ISSUE 85 APRIL – MAY 2020
LEONARD
APRIL
Modern Design Monday 6 April, 6.30pm / MELBOURNE Luxury Tuesday 7 April, 6.30pm / MELBOURNE Prints & Multiples Wednesday 8 April, 6.30pm / MELBOURNE Australiana
MAY
Thursday 30 April, 2pm / MELBOURNE Centum Tuesday 5 May, 6.30pm / MELBOURNE Decorative Arts Monday 18 May, 6.30pm / MELBOURNE Asian Works of Art Tuesday 19 May, 6.30pm / MELBOURNE
JUNE
auction calendar —
Jewels Monday 1 June, 6.30pm / SYDNEY Fine Art Tuesday 2 June, 6.30pm / MELBOURNE Modern Design Monday 15 June, 6.30pm / MELBOURNE The Thursday Auction Furniture & Interiors – 10am Jewellery – 10.30am Art Salon – 11.30am Objects & Collectables – 12pm MELBOURNE
LEFT: Art Glass Vase by Gaux
COVER: Brook Andrew
$500-700
Peace 2005 sceenprint W/P $3,000 - 5,000
Modern Design Auction Monday 6 April, 6.30pm
Prints & Multiples Auction Wednesday 8 April, 6pm
welcome —
This Issue FROM THE DIRECTOR 3 Cool, Collaborative Collecting FEATURE 4 Design Icons Week AUCTIONS 6 Modern Design: A Space Oddity 8 Luxury: Alessandro Michele for Gucci
In this issue, we are delighted to present Design Icons Week, an exciting collaboration between departments to showcase the very best in furniture, lighting, luxury fashion and modern prints. We also explore the changing culture of collecting Asian art, dive underwater to examine saltwater pearls, explore Alessandro Michele's designs for Gucci, and get to know four contemporary artists that will be exhibited in our upcoming auction, Centum. We hope you enjoy!
10 Prints & Multiples: The Larry Rawling Collection 12 Private Collections: The Ambassador Nicolaas Arie Johannes De Voogd Collection 14 Private Collections: The John Scarce Collection of Porcelain 16 Centum: Featured Contemporary Artists 20 Jewels: Saltwater Pearls, Miracles of the Sea 22 Sydney: The Boucheron Pansy Brooch Pin 24 Asian Works of Art: A Culture of Collecting – IN FOCUS 26 5 Minutes with Hannah Ryan 27 22nd Report: Announcing Our New Best Practice 28 Valuations 29 Arts Project Australia: 3X3 JOIN US 32 Connect & Buy with Leonard Joel 33 Contact a Leonard Joel Specialist
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— PROFILE —
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— FROM THE DIRECTOR —
COOL, COLLABORATIVE COLLECTING Introducing Design Icons Week
When our new Marketing Manager, Blanka Nemeth, asked me to introduce Design Icons Week I admit I was at a bit of a loss. While I certainly appreciate the form of a simple Featherston chair, find the emergence of the great leathermaker Hermes at auction completely logical and am impressed by Banksy’s clear skill in poetically weaving politics in to his work, I would be fibbing to suggest that these categories are my forte. That is why I looked immediately to our three specialists in this area; Anna Grassham from Modern Design who literally “owns” this auction category in Australia with her trademark enthusiasm and focus on knowing all the movements of the great design manufacturers, Bethany McGougan in Luxury who can explain (almost scientifically) why some luxury handbags work well on the forearm and others don’t, and Hannah Ryan of Prints & Multiples who with a warmth and ease can expertly talk you through what’s extraordinary within her “hang”. So, what did they tell me about this feast of design, luxury and art? Anna is beyond excited to be offering a collection of Memphis movement pieces never before presented on the Australian market, Bethany is drawn to a rare offering of limited-edition handbags within her collection, while Hannah has curated for this auction the Larry Rawling Collection which features works by some of Australia’s leading artists. Design Icons Week is the collaborative brainchild of our team that recognised that these three categories are now well and truly defining, both here and internationally, new collecting at auction and deserve to be presented together in this elevated format. We look forward to welcoming you to Design Icons Week, from the 1st – 8th of April in the upper gallery rooms at our South Yarra location.
JOHN ALBRECHT OPPOSITE (LEFT TO RIGHT):
Managing Director / National Head of Collections
Anna Grassham, Head of Modern Design Hannah Ryan, Prints & Multiples Manager and Bethany McGougan, Luxury Manager ABOVE: Grant Featherston 'R160' Armchair Flecked Upholstery With Black Buttons, Australia, C 1951 $4,000-6,000
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— PROFILE —
DESIGN ICONS WEEK 1 - 8 April Browse & bid online at leonardjoel.com.au MODERN DESIGN | PRINTS & MULTIPLES | LUXURY 4 | leonardjoel.com.au
— PROFILE —
Leonard Joel's Design Icons Week showcases the best of the best in furniture, lighting, luxury fashion, and modern prints.
LEFT: Ettore Sottsass 'Ashoka' Lamp for Memphis Milano $2,500-3,500
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— DESIGN ICONS WEEK —
MODERN DESIGN A Space Oddity
“If somebody asked me about my inspiration, I would say that it’s not the people, and it’s not the things, it’s travel and experience of different environments” MARC NEWSON
ABOVE: Marc Newson 'Super
Guppy Lamp' for Idee $4,000-6,000 LEFT: Marc Newson 'Embryo'
Chair for Idee $5,000-6,000
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— DESIGN ICONS WEEK —
Modern Design Auction Mon 6 April, 6.30pm MELBOURNE
LEFT: Marc Newson 'Helice' Floor Lamp for Flos $2,500-3,500
Australian born Marc Newson is one of the world’s most
felt armchair and quirky Hangman coat rack. Newson
sought after industrial designers of the 21st century. His
continued his Italian collaborations with other high end
ability to work around different typologies has given
manufacturers such as Magis, Moroso, and the famous
him the opportunity to do almost anything. Unlike most
Japanese interior brand Idee where he developed his
designers, Newson is known for designing everything;
well-known Embryo Chair and Guppy Lamp.
from cars to bikes, furniture and homewares; along with restaurants and interiors for high end aircrafts.
Newson’s most celebrated works, like his aluminium Lockheed Lounge, are limited edition design-art pieces
From a young age, Marc had been fortunate enough to
whose aesthetic reputations have outstripped their
travel around Europe with his mother, and later moved to
practical purpose. The Lockheed lounge sold for more
South Korea with his stepfather. Therefore, by the time
than £2 million at Phillips Auctions in 2015, placing his
he left school, Newson had experienced life outside of
work amongst the highest selling Australian designs at
the Antipodes, and had been exposed to the aesthetics
auction.
of other continents.
This doesn’t mean, however, that all of Newson’s work is
Newson was entranced by the 1960s space-age utopian
out of reach for the average consumer. On the contrary,
cartoon The Jetsons, and the popular Sydney surf
he is determined to influence the level and quality of
culture of the early 80s. His enthusiasm for such motifs
design all around us, like his simple kettle and toaster
was drawn from their fantasy and optimism, something
that are now manufactured by Sunbeam.
shared by the culture of Australia at the time. The Concorde aircraft was built, man was walking on the moon, and exciting things were happening in films like Alien and Bladerunner. It is evident that these influences have developed throughout his body of work.
Our upcoming Modern Design Auction features a selection of fantastic works by Mark Newson including his Embryo Chair for Idee and Helice Floor Lamp for Flos.
Italian manufacturer Cappellini was the first company to edit Newson’s work, beginning with the signature
ANNA GRASSHAM / Head of Modern Design
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— DESIGN ICONS WEEK —
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— DESIGN ICONS WEEK —
Luxury Auction Tues 7 April, 6.30pm MELBOURNE
LEFT: A GG Marmont Handbag by Gucci $2,600- 3,600 BELOW: Alessandro Michele
Luxury Alessandro Michele for Gucci — The appointment of Alessandro Michele as Gucci’s creative director in 2015 saw a seismic shift in the creative direction of the label. Since acceding to this position, maximalism has been at the forefront of Michele’s aesthetic. We have seen a dramatic increase in the use of colour, textures and layers, all flaunted with abundant eccentricity. This new frivolous aesthetic saw a sharp shift away from Tom Ford’s sleek designs for Gucci in the 1990s. Michele’s designs are not only visually exciting, they also actively engage with current cultural issues including nationality, race, gender, pop culture and sexual identity. Androgynous designs are a staple on Michele’s catwalks, with gender fluidity being explored through refreshing design. In the vein of being relevant to the cultural zeitgeist, Michele engages actively with celebrities and social media. He has over 400,000 followers on his Instagram account and a celebrity following that includes Harry Styles, Jared Leto, Björk and A$AP Rocky. One of Michele’s strengths is redesigning and reincorporating previous eras into a current context. The GG Marmont is one of Michele’s more tempered designs, harking back to the elegant Gucci designs from the 1970s. With simple quilting and an oversized bronze Double G clasp, the bag has been spotted on the shoulders of fashion icons, from Kendall Jenner to Sienna Miller. The specialist Luxury Auction on the 7th of April features several Gucci pieces, including a GG Marmont handbag designed by Alessandro Michele. BETHANY MCGOUGAN / Luxury Manager
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— DESIGN ICONS WEEK —
Prints & Multiples Auction Wed 8 April, 6.30pm MELBOURNE LEFT: Alun Leach-Jones
Australian Arkady, Screenprint P/P $300-500 BELOW: Larry Rawling printing an
image for Brook Andrew, at Larry Rawling workshop, 2005.
Prints & Multiples
OPPOSITE: Robert Jacks
Lake Eyre Garden, Screenprint P/P $400-600
A Dazzling Legacy: The Larry Rawling Collection — We are pleased to present the Larry Rawling Collection in our upcoming Prints & Multiples auction. It is rare to have the opportunity to feature such an important collection of Rawling’s oeuvre, showcasing the best works by some of Australia’s most renowned printmakers. “One realises that without Larry Rawling, who has singlehandedly made all of these works, the history of limited edition screenprinting in Australia would be all the poorer.” - Katherine McDonald, 2006 Starting out at Mal Studios in Melbourne’s CBD as a screen printing technician, there was no doubt that Larry Rawling was in the right place at the right time to
others chose to work alongside him to fine tune their
work closely with the artists of the 1960s and 70s. The
works in the studio. It’s safe to say that most Australian
screenprint, a popular method used by artists at the
Art periods over the past four decades are represented in
time, was successful in conveying the painting styles of
Rawling’s body of work.
hard-edge abstraction and pop art. More importantly,
it opened up new visual possibilities for composite
Larry Rawling has worked with some of Australia’s
photographic images. Larry Rawling was at the forefront
leading artists throughout his career. We will be featuring
of this medium, and in 1968, he became the owner
40 items of The Larry Rawling Collection within our
of Mal Studios Pty Ltd. He transformed it into one of
Prints & Multiples Auction in April, including excellent
Melbourne’s leading commercial screen printing studios,
examples of work by Alun Leach Jones, Charles
winning a PICA Trophy Award from the Print Industry
Blackman, Brook Andrew, Robert Jacks and Brent Harris,
Craft Association in 1982.
just to name a few.
In 1985, the Larry Rawling Print Workshop was opened,
(Special credit to Katherine McDonald and Kalli Rolfe
and saw artists choosing to work with Rawling in various
Contemporary Art)
ways. Some sent finished items for him to interpret, others wanted text printed for an artist book, and many
HANNAH RYAN / Prints & Multiples Manager
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— AUCTIONS —
PRIVATE COLLECTIONS The Ambassador Nicolaas Arie Johannes De Voogd Collection
— AUCTIONS —
Asian Works of Art Auction Tues 19 May, 6.30pm MELBOURNE
TOP: A Japanese Four-Panel Screen
Depicting a Dutch Ship, Late Edo Period $2,000-3,000 LEFT TO RIGHT: A Chinese
Ambassador Nicolaas Arie Johannes de Voogd was a Dutch citizen, spoke seven languages including Mandarin, Chinese and Japanese, and served in the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs between 1930 and
the contrary, and Nicolaas de Voogd was instrumental in obtaining further visas for Curacao, also illegally, thereby assisting many Jews to leave Harbin and Vladivostock. It is estimated that as many as four thousand Jewish people
Huanghuali Kang Table Late Ming/early Qing Dynasty, Circa 17th/18th Century $8,000-12,000
1966. During this time, he was sent around the world Netherlands, during some of the most turbulent and
After the war, and after some further postings in New
A Pair of Chinese Hardstone Inlaid Carved Hardwood Table Screens Qing Dynasty, Circa 18th/19th Century $2,000-3,000
fascinating decades of the 20th Century.
York and Manila, he was posted as Consul in Nanjing
A Large Chinese Bombe Form Bronze Censer Late Ming/early Qing Dynasty, 17th/18th Century $1,000-2,000 A Chinese Carved Agate Brushwasher Qing Dynasty, Circa 19th Century $1,000-2,000
to serve in ambassadorial positions on behalf of the
His first position was with the Netherlands Consulate in Kobe as Consul and official translator, a post which lasted from 1930 to 1942. It was during this time in Kobe that Mr de Voogd and his wife Amarintia began collecting Japanese works of art including prints, netsuke, paintings and Imari wares. During the Second World War much of this collection was stored in Kobe, where some pieces
were saved through this concerted, clandestine effort.
in 1948 to 1950, and then as Consul General in Beijing from 1950 to 1951. Not only were Nicolaas and his wife and children present to bear witness to this great period of change in China in 1949, but he is also now known to have been instrumental in fostering mutual understanding and recognition between the Netherlands and the newly formed People’s Republic of China.
were damaged in bombings but remarkably, most
This was the time when the de Voogd collection really
survived. Upon their departure, he was given a joint gift
flourished, with good pieces surfacing regularly in the
from the offices of the Dutch Ambassador of Tokyo, the
markets of Beijing. Travelling merchants brought pieces of
Consul-General of Kobe and the Consuls of Yokohama
great quality directly to the doors of the Dutch Embassy,
and Seoul of a four-fold screen depicting a Dutch ship at
where the de Voogd family were keen buyers.
Deshima in the 1660s, a fitting gift and a mark of great
After leaving China in 1951, Nicolaas was posted to
respect and admiration.
Canberra and then Bangkok, and finally elevated to
In 1940, he was part of a plan between a small group
Minister of Foreign Affairs in The Hague where he served
of Dutch nationals to help as many Jews escape from
until 1960. The final posting from 1960 to 1964 was
Poland and Lithuania as possible. At this time, Russia
back in Japan, but this time in Tokyo where he served as
was willing to accept Jewish people into the country as
Ambassador for the Netherlands.
long as they had a visa to Japan on the other side. One
After this, he decided to move his family to Australia,
Japanese national, Chiune Sugihara, who was ViceConsul in Kaunas, Lithuania at this time, was willing to provide visas for entry to Japan despite being ordered to
where the collection has been enjoyed in the family home ever since. We look forward to offering this collection at our upcoming Asian Art auction on 19 May. CARL WANTRUP / Asian Art Specialist
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— AUCTIONS —
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— AUCTIONS —
The John Scarce Collection of Porcelain
This May, we are excited to be offering the John Scarce
within his collection is a late 17th Century Chinese
Decorative Arts Auction
collection of ceramics, featuring a variety of 18th and
armorial soup bowl, being part of a service made for
Mon 18 May, 6.30pm
19th Century porcelain, including Dr Wall, Chinese export
Thomas Saunders, taking us to India and the East India
MELBOURNE
porcelain, and an extensive collection of armorial wares.
Company headquarters at Fort St George, Madras.
John Scarce has been Newsletter Editor of the Ceramics
Thomas Saunders was appointed Governor of Madras on
and Glass Circle of Australia Inc for over 20 years. An avid
19 September 1750; he remained as Governor of Madras
collector of English ceramics, he applies his background
until 14 January 1755 when he returned to England.
OPPOSITE: A Chinese Export
Porcelain Armorial Soup Bowl Late 18th Century (detail) $1,000-2,000 TOP LEFT: A Pair Of Ridgway
& Co. Porcelain Armorial Plates 19th Century, Circa 1840 $400-600 TOP RIGHT: A Rare Boucher & Co
23rd Wallajahabad Light Infantry Plate, Circa 1800-1820 $300-500
in family history research to his collection. He has a wealth of knowledge on commissioned crested and armorial ceramics from various English manufacturers.
Other standout pieces include a rare Boucher & Co. porcelain plate featuring the 23rd Wallajahabad light infantry armorial and a pair of Ridgway porcelain plates,
Armorial wares are ceramic or silver items decorated with
decorated with the Westhead & Westhead-Brown coat of
a family or institution’s coat of arms or crest. Although
arms. Joshua P.Westhead (1807-1877) was a prominent
they have been used since the Middle Ages; it was
businessman and Weslyian Methodist. He was Director
during the 18th Century that they were popularised
of the London and North Western Railways, and the
within the upper and middle classes, as an outward
son of Edward Westhead & Ann Brown. By 1862, the
symbol of social status. They became even more popular
Ridgway factory was known as Brown-Westhead, Moore
throughout Europe, with the introduction of Chinese
& Co. Several unique presentation services were made
export porcelain to the West, being more durable than
for him as gifts, bearing his coat of arms or crest. The
its Western counterpart. Europe continued to import
service was presented to Joshua on 15 June 1847 at the
vast quantities of Chinese porcelain. In fact it has been
Albion Hotel, Piccadilly, Manchester by the shareholders
documented that during the late 17th to the early
of the Manchester and Birmingham Railway Company in
20th centuries, Britain had ordered 4000 porcelain
recognition of his work as Chairman.
armorial services from China. It was not until the European factories were able to improve their porcelain manufacturing processes that local companies such as Worcester began producing extensive armorial wares. John Scarce’s collection of armorial porcelain includes European and Chinese examples, including Western imitations of Chinese armorial wares. A special piece
The John Scarce Collection of Porcelain will be offered as a single owner component of our 18 May Decorative Arts offering. Twice a year, we host our seasonal Decorative Arts auction. We are now calling for entries and look forward to uncovering coveted collections. CHIARA CURCIO / Head of Decorative Arts
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— AUCTIONS —
CENTUM FEATURED CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS
DALE HICKEY Dale Hickey remains one of the last surviving Australian abstractionists and conceptualists from a generation of artists who so defiantly reshaped art in Australia. This generation of artists were leading names in the iconic Field exhibition – a collection of colour field paintings that became a landmark within Australian art history. Hickey, along with 40 other artists, explored hard edge colour and flat geometric abstraction influenced by some of America’s greatest painters of the time. The exhibition opened to much divisive opinion which helped to launch the careers of these artists, specifically Hickey. Following the exhibition, Hickey experimented with different artistic styles drawing inspiration from Leger, Mondrian, and Motherwell, eventually settling on stripped-down portrayals of his own studio where easels, windows, and studio supplies create patterns of overlapping shapes. Studio Stuff 2008 is an exceptional example of Hickey’s ability to portray the seemingly mundane with calm complexity worthy of high abstraction. The placement of the easel as though at the altar, flanked by gridded windows and graced by a featureless cup and rolled up tube of paint – solitary symbols of functionality. Hickey plays with perspective – objects appear as though
“These paintings might be seen as both abstract and figurative. They are ‘art about art’, but also meditations on the solitary life of the painter, on the search for inspiration that haunts all artists”
they should topple or roll yet they remain static. He
JOHN MCDONALD
painting has been seen at public auction.
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uses trompe l’oeil to create the illusion of both depth and volume with a smooth graphic surface that invites considered contemplation. Studio Stuff 2008 will feature in our forthcoming Centum auction on 5 May. Originally commissioned by the artist, this is the first time the
— AUCTIONS —
Centum Auction Tues 5 May, 6.30pm MELBOURNE OPPOSITE: DALE HICKEY (born 1937)
Studio Stuff 2008 oil on canvas 183 x 183cm © Dale Hickey/Copyright Agency, 2020 $20,000-30,000 BELOW: LOUISE HEARMAN (born 1963)
Untitled #640 1998 oil on masonite 91 x 68.5cm $6,000-8,000
LOUISE HEARMAN Louise Hearman’s paintings always intrigue, inviting a second, or third, or even fourth look. They appear first as darkly atmospheric landscapes or portraits, but we soon realise that things are not as they seem. We are left to imagine what is glimmering in the half-light or hiding in the shadows and Hearman revels in this ambiguity, always leaving her works as “untitled”. Hearman works predominantly on a small scale with oil paints, revisiting certain motifs throughout her work - a child’s face, a partly concealed head, glowing beams of light, and often empty stretches of road or vast fields. These images have been collated from moments in her everyday life and brought together in often unsettling compositions. Hearman is a technical master, intently capturing flickers of light that are both beautiful and disfiguring, emphasising radiance yet also darkness.
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— AUCTIONS —
PAUL BOSTON Paul Boston’s style is uniquely his own. His oeuvre is so incomparable to any other in the Australian art world that he exists almost in his very own genre. While suffering a bout of hepatitis, Boston was held in isolation at a London hospital where he first started drawing a series of heads. He became intrigued by the marks and how each mark, no matter how small, could translate to something so large within the mind - how we can read so much meaning into something so seemingly slight. Back in Australia at Preston Technical School, this focus was encouraged by his main art teacher, Dale Hickey. Hickey was mostly presenting ideas influenced by the perspectives of American Clement Greenberg, Conceptual Art, and Bruce Pollard at Pinacotheca which all became significant influences for Boston. Boston’s work is deceptively simple. Often using a monochromatic palette, he creates forms with thick outlines, used in such a way that they present an interplay between solid and void. The flat surface of the painting is often interrupted by spherical forms, convex shapes, or recesses as seen in Two Heads 2006. There is an interplay between yes and no, dark and light, soft and hard. “Boston resists playing the visual notes that conventional thinking demands. He chooses instead to put in unorthodox twists and strange conceptual angles that you don’t expect, frissons in logic and perplexing visual discords that will inexplicably build up into a hauntingly resonant beauty. Paul Boston’s works often possess a serene tranquillity that defies verbal description. Outwardly they are so simple…yet so totally absorbing you can get lost in them: they are what they are, records of quiet and unfussed moments of creative contemplation.” - Christopher Heathcote
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— AUCTIONS —
OPPOSITE: PAUL BOSTON (born 1952)
Two Heads 2006 acrylic on board and plaster 121 x 81cm $6,000-8,000 ABOVE: SUSAN NORRIE (born 1953)
Destination Moon (Somewhere) 2008 oil and screen print on canvas 132 x 141cm $10,000-15,000
Centum Auction Tues 5 May, 6.30pm MELBOURNE
SUSAN NORRIE
Since 2004, Norrie has been working with the Japanese
Susan Norrie’s practice begins with painting and
many forewarnings and elemental forces of nature that
photography and extends to filmmaking and multimedia installations. Over her artistic career to date, she has developed an art practice that acts as a tool for political commentary. The Asia-Pacific has often been her focus, incorporating the environmental and humanitarian disasters that have impacted on the region.
Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), exploring the seem to be demanding a more considered human behaviour. ‘’I believe that the Japanese developed their space program in relation to the Earth as they have such a deep connection with nature,’’ she says. ‘’I also feel that another aspect of the program is looking into alternative and renewable energies, for example capturing solar
"I feel that artists are often a barometer of events
energy from space.’’
in the world: they can synthesize socio-political
In Destination Moon 2008, Norrie adheres to a
and environmental concerns with powerful visual encapsulations. Blurring the boundaries of fiction and fact, artists can deal with the overload of media information and misinformation with a certain clarity and poetic detachment." - Norrie, 2007
monochromatic palette. ‘Dark’ and ‘black’ are words frequently used to describe her work, and this is not without intention. “When I use black, there is a reason for it” says Norrie. Perhaps here it is a symbol of our uncertain environmental future, an issue that Norrie has addressed repeatedly over her extensive career.
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— AUCTIONS —
JEWELS
Saltwater Pearls – Miracles of the Sea Most pearls emerge from their watery home without any
Since Roman times, pearls have been an important
need for cutting, faceting, or polishing to reveal their
commodity. With an escalating demand for pearls in
shimmering iridescence, lustre and soft inner glow; they
Western Europe from nobility and royalty, by the 19th
are entirely unlike any other gem.
Century the demand for pearl jewellery became so high
Before the creation of cultured pearls in the early 1900s,
that oyster supplies began to dwindle.
natural pearls were so rare and expensive that they were
Unlike gemstones or precious metals that must be mined
reserved almost exclusively for the noble and very rich,
from the earth, pearls are grown by live oysters far below
with a natural spherical pearl necklace evenly matched in
the surface of the sea. The most valuable pearls occur
size considered a treasure of almost incomparable value.
spontaneously in the wild and are extremely rare. Quite
It is believed that pearls were first discovered by people searching for food along the seashore. With a long and ancient history, shrouded in myth and legend, we know they have been worn as an adornment since as early as 420BC. The pearl was a symbol of purity of the wearer in ancient China, while knights in the Dark Ages wore pearls on the battlefields, believing they would keep them safe. Legend has it, that Cleopatra crushed a pearl into a glass of wine to prove to Marc Antony that she could give the most expensive dinner in history.
by accident, a pearl is formed when a foreign object or irritant (a parasite or piece of shell) becomes embedded in an oyster’s soft inner body. The oyster takes defensive action, causing it to secrete a smooth hard crystalline substance called nacre (calcite and aragonite) to build up around the irritant, depositing it in concentric layers until a lustrous pearl is formed. The nacre is composed of microscopic crystals aligned perfectly with one another so that the light passing along the crystals is reflected and refracted to produce a rainbow of light and colour. The scarcity of natural pearls is reflected in the prices they fetch at auction.
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— AUCTIONS —
Next Jewels Auction Mon 1 June, 6.30pm SYDNEY
OPPOSITE: An Opera Length
Strand of South Sea Pearls Sold $7,500 BELOW RIGHT: An Antique Natural
Pearl and Diamond Pendant Sold $120,000 BELOW LEFT: A pair of Tahitian
Pearl and Diamond Earrings Sold $2,800
Historically, divers risked their lives going to depths of
pearls with the exact same properties as those from the
up to 100 feet to retrieve oysters, a dangerous pursuit
deep sea beds, the only difference being they had been
that would only harvest very small quantities of quality
given a helping hand at getting the process started.
pearls. Today, cultured pearls are formed via the same process; however, the irritant is implanted in the oyster with surgical precision rather than by chance, adding a spherical bead (often mother of pearl) as a nucleus, along with a piece of mantle tissue from another oyster. The nucleated oyster is then returned to the sea, in a nutrient rich, sheltered bay to feed and grow and remain cared for by technicians. Pearls can be found, or cultivated, in both fresh water and salt water, and trade names of cultured pearls are Akoya, white or golden South Sea and black Tahitian. In the late 1800’s Kokichi Mikimoto created the world’s first cultured pearl by manually introducing an irritant into an Akoya oyster and thus stimulating it to form
Non-symmetrical pearls and irregularly shaped pearls are known as ‘Baroque’ pearls. The quality of a pearl is determined by several criteria, including its shape, size, colour and lustre. The unique lustre of pearls depends upon the reflection, refraction and diffraction of light from the translucent layers. A finer lustre is a consequence of numerous thinner layers of nacre. Gem quality pearls are nacreous and iridescent with blemish free skins. Ranging from pure white to dramatic black, and from perfectly round to perfectly imperfect baroque, each having a wonderful iridescent shimmer, pearls are a delightful and classic addition to a jewellery collection.
a pearl. The introduction of cultured pearls caused a significant decrease in the value of natural pearls in the
JULIE FOSTER / Head of Jewels
early 1900s. By the 1930s there were over 300 pearl farms established in Japan, producing 10 million cultured
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— AUCTIONS —
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— AUCTIONS —
Next Jewels Auction Mon 1 June, 6.30pm SYDNEY
LEFT: A Diamond Tassel Necklace
Attributed to Boucheron Sold $14,880 OPPOSITE: A Gold and Enamel
Pansy Brooch by Boucheron $3,000-5,000
The Boucheron Pansy Brooch Pin We are excited to bring to auction this diamond and
Boucheron created many pieces inspired by nature. From
enamel pansy brooch pin by Boucheron. This simple,
around 1830, the flower motif was used extensively in
pretty pin has a story to tell about its famous jewellery
jewellery to convey love and friendship. Flowers have
pedigree, symbolism and artisanal technique.
an enduring appeal and have been a constant source of inspiration for many notable jewellery designers. Flower
Founded in 1858, the house of Boucheron is renowned
jewels usually hold a symbolic, sometimes talismanic
for haute joaillerie. Their expert craftsmen used
meaning and often, a secret message for the recipient.
innovative techniques to sculpt gold and employed the
Pansies symbolise remembrance, given that the word
latest technical advances in jewellery making. Frédéric
pansy comes from the French word penser, which means
Boucheron first gained notoriety when he received a
“to think”, so it means “thinking of you” in the context of
gold medal at his first exhibition in the World’s Fair
friendship and love.
in 1867. Boucheron was one of the first French highend jewellers to position his headquarters at 26 Place
This pansy brooch showcases Boucheron’s fine enamelling
Vendome in Paris, a now famous location for the world’s
skills - a difficult and time consuming process to perfect.
most prestigious jewellery houses including Van Cleef
The enamel shows vibrant purple tonal colours and
& Arpels, Chaumet and Cartier. From 1860, the Russian
intricate veining detail on the petals. The flower reflects a
Imperial family became important clients of Boucheron,
soft, almost velvet light, emulating the delicate texture of
and a new boutique was opened in Moscow in 1897 to
a pansy’s petals. This creates the perfect foil for a small,
service the royalty and Russian elite. In 1911 the boutique
glittering diamond, centrally set to the bloom. The stem
was moved to St Petersburg and it reopened in Moscow
of the pansy is hallmarked with the signature Boucheron
in 2003. Boucheron’s past and present clients include
“B”, and the original box is stamped with Boucheron’s
Russian, English and Indian royalty, as well as affluent
Paris and Moscow addresses, dating this brooch between
American families including the Astors, the Vanderbilts,
1897 and 1911 - the Belle Epoqué period.
the Rockefellers and the Kennedys. Boucheron has also
We look forward to offering this special pin in our Fine
long been favoured by iconic film stars such as Greta
Jewels Auction on 1 June 2020.
Garbo, Rita Hayworth, Marlene Dietrich and more recently Eva Longoria, Nicole Kidman and Penelope Cruz.
CATHERINE BARNETT / Jewellery Specialist, Sydney
leonardjoel.com.au | 23
— AUCTIONS —
ASIAN WORKS OF ART A Culture of Collecting
ABOVE: A Chinese Longquan Celadon Double Gourd Vase
Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Circa Late 14th Century $3,000-5,000 A Chinese Longquan Celadon Charger Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Circa Late 14th Century $4,000-6,000 (Part Lot) A Chinese Pair of Yaozhou Celadon Conical Tea Bowls Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) $1,000-2,000 (Part Lot) A Chinese Qingbai Ewer and a Qingbai Dish Song Dynasty (960-1279) $800-1,200
24 | leonardjoel.com.au
— AUCTIONS —
Asian Works of Art Auction Tue 19 May, 6.30pm MELBOURNE
LEFT: A Chinese Longquan Celadon Charger Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Circa Late 14th Century $4,000-6,000
For much of the second half of the 20th Century, the
artefacts were studied, catalogued and classified, to
collecting of Chinese works of art was mostly in the
assist in understanding the universe and Man’s place
domain of the Western upper middle classes, those
therein. The Western private collecting style was really a
with a healthy disposable income, an insatiable appetite
mirror of that museum style.
for parading cultural cache, and a fascination and love for other times and places. Of course, there are always
In contrast, many younger Chinese collectors (while still
exceptions to every rule, and in this case noticeable
very much interested in classification and an evidence-
exceptions were overseas Chinese collectors (from Hong
based approach to their collecting), are also interested in
Kong, the United States, Europe and Southeast Asia).
using these objects for their original purpose. Let us not
The lack of collectors in China’s mainland was largely due
forget that a vase was originally created to hold flowers,
to the remodelling of Chinese society that took place
and bowls and cups were intended to be vessels for the
after 1949.
service of food and drink.
Decades later, with the rise of wealth in China due to
It is through the renewed use of these historical objects
‘the economic miracle’, the tables in collecting turned,
in daily life that collectors feel more deeply connected
and indeed I remember all of a sudden seeing serious
with their culture, and also with the context of the object
competition from mainland Chinese buyers begin in the
itself. They are able to imbibe the spirit of the age when
middle of the 1990s, even in Australian auction rooms.
the object was created, and links to the noble, scholarly,
Along with this polar change in collectors from West
religious and philosophical roots in Chinese people are
to East came a change in the centre of scholarship in
felt very deeply. Putting these artworks to use is also a
Chinese art works, from Western institutions and scholars
wonderful demonstration of pride in place of origin, and
to those in China.
a pride in high Chinese culture which spans the ages and has given the world so much.
The Western style of collecting is largely based on an encyclopaedic approach, where elements of the
There is a growing shift towards using old and ancient
collection are arranged by classification in the house
art objects for their original purposes, whether it be
and sequestered away behind cold glass in cabinets to
a Huanghuali table or brushpot in the home office, a
be admired, as if in a museum. Of course, this stems
Cizhou vase for flowers or a Jianyao hare’s fur tea bowl
from the modern concept of the public museum, born
for taking time to relax, drink tea with friends, and talk
from the European Enlightenment of the 18th and
about China, past, present and future.
19th centuries, where objects from nature and human CARL WANTRUP / Asian Art Consultant
leonardjoel.com.au | 25
— PROFILE —
Minutes with… HANNAH RYAN
This issue, we spend five minutes with our Art Salon and Prints & Multiples manager, Hannah Ryan. Hannah brings our much-loved art auctions to life every week, working with a diverse selection of pieces. FAVOURITE MAKER / ARTIST I have a handful of favourite artists, it is too hard to
I recently read Dolly Alderton’s ‘Everything I Know
choose just one! Currently I am loving Brent Harris’
About Love’, a light-hearted and wildly funny book that
paintings, I’ve always loved Jenny Watson’s childlike
reminded me about what it was like to become an adult
and easy demeanour which is evident in her artworks,
in this fast-paced world.
and Violet McInnes’ still life paintings are among my favourites too. FAVOURITE WORK OF ART / OBJECT
YOUR IDEAL DAY IN MELBOURNE I love summer and spending time in the country, so my ideal day would be spent having a big breakfast with
Working in the Art Department, I have a different
my friends in the backyard, then swimming at one of our
favourite piece of artwork every week!
favourite waterholes, with the afternoon spent at the
However, I love still life paintings; my favourite at the
local pub.
moment being A. M. E Bale’s ‘Still Life of Zinneas’ which was part of our Women Artists auction. FAVOURITE COFFEE / WINE / COCKTAIL I don’t drink coffee, so my favourite wine is either a Rose Pet Nat or a crisp Riesling.
26 | leonardjoel.com.au
FAVOURITE BOOK
22
ND REPORT
Announcing our new best practice — With our cessation policy now in its fourth year of
For international export situations the law is clear; if the
successful operation, we are committed to promoting
item is intended for export the Australian Government’s
our position, how it could work for other businesses in a
‘Wildlife Statutory Declaration’ must be completed.
practical sense and also how it is evolving as we respond
Completion of this document is extremely helpful in
to the industry and regulatory environment, both here
providing reassurance that the item was in fact imported
and abroad.
in to Australia legally. Best-practice for the export of ivory
Our most recent initiative (already announced) is our commitment to further enhance our policy by adopting
is therefore clear but what of ivory that is traded but not exported?
the principles of the recently legislated approach of
At present, for domestically traded ivory, the declaration
the United Kingdom in The Ivory Act 2018. The very
approach is not required to be completed by law but
simplest way to describe this improvement is our
it remains that at any time, anyone trading in ivory
decision to further restrict our de minimis exemptions
domestically, may be requested by an Australian
by never dealing in an object that has any more than
Government official to provide this information.
approximately a 10% ivory component by volume. This update to our stance will be reflected in our formal policy document that will be completed by April 1st, at the latest. This policy remains open for any auction house to adopt but regrettably, to date, there has been no uptake. Nevertheless, our recent policy review and update got us thinking once again about how the local auction industry could be encouraged to come on board, even if that stopped short at the adoption of our policy. What emerged from this thinking was what best-practice should at least look like when auction houses (or anyone for that matter) are dealing in ivory. To be clear, whilst the Australian Government doesn’t regulate domestic ivory trade, it remains illegal to possess ivory that has not been imported legally. This generates two paths for discussion; firstly, ivory that an auction house is well aware may be required to be exported to an international purchaser and secondly, ivory that is more likely to remain in domestic hands.
It follows then, that auctioneers, dealerships and consultants trading in these materials, without adopting this best-practice (The Australian Government declaration document designed to meet Australia’s CITES obligations) run the risk of handling illegal material. It seems logical to us here at Leonard Joel that, to ensure our remaining limited domestic trade is legal, we too must adopt the ‘Wildlife Statutory Declaration’ approach to ensure we identify anything that was not imported legally and by doing so protect our clients (whether the seller, the buyer or anyone in between) from inadvertently breaching our domestic laws. Leonard Joel will now be formally adopting this bestpractice approach as a compliment to our existing policy and press the case that if auctioneers, dealers, consultants and all intermediaries to a transaction are not following this best-practice verification, all parties to the transaction run the risk of breaching Australian laws. JOHN ALBRECHT
Managing Director / National Head of Collections leonardjoel.com.au | 27
— VALUATIONS —
Valuations
Photo Credit: Amina Barolli.
Leonard Joel is the only auction house in Australia with a dedicated Valuations department, enabling us to offer a broad range of specialist expertise for the valuation and auction of single items and entire collections. — COMPLIMENTARY VALUATIONS IN MELBOURNE & SYDNEY
To submit items for valuation, simply complete the form
We offer complimentary verbal valuations in our
on our website and a Leonard Joel specialist will contact
Melbourne and Sydney salerooms by appointment.
you within 5-10 working days.
We also host complimentary Valuation Evenings in
Please contact our Head of Valuations, Caroline Tickner,
Melbourne on the first Wednesday of every month
if you would like further information.
from 5pm and in Sydney, Valuations Days every Wednesday from 10am. No appointment necessary. *Please note that, during busy times, we can only spend 15 minutes with each client. If you have several items for valuation, please make an appointment with one of our specialists.
28 | leonardjoel.com.au
ONLINE VALUATIONS
03 8825 5638 | caroline.tickner@leonardjoel.com.au
leonardjoel.com.au | 29
— PROFILE —
DAMIEN SHEN A Stone from Another Mountain
Damien Shen, A Stone from Another Mountain, 2019 Courtesy of the Artist and MARS gallery
23.04.20 — 16.05.20
30 | leonardjoel.com.au
www.marsgallery.com.au
7 JAMES STREET, WINDSOR
— PROFILE — Red Stitch Actors' Theatre presents
ORLANDO by Virginia Woolf Adapted by Sarah Ruhl Over three centuries, from Elizabethan England to Constantinople, through affairs with the Queen and ravishing Russian beauties, Orlando embarks on an epic adventure of self-discovery and awakening as a man and a woman, lover and poet. Directed by Stephen Nicolazzo PREVIEWS 22 – 25 April 29 April – 17 May
VISIT THE HOUSE OF ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S PRE-EMINENT COLLECTORS OF ALL THINGS DECORATIVE - FROM THE EARLY ROCOCO OF FRANCE TO FABERGE OF RUSSIA. The original home of collector, David Roche, is open for tours Tuesday to Saturday and tours include access to exhibitions in the gallery. Adelaide's hidden jewel is a sumptuous feast for the senses, not to be missed.
Book tours only online Walk-ins welcome in the gallery exhibition space rochefoundation.com.au 241 Melbourne Street, North Adelaide leonardjoel.com.au | 31
— JOIN US —
Connect
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Browse Browse our online auction catalogues or view in person at one of our salerooms.
THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS
32 | leonardjoel.com.au
Contact a Leonard Joel team member or stop by a saleroom if you have any questions.
— JOIN US —
Value / Sell / Buy Contact a Leonard Joel Specialist
John Albrecht
The Thursday Auction Specialists —
03 8825 5619 | john.albrecht@leonardjoel.com.au
ART SALON
MANAGING DIRECTOR & PROPRIETOR
Auction Specialists — PRIVATE COLLECTIONS John Albrecht, Head of Department 03 8825 5619 | john.albrecht@leonardjoel.com.au
Hannah Ryan 03 8825 5630 | hannah.ryan@leonardjoel.com.au FURNITURE Nick Bastiras 03 8825 5640 | furniture@leonardjoel.com.au JEWELLERY
FINE ART Olivia Fuller, Head of Department 03 8825 5624 | olivia.fuller@leonardjoel.com.au
Maria Walker 03 8825 5621 | maria.walker@leonardjoel.com.au OBJECTS & COLLECTABLES
JEWELS Julie Foster, Head of Department 03 8825 5605 | julie.foster@leonardjoel.com.au DECORATIVE ARTS
Rebecca Stormont 03 8825 5625 | objects.assistant@leonardjoel.com.au
Valuations
Chiara Curcio, Head of Department 03 8825 5635 | chiara.curcio@leonardjoel.com.au Hamish Clark, Head of Department, Sydney 02 9362 9045 | hamish.clark@leonardjoel.com.au MODERN DESIGN Anna Grassham, Head of Department 03 8825 5637 | anna.grassham@leonardjoel.com.au COLLECTABLES Rebecca Stormont 03 8825 5625 | objects.assistant@leonardjoel.com.au LUXURY John D'Agata 03 8825 5605 | john.dagata@leonardjoel.com.au
— Caroline Tickner, Head of Department 03 8825 5638 | caroline.tickner@leonardjoel.com.au
Marketing & Communications — Blanka Nemeth, Manager 03 8825 5620 | blanka.nemeth@leonardjoel.com.au Nicole Kenning, Consultant 03 8825 5620 | nicole.kenning@leonardjoel.com.au Maria Rossi, Graphic Artist Adam Obradovic, Photographer Henry Murphy, Photographer
Bethany McGougan 03 8825 5645 | bethany.mcgougan@leonardjoel.com.au PRINTS & MULTIPLES Hannah Ryan 03 8825 5630 | hannah.ryan@leonardjoel.com.au
Sale Rooms — MELBOURNE 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra, Melbourne VIC 3141 Telephone: 03 9826 4333 SYDNEY The Bond, 36–40 Queen Street, Woollahra, Sydney NSW 2025 Telephone: 02 9362 9045
LEFT: An Important Solitaire Diamond Ring by Tiffany & Co. Sold for $225,600
This document has been produced to international environmental management standard ISO14001 by a certified green printing company.
— PROFILE —
34 | leonardjoel.com.au