leonard, issue 6, may 2012
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Issue sIX / MAY 2012
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CoverJeff Koons (AmericAn, born 1955)balloon Dog 1995metalised Porcelain ed. 2291/230026.4 x 25.4cmestimate $3,000 - 5,000
Auction sunday 24 June 2012
Photographyrick merrie
Designermaria rossi
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foreworD
You could do worse than to bookend your
understanding of the last 30 years of the art
market with two works by Robert Hughes,
the Australian born but mostly American res-
ident art critic who in the late 1970s famously
dismissed Australian art as of little signifi-
cance as a young twenty-something. The two
works I write of are essential art reading (and
watching) and illuminating on many levels.
Hughes’ essay, Art and Money, written in
1984 is just that, a straight forward essay that
concludes his work Nothing if Not Critical,
while in 2011 his made-for-TV documentary
Mona Lisa’s Curse (only at present available
on Youtube in parts and slowly disappear-
ing!) is a fascinating series of interviews and
observations that seem to confirm his fears
and suspicions in 1984 that the art market
was becoming much more about money,
block-busters and celebrity than it was about
the great pleasure of enjoying and learning
from the gentle practice of wandering quietly
through a public Museum or slowly moving
through an illustrated art book.
The essay Art and Money is a ranging rumi-
nation of what money is doing to art and in
typical Hughes style infused with extremely
insightful and sober observations about
how money has transformed the prism
through which the public identify with art.
It is interesting to read Hughes when he is
talking about something he truly loves (art)
and something he mostly detests (money’s
impact on art) and so the piece is very much
a mini-search for the roots of art investment
discourse and why indeed we need to think
about art as an investment or in money terms
at all. Hughes looks back through history
and moves forward in to the 1980s when the
piece was written.
His first observation is ironic and that is that
he accepts the premise that throughout his-
tory art has only thrived in environments
where generous patronage (and enough dol-
lars) existed to sponsor the 'creative' seg-
ments of the population. Up until perhaps
the mid 19th century this support for the
arts was largely the preserve of royalty, those
nobles with the means to acquire art and, at
this time, not too many major public collect-
ing institutions. But what concerns Hughes
more is what has happened to art appre-
ciation in the post-war period with a global
economy that is infinitely more liquid, more
cashed-up and more vulnerable to art mar-
keting than it has ever been. In this sense,
money for him, when it comes to art is prob-
lematic. Just why he has a problem with it is
the question that, for me, extracts the kernels
from this terrific short essay.
According to Hughes, the post-war period
created the phenomena of the “million dol-
lar plus” painting; prior to this such prices
were virtually unheard of and even when
one applies various conversion formulas to
account for prices over the centuries, very
few of even the greatest works throughout
history (based on their previous transaction
prices) would come anywhere close to the
million dollar price tags attributed to less
significant and more contemporary works.
Hughes asserts that money now moves like
mercury, and in such quantities, that for
him there is a profound disconnect between
price, value and quality (historical and aes-
thetic importance)
The appearance of the block-buster exhibi-
tion on the American gallery scene in the
1960s and 70s, the practice of cordoning a
painting off in a public space with a red vel-
vet rope and guard and the incessant discus-
sion about the “priceless” or “zillion-dollar”
painting has distorted and demeaned the
importance of art socially and historically and
repackaged art in general public discourse as
something that must be priced, revered for
its price and never divorced from its price.
Hughes remembers the time when he would
walk public galleries and never think about
what such and such a painting was worth and
he wonders why this quiet, scholarly pleas-
ure has been lost to the masses that now sur-
round a distant tiny painting on a wall and see
not the painting but the dollars. Significantly,
Hughes is not troubled by the reality of the
masses filling the museums and galleries of
the world. What concerns him is that they
don’t seem to be doing enough “looking” and
are rather, consumed by the obsession with
price and treasure.
Hughes suggests a few defining moments
that may well have contributed to the com-
moditization of art and they are interesting
indeed. In the 1960s Sotheby’s combined
with Time magazine to create an art and
antiques index that, as Hughes comments,
was full of graphs, charts and very general
data that indicated the enormous growth
potential of these more exotic assets. For
Hughes this was one of those tipping points
when art began to mean something other
than history, beauty and story to the masses.
But perhaps the most interesting of his
observations within this piece is his analysis
of supply and demand and the emergence of
American dollars and collecting in the 20th
century. In the late 19th and early 20th cen-
turies Hughes likens the plentiful and inex-
pensive supply of pre-19th century art (often
great works that were truly cheap) with the
teaming fauna of the Serengeti Plains – there
was simply so much of it and enough to keep
the art trade going for “100 years”. This cre-
ated the environment for sober prices, rarely
expensive paintings and maintained the tone
of art as an aesthetic and historical pursuit
rather than an economic one. This supply
dried up in the post-war period and in no
small part due to the enormous fortunes
amassed by Americans who became volume
collectors themselves and also endowed vari-
ous American museums with the capacity to
“out bid and out buy” the rest of the world.
The transfer of so much art from Europe to
the USA during this period lay at the centre of
what was going on. When this supply largely
dried up the demand didn’t and so began the
process of finding lesser quality old and new
art to meet the demand. For Hughes this was
the great turning point when art criticism
was subsumed by clever marketing, slick gal-
leries and cashed-up collectors transfixed by
price, status and brand.
Fast forward now to a lazy Sunday afternoon
last year when I first watched Mona Lisa’s
Curse which in many ways is Hughes’ con-
temporary version of his earlier essay. Dur-
ing the various segments of the documentary
he sits with various 'seriously cashed-up
collectors' and asks them what they think
is going on. For me I think he delights in
recording their belief, contained within
their opinions, that their capacity to collect
necessarily endows them with an art intel-
lect. These moments in the documentary
are made all the more poignant as they seek
to impart their “forty something” views to
probably the greatest of all art critics. The
documentary leaves us with Hughes’ despair
that great museums like the Guggenheim
are now being cloned on a global scale as if
the institutions have now become what the
art to the masses has become; places where
brand and money are revered more than the
art itself. For Hughes this is the time to “shut
the book”.
So why read Art and Money and why watch
Mona Lisa’s Curse? I sound a little schizo-
phrenic given I do enjoy reading about and
interpreting art statistics and economic activ-
ity. For me the answer is what Hughes is to
my understanding of the art world. Hughes
to art is what your grumpy, well-meaning
steel-trap-minded uncle is to you when you
need some advice or direction – your uncle,
like Hughes, grounds you and reminds you
what it’s really all about and what really is
happening. So as an art lover I encourage you
to remind yourself that art is not just about
money but about appreciating, about history,
about beauty, about aesthetics and about
knowledge as well.
RoBERT HUGHES’ RUMInATIonS on THE EConoMy FoR ART
Art, Money & MonA LisA's Curse
By JoHn ALBRECHT
1 MAyleonard
Contents
MAY Contents
CALEnDAR 3
nEWS 4
MoDERn DESIGn 5
THE GRAHAM GEDDES CoLLECTIon 6
THE WEEkLy 8
ABoRIGInAL ART 9
CLASSIC FURnITURE, oBJECTS
& DESIGn 10
ART 12
JEWELLERy 14
UpCoMInG AUCTIonS 15
DR. MARGUERITE MAHooD 16
oCEAnIC ART 17
CoLLECTABLES 18
FERMoy ESTATE WInE oFFER 20
ART BUSInESS 21
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AUSTRALIAn AnD InTERnATIonAL ART
FInE JEWELLERy AnD WRISTWATCHES
pRE-oWnED LUxURy
CLASSIC oBJECTS AnD FURnITURE
MoDERn DESIGn
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DoDGEM
AUToscooTer eLecTriQUe 1050 frenchsold April 2012 $480 (ibP)
2 leonardMAy
ForthCoMing AuCtions
The Weekly Auction Every Thursday in 2012 – 10am333 malvern road, south Yarra, melbourne, Victoria
The oceanic Art Auction Thursday 3rd May 2012 – 11.30am 333 malvern road, south Yarra, melbourne, Victoria
The Andy Mac Collection Auction Sunday 6th May 2012 - 12pm 333 malvern road, south Yarra, melbourne, Victoria
The Monthly Toy Auction Thursday 17th May 2012 - 12pm 333 malvern road, south Yarra, melbourne, Victoria
Classic Furniture, objects & Design Auction Sunday 3rd June 2012 – 1pm 333 malvern road, south Yarra, melbourne, Victoria
The Specialist print Auction Thursday 7th June 2012 – 11.30am 333 malvern road, south Yarra, melbourne, Victoria
Fine Jewellery Auction Sunday 17th June 2012 – 12pm 333 malvern road, south Yarra, melbourne, Victoria
pre-owned Luxury Auction Sunday 17th June 2012 – 3pm 333 malvern road, south Yarra, melbourne, Victoria
The Sunday Fine Art Auction Sunday 24th June 2012 – 2pm 333 malvern road, south Yarra, melbourne, Victoria
Collectables, Toys & Sporting Memorabilia Auction Sunday 22nd July 2012 – 12pm 333 malvern road, south Yarra, melbourne, Victoria
photographic Auction Sunday 22nd July 2012 – 2pm 333 malvern road, south Yarra, melbourne, Victoria
Modern Design Auction Sunday 19th August 2012 333 malvern road, south Yarra, melbourne, Victoriaa
The Graham Geddes Collection of Important Antique Furniture & objects Auction Saturday 15th to Monday 17th September 2012 333 malvern road, south Yarra, melbourne, Victoria
CalenDar
Leonard Joel is a proud supporter of Arts Project Australia
Auctions and viewing times are subject to change.
GeorGe bArris (AmericAn, born 1928)outside at the Top of the steps- from the set of the film the seven Year itch silver gelatin photographsold march 2012 $720 (ibP)
3 MAyleonard
news
ABoRIGInAL ART
MEDAL GRoUpS In STRonG DEMAnD
Following the sale of the Qantas Paul McGinness WW1 medals
for $252,000 (IBP) in December 2011, medals continued to
achieve strong results in the Collectables sale on 1 April. A
miniature group to Qantas co-founder Sir Wilmot Hudson Fysh
more than doubled expectations, selling for $11,400 (IBP) against
an estimate of $4,000-6,000. The top price of the day was paid
for a WW1 DSO, MC group to Brigade Major Herbert Gollan
that sold for $18,000 against an estimate of $15,000-20,000
At our recent Danish furniture Auction this four seat sofa attributed toillum Wikkels (Denmark, 1919-1999), realised $3,840 (ibP).
miniATUre GroUP of eiGHT AWArDeD To QAnTAs co-foUnDer sir WiLmoT HUDson fYsHsold April 2012 $11,400 (ibP)
DAnISH FEVER
now consigning Militaria For 22 JUly 2012
This work byAlbert namatjira (1902-1959), of rare subject matter, titled Morning, Narrow Gap, James Range, realised $31,200 ibP at the recent sunday fine Art Auction.
4 leonardMAy
MoDern DesIgn
the eAMes sUite
A set of four 'Time Life' Lobby Chairs and a
Marble top table by Charles and Ray Eames.
Manufactured by Herman Miller Furniture
Co. Model introduced 1960.
Each chair with a buttoned taupe leather
back and seat flanked by padded arms, with a
brushed aluminium frame and an out swept
base, one chair with the original manufac-
turer’s label for Herman Miller (Aust.) P/L;
together with a circular marble top table
with a later top, raised on a brushed alu-
minium base. The table is 91.5cm diameter x
43cm high.
Price: $22,000 including GST
Enquiries:
Guy Cairnduff
Head of Classic Furniture, Objects & Design
(03) 8825 5611
Classic Furniture, objects & DesignAuction Sunday 3 June 2012, 12pm
previewWednesday 30 May 2012 9am – 8pmThursday 31 May 2012 10am – 4pm
Friday 1 June 2012 10am – 4pmSaturday 2 June 2012 10am – 5pm
FoR SALE By pRIVATE TREATy
5 MAyleonard
tHe graHaM geDDes ColleCtIon
By anton assaad
The Graham Geddes Collection of Important Antique Furniture & objectsAuction Saturday 15, Sunday 16 to Monday evening 17 September 2012
previewSaturday 8 September 2012 10am – 5pmSunday 9 September 2012 10am – 5pmMonday 10 September 2012 10am – 5pmTuesday 11 September 2012 10am – 5pm
Wednesday 12 September 2012 10am – 8pmThursday 13 September 2012 10am – 8pmFriday 14 September 2012 (by appointment only)
THE GRAHAM GEDDES CoLLECTIon oF IMpoRTAnT AnTIQUES & oBJECTS
19th century Italian Rococo style sidetable
The Mentmore Towers centre
table shares its history with
one of the most famous – and
perhaps notorious – country
houses of Britain, Mentmore
Towers in Buckinghamshire.
Built between 1852-1854 as
the country seat of the banker,
Baron Mayer de Rothschild, the
house was designed by Joseph
Paxton and George Henry
Stokes. The table is reflective
of the Italian Renaissance style
which featured throughout the
property and gives a taste of
the grandeur and quality of the
Baron Rothschild’s collection.
Following successive ownership
changes during the 19th and
20th centuries, the future
of Mentmore Towers and
its sumptuous interiors was
threatened during the 1970s
after offers to give title of the
collection and property to
the British Government in lieu
of inheritance taxes or for a
fee of 2million pounds were
rejected. A landmark auction
of the Mentmore Towers
collection was undertaken and
the contents of the property
dispersed for 6 million pounds –
a staggering figure at the time.
Enquiries:
Guy Cairnduff
Head of The Specialist Collector
(03) 8825 5611
guy.cairnduff@
leonardjoel.com.au
6 leonardMAy
tHe graHaM geDDes ColleCtIon
“I WAS An ASSISTAnT FoR THE DECoRATIVE ARTS DEpARTMEnT WHEn THIS STATUE WAS
ConSIGnED FoR AUCTIon. I HAD THE JoB oF SCRUBBInG AWAy yEARS oF GRIME WITH
SUGAR SoAp, READy FoR pHoToGRApHy.”
An InTERnATIonAL CoLLECTIon WITH LoCAL ConnECTIonS
A finely rendered, 19th century statue of Ari-
adne resting on the back of a panther by the
Florentine sculptor, F. Vichi, is just one piece
in the collection of Melbourne antique dealer,
Graham Geddes, which resonates personally
with Guy Cairnduff, head of The Specialist
Collector department at Melbourne auction
house, Leonard Joel.
“I was a junior assistant in the decorative
arts department when this statue was con-
signed for auction. I was very lucky to be
given the opportunity to see the home it
came from before it arrived at the salerooms.
It came out of the South Yarra property of a
well-known Melbourne interior decorator,
the type of unassuming house you see every
so often as an auctioneer, only to find a treas-
ure trove hidden behind the front door. The
statue was stored in a glass house in the back-
yard of the property, covered in leaves but
remarkably intact.” Such was its weight, spe-
cialists in moving bank safes were engaged
to undertake the task of transporting it from
its resting place in the South Yarra backyard
to Leonard Joel’s salerooms. “I had the job
of scrubbing away years of grime with sugar
soap, ready for photography. The end result
was stunning.”
The Vichi statue is a copy of a piece executed
by the German sculptor, Johann Heinrich
von Dannecker (1758-1841) between 1810
and 1824 and is one of an anticipated 1500
lots which will be offered on behalf of Gra-
ham Geddes in a final dispersal of his stock
in trade in September 2012. It has been rep-
licated in numerous forms, including minia-
tures in porcelain, the panther signifying the
favoured mount of Dionysus, who, according
to Greek mythology, took Ariadne as his lover
following her abandonment by Theseus after
aiding his escape from the Minotaur. Stories
such as this abound in Geddes’ collection,
because over the past four decades he has not
only travelled the world sourcing the finest
quality items for his business, but has also
been a key participant in the local auction
market. A somewhat enigmatic figure, Gra-
ham Geddes is often the first person an auc-
tioneer would contact when anything really
special came into their salerooms. His flag-
ship premises in Melbourne’s High Street,
Armadale, encapsulates the image of what
the very best High Street antique dealership
should look like. However, the experience
of a visit to Graham Geddes Antiques for the
first time visitor can be one of contrasts. The
formality of entry to the building via security
entrance is immediately contrasted with the
familiarity of finding Darling the cat sound
asleep on an 18th century armchair, or the
sound of chirping crickets which have nested
undisturbed beneath the floorboards of what
is referred to as the ‘Old Shop’. This familiar-
ity is a reminder that above all, Graham Ged-
des Antiques is a family business, with Ged-
des’ five children involved in the day to day
running of the establishment and its various
off-shoots.
The next impression would have to be the
vast scale of the Geddes’ premises and inven-
tory. Once even larger, the business still
occupies four shop fronts, extending through
to the street behind and encompassing
numerous separate galleries and workshops.
The September auction has the feeling of a
coming together of two icons of the Austral-
ian antiques industry – Graham Geddes and
Leonard Joel. Over the last 40 years, the Ged-
des antique business has developed in tan-
gent with the Melbourne auctioneer, now in
its 93rd year of operation, with both entities
enduring and prospering in spite of a series
of well-documented economic recessions, a
generational shift in the antique-buying audi-
ence, bringing with it changes in customers’
appetites, and the shift in the bricks-and-
mortar retail buying landscape associated
with the rise of on-line purchasing.
Geddes attributes his longevity in the
antiques trade to his ability to adapt to
meet changes in the market, expanding the
scope of his business beyond simply selling
antiques to encompass film hire, commercial
hire and high-end real estate display. Con-
stant overseas travelling has given him the
ability to quickly respond to changing tastes,
sourcing stock from locations as far afield
as Marrakesh, Spain, India, Britain, France,
Italy and China.
Similarly, Leonard Joel has responded to
changing dynamics in the auction industry
with the development of The Specialist Col-
lector – a department with the specific aim of
providing tailored marketing for important
single owner or single category collections.
“The department was conceived to meet the
increasing interest amongst our clients in
the personal context of collections, which, in
some instances, was being lost in multi-ven-
dor auctions. In most cases in a single owner
auction, you can state the vendor’s name and
give people an insight into the personal his-
tory behind one person’s collection, which
is something our clients really respond to.
Being engaged to market the Graham Geddes
collection completely validates our decision
to focus on regaining the single-owner col-
lection market, which was previously domi-
nated by Leonard Joel.”
Another characteristic of Geddes’ collection
is a trait common amongst almost all passion-
ate antique dealers – a reticence to let go of
their most prized pieces. Such is his appre-
ciation for the scarcity of some of the gems
in his collection, Geddes quotes numerous
instance of pieces in his shop that have been
sold, bought back, then re-sold, only to be re-
acquired years later, with some pieces chang-
ing ownership as many as five times before
re-entering the inventory of Graham Geddes
Antiques. Once such example is a Louis XV
period Kingwood and marble commode by
the French cabinet maker, Francois Fleury.
The commode was originally sold by Geddes
to a Melbourne private collector. It was then
re-purchased by Geddes at a Sydney auction
in 2009 and is now to be offered for sale a fur-
ther time in September this year.
Other treasures from the Geddes collection
include an extraordinary mid 19th century
Italian Rococo style carved giltwood and
marble sidetable (see p.6). Purchased from
the sale of the contents of the impressive
English country house, Mentmore Towers in
1977, the table is a reminder of a bygone era of
lavish furnishing.
The shared history of Graham Geddes
Antiques and Leonard Joel is just one ele-
ment of an international calibre auction,
which will mark the conclusion of an impor-
tant chapter in the history of the Australian
antiques industry.
Enquiries:
Guy Cairnduff
Head of The Specialist Collector
(03) 8825 5611
By GUy CAIRnDUFF
7 MAyleonard
tHe weekly
The Weekly Auction – Viewing Wednesdays 9am to 8pm / Auction Thurdays 10am / View online at leonardjoel.com.au
theWeekLyTHE SpECIALIST pRInT AUCTIonnoW ConSIGnInG FoR AUCTIon THURSDAy 7 JUnE
THE DAnISH FURnITURE AUCTIonEnquiries
Nicole Salvo(03) 8825 5624 / [email protected]
cHArLes bLAcKmAn (born 1928) scHooLGirLs screenPrinT 21/80 64.5 x 45.5cmsoLD $1,080 (ibP)
This unusual 1960's garden egg chair by Peter Ghyczy (Hungary/Germany, born 1940), and manufactured by reuter Products realised $840 (ibP).
8 leonardMAy
aborIgInal art
Several years ago I attended an aboriginal
art auction fund raiser for a school’s very
worthy indigenous projects. Richard Alston,
then Minister for the Arts, was assisting and
key speaker at the event. He made a very
interesting, very honest and straight forward
observation that, amongst other benefits,
the aboriginal art industry had evolved in to
a very successful and valuable mechanism
for employment. His comments were not
those of a particularly passionate art buff
or commentator but those of an individual
that genuinely saw the social benefits of
active participation in art practice and in
this case with the Australian indigenous
community. Hughes in the piece discussed
earlier in Art and Money deals briefly with
the flipside of this dilemma and that is the
problem of over-production when too many
artists, art academics, museums and cashed
up masses converge and demand “more”.
This is precisely what has happened to the
Australian aboriginal art market over the
last decade. Early, very committed galleries
to aboriginal art spawned a genuine and
broad public interest in this contemporary
art movement which in turn precipitated
a broad retail gallery appeal and demand
for more decorative aboriginal works.
Then, let’s say over the last decade or so, a
fairly significant, by Australian standards,
secondary or auction market for aboriginal
art spearheaded by the then local branch
of Sotheby’s International, emerged. The
prices of what was considered good-to-great
aboriginal art rose like 'no one’s business'
and in retrospect what we had was a classic
early stage new market for an art category
that was peaking rapidly and in a bubble-
like manner – works were finding their way
from galleries to auction houses too quickly
and with unsustainable prices rises. This was
not just unique to aboriginal art but it was
aboriginal art that was young to the market,
by collecting standards, and was as such more
vulnerable to that dreaded “change in taste”
phenomena or maybe in this case, change
in appetite. The market for indigenous
art reached its emblematic zenith when a
local auction house transacted a work by
Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri for $2,400,000
(AUD) – in 1977 the Commonwealth Bank
of Australia had paid $1200 for the work. So
here we art market buffs go again – banging
on about extraordinary prices rises. But
let me briefly explore the flipside of these
heady prices. Fast forward not too far in
to the late 2000s and all of a sudden very
little aboriginal art was selling at auction
and what was selling was for a fraction of
its “2007” style price. This was not specific
to aboriginal art at auction but it was to
affect it more profoundly. In harmony with
less “art money” on offer, declining prices
and so much stock available, sales for more
considered aboriginal art, as opposed to, let’s
call them, decorative tourist pieces (and the
distinction is not a simple one), declined
dramatically. This has been the great shame
of the market in the last half decade as it
has gone from being a darling of the broad
collecting community to now a very cautious
market full of participants that are no longer
sure of which artists they should be collecting
and what price they should be paying. My
opinion is that no one is really talking about
how to get a relatively recent market that
has experienced an extreme downturn, back
within the collecting dialogue and thinking
of art collectors generally. The aboriginal
art of the last 30 years is too important to
fade away like some very brief art fad and I
believe it will recover but in what shape I am
not sure? At present one can acquire quality
works by one of the undisputed masters,
Emily Kame Kngwarreye, for $10,000 that
say five years ago were comfortably selling
for $30,000 – this is a feature of a market
that is no longer sure which works to collect
and by which artists. My view is that the
collecting community needs to start “talking
about aboriginal art” and not avoiding the
conversation about “what to do” when the
confluences of over-production, taste and
downturn unite to economically punish
an important component of our local art
and culture. Over-production is of itself a
worthy employment mechanism, assuming
sustainable demand, but it does different
things to the process of art appreciation and
the important element known as “serious
art collecting”, that ultimately sustains
and underpins long-term appreciation and
reverence for an art genre or culture. My
view is that collectors and academics should
start again “talking about” who are the great,
who are the good and who are the average
aboriginal artists in the market place so that
more collectors will come back and begin
dipping their toes in the water of this very
important market.
WE nEED To TALk ABoUT ABoRIGInAL ART
By JoHn ALBRECHT
9 MAyleonard
ClassIC furnIture, obJeCts & DesIgn
AUCTIon 3 JUnE 2012
The June Classic Furniture, Objects &
Design auction offers a select collection
of items in categories including Asian
works of art, modern design, important
Australian decorative arts, clocks
and barometers and European and
Australian furniture. With over 300
items to choose from, the June auction
showcases classic pieces in both the
modern and traditional decorative arts.
Enquiries:
Guy Cairnduff
Head of Classic Furniture,
Objects & Design
(03) 8825 5611
Classic Furniture, objects & DesignAuction Sunday 3 June 2012, 12pm
previewWednesday 30 May 2012 9am – 8pmThursday 31 May 2012 10am – 4pm
Friday 1 June 2012 10am – 4pmSaturday 2 June 2012 10am – 5pm
CLAssIC fUrnitUre, oBJeCts & Design
A JAPAnese brAss sTriKinG LAnTern cLocK (KAKe-DoKei) on brAcKeTcircA 1860estimate: $4,000 - $6,000
roberT PrenZeL (1866-1941)A rAre cArVeD LonG cAse cLocK, circA 1910rePUTeDLY PArT of THe oriGinAL fUrnisHinGs of GLenormisTon, WesTern DisTricT, VicToriATHe moVemenT sTAmPeD f. ZieGeLer, meLboUrneestimate: $20,000 - $30,000
10 leonardMAy
ClassIC furnIture, obJeCts & DesIgn
An imPressiVe cHinese sUZHoU embroiDereD siLK PAneLQinG DYnAsTY, 19TH cenTUrYestimate: $10,000 - $15,000
A cHinese cArVeD JADe boWL AnD cArVeD boxWooD sTAnDQinG DYnAsTY, 19TH cenTUrYestimate: $3,000 - $5,000
roberT PrenZeL (1866-1941)THe PAn consoLe, A PLAsTer reLief mAQUeTTe, circA 1890estimate: $1,000 - $2,000
An oPALescenT niGHT LiGHT on cHrome bAse bY mAriUs sAbinocircA 1930, siGneD sAbino frAnceestimate: $2,000 - $3,000
11 MAyleonard
art
2011 definitively confirmed Chinese
domination of the art market: with a
more than 40% share of the global art
market and six out of the world’s top
ten best-selling artists, China is now
incontrovertibly the world’s leader of the
art market. Art Market Trends 2011, Artprice.com
Last year I provided readers with a snapshot
of key facts from Art Market Trends 2010
produced annually by Artprice which is the
best global summary of art auction data. Last
year it was all about China and this year of
review, 2011, is no exception. If the previous
song Haizeng (chinese, born 1969)edge of the city blue series #3 2000, acrylic on linen, 99.5 x 80.5cmsold for $7,200 (ibP)
year marked China’s rise as the new global
powerhouse of international art trade, 2011
confirmed this was no flash in the pan. The
figures coming out of Chinese art auctions
are truly breathtaking and clearly reflect the
enormous and rapid disposable wealth being
generated by a highly acquisitive population
and government, with public museums
popping up all over mainland China. Below
I summarise key facts about the 2011 year at
auction:
• In 2011, China represented 41% of global
art auction trade
• More high-value art is being sold in China
(this naturally includes Beijing, Shanghai
and Hong Kong) than anywhere else in the
world
• Drawings, typically a small global catalogue
by turnover, have skyrocketed due to the
Chinese appetite for drawn works on paper
with annual revenue up by $1.318 billion
• In many ways the global art economy
reflects the two speed nature of the
Australian economy; a relatively weak
European and American trade while China
and other Asian states are experiencing a
profound early stage explosion in art trade
• The GFC and subsequent economic turmoil
have certainly driven more dollars in to the
art asset class by investors that consider it a
relatively safe area to park some cash that is
not performing on the share markets
• This previous point seemed to be confirmed
somewhat by a record $11.57 billion in art
traded in calendar 2011 which is the highest
figure ever recorded (readers should note
that this is profoundly influenced by the
explosion in Chinese art trade that grew
49% in the 2011, yes that’s 49%!)
• Christie’s and Sotheby’s art turnover
covered 47% in 2011 compared to 73% in
the early 2000s – Chinese auction houses
and the rise of internet trade are considered
key drivers of this decline in art market
dominance – the writer would not at all
be surprised if a Chinese billionaire with
a passion for art might decide one day to
acquire a trophy brand like Sotheby’s or
Christie’s
• While the European, American and
English auction art markets can be measured
in centuries the Asian one can be measured
in a single decade – it clearly has a long way
to go!
• Modern art, as opposed to contemporary
or traditional areas, remains at the heart of
the global trade and as if to prove the point
of their rise, China can now claim as its own
the two highest grossing artists in the world
– move over Picasso and Warhol
• But it is not just Modern art that it is being
driven up by the Chinese. The Old Master
Wang Meng now sits between no less than
Rubens and Raphael, yes Raphael, as the
second most expensive work ever to sell in
this category at auction at $54 million
• Interestingly, the Contemporary art sector
sold more works by volume in 2011 than ever
before and nearly double that since 2001
with 62% of works selling for $5000 or less
• Unsold works at auction peaked in
2008/2009 and the figure is now declining
slightly albeit still fairly high compared to
the heady days of 2006/2007
• The 'Shark in the Tank' artist Damien Hirst,
is identified as perhaps the emblematic fad
artist of the last decade with nine (9) million
dollar results in 2011 compared to sixty-five
(65) in the 2006-2008 period
• Christie’s announced a 29% increase in
online art revenues from 2010 to 2011
And for those interested, where do
Australian artists sit by turnover in the top
500 artists globally?
Ranking
Brett Whiteley 225
Russell Drysdale 291
Arthur Boyd 350
John Brack 406
Fred Williams 408
Jeffrey Smart 481
Sidney Nolan 482
ARTMARkET TREnDS2011 – A STATISTICAL pERSpECTIVE
By JoHn ALBRECHT
12 leonardMAy
art
147DoLK LUnDGren (Dolk)starwars 8 2004enamel stencil print on card a/pthree Queen stencils applied verso 64 x 102cmestimate $500 - 700
Consigned for Sunday 24 June 2012
JoHn GLoVer (briTisH/AUsTrALiAn 1767-1849)Landscape View, oil on canvas, 75 x 111cmestimate $60,000 - $80,000
STREET AnD FInE ART FRoM CITyLIGHTS pRoJECTS 1992-2012
the AnDy MAC CoLLeCtion
The Andy Mac Collection AuctionSunday 6 May 2012 at 12pm
previewWednesday 2 May 2012 10am – 8pmThursday 3 May 2012 10am – 4pmFriday 4 May 2012 10am – 4pmSaturday 5 May 2012 10am – 5pm
EnquiriesMonique Le Grand(03) 8825 5620 / [email protected]
JUne fine ArTWe are currently seeking entries for our June
Sunday Fine Art Sale. Entries for this sale
close on Friday 18th May.
Works already consigned include two large
and impressive landscapes by John Glover
and a large regatta view by Haughton
Forrest.
Leonard Joel is seeking works by Ethel
Carrick Fox, Clarice Beckett, Fred Williams,
John Brack, Margaret Olley as well as English
and European paintings and watercolours
and Australian sculpture.
For a complimentary market valuation please contact:
Briar Williams
(03) 8825 5608
13 MAyleonard
Jewellery
The type of jewellery that a woman will
wear for work is normally vastly different
than what she will put on for a night out.
For a bit of evening "bling" cocktail jewellery
has made a resurgence for those of us who
want to be noticed or personalize their
outfit. There are some stunning pieces of
cocktail jewellery available from Art Deco
to modernist designs. Now with many top
designers lending their names to various
ranges, cocktail jewellery has come into its
own and can be enjoyed by all.
Cocktail jewellery can be characterized by
the period in history in which it was made.
The Art Deco period (1920 – 1930) was
an attempt to combine the harshness of
mass production with the sensitivity of art
and design. This period saw the advent of
long pendants, jewelled bangle bracelets,
elaborately set cocktail rings and decorated
accessory items such as cigarette cases and
powder compact holders. Many of these
pieces still survive today and are regularly
available at auction.
The Retro period (1935-1950) saw an
exaggeration of the designs from the previous
two decades and a more afford affordable
style was created. This was due to restrictions
on platinum, the use of synthetic stones and
not as much emphasis on diamonds. This
style was extremely popular in America,
however many European designers such as
Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier & Boucheron also
adopted this mode of jewellery. This was the
time when Hollywood stars actually 'owned'
their own jewellery and set the trends.
The jewels evoked style, glamour and
sophistication. Motifs included flowers,
bows, and sunburst designs with a
Hollywood flair. Also popular were horse
motifs, military influences and ballerinas.
The most poignant motif is surely the bird
in the cage, symbolizing the occupation of
France. Of course at the end of the war, the
cage door opened - the birds and the people
of Europe were liberated.
In the Art Modern period (1945 – 1960)
following World War II, jewellery designs
became more traditional and understated.
The big, bold styles of the Retro period
were replaced by the more tailored styles
of jewellery. These included floral motifs,
flora and fauna, which followed the feminine
fashions of the day. Women continued to look
to Hollywood and Paris for their inspiration.
An extensive range of “bling” jewellery
is available today in a wide array of price
ranges. The most exclusive and popular
designs are still made by the leading world
fashion designers and jewellery houses. On a
dreary day, such jewellery allows us to walk
tall and have fun.
The Leonard Joel Fine Jewellery Auction
on the 17th of June 2012 will feature a wide
variety of cocktail jewellery.
CoCkTAIL JeWeLLery
Fine Jewellery AuctionSunday 17 June 2012, 12pm
previewWednesday 13 June 2012 9am – 8pmThursday 14 June 2012 10am – 4pm
Friday 15 June 2012 10am – 4pmSaturday 16 June 2012 10am – 5pm
EnquiriesJohn D'Agata
(03) 8825 5605 / john.dagata@leonardjoel
A PAir of cocKTAiL eArrinGs bY VAn cLeef AnD ArPeLs estimate $10,000 - $15,000
An eAsTern DiAmonD AnD rUbY brAceLeT estimate $1,800 - $2,200
A DiAmonD AnD onYx noVeLTY broocH estimate $1,800 – $2,200
A corAL AnD DiAmonD cocKTAiL rinG estimate $800 - $1,000
A GoLD fAncY LinK cHAin estimate $1,400 - $1,600
By JoHn D'AGATA
14 leonardMAy
upCoMIng auCtIons
A significant Single Owner Collection
of Modern Design will be auctioned
by Leonard Joel on Sunday 20th May
2012. The collection sourced from
Europe, Australia and the USA features
iconic designers such as Charles and
Ray Eames, Harry Bertoia, Robin Day,
Clement Meadmore and Arredoluce.
These unique items of furniture,
lighting, decorative objects, books
and art on offer reflect the collector’s
passion and interest in high-quality
mid-century design.
Leonard Joel is now seeking entries for
its forthcoming Photography Auction to
be held in July 2012.
Already consigned is a fantastic collec-
tion of works by Bruno Benini, one of
Australia’s leading 20th century fash-
ion photographers. For five decades the
Italian immigrant recorded the evolu-
tion of fashion, from the 1950s through
to the 1990s. Establishing his studio in
Melbourne in the mid 1950s, Benini
refined his craft, working alongside
famed photographers Helmut Newton
and Athol Shmith.
EnquiriesBriar Williams(03) 8825 [email protected]
EnquiriesEoghan Doherty(03) 8825 5632 / [email protected]
single owner ColleCtion
Modern Design AuctionSunday 20 May 2012 at 2pm
previewWednesday 16 May 2012 10am – 8pmThursday 17 May 2012 10am – 4pmFriday 18 May 2012 10am – 4pmSaturday 19 May 2012 10am – 5pm
ModernDesignAUCtion
now Consigning ENTRIES CLOSE FRIday 16 JuNE
pHoToGRApHIC AUCTIon
AnGeLo LeLLiA TriennieLe THree Arm fLoor LAmPArredoluceitaly, c. 1952
brUno benini (1925 - 2001)Hot soup 1957silver Gelatin Photograph11 x 15 inches
brUno benini (1925 - 2001)models wearing dresses by concept for Gala 1975silver Gelatin Photograph11 x 15 inches
HAns beLLmAnA recLininG sofAswitzerland, c. 1952
robin DAYA recLininG ArmcHAirHille, england, c. 1952
15 MAyleonard
Dr. MarguerIte MaHooD
Australian ceramics have become, over the
past three decades, one of the most collectable
and desirable forms of Australiana. The
variety of works available, the vibrancy
of colour, form and price offer unique
opportunities for both the established and
aspiring collectors to develop their interest,
taste and knowledge. For many the tactile
quality of ceramics give a very personal
dimension to collecting – the items can be
held, moved around and displayed in a variety
of ways to capture both natural or artificial
light, but most importantly are distinctive
insights to the owner’s personality.
In the history of Australian ceramics
Marguerite Mahood is at the forefront in
terms of her originality, variety, taste and
technical skills.
The recent exhibition of works by Dr.
Mahood at Hurnall’s Decorative Arts
offered a unique opportunity to review her
place at the centre of the development of
Australian arts and crafts and to view new
and interesting material sourced from the
Mahood family archives and collection.
Born in Richmond in 1901, Dr. Mahood
attended Presbyterian Ladies College
prior to beginning art classes from 1915 at
the National Gallery School, Melbourne,
under the guidance of Frederick McCubbin.
Showing early promise she exhibited
successfully from her mid-teens to old age at
major Melbourne and Sydney Galleries.
Dr. Mahood was a significant public figure
in the arts in Australia. Her weekly radio
broadcasts for the Australian Broadcasting
Commission were a first for an Australian
female artist and covered a wide range of her
interests from the history of art to interior
design. By mid-career her significance
was well understood and the first major
published history of Australian art – ‘The
Story of Australian Art’ by William Moore
recognised her as a sculptor of note. From
1934 to 1950 she exhibited regularly at Sedon
Galleries Collins Street, David Jones Sydney
and was selected for the 1956 Olympic
Sculpture Exhibition. As an established artist
she was influential in the Melbourne Society
of Women Painters and the Arts and Crafts
Society and helped found the Australian
ceramics Society and the Victorian Sculptors
Society.
A person of great energy, enterprise and skill
she taught pottery, managed a textile firm
and published widely in the popular and
specialised press on art and sculpture. Her
younger contemporary the distinguished
ceramicist Klytie Pate was an inspired
admirer – both followed a common interest
in feline images. Many of her paintings,
drawings and linocuts illustrate her
interest in Art Noveau and all things feline,
which was a particular feature of that art
movement. The work of William Ricketts at
Mt. Dandenong also caught her attention.
In the 1930’s and 1940’s her interests
broadened into successful children’s books,
a return to study and a heightened interest
in politics, shared with many other artists,
and given dramatic focus in the Spanish civil
war. Along with her husband she became a
member of the Communist Party of Australia
and opposed fascism and all forms of racism.
Unusually, the subject matter of her art did
not follow the social realism of others with
similar political interests. Rather, whimsy,
her interest in Art Noveau, Pre-Raphaelitism
and neo Gothic styles and in fantastical
grotesqueries both set her apart from others
and have been the basis of her continuing
wide appeal to successive generations of
Australian collectors. The success of her
objects is enhanced by her use of vibrant
glazes and the range of colours carefully
applied.
Dr. Mahood was personally and creatively
involved in all stages of her ceramic
production from selection and digging of the
clay to stoking the kiln. High level technical
skills were required for her double walled
‘pierced’ work vessels and these continue
to arouse enthusiasm from contemporary
practicing potters. Commentators on her
work have also stated that her keen sense of
balance, proportion and scale derives from
an innate ability to compose a piece using
a subjective form of mathematics. Similar
attention to detail and skill is shown in her
preliminary drawings, which are included
alongside her ceramics in this Exhibition
and Sale at Hurnall’s Decorative Arts, where
an initial visual idea is developed through
successive stages of extraordinary fastidious
detail, into final images in the mixed
mediums of either watercolour, Indian ink,
pencil, crayon or hand coloured linocuts. In
later life Dr. Mahood combined art and study
and undertook research for a PhD at the
University of Melbourne on the history of
political cartoons in Australia. Dr. Mahood’s
work is held in all major Australian public
collections and is well represented in large
Australian private collections which feature
the decorative arts. Holdings of note are
the Australian National Gallery, Canberra,
The National Gallery of Victoria, the Art
Gallery of New South Wales, the excellent
collection of Australian ceramics held by the
Shepparton Art Gallery and the Powerhouse
Museum, Sydney.
Along with other prominent Australian
ceramicists her value has soared over the
past two decades. Because of the variety
of her work, ranging from small objects to
stunning complex pieces, her current prices
range from the hundreds of dollars to well in
excess of many thousands of dollars. Limited
supply has meant that any new works on
the market have aroused keen interest and
competition.
A WoMAn'S ToUCH By MARVIn HURnALL
THE CREATIVE LEGACy oF DR. MARGUERITE MAHooD (1901 - 1989)
16 leonardMAy
oCeanIC art
In the early 1970s an intrepid and youthful
Ed Boylan and his brother Chris, set off to
Papua New Guinea as volunteers for the
Paulian Association, a Roman Catholic
organisation which assisted developing
countries in areas of education, health
and trade. The brothers soon became
enamoured with the indigenous art of the
region and this led to the founding of the
Paulian Association Gallery in Sydney which
raised funds for the organisation’s programs
in Papua New Guinea.
Later on the Boylan brothers became
independent tribal dealers and collectors
carving a strong reputation within the tribal
field, with Ed focusing on the arts of New
Guinea and Chris on Oceania.
Ed Boylan’s first gallery was Gallery
Primitive, Cairns which featured objects
and artefacts collected directly in the field
from a diverse range of tribes including the
Abelam, Sawos, Mundugamos, Nukumu,
Papuan Gulf and Sepik. By the late 1970s
Boylan expanded to a larger gallery called
Gallery Tikowi, also in Cairns. During his
career Boylan placed works in institutions
that include the National Gallery of Victoria
and Queensland Museum.
Amongst the works formerly belonging to
Ed Boylan is the uncommon Monumental
Figurative Roof Lintel (lot 3003), an
architectural feature made for a Men’s
House. This was collected at source with
Anthony Meyer, the renowned Oceanic
dealer and author and close colleague of
Boylan.
A handful of pieces were collected by other
highly respected individuals in the tribal
realm; Todd Barlin originally sourced the
handsome April River House Door (lot
3039) as well as the Large Asmat War Shield
(lot 3040, illustrated) in the field.
A notable feature of the sale is a rare late
nineteenth century Killenge Club (lot 3047),
also titled the Widow Killer which perhaps,
unsurprisingly, was a cultural practice
banned in the mid twentieth century by the
missionaries.
The current owner of the collection
acquired these works from Ed Boylan a
number of years ago. He shares with Boylan
an interest in the Oceanic arts, evident in the
varied and unique pieces on offer.
3019fineLY DeTAiLeD KWomA YinA fiGUre with strong red pigment, mid 20th century. Washkuk Hills, Papua new Guinea. Yam ceremony. 123cm (height)estimate $250 - $350
3026monUmenTAL AbeLAm fiGUrATiVe HoUse PosT cArVeD As mALe AncesTrAL fiGUre with remnant pigments. circa 1920-40. This figure is from a large communal house in the maprik region, Prince Alexander mountains, Papua new Guinea. 240cm (height)estimate $3,000 - $5,000
By SopHIE ULLInabORIgINaL & TRIbaL aRT
SpECIaLIST FOR LEONaRd JOEL
oCeAnIC ArtFoRMERLy FRoM THE ED BoyLAn CoLLECTIon
3001KAKAme fiGUre, DAncinG bUsH sPiriT mid 20th century. Papuan Gulf, Papuan new Guinea. Placed outside as protective figures. 90cm (height)estimate $200 - $300
The oceanic Art AuctionThursday 3 May 2012, 11:30am
previewWednesday 2 May 2012 9am – 8pm
3040LArGe AsmAT WAr sHieLD, cUrViLineAr inciseD DesiGns and remnant ochres, mid 20th century. 173cm (height)estimate $350 - $550
17 MAyleonard
ColleCtables
Bob Simpson began collecting American
Civil War artefacts in 1966. His first acqui-
sition was an Enfield rifle shortly followed
by an early Colt Army revolver; believed
to be one of the first 500 supplied by Colt
to officers in the Civil War. Over the next
twenty years Bob amassed hundreds of
items, largely sourced from well known
American history dealers in the U.S. The
collection is incredibly diverse, including
rifles, swords, revolvers, bullet moulds, tin-
type photographs, carte-de-visites, cloth-
ing, accoutrements and documents. Many
of these item have been identified to a par-
ticular soldier and, through Bob’s exhaus-
tive research nearly every item is accompa-
nied by that individual’s regimental details,
army and pension files and burial informa-
tion. This remarkable collection is the fin-
est of its type to come to auction in recent
years and is sure to generate a great deal of
overseas interest.
MILITARIA InCLUDInG THE BoB SIMpSon CoLLECTIon oF AMERICAn CIVIL WAR MEMoRABILIA
CIVIL WAR CoLLECTIon
By GILES Moon
The five items illustrated over pages 18 to 19 form part of the bob simpson collection
illuminated address of a soldier's civil War service
rare Army 36 cal. revolver, circa 1850s
18 leonardMAy
ColleCtables
now consigning collectaBles, toys & sPorting MeMoraBilia For JUly 2012
rare civil War cap
infantry captain's cape and frock coat
Tintype photograph of calvin L. merrill Juniorco. 'G' 101st new York
19 MAyleonard
Fermoy Estate, a premium winery in
the heart of Western Australia’s world-
renowned Margaret River wine region has
forged a relationship with us here at Leonard
Joel. Since 2011, Fermoy Estate and Leonard
Joel have been working together to provide
unique opportunities and quality products to
customers of both Leonard Joel and Fermoy
Estate.
We are excited to have such an award
winning winery with an enviable reputation
for producing top quality wines partner with
us. Fermoy wines are sold and appreciated
across Australia and around the world and
can now be enjoyed at all of our exciting
Leonard Joel events in 2012.
Fermoy is perhaps best known for the fact
their Cabernet Sauvignon was one of just
five wines – and the only WA wine – served
at the official reception for the wedding of
Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederick
of Denmark in 2004. Equally impressive,
however, is the large number of awards and
accolades Fermoy continues to receive across
its range of premium wines.
Since Fermoy Estate’s establishment more
than 25 years ago, the winery has been
expanded to accommodate dynamic growth,
from 120 cases at first vintage to more than
30,000 cases annually. Fermoy Estate is now
heading in a new direction. They are having
a complete relaunch of their brand, while
retaining the same great quality, award-
winning wines that have achieved such
notoriety. There will be a new cellar door,
new labels and packaging, exclusive relaunch
events and more.
Fermoy combines its experience with a
youthful approach most evident in the
fact that they have two young female wine
makers, local Liz Dawson together with
French born and trained Coralie Garnier
Lewis. The combination of Liz’s local
knowledge and experience of the region with
Coralie’s French training and upbringing
makes this winemaking team ideally placed
to produce the finest Bordeaux style wines
that Margaret River has become so famous
for. Through careful fruit selection and the
skill of their winemaking team, Fermoy is
able to craft distinctive award winning wines
full of unique flavours and characters.
Fermoy Estate is a family owned winery
and the owners are a very passionate West
Australian family who have put a lot of care
and attention in maintaining the fantastic
quality of the wine while moving the business
in an exciting new direction.
Fermoy Estate’s wines are offered across
three ranges from the premium, award-
winning Reserve range through to the very
affordable FE wines. The Estate range is the
core range with a number of highly awarded
wines both locally and around the world. The
Cabernet Sauvignon scooped a Gold Sheraton
wine award in its first year of production and
it has continued to receive awards across its
range ever since.
The winery has been awarded a 5 star
rating by James Halliday’s Australian
Wine Companion, the definitive guide to
Australian wines. In 2012, no less than ten
of Fermoy Estate’s wines achieved over 90
points in Halliday’s rating system, no easy
accomplishment, with its 2009 Cabernet
Sauvignon Reserve receiving 96 points, one
of the highest ratings for this varietal in
Margaret River.
Thanks to our partnership with Fermoy
Estate we are pleased to offer our clients
and friends this unique opportunity to
purchase these amazing wines at special
pricing extended only to friends of Leonard
Joel. Please find an order form below for this
exclusive opportunity.
ferMoy estate wIne offer
THE FInE ART oF WInEMAkInG
✂
S
PEC
IAL
OFF
ER
N
ame:
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2009
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2010
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20 leonardMAy
On one of Anthony Lister’s paintings in the
Fox Galleries Urbanised Influence show of
2001 (his first gallery exhibition) the young
artist had inscribed the phrase art = crime.
Although my first thoughts on seeing these
words was that the reference was to the genre
of street art – where in Brisbane it really was
and is a crime to engage in unauthorised pub-
lic art - it struck me then and it still resonates
that for some people art really is crime.
Arts writer Terry Ingram uncovered a sen-
sational event in 1978 when nine ‘Jackson
Pollocks’ were exhibited for the first time in
Perth. According to the curator of the exhi-
bition the works had been bought in the
United States from three Washington col-
lections, a result of “two opportune divorce
settlements and a corporation short of ready
cash”. Ingram thought the works resembled
“the do-it-yourself machine productions of
a fairground sideshow” – but the final word
on the paintings was delivered by Eugene V.
Thaw, who was then the President of the Art
Dealers Association of America.
Thaw declared the ‘Pollocks’ would not be
accepted into the raison d’etre he was com-
piling on the artist, rather they would be
“illustrated in the section of forgeries at the
end of the book”. To rub salt in the wound
he suggested Australia should “examine your
provinciality to allow this to get this far” and
stated “this would not have lasted ten min-
utes in the streets of New York”!
Such stories make great headlines for the
newspapers and the art world never disap-
points to provide colourful images and quotes
when the occasion arises – but I believe the
problem of art crime in Australia is exagger-
ated. What is not exaggerated, however, is
the inaction of federal and state governments
in Australia to do something about it.
For a simple comparison to how other coun-
tries are handling this issue - a google search
for “uk art crime” will take you to the Art
and Antiques Unit of New Scotland Yard in
England. There you will find helpful hints to
protect both owners and potential buyers of
valuable goods and a link to the London Sto-
len Arts Database. If you google “australia art
crime” you will be led to an array of academic
papers and the types of salacious stories
referred to above.
In my previous article I discussed how,
despite its current shortcomings, the resale
royalty (RR) scheme established two years
ago could not only provide a database of val-
uable art trades but it could also be used as
the platform for an art market investigations
unit. There are three important steps that
could be taken to make this happen.
First, an acknowledgement that the art mar-
ket is comprised of both artists and collectors
in a way that is not dissimilar to the share
market having both buyers and sellers – and
then amend the RR laws accordingly. One
change that would help matters would be to
increase the lower threshold for RR reporting
to a figure like $5,000 – which would mean
the database of resales is focused on valuable
art trades and at the same time remove the
disincentives to trade in emerging art.
Second, legislation to enable the various
State fair trading laws in relation to the com-
merce of art to be harmonised and prioritised
by the Commonwealth in a way not unlike
how ASIC now has carriage over our com-
pany laws.
Finally, the establishment of a dedicated
police unit for art fraud complaints. Cur-
rently, these complaints must be made to the
relevant State police force where the fraud
took place (not always easy to establish) and
they are investigated in the same manner as
other types of frauds or lost property claims
in spite of their very specialised nature. In
2005 a Brisbane artist was accused of Aus-
tralia’s biggest art theft – splashed on the
front pages of both The Courier-Mail and
The Australian – because the police had
unknowingly accepted a valuation from the
complainant which had grossly overstated
the value of the artworks in question. The
artist was eventually acquitted.
There have been some important recent
developments that would enable the estab-
lishment of an arts investigations unit, not
least the Blackman v Gant case in 2010. In
that case artists Charles Blackman and Rob-
ert Dickerson took action against Melbourne
art dealer Peter Gant under the Fair Trad-
ing Act on the basis that he knowingly sold
works he knew were not right and by doing
so he breached Section 9 of the Act – engag-
ing in commerce “misleading or deceptive
or is likely to mislead or deceive”. The art-
ists were successful in preventing the works
being “recirculated” in the market and had
them handed back, whereby they were pub-
licly burnt. This was a ground-breaking case
but the reaction of government in the two
years since the decision has been silence.
It does seem that with all the regulations
imposed on the arts industry in the last five
years there is not one politician in the coun-
try who sees an imperative in providing both
the market and the public with the neces-
sary protections other industries enjoy as a
matter of right. Instead the problem of art
crime – exaggerated by its newsworthiness -
has become a stalking horse against the arts
industry in issues as diverse as the extreme
new super art laws and the continual inac-
tion to provide real taxation incentives for
the visual arts.
ArT BUsiness
art busIness
michael fox is a qualified accountant and
professional fine art valuer who successfully
ran the save super Art campaign to prevent
the prohibition of artworks from self-managed
superannuation funds (smsfs). He is a member
of the Leonard Joel Valuation Panel and is
engaged exclusively by Leonard Joel to provide
advice to their clients in relation to artwork
investment in smsfs. He may be contacted at
“Art is A lie thAt brings us neArer to the truth”
PABLO PiCASSO
By Michael Fox
21 MAyleonard
If not speak with a Leonard Joel art specialist who are now offering sellers of valuable art a 105% return on the final sale price. If we sell your painting for $40,000 or more, you will enjoy no transaction costs pLuS a 5% rebate over and above the sale price.
Conditions apply.
IS yoUR FInE ART AUCTIon HoUSE RETURnInG yoU 105% oF THE SALE pRICE?
attention Fine art sellers