Masterpiece rolls out in Hong Kong
The Masterpiece fair brand will be trialled in Hong Kong later this year with a ‘pavilion’ within the Fine Art Asia fair.
In a reciprocal arrangement, up to 25 stands of Fine Art Asia 2019 (October 4-7) will occupy The Masterpiece Pavilion. In turn Fine Art Asia will also have a smaller presence at this year’s Masterpiece London from June 27-July 3, with a group exhibition on a shared stand.
The ‘fair within a fair’ concept allows Masterpiece to introduce its brand to the Far East without committing to the costs of a new event.
Masterpiece, held in London since 2010, is now majority-owned by MCH Group, the Swiss owner of Art Basel, which promised to take the brand to new shores when it made its investment in December 2017.
The arrangement builds on a similar deal made in 2013 when the fourth Masterpiece fair hosted the Hong Kong Pavilion followed by the ‘European Treasures’ stand at Fine Art Asia in October.
Chiswick Chinese scrolls take £85,000
Two modern Chinese painted hanging scrolls took the limelight at Chiswick Auctions’ (25% buyer’s premium) Asian Art sale on February 19.
Attributed to Huang Binhong (1865-1955), they sold for £85,000 against an estimate of £300-500.
Lazarus Halstead, head of Asian Art at Chiswick Auctions, said: “The success of Chinese paintings in the sale indicates the incredible demand from collectors looking to buy well-provenanced works outside China.
“While the greatest artists in 20th century Chinese paintings are little known in the West, their status in China is every bit as important as their Western counterparts. There are perhaps fifty 20th century Chinese painters who, through the medium of ink and colour on paper, might be regarded as truly great in what they have achieved.”
Binhong is one such artist and Halstead also lists Pu Ru (1896-1963) also known as Pu Xinyu, Qi Baishi (1864-1957), Zhang Daqian (1899-1983) and Huang Zhou (1925-97) in his top five to watch.
Also in the Chiswick sale was a collection of five works attributed to Wu Changshou (1844-1927) which sold at £30,000 against a £500-800 estimate.
Sport shirts score at auction houses
A 1905 All Blacks shirt worn during the first Rugby Union test match to be held in New Zealand between the All Blacks and Australia – won 14-3 by the hosts – sold just below top estimate at £39,000 at Welsh saleroom Rogers Jones (18% buyer’s premium inc VAT) on March 1.
‘Jum’ Turtill 1905 All Blacks rugby shirt – £39,000 at Rogers Jones.
The wearer was full-back Hubert Sydney ‘Jum’ Turtill (1880-1918). He received just one All Blacks cap before switching to play rugby league for the NZ team dubbed ‘All Golds’. Born in London but raised in Christchurch, he later returned to Britain and played for St Helens rugby league club. He was killed in the First World War. The shirt came with associated items including Turtill’s All Blacks cap.
In October 2015 the New Zealand rugby shirt worn by captain Dave Gallaher on their 1905-06 British tour made £180,000 at Rogers Jones, an auction record. That tour was the first for a New Zealand rugby union team outside Australasia, to the British Isles, France and the US. For the first time the nickname ‘The All Blacks’ was used by the British Press.
Gordon Banks shirt
Meanwhile, at Surrey saleroom Ewbank’s (24% buyer’s premium) a day earlier, it was a football legend’s shirt in demand. Worn by England goalkeeper Gordon Banks, a 1966 World Cup winner, it sold for £4200 against an estimate of £2500-3500).
Gordon Banks England shirt shown with vendor Dave Hollins – £4200 at Ewbank’s.
It came from the international match that Banks, who died on February 12 this year at the age of 81, played on October 12, 1963 – a British Championship fixture between Wales and England at Ninian Park, Cardiff.
The vendor was Dave Hollins, the Welsh keeper in the same match, with whom Banks swapped the shirt at the end of the game. Hollins played 11 times for Wales from 1962-66.
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2 Sotheby’s and Phillips raise buyer’s premium with new rates higher than Christie’s
3 Huge ‘lost’ Meiji vase goes from seafood restaurant to saleroom
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In Numbers
275 Sotheby’s will mark its 275th anniversary on March 11, 2019, and will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell to celebrate that day.
