Henkel’s Seated Nude steals show

• Oil on canvas by South African artist fetches R68,000 at sale

South African artist Irmin Henkel dominated the art section at the Westgate Decorative & Fine Arts sale in Waverley on Wednesday.

Irmin Henkel’s work dominated the art section at the Westgate Decorative & Fine Arts sale in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

Five of the South African artist’s works were on offer with his oil on canvas, Seated Nude, fetching R68,000. The painting is signed and dated 1970.

A painting by Belgian artist Jean Jansem of a Harlequin, Banjo Player with a Flute Player and Trumpet Player, with an upper estimate of R200,000, was unsold.

Other South African artworks in the upper-bracket price range included Deborah Margaret Bell’s etching, signed, titled and dated 2008 (R26,000), and Tinus de Jongh’s signed oil on board, Cape Cottage in Mountainous Landscape (R31,000).

Paintings of interest included Titta Fasciotti’s oil on board, The Great Karoo, Cape (R9,500); Casey van der Leek’s oil on canvas, Still Life of Lilies (R9,000); Jan Dingeman’s signed mixed media on board (unsold); and Paul Munro’s signed oil on board, Extensive Landscape (R2,500).

Of interest too were Don Madge’s signed oil on board, Cape Cottage in Landscape (R4,500); Sydney Carter’s signed watercolour River in Landscape (R3,200); and Pieter van der Westhuizen’s coloured etching, Still Life (R2,500).

A mid 20th-century Rosendorfer mahogany baby grand piano with an upholstered piano stool in the furniture section was knocked down for R176,000, the highest price fetched at the auction.

Other interesting pieces in the furniture section included a mid 17th-century English oak cupboard (R19,000); a massive 19th century Indian carved hardwood dowry chest (unsold); a set of six Victorian mahogany bustle-back dining chairs (R5,500); a 19th-century painted king-size bed (R8,000); and a large mid-20th century crystal chandelier (R8,000).

Among the Victorian pieces were a mahogany dining-room suite (R31,000) and an inlaid walnut side cabinet (R12,000).

Other pieces in the fourfigure price range were a George III mahogany chest (R9,000) and a 19th century Dutch oak buffet (R6,000).

Of interest in the collectibles section were a small George III silver salver on three-hoof feet by IC, London 1771, and a 40piece Royal Albert bone china tea service.

A MID 20TH-CENTURY ROSENDORFER MAHOGANY BABY GRAND PIANO WAS KNOCKED DOWN FOR R176,000

Among the attractive pieces were an early 20th-century Italian alabaster bust (R2,400); a pair of 20th-century Chinese porcelain two-handled vases; an Edwardian Iris silver baluster cup by J Wakely and F Wheeler, Dublin 1901 (R11,000); a George IV Irish silver coaster by Edw Power and Edw Tycross, Dublin 1822 (unsold); and a mid-Victorian silver mounted horn snuff mull, London 1884 (unsold).

Jewellery included a platinum diamond and ruby ring (R13,000); a mid-20th-century 14-carat gold solitaire ruby ring; a nine-carat white gold and diamond dress ring (unsold); an 18carat gold and diamond cluster brooch (R16,500); and an 18carat gold and diamond dress ring (R32,000).