The Sydney Morning Herald has some details on Sotheby’s late August sale:
Sotheby’s Australia is also travelling well. Its August 31 sale of Important Australian Art in Sydney exceeded $4.72 million, selling 64 per cent by lot and 77 per cent by value. Top result was for Brett Whiteley’s Shao (Rain Slanted by Wind), which fetched $696,000, within the estimates of $600,000 to $800,000. Other strong results included Jeffrey Smart’s The Steps (sold for $486,000, upper estimate $350,000), Charles Blackman’s The White Tablecloth ($648,000, upper estimate $750,000) and Sidney Nolan’s Ned Kelly 1957 ($72,000, upper estimate $30,000). The lesser-known Nora Heysen’s Self Portrait 1932 was a pleasant surprise, achieving $168,000. This is more than quadruple her previous record of $35,750 set by Sotheby’s in 2005.
Rarity Has Its Own Rewards (Sydney Morning Herald)
