First live stream of an art auction by Strauss & Co
ROSEBANK – Art lovers will be spoilt for choice at the art piece auction of Monarch Hotel pieces.
A landmark five-star boutique hotel in Rosebank will be starting off the year with a liquidation sale of an impressive art collection courtesy of Strauss & Co. The Monarch Hotel on Oxford Road, which resembles an 18th-century Cape Townhouse, served as a telephone exchange before housing the Saxonwold Post Office.
According to Wilhelm van Rensburg, a senior art specialist at Strauss & Co, said on 5 February in the morning the sale of the property itself, including furniture and curtains will start followed by an art sale by Strauss & Co in the evening at 6pm.
“We have 160 lots to put under the hammer. There will be viewing days beforehand with specialists on-site ready to answer questions about the pieces. This ground-breaking auction will be the first one by the company to be live-streamed, allowing potential buyers to bid for the artworks online from anywhere in the world,” said van Rensburg.
He recalled that in the 1970s in buildings adjacent to the pre-hotel were a lot of antique shops with an island full of palm trees. “In 2005 the building was bought by a group of entrepreneurs the chief of whom was Louis Boshoff and he also was instrumental in putting in the art collection together. The building was closed late last year and the owners are putting everything up for sale. In terms of art, there really truly are remarkable works,” van Rensburg said.
A tour around the hotel with cataloger and researcher at Strauss & Co Hazel Cuthbertson showed art pieces displayed in the public areas as well as in each of the luxurious private bedroom suites and bathrooms. Among the works expected to attract vigorous bidding is a wonderful Walter Battiss tapestry, It’s Fly Day in the reception area and the 60 ‘biographical’ ceramic plates by internationally based South African ceramic artist Ruan Hoffman.
The viewing days before the auction will be on 1, 3 and 4 February at different times.
Details: Susie Goodman susie@straussart.co.za; 011 728 8246.
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