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William Kentridge flower print tops results at Strauss & Co's spring sale

23 Sep 2022

Historical Cape silverware and Chinese ceramics from the Qing dynasty outstripped expectations. Two wines by the celebrated Australian winemaker Penfolds yielded excellent results. And a highly sought-after proof print by William Kentridge, Dutch Iris, sold for R2.05 million/$364 900, led a strong set of results for the art department. Collector enthusiasm for first-rate works by Kentridge, whose star continues to rise, with major career surveys in London and Los Angeles opening soon, saw four examples of his ambitious print output find buyers.

The art sales affirmed established reputations, but also heralded new ones. Albert Adams, John Mohl, George Pemba, Gerard Sekoto, Alfred Thoba and Ndikhumbule Ngqinambi all commanded strong prices for their figurative paintings, confirming the durability of a global trend for so-called “black figuration”. Works by historical painters Dorothy Kay, J.H. Pierneef, Alexis Preller, Irma Stern and Vladimir Tretchikoff all found buyers. A large single-owner collection of modern and contemporary South African painting assembled by Cape Town collector Oliver Powell yielded notable results, especially for Robert Hodgins – who will be the subject of a single-artist sale hosted by Strauss & Co in November.

“I am greatly encouraged by these steady results, especially in these socially and economically unstable times,” says Frank Kilbourn, Chairperson, Strauss & Co. “I always say that buying art is an expression of optimism: you cannot eat art when you’re hungry, cannot cover your head with it when it rains, nor can you drive it to work. All of these needs are priorities for people right now and have unavoidably impacted the art market. Despite these headwinds, I believe our excellent wine results, the stellar performance of Chinese ceramics and strong interest in Oliver Powell’s wonderful single-owner collection of paintings are a source of optimism.”

Presented over four days, Cape Town Auction Week opened with a sale of New World icon wines from Australia, Chile, New Zealand, South Africa and the United States. The outstanding lot from this white-glove sale (all 91 lots offered were sold) was a single bottle of the 1962 vintage Coonawarra Cabernet Kalimna Shiraz by Penfolds. The wine shattered the pre-sale estimate of R7 000 /$1246 when it sold for R125 180 / $7 016. A 1964 vintage of Pensfolds’ celebrated Grange Hermitage sold for R45 520 / $2 557. Alheit Vineyards and Vilafonté were the standout South African wines.

The outstanding sale of a 19th-century Chinese blue and white vase for R318 640 / $17,842 from the Property of the Estate Late Tiemen Groen led a strong set of results for ceramic pieces, this despite the late rescheduling of the Asian art session to accommodate the worldwide televised funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elisabeth II. A 19^th century finely painted Chinese enamel dish sold for R125 180 and a Chinese famille-rose vase from the Tongzhi period fetched R56 900 / $3.142. The top-selling Cape silver pieces, both came from the Louis and Mavis Shill Collection – a tessie-on-stand by Daniel Heinrich Schmidt, late 18^th century, sold for R170 700 / $9 539, and an early 19^th century covered sugar bowl by Carel David Lotter, sold for R147 940 / 8.249. An 18ct white gold “Sky-dweller” rolex Oyster perpetual wristwatch and a Lady’ 18ct white gold and diamond Santos Demoiselle Cartier topped the jewellery sale.

The art department introduced its excellent catalogue with an evening session entirely devoted to works assembled since the early 1990s by collector Oliver Powell. Stanley Pinker’s undated composition of a boating scene tied with William Kentridge’s important 1988 screenprint, Art in a State of Siege (100 Years of Easy Living), as top earner in the Powell Collection. The works sold for R455 200 / $25.531each. The presentation of the Powell Collection included a number of artists’ focuses. All 14 works by Robert Hodgins found buyers. Works by Brian Bradshaw, Kate Gottgens, Simon Stone and Alfred Thoba all attracted interested bidders and sold above estimate.

The descendants of the original owner of Vladimir Tretchikoff’s Balinese Dancer (sold for R1.5 million / $ 84,163) and Zulu Maiden (sold for R1.13 million / $72,941.), acquired in 1973, attended the sale. Their excitement was leavened by a note of sadness in saying goodbye to the family heirloom. Dorothy Kay’s important and iconic portrait, Old Oyster Woman, also sold for R1 250 million /$70,085, as did Alexis Preller’s Primavera (1970), a disembodied profile portrait executed in his intaglio technique. Interest in Keith Alexander’s later-career gothic realism was confirmed by the sale of Night Caller (1994) for R739 700 / $4145. Acclaimed contemporary sculptors Dylan Lewis and Angus Taylor also recorded solid results.