair of Russian early 19th century amphora 57cm high fashioned from amethyst coloured cut glass and set in ormolu mounts. The firm’s researchers have found similar specimens in Russian collections and cite a single example that fetched $US86,000 at Sotheby’s. The estimate on the pair is $80,000 to $120,000.
The November sale also includes no less than nine paintings by the Irish-born colonial figure Richard Browne, whose whimsical depictions of individual Aborigines were clearly a favourite of Anderson’s.
At the June sale, Browne’s portrait “Killigrant”, brought $52,800 including premium and his “Wambla” $50,400 – the latter on a presale estimate of only $10,000 to $15,000. Overall the Browne pictures were among the most buoyant sellers of the fine art on offer. Curiously several were said to have gone overseas.
Browne’s naive-style works rarely appear on the market, but the Australian Art Sales Digest database notes a number changing hands for over $20,000 with his best prices being $40,450 at Sotheby’s in Sydney in 2005 and the equivalent of $52,000 at Christie’s in London in the Bicentennial boom year of 1988.
Among the other paintings are Norman Lindsay’s large oil “Showgirl with Feather Headdress” (estimate $150,000 to $200,000) plus four other Lindsay works.
The June sale included a huge array of animal specimens and taxidermised displays, with mounted rhino heads and ivory tusks fetching close to $100,000 and several avian displays fetching $30,000. James Hendy says the next offering will include around 60 more, including a mounted bison head.
There are several good early 19th century French ormolu mantle clocks including a First Empire ormolu and marble clock by Blanc Fils, Palais Royal; silver including a monumental Victorian centrepiece; and a number of fine tea caddies.
Classic cars to be offered include a 1925 Bentley 3-litre Speed Model Tourer, with original coachwork by Vanden Plas, and a 1928 Bugatti Type 38 restoration project which was apparently found in a barn.