‘Incredibly rare’ Goldie work could set record
A collection of important and rare artworks – including paintings by New Zealand artist Charles Frederick Goldie – could sell for upwards of $5 million at auction.
The auction today will also include work by the likes of Ralph Hotere, Rita Angus and Banksy, just to name a few.
Three of Goldie’s paintings will be up for sale, with International Art Centre director Richard Thomson forecasting they could set a new record of $2.2m.
‘‘It’s incredibly rare to have three Goldies in one sale, and two have never been seen on the market.’’
Although Goldie showed promise of artistic talent while a teenager at Auckland Grammar, his career properly took off in 1900, when he presented a range of portraits at the Auckland Society of Arts.
Goldie dedicated his life to painting the Māori chiefs (rangatira) and Māori leaders, with the intention of preserving the heritage of Māori people.
An example of this is the painting Māori Rangatira with Hei-tiki, signed and completed in 1939.
The rare artwork is estimated to sell for anywhere between $800,000 and $1.2m, as it is the first time the piece has entered the market. The second piece, Māori Rangatira Wharekauri Tahuna –
The Calm Close of Valour’s Various Day – was painted in 1918 and has belonged to the same family for 104 years.
Thomson said the painting, which is expected to go for over $900,000, ‘‘depicts the great calm of a Māori chief [rangatira]’’.
The final piece is a ‘‘beautiful drawing’’ of Māori guide Sophia Hinerangi, and up until 2017, was owned by Goldie’s niece. Hinerangi was the principal tourist guide of the Pink and White Terraces at Lake Rotomahana, a friend and favoured subject of Goldie.
Also up for sale in the collection are three prints by Banksy, the most famous anonymous artist in the industry. The three prints, Have a Nice Day, No Ball Games and Golf Sale, are expected to collectively fetch $325,000 at auction.
The artwork sale will begin at 6pm today at the International Art Centre in Parnell.