IMPORTANT AUSTRALIAN AND ABORIGINAL ART Tuesday 6 June 2017 FINE AUSTRALIAN AND ABORIGINAL ART FINE AUSTRALIAN AND ABORIGINAL ART NCJWA Hall, Sydney | Sydney, 6 June 2017 Sydney, 24135 INSIDE FRONT COVER IMPORTANT AUSTRALIAN AND ABORIGINAL ART Tuesday 6 June at 6:30pm NCJWA Hall, Sydney MELBOURNE VIEWING BIDS ENQUIRIES PRESS ENQUIRIES Como House Online bidding will be available Mark Fraser Emma Miller Como Avenue for the auction. For further Chairman +61 (0) 401 642 535 South Yarra VIC 3141 information please visit: +61 (0) 430 098 802 mob [email protected] www.bonhams.com [email protected] Friday 26 – Sunday 28 May PHYSICAL CONDITION 10am – 5pm All bidders are advised to Alex Clark OF LOTS IN THIS AUCTION read the important information Australian and International Art PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE SYDNEY VIEWING on the following pages relating Specialist IS NO REFERENCE IN THIS NCJWA Hall to bidding, payment, collection, +61 (0) 413 283 326 mob CATALOGUE TO THE PHYSICAL 111 Queen Street and storage of any purchases. [email protected] CONDITION OF ANY LOT. Woollahra NSW 2025 INTENDING BIDDERS MUST IMPORTANT INFORMATION Merryn Schriever SATISFY THEMSELVES AS Friday 2 – Monday 5 June The United States Government Australian and International Art TO THE CONDITION OF ANY 10am – 5pm has banned the import of ivory Specialist LOT AS SPECIFIED IN CLAUSE Tuesday 6 June into the USA. Lots containing +61 (0) 414 846 493 mob 14 OF THE NOTICE TO By appointment ivory are indicated by the symbol [email protected] BIDDERS CONTAINED AT THE Ф printed beside the lot number END OF THIS CATALOGUE. SALE NUMBER in this catalogue. Francesca Cavazzini 24135 Aboriginal and International Art As a courtesy to intending Art Specialist bidders, Bonhams will provide a CATALOGUE +61 (0) 416 022 822 mob written indication of the physical $30.00 francesca.cavazzini@bonhams. condition of lots in this sale if a com request is received up to 24 ILLUSTRATIONS hours before the auction starts. Front cover: Lot 37 CLIENT SERVICES This written indication is issued Inside front: Lot 48 Fiona Frith subject to Clause 3 of the Notice Inside back: Lot 12 (detail) +61 (0) 28412 2222 to Bidders. Back cover: Lot 9 [email protected] Bonhams 1793 Limited 97-99 Queen Street, Woollahra NSW 2025 Catalogue Design and Production +61 (0) 2 8412 2222 Kate Floro +61 (0) 2 9475 4110 fax www.katefloro.com SALE INFORMATION BIDS PAYMENT BUYER’S PREMIUM +61 (0) 2 8412 2222 Payment is due by 4:30pm on Thursday A Buyer’s Premium of 22% plus GST will +61 (0) 3 8640 4088 8 June 2017. be added to the Hammer Price on all lots. +61 (0) 2 9475 4110 fax [email protected] To comply with legislation, Bonhams cannot EXPORT/TRADE RESTRICTIONS accept payment from an account that does It is your sole responsibility to comply with To bid via the internet please visit not match the name of the party invoiced. all export and import regulations relating www.bonhams.com to your purchases and also to obtain any Bank Transfer - Payment can be made by relevant export and/or import licence(s). PAYMENTS bank transfer. Please ensure that you either Buyers include the sale and lot number, your name The refusal of any import or export or +61 (0) 2 8412 2222 or customer number in the reference field. CITES license(s), any delay in obtaining such +61 (0) 3 8640 4088 license(s), or any limitation on your ability to +61 (0) 2 9475 4110 fax Account Name: BONHAMS 1793 LTD export a Lot shall not permit the rescission AU-CLIENT AC of any sale nor allow any delay in making full Sellers Bank Name: HSBC Bank Australia Ltd payment for the Lot. Payment of sale proceeds Branch Name: Sydney Exchange Centre +61 (0) 2 8412 2222 Account Number: 078193002 CITES REGULATIONS +61 (0) 3 8640 4088 BSB: 342011 Please be aware that all Lots marked +61 (0) 2 9475 4110 fax SWIFT: HKBAAU2S with symbol Y are subject to CITES when exporting these items outside Australia. SHIPPING Information about these regulations may For information and estimates on domestic be found at www.environment.gov.au/ and international shipping as well as export biodiversity/trade-use/cites/index.html licenses please contact: or may be requested from: Penny Pfahl The Director +61 (0) 2 8412 2222 International Wildlife Trade [email protected] Department of Sustainability, Environment, BPAY - Payments can be made by BPAY. Water, Population and Communities COLLECTION Please contact your participating bank, credit GPO Box 787 Lots will be available for collection from union or building society to make payment Canberra ACT 2601 12pm Wednesday 7 June at Bonhams directly from your cheque or savings +61 (0) 2 6274 1900 97-99 Queen Street, Woollahra. account. [email protected] Enter the Biller Code 17723 and BPAY Please note collection will not be available reference number as detailed on your from NCJWA Hall. invoice. Please note collection will not be available EFTPOS / Debit Cards - There is a 2% unless payment has been received and has surcharge on the total invoice value when cleared. using non-Australian bank issued Debit cards, and deferred and company Debit Storage charges will apply from cards. Wednesday 14 June 2017 Cash - We will accept cash payment in Daily storage charge per Lot: Australian Dollars up to a maximum $50 plus GST amount of $8000 for lots purchased by you in this sale. Lots will be released upon production of the collection form which will be provided Cheques – Cheques should be made upon receipt of payment. Please present payable to: Bonhams 1793 Ltd. this form and photographic ID at the time of collection. If a third party is collecting on Personal cheques, bank cheques and behalf of the client, the client must provide building society cheques drawn on an Bonhams with written authority prior to Australian branch of a bank or building collection. The third party must present society must be cleared prior to the photographic ID when collecting. collection of purchases. Suitable proof of identity will be required for payment by bank cheque and building society cheque. Payment and collection enquiries please contact: Penny Pfahl +61 (0) 2 8412 2222 [email protected] Ca a i n o d e Jersey Rd l rd Oxfo St S Smith Wi t t d pel S n South Cha St r o Malcolm St s Vi A M Q St River St ct ueen St oria lexandra A o River Ln n T Ya a ce sh Vi ct Tivoli Rd oria Av rra F e re e Rush St ve w a Bonham Rockley Rd y M t S r u c n o To s o Dw k a ye r Ken L sington Rd r Herring n Island Pe R a k S p d i e ce r r L St Como Ave n Como Ave Le Como c Park h a Fu l lham Ave d e Av e NCJWA HALL Q F MZ D #K D OO Queen St Williams Rd Williams Rd North Jo h n O e c St n a t S Como Hous ru B H o ld s wo S e rt c Clover dale Ave h St Vista Grove t B u Wallace Ave rn e ie St Ya rra Wa Balmerino Ave Do J shin R a u To c g iv k la s g o e s to orak n r St n St Canberra Rd St 1 GRACE COSSINGTON SMITH (1892-1984) Bush with Rocks, 1952 signed and dated lower left: ‘G. Cossington Smith 52’; titled and signed verso: ‘Bush with Rocks / Grace Cossington Smith’ oil on cardboard 51.0 x 40.5cm (20 1/16 x 15 15/16in). $22,000 - 32,000 PROVENANCE Private collection, Sydney, a gift from the artist thence by descent Christie’s, Australian, International & Contemporary Art, Melbourne, 10 April 2006, lot 64 Private collection, Melbourne 4 | BONHAMS IMPORTANT AUSTRALIAN AND ABORIGINAL ART | 5 2 ALBERT NAMATJIRA (CIRCA 1902-1959) (Palm Valley), c.1943 signed lower right: ‘ALBERT NAMATJIRA’ watercolour and pencil on paper 38.5 x 27.0cm (15 3/16 x 10 5/8in). $20,000 - 30,000 PROVENANCE Pvt. John Schneider, acquired directly from the artist c.1943 when stationed with the Australian Army in Alice Springs thence by descent Private collection, Melbourne RELATED WORK Palm Valley, James Range, 1945 in Alison French, Seeing the Centre: The Art of Albert Namatjira 1902-1959, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, 2002, p.111 (illus.) By the beginning of World War II, Albert Namatjira’s career was well established, thanks in part, to the ongoing friendship with fellow-artist Rex Battarbee, and the support of Pastor FW Albrecht and other missionaries. His works were exhibited around the country in sell-out shows in Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane. Despite the isolation of Hermannsburg, the onset of war brought with it new buyers through the army personnel stationed in Alice Springs during this period.1 Palm Valley, part of Namatjira’s mother’s country, was a regular subject for the artist, particularly in the 1940s. Whilst in many examples the artist focuses on the relationship between these towering palms to the expanses of blue skies above or the vast landscape beyond, in this example we see a more intimate setting. A family of tightly grouped palms emerge from a seemingly impenetrable undergrowth, as if silent witnesses to this sacred site. The density of the vegetation is further enhanced by its reflection in the still rockpool below, emphasizing even further the sense of isolation of this place.