Some interesting pieces unsold or miss their estimates

A MODERN 14-piece mahogany dining room suite and a series of paintings by Marie VermeulenBreedt with a top estimate price of R50,000 each, were among the lots on offer at the Westgate Walding Auctioneers fine arts sale on Wednesday, as was a mid-Victorian silver-mounted British military dress message belt.

The two signed paintings by Vermeulen-Breedt, Water Lilies I and On the Farm Dam, both oil on canvas, were unsold. In this price range too were Tinus de Jongh’s oil on canvas Homestead in Rural Landscape, signed and dated 1936 that fetched R32,000; Frans Claerhout’s oil on paper Two Seated Women (R16,500); Dumile Feni’s signed ink and pen Who Will Run with Me (R42,000); and Adriaan Boshoff’s oil on board Coastal Landscape, signed and dated 1955 (R12,000); Osiah Masekoameng’s lithograph Mamakyoposi, signed and numbered 9/15 (unsold); Claerhout’s oil on board Portrait of a Girl (R16,500); and Welcome Koboka’s oil on board Penny Whistler (R16,500).

Of interest too were Speelman Mahlangu’s oil on canvas To Dream the Impossible Dream (R4,500); Joseph Maseko’s oil on board Township Scene (withdrawn); Johan

The stand-out piece among the collectables was a midVictorian silver-mounted British military dress message belt

Oldert’s signed oil on board Figures on a Road (R4,500); Enslin du Plessis’ signed oil on board Street Scene London (R8,500); and Vincent Baloyi’s mixed media Township Scene, signed and dated 1990 (R2,500).

The modern mahogany dining room suite was the dominant lot in the furniture section. The suite, consisting of a dining table, sideboard, 10 dining chairs and two carvers fetched R22,000, the highest bid in this section. Also impressive were a 19th-century Anglo-Indian secretaire military chest of drawers (R16,500); a 19th-century carved walnut buffet (R10,000); an early Victorian mahogany linen press (unsold); and a 19th-century carved oak buffet (R7,500).

A more unusual appearance were two kussen kas items: an early 19th-century rosewood piece and a late 19th-century or early 20th- century Dutch oak piece that fetched R8,200 and R5,200 respectively.

Other attractive pieces were a 19th-century oak cupboard (R3,800); a 19th-century mahogany centre table (R7,500) and a Victorian mahogany sideboard (R3,500). Attracting attention too were a 19thcentury loo table (R7,500); a 19thcentury French oak cupboard (R10,500); a 19th-century oak side cabinet (R2,000); a 19th-century walnut writing table (R4,900); an Edwardian inlaid mahogany cupboard (R5,000); and a pair of 20thcentury Georgian-style leather wingback armchairs (R7,500).

A set of a 1960s embossed leather kist and embossed pair of leather armchairs and assorted embossed leather items fetched R12,000.

The stand-out piece among the collectables was a mid-Victorian silver-mounted British military dress message belt made in 1859 by J & Co, Birmingham. Among silver pieces of interest were a William IV hot water pot (R5,200), a set of six William IV silver double-struck queen’s pattern table forks and a set of late-Victorian silver double-struck dessert forks (R7,200). A Clarice Cliff jardiniere painted in shades of green, brown, pink and orange attracted a bid price of R3,800.