Art Market Monitor

Global Coverage ~ Unique Analysis

  • AMMpro
  • AMM Fantasy Collecting Game
  • Podcast
  • Contact Us

£1m Irma Stern Portrait Leads Bonhams South African Sale

March 20, 2014 by Marion Maneker

Irma Stern, Zanzibar Woman 1.08m GBP

Bonhams reports that its sale of South African art in London yesterday made £2.75m led far and away by this Irma Stern portrait:

Bonhams sale of South African art saw an Irma Stern (1894-1966) titled ‘Zanzibar Woman’ break through the million pound mark to make a total of £1,082,500 (R19,289,760).

The top ten paintings in this sale included another Stern painting titled ’Istanbul’ for £326,500, three Alexis Prellers, two Pierneefs, an Alfred Neville Lewis, a George Pemba and a Stella Shawzin. In total the sale made over £2.75million (just under ZAR50million)

Hannah O’Leary, Head of South African Art at Bonhams, comments, “Despite the Rand currently trading at its lowest rate against the pound for many years, today we saw bidding on the best works as hotly contested as ever. We are delighted that ‘Zanzibar Woman’ fetched over £1million, just shy of ZAR20million, placing it among the highest prices for Irma Stern’s work, and rightly so. New world record prices were set for Stella Shawzin (‘Balancing Figures II’ £76,900) and Neville Lewis (‘The peach pickers, Franschhoek’ £56,250), in both cases smashing their previous records, also set here at Bonhams in London, three times over. Bonhams now holds the world record prices for all of South Africa’s most significant artists, including Irma Stern (£3,044,000), J.H. Pierneef (£826,400), Alexis Preller (£748,000), Gerard Sekoto (£602,400) and Stanley Pinker (£337,250) among others, thus cementing Bonhams position as the undisputed global leader in the market for South African art.”

Irma Stern’s ‘Zanzibar Woman’, 1939, is an oil on canvas within its original Zanzibar frame, which makes it of additional interest to keen collectors of this artist’s work. This vibrant portrait in was acquired directly from the artist in the 1950s and by direct family descent to the current owner.

 

More from Art Market Monitor

  • Peter Brant’s Art Fund with UTA RevealedPeter Brant’s Art Fund with UTA Revealed
  • New York Contemporary Charts, 2004-2012New York Contemporary Charts, 2004-2012
  • Reports of Chu Teh Chun’s Death at 94Reports of Chu Teh Chun’s Death at 94
  • Lisa Jacobs Responds to Schulhof SuitLisa Jacobs Responds to Schulhof Suit
  • Swann African-American Art Totals $7.5m for 2019Swann African-American Art Totals $7.5m for 2019
  • Would You Believe It? Artnet Says 2015 Is a Recessionary Year So Far for the Global Art MarketWould You Believe It? Artnet Says 2015 Is a Recessionary Year So Far for the Global Art Market

Filed Under: Auction Results

About Marion Maneker

LiveArt

Want to get Art Market Monitor‘s posts sent to you in our email? Sign up below by clicking on the Subscribe button.

  • About Us/ Contact
  • Podcast
  • AMMpro
  • Newsletter
  • FAQ

twitterfacebooksoundcloud
Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
California Privacy Rights
Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Advertise on Art Market Monitor
 

Loading Comments...