Foreword

Top Ten Prices This Year

001 Colin McCahon Landscape Theme and Variations (H) c1963 oil on jute 1770mm × 830mm est $300,000 – $500,000 price $312,350

002 Colin McCahon Jump E4 1973 acrylic on jute 910mm × 442mm est $250,000 – $350,000 price $303,330 003 Michael Smither Three Rock Pools 2004 oil and sand on board 1260mm × 820mm est $250,000 – $350,000 price $262,000

004 Bill Hammond Living Large 3 1995 acrylic on paper on canvas 1990mm × 1070mm est $150,000 – $250,000 price $168,200 005 Ralph Hotere Les Saintes Marie de la Mer 2002 enamel on mirror 11180mm (diameter) est $90,000 – $120,000 price $156,200

006 Tony Fomison Self Portrait 1975 oil on cloth on board 430mm × 495mm est $80,000 – $120,000 price $156,200

007 C F Goldie Head of a Nubian 1896 oil on canvas 385mm × 330mm est $110,000 – $170,000 price $120,125 008 Tony Fomison Perriot/Dracula 1975 – 76 oil on jute 365mm × 260mm est $80,000 – $140,000 price $114,120

009 Don Binney Te Henga 1967 oil on canvas 500mm × 550mm est $60,000 – $80,000 price $105,110

010 Grahame Sydney Hawkdun Moon 2004 oil on canvas 500mm × 550mm est $60,000 – $80,000 price $98,500

Total Market Webb’s

2018 2019 2020 2021

New Zealanders are embracing the value of our place in the world, our stories, and our art like never before.

2021 has been a challenging year. Along with lockdowns, we have had to farewell some of the enduring legends of the art world. Artists Bill Hammond and Billy Apple passed away in recent months, as did legendary Christchurch gallerist Judith Gifford. In each of these cases, extraordinary legacies have been left for us all to treasure and learn from. It was a particular distinction for Webb’s to present a prized work from Gifford’s personal collection at our last major auction – Colin McCahon’s Jump E4. Gifford acquired the work after it was exhibited at Brooke/Gifford in 1975, and it remained hers until our sale in August. We remain humbled to have had the opportunity to represent this work on her behalf. Gifford was instrumental in developing the work and careers of a number of legendary Christchurch artists, Hammond being a shining example. In considering important legacies, we are drawn to reflect on our own. Peter Webb was the inspiration and vision behind this company when it began. His legacy is at the essence of the auction powerhouse that is Webb’s today. We are defining the market now, much as Peter Webb did when he established the business. We are the highest turnover auction house in New Zealand, and our business is rapidly growing. We’re making and expanding markets for new generations of artists, while raising the bar for blue-chip luminaries. We’re driven to achieve results that change the way art is viewed, written about, and valued. We are speaking the language of today while representing timeless values in art that will be cherished for decades to come. We love art and we love telling stories that add meaning to the works we present. Presenting great art in the best possible light to the broadest possible audience is what drives us. If you have artwork that you’re considering selling, get in touch with the team at Webb’s.

Works of Art: Entries Invited

Grahame Sydney, 2.40 Mailbag, 1974 egg tempera on board, est $80,000 – $160,000

Webb’s is inviting entries for our November Works of Art auction. This will be our final flagship sale for 2021. Our last iteration of Works of Art grossed an eye-watering $2.4 million. We fully anticipate that we will surpass this figure in November.

Charles Ninow Head of Art charles@webbs.co.nz +64 21 053 6504 Webb’s is on the rise. As we continue to raise the bar in the art market, we are expanding our business. With its important role as a cultural hub, we are establishing a permanent presence in the capital. Highlights from this auction will be shown as the inaugural exhibition at our new Wellington premises. The market for New Zealand art has never been stronger than it is right now. This promises to be a definitive auction at a time when the market is running at fever-pitch. If you are considering selling art, now is a fantastic time. Please contact us for an appraisal of your collection.

Melting Moments: Foreword

I first encountered Bill Hammond’s Melting Moments II around ten years ago. It immediately grabbed my attention. Being a distinctive Hammond from the key late 90s era, it was always going to pique my curiosity. On closer inspection, however, it was one of those rare artworks that has both immediate appeal and the substance to reveal more and more with time. One can get lost in the detail, in the paint runs and contrasting background washes. Each of the anthropomorphic bird-creatures has its own unique particularities: some bear eggs, some carry video equipment, two have text worked in to their figures, one paddles, another shines a torch. One of the extraordinary qualities of Hammond’s work is the way he combines so many distinct elements into a single painting, yet retains a flawlessly uncluttered and measured composition. This is much more difficult than Hammond makes it look, and Melting Moments II demonstrates this particular skill exceptionally well. I never dreamed that I’d get the opportunity to represent this work in a sale. I have no doubt that it will go down as a personal career highlight. Hammond is a unique figure. He was undoubtedly one of New Zealand’s greatest ever painters and his work will still wow and thrill audiences many decades from now. His graphic abilities as a creator of images were matched entirely by his mastery of paint – an uncommon gift. He successfully wove into his paintings important discourse about our natural history and the terrible tide of extinction that human inhabitants brought to this erstwhile kingdom of birds. In addition to this, Hammond had the even rarer quality of sustaining an output with enduring market appeal. Hammond met great commercial success, and did so while at the peak of his artistic powers. He was creating and exhibiting until his passing earlier this year. His importance to Webb’s, to the art market in general, and to the artistic culture of Aotearoa was immense. I have a profound sense of gratitude and admiration for his contribution. Key though it may be, Hammond’s work is only one part of this exquisite collection. There are numerous works in this catalogue that would be the standout piece in any other auction: Séraphine Pick’s Burning the Furniture, Andrew McLeod’s Interior with Pink, Liz Maw’s The Naiad, an exceptional suite of works by Robin White, and the list goes on. It would be impossible to do them all justice in summary, though many of these works are explored in depth in the pages within this catalogue.

Hammond is a unique figure. He was undoubtedly one of New Zealand’s greatest ever painters, and will still wow and thrill audiences many decades from now. His graphic abilities as a creator of images were matched entirely by his mastery of paint – an uncommon gift. He successfully wove into his paintings important discourse about our natural history and the terrible tide of extinction that human inhabitants brought to this erstwhile kingdom of birds. In addition to this, Hammond had the even rarer quality of sustaining an output with enduring market appeal.