Your artwork could be worth millions

Strauss & Co specialists will provide free valuations at The Coach House Hotel, Old Coach Road, Tzaneen on Wednesday August 24 between 9:00 – 16:00.

Specialists from South Africa’s premier auction house, Strauss & Co, will be providing obligation-free valuations of South African and international paintings watercolours, drawings, prints and sculpture ahead of its Johannesburg auction which is coming up on November 7 at the Wanderer’s Club in Illovo.

If you are considering selling an artwork, or would simply like to discover its value, you are welcome to make an appointment and bring it to Strauss & Co’s team of art specialists, who will provide free and confidential estimates.

Valuation days such as this frequently turn up rare and forgotten treasures by some of South Africa’s most significant artists.

In April this year, for example, a large still life painting of sunflowers by Vladimir Tretchikoff was uncovered at a valuation day in Pietermaritzburg, along with press clippings and documentation of its original sale, giving fascinating insight into its provenance.

None of Tretchikoff’s works were bought by public galleries in the 20th century, so most became part of private collections and were never seen by the public after their initial shows, often at departmental stores such as Garrick’s.

The Sunflowers, however, was exhibited at a Pietermartizburg tearoom for many years, well known for its collection of contemporary South African art, where it received much admiration from visitors.

A correspondent for the Sunday Tribune at the time noted how its owner, who ran the tearoom “says it attracts a lot of interest – it’s so lifelike that many customers want to touch the flowers, painted with a raised technique, to see if they are real”.

With an estimate of between R400 000 and R600 000 “The Sunflowers” fetched R1 700 000 on our May 2016 auction!

Strauss & Co specialists are highly regarded for their expertise, professionalism and in-depth knowledge of the art market, which allows them to give accurate, market-related estimates.

They take pride in working closely with the sellers and buyers, advising them throughout the sales process.

Johannesburg-based Strauss & Co art specialists Alastair Meredith and Wilhelm van Rensburg will be in attendance in Tzaneen.

Alastair, a specialist in paintings, watercolours, drawings, prints and sculpture, studied History of Art at the University of Edinburgh and at Cambridge University.

He is currently working on a doctoral thesis on the South African-born painter Jan Juta, a contemporary of Pierneef’s, also at Cambridge.

Wilhelm is a specialist in the same areas.

He obtained a Master’s Degree in History of Art from the University of Johannesburg and curated retrospective exhibitions of Irma Stern (2003), Judith Mason (2008) and JH Pierneef (2015), all at Standard Bank Gallery, Johannesburg.

Marion holds a Master’s Degree in Art History from the University of the Witwatersrand.

She is Curator of the Constitutional Court Art Collection, and has mounted the important exhibition, Water: The [Delicate] Thread of Life at the Standard Bank Gallery, Johannesburg in 2011.

Matshelane Xhakaza recently completed a Bachelor of Art: Fine Arts degree at the University of the Witwatersrand and is a practising artist.

The Valuation Days will be preceded by a reception the evening beforehand during which time you are welcome to meet the art specialists socially, and to listen to talks about the auction world.

Strauss & Co is the global leader in the South African art market and holds the records for the highest prices attained for numerous South African artists.

Last year Strauss & Co set 21 new artist records and boasts a sell-through rate by lot and value combined of 81,7%, the highest in the market. At its March auction held in Cape Town earlier this year, Strauss & Co sold a work by Robert Hodgins, Bad Man with Great Threads, for R2,4 million, more than three times the pre-sale estimate.

Other top results included over R1,8 million for a work by Walter Battiss, and R1,5 million for a Maggie Laubser .

Strauss & Co set the world record for a work by Irma Stern – also the record for a work of art in South Africa – when Two Arabs sold for R21 166 000 in 2011.

Reception: The Coach House Hotel: Old Coach Road- Tzaneen-Tuesday August 23 at 18:00.

Art Valuation Day: The Coach House Hotel-Wednesday August 24 between 09:00 – 16:00.

For an appointment:

Johannesburg office: 011 728 8246

Alastair Meredith: alastair@straussart.co.za

Wilhelm van Rensburg: wilhelm@straussart.co.za

Marion Dixon: marion@straussart.co.za

Matshelane Xhakana: Matshelane@straussart.co.za

Susie Goodman: susie@straussart.co.za

Watch this time lapse video that gives a behind-the-scenes look at the setting up of Strauss & Co’s 23 May Auction.