With back-to-back auctions held in Sydney late last month by Sotheby’s and Deutscher and Hackett (27 & 28 August 2013), the local art market had an unexpected boost despite a looming election and conservative estimates.
Rather than perennial auction favourites Fred Williams, Jeffrey Smart and Brett Whiteley, it was a group of 10 paintings and drawings by British abstractionist Bridget Riley that stunned punters with an extraordinary hammer result of $AUD1.85 million (inc. buyers premium).
