A double dose of fine collectables

Investment art, historic medals in weekend sales mix

TWO AUCTIONS aimed particularly at art investors and collectors of valuable numismatics are planned for this weekend by 5th Avenue Auctioneers and Bernardi’s of Pretoria.

Paintings by Old Masters such as Maggie Laubser, Pierneef, Maurice van Essche, Hennie Niemann junior and Gregoire Boonzaier are among the lots for 5th Avenue Auctioneers’ auction of art, collectables, antiques and floor coverings on Sunday at 10am at 404 Jan Smuts Avenue, Craighall Park.

Other major artists represented include Otto Klar, Adriaan Boshoff, WH Coetzer, Titta Fasciotti, Walter Battiss, Christiaan Nice, Frans Claerhout, Tinus and Gabriel de Jongh, Hennie Griesel, Chris Tugwell, William Kentridge, Dirk Meerkotter and Dino Paravano.

The hammer will also come down on Victorian, Edwardian and other furniture, 70 lots of collectables and 103 lots of Persian carpets.

Viewing is today from 9am to 5pm and tomorrow from 10am to 4pm. See the catalogue at www.5thaveauctions.co.za/apr19.html.

Assets of Pik Botha, foreign affairs minister in the last years of the apartheid era, will top the bill at Bernardi’s Auctioneers of Pretoria’s major auction of fine art and collectables at 65 Thomson Street, Colbyn, tomorrow at 10am.

Botha’s decorations – which include The Order of Good Hope and Decoration for Distinguished Service – and a scarce 9ct gold SA Railways Life Pass, other coin and medallion sets presented to Botha, as well as global presentations he received will be sold. Books signed by Nelson Mandela, Chester Crocker and George Bizos will also come under the hammer.

The auction’s second session will feature Old Master and contemporary art.

Viewing is today from 10am to 5pm and tomorrow prior to the sale. For details, see www. bernardiauctioneers.co.za or call 0124306914.

The oil painting ‘Shepherd’ by Maggie Laubser is expected to fetch between R700 000 and R900 000 at the 5th Avenue auction on Sunday.

The 18ct gold and enamelled SA Mint-produced ‘Decoration for Distinguished Service’ presented in 1980 to Pik Botha, when he was minister of foreign affairs, which is among many of his assets to be auctioned by Bernardi’s tomorrow.