Overseas art reached some electrifying results in the sale room late last year with a pair of pastel portraits by the 18thc Irish portraitist Hugh Douglas Hamilton 1739-1808 (Hammer Price $62,500); “Prince Charles Edward Stuart 1720-1788 (‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’)”, and “Cardinal Duke of York (younger brother of Bonnie Prince Charlie)”, both c1785.
This was closely followed by strong bidding for three very fine portraits by the Scottish Royal Academician Sir Henry Raeburn 1756-1823, all circa 1825.
Our famous Christmas Auction of fine jewels caused excitement with an astonishing 11.50ct brilliant pear cut diamond ring (Lot 38) selling for $140,000 (Hammer Price).
Fancy Pink diamonds also featured strongly, with $28,000 (HP) achieved for Lot 171 “A Pleasing Pink Diamond Ring”, and $16,000 (HP) for Lot 92 another fancy pink diamond ring of great allure.
It was gratifying to see over 90% of the art sold at our much anticipated first auction of 2024 on March 19th, with almost two thirds exceeding estimate, a fantastic result.
Two very rare and beautiful John Gould lithographs, (Lots 18 and 19), the jewels in the crown from the ‘Birds of Australia’ series (the Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo and the Black Swan) sold for $12,000 each (Hammer Price), and an exceedingly rare and unique photographic album (Lot 156) of considerable historical interest by William Henry Kretchmar 1856-1945 fetched $24,000 (HP), showing interest in Australian and Western Australian items is alive and well.
We are now inviting entries, for our Premium Level May auction, “Art, Collectables and Jewellery”.