leonard, issue 3, december-february 2012
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Issue THRee / DECEMBER - FEBRUARY 2012
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ART
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DecoRATIve ARTs AnD DesIgn
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and Design
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collecTAbles
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books AnD MAnuscRIpTs
Giles Moon, Head of Collectables and Books
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pRe–owneD luxuRy
John D’Agata, Head of Jewellery
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THe specIAlIsT collecToR
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THe weekly AucTIon
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vAluATIon seRvIces
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CoverCollectables AuctionSunday 11 December at 12pm
272A rare 19th century Thomas Humber Penny Farthing Bicycle Estimate $6,000 - 8,000
PhotographyRick Merrie
DesignerMaria Rossi
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Two and a half years ago when I took the
reins of Leonard Joel I inherited not only a
grand Melbourne business with an extraor-
dinary history but more importantly a won-
derful group of individuals committed to
completely reinvigorating and re-thinking
the way an auction house could be. It was
my hope that more beautiful viewings and
surrounds, elegant catalogues, new ways of
communicating with our clients and mean-
ingful participation with our community
would resonate with you and we believe it
has. But without you; our clients and our
friends we recognize that this could not have
been possible. So firstly and most impor-
tantly, on behalf of Leonard Joel I would like
to personally thank you for your custom and
your support over this extraordinary year for
us in 2011.
This year we were pleased to be able to
expand our category depth and provide you
with Modern Design, Photography, Pre-
Owned Luxury and Specialist Collector
departments to cater to your evolving buy-
ing and selling habits. Our Specialist Collec-
tor department was also an exciting rebirth
for us of our long history of managing the
dispersal of important single-owner col-
lections. But this year we became not just
an auction house with a different business
model and way of doings things. More impor-
tantly perhaps we became a business with a
soul when we decided to partner with Arts
Project Australia for at least four years and
bring our facilities, people and expertise to
their wonderful organization that nurtures
the artistic talents of 140 intellectually disa-
bled individual- within a caring environment
and world class studio facilities in Northcote
these artists create, exhibit and sell their
works to clients all over the world (on pages
8 to 9 you can read more about this emerging
art genre).
For the best part of a few hundred years auc-
tion houses have largely overlooked the fact
that they are retailers with clients that want
a simplified, more transparent and more
interesting “collecting” experience and one
that reflects their changing tastes. At Leon-
ard Joel we recognize this and in 2012 we
are committed to continuing the process
of improving and reviewing the Leonard
Joel experience to ensure that our business
remains relevant and exciting for you. Next
year we will focus even more heavily on
the customer and how we can simplify and
enhance their engagement with our auction
house – digital technology, simplifying how
we transact with our clients and further cat-
egories will be at the heart of our 2012 cal-
endar. On page 20 you can read a short piece
on the conditions of business of an auction
house that aims to distill the key elements to
consider for anyone considering selling at an
auction. To my knowledge it is the first effort
by an auction house anywhere to turn a baf-
fling document in to a simple and straightfor-
ward read. This sort of thing you will see a
lot more of in 2012 as Leonard Joel continues
its goal of becoming a modern-day auction
house with the most genuine customer focus.
On behalf of Leonard Joel I would like to
thank you again for your custom and support
in 2011 and invite you to our annual “Little
Party in the Garden” under the pear trees of
Leonard Joel on Thursday December 15th
from 4pm where my team and I can person-
ally thank you and share a drink to toast the
2011 year. If you can’t make it to our end of
year party can I take this opportunity to wish
you and your loved ones a happy and healthy
summer and exciting 2012.
thankyouJohn ALBREChT, MAnAGInG DIRECToR LEonARD JoEL
1 DEC - FEBleonard
conTenTs
DECEMBER - FEBRUARY ContEnts
CALEnDAR 3
nEWS 4
ART InVESTIGATIon 6
DECEMBER PREVIEW 7
oUTSIDER ART 8
ART 10
ART PREVIEW 11
JEWELLERy 12
CLASSIC oBJECTS AnD FURnITURE 14
JAPAnESE ART 15
CoLLECTABLES 16
ThE WEEkLy 18
PhoToGRAPhy 19
AUCTIon ADVICE 20
ART BUSInESS 21
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AUSTRALIAn AnD InTERnATIonAL ART
FInE JEWELLERy AnD WRISTWATChES
PRE-oWnED LUxURy
CLASSIC oBJECTS AnD FURnITURE
MoDERn DESIGn
SInGLE oWnER CoLLECTIonS
CoLLECTABLE ToyS AnD SPoRTInG MEMoRABILIA
MILITARIA
BookS AnD MAnUSCRIPTS
MELBoURnE STREET ART
Three bats and a bird on a wire Original work by award winning street artist and muralist Fintan MageeBangs Street, Prahran Photo taken by John Albrecht 8.20am 20th November 2011
2 leonardDEC - FEB
FoRthCoMing AUCtions
The Weekly Auction Every Thursday in 2011 – 10am333 Malvern Road, South Yarra, Melbourne, Victoria
Fine Jewellery AuctionSunday 4th December 2011 – 12pm333 Malvern Road, South Yarra, Melbourne, Victoria
The Sunday Fine Art Auction Sunday 4th December 2011 – 2pm 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra, Melbourne, Victoria
Pre-owned Luxury Auction Sunday 4th December 2011 – 3pm 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra, Melbourne, Victoria
The Special Weekly Jewellery Auction Thursday 8th December 2011 – 10.30am 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra, Melbourne, Victoria
The Specialist Print Auction Thursday 8th December 2011 – 11.30am 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra, Melbourne,
natural history Auction Thursday 8th December 2011 – 12pm 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra, Melbourne, Victoria
The Vintage Clothing Auction Thursday 8th December 2011 – 1pm 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra, Melbourne,
Collectables Auction Sunday 11th December 2011 – 12pm 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra, Melbourne, Victoria
The Christmas Auction Featuring a Collection of Danish Furniture Tuesday 20th December 2011 – 6.30pm 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra, Melbourne, Victoria
2012 Weekly Auctions Begin 19th January 2012 – 10am 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra, Melbourne, Victoria
cAlenDAR
Leonard Joel is a proud supporter of Arts Project Australia
Auctions and viewing times are subject to change.
Wei Dong (Chinese) Born 1968Spring OutingSOLD $12,000 (IBP)
3 DEC - FEBleonard
ReCoRD PRiCe foR QantaS MeDal gRoUP
news
Important WW1 DFC, DCM Group Of Eight Awarded To Flying Ace And Qantas Co-Founder Lieutenant Paul Joseph McGinnessSold $252,000 (IBP)
CARLO BUGATTI (1856-1940)PEDESTAL, CIRCA 1900 SOLD FOR $11,400 IBP
BUGATTI AT AUCTIon
AFTER kEEn InTEREST FRoM InSTITUTIonAL, CoRPoRATE AnD PRIVATE CoLLECToRS ThIS MEDAL GRoUP REALISED ThE hIGhEST PRICE FoR A GRoUP oF AUSTRALIAn MEDALS oUTSIDE ThE VICToRIA CRoSS MEDAL SERIES.
nEW CoLLECToR nIGhTS AT LEonARD JoEL In 2012Immensely popular in the United Kingdom, Leonard Joel are pleased to be offer-
ing information nights for new clients or for those simply interested in the auc-
tion world. Specifically developed for private clients that may not be familiar with
buying and selling at auction, Giles Moon, Head of Collectables and John Albrecht,
Managing Director will provide guests with a simple and interesting overview
of the auction world. Sessions will be informal and limited to twenty places.
Date: First Wednesday of every month commencing
February 2012
Venue: Leonard Joel
333 Malvern Road, South Yarra, Victoria 3141
Time: 6.30 – 7.30pm
Bookings: Monique Le Grand (03) 8825 5620 or email
The work of Carlo Bugatti rarely reaches
auction so well held is it by connoisseurs
who have not tired of the revolutionary
designs and aesthetic that he introduced
to the decorative arts. An architect by
profession, Carlo never applied his creativ-
ity to buildings and concentrated on his
unique talent for combining post-Victorian
design and atypical materials to most
categories of object and design. Carlo was
the father of Ettore Bugatti (1881 – 1947),
the famous car manufacturer and Rem-
brandt Bugatti (1885 – 1916), the sculptor.
4 leonardDEC - FEB
JewelleryIncluding important signed jewellery, collectable wristwatches, Australian jewellery and pre-owned luxury
ArtIncluding important Australian and international art Photography and Sculpture
Classic Furniture and objectsIncluding modern design and single-owner collections
CollectablesIncluding toys, sporting memorabilia and militaria
alWaYS ConSigning
news
A highlight of the November monthly Toy sale was a tinplate toy Ferrari almost as
well equipped as the real thing! This Japanese battery operated 1960s example
featured forward and reverse gears and working headlights and sounding horn.
JAPAnESE CooL
ChInESE SCREEn ExCEEDS ESTIMATE TWELVE-FoLD
Japanese Bandai Battery Operated Tinplate Ferrari, 29cm longSold $384 (IBP)
A SUPERB CHINESE EMBROIDERED SILk PANELQing Dynasty, 19th centuryThe panel embroidered with a detailed scene depicting birdlife, including pheasants, cockerels, turkeys, herons and falcons in a fine satin stitch on a silk ground, within a pierced rosewood sur-round, mounted on a fretwork stretcher base with carved fo dog finials and legs, (small area of spotting to one corner of the silk ground), 190 x 115cm. Sold for $36,000
5 DEC - FEBleonard
a SMallPaintingSigneDmanet
ART InvesTIgATIon
Legend has it that swallowing a live goldfish
was a prerequisite for membership of the
International Goldfish Club, conceived by
zealous art collector Major Harold de Vahl
Rubin. I found this useless titbit of infor-
mation, amongst others, deep in the digi-
tal recesses of the Web whilst researching
the provenance of a small oil sketch once
owned by the late Rubin. It was then I real-
ised that this authentication wasn’t going
to be straight-forward. Someone as eccen-
tric as Rubin is probably not likely to have
undertaken anything as pedestrian as good
record-keeping.
The painting, bearing the inscription Manet,
was inherited by a client of mine and he
remembers, as a teenager, his father pur-
chasing it from Rubin’s son. After too many
years wondering whether it really was by
the same artist whose work fetched $33 mil-
lion at a London auction, John arranged for
me to examine it more closely. To do this,
I needed to delve into three areas - prove-
nance (history of ownership), connoisseur-
ship (whether it ‘looks’ right), and forensics
(material evidence). The Wildenstein Insti-
tute, publisher of Manet’s catalogue raisonne
and notorious for its difficult modus oper-
andi, offered its authoritative services. But
to justify the Institute’s considerable fees, it
first needed to have the very distinct possi-
bility of being a Manet. There was a lot of
ground to cover before I’d even contemplate
despatching it to Paris.
The striking lack of a paper trail is curious
for an artwork that makes such a tantalis-
ing claim. But Rubin’s collecting began in
earnest in the aftermath of WWII, amongst
the adminstrative chaos resulting from the
wholesale loss of documentation proving
rightful ownership of families’ ancestral
homes and treasured inheritances. And as a
commercial art dealer in early post-war Lon-
don, he had ample opportunity to acquire
artwork outside the auction houses where
purchase details were dutifully recorded.
By the 1960s, Australia’s art market was
booming, partly due to Rubin’s enthusiastic
involvement, and opportunistic art fraud-
sters were at large.
The young age of Australia’s art libraries
means that their research collections typi-
cally date only from their respective incep-
tion in the second half of last century. Many
days spent trawling library collections in
Melbourne, Canberra, and Brisbane yielded
only a few ragged press clippings and a cura-
tor’s typewritten list that indicate the paint-
ing was included in a Queensland Art Gallery
exhibition. Agonisingly, one of the cuttings
refer to a Monet which may, or may not, be
a typo. Chasing shadowy clues down rabbit
holes of countless online art history resouces
also yielded little.
I was troubled by the inscription from the
get-go. Its upright singular lettering con-
trasts abruptly with the sloping cursive typi-
cal of 19th century French script. When I
compared it with inscriptions of Edouard
Manet’s many securely provenanced works,
it’s not even remotely close. However, this
doesn’t automatically discount its authen-
ticity. Perhaps the work left Manet’s studio
unsigned, a preparatory study maybe, and
an early owner added Manet’s name in good
faith. Anything’s possible. But the examina-
tion of Manet’s preparatory studies are trick-
ier, for their execution differ significantly
from his final works intended for exhibition
or sale, and are poorly documented. How-
ever, the few preparatory studies included
in his monograph are considerably more
economic in their composition. Fortunately,
most artists are creatures of habit in numer-
ous tell-tale areas. The subject’s shadowed
profile and her physical extent across the
canvas, the covered board, and the primer’s
colour have no precedent in Manet’s oeuvre.
The brushwork’s loose and generous fluid
application, giving an impression of spon-
taneity, is also dissimilar to Manet’s charac-
teristically short dry dragged stroke. And,
perhaps more problematically, the subject
appears dressed in Edwardian fashion, rather
than that of Manet’s earlier Victorian era.
Scientific analysis detects things that the
human eye cannot. In the laboratory, I deli-
cately excised two miniscule paint samples,
not much bigger than this comma, and analy-
sis by scanning electron microscopy con-
firmed that the blue and white pigments are
consistent with Manet’s palette but also the
palettes of most other painters of the 19th
century and later. Under infrared light, the
troublesome inscription is barely discernible,
supporting my suspicion that it may have
been added later.
And so the need to be subjected to the indig-
nities of the Wildenstein Institute did not
eventuate. While there’s sufficient evidence
to indicate that the painting is not by Manet,
it isn’t necessarily a fake either. Possibly just
a case of mistaken identity by a wishful pre-
vious owner or perhaps a last laugh by the
joker Rubin. Yet regardless of who the art-
ist is or isn’t, the painting’s fresh and simple
charm remains.
Kate Ferguson
¡authentikate!
To enquire about ¡authentikate! services,
please email [email protected]
By anton assaad
6 leonardDEC - FEB
DECEMBER ART PREVIEW - AnIMALIA
DeceMbeR pRevIew
213WILLIAM hEnRy hUGGInS (BRITISh, 1820-1884) Rhinoceros oil on board signed indistinctly lower left titled indistinctly verso 21 x 18cm Estimate $3,000-5,000
212WILLIAM hEnRy hUGGInS (BRITISh, 1820-1884) Elephant 1838 oil on board signed and dated ‘W. Huggins 1838’ lower left 21 x 18cm Estimate $4,000-6,000
7 DEC - FEBleonard
ouTsIDeR ART
oUtSiDeR aRt
What is Outsider Art?
The development of the awareness of forms
of creative expression that exist outside
accepted cultural norms, or the realm of “fine
art”, began with the researches of psychia-
trists early in the century.
The work of Dr Morganthaler documented
his patient Adolf Wolfli, a genius who pro-
duced countless thousands of works from a
small cell in his Swiss asylum. Dr Hans Prin-
zhorn collected thousands of works by psy-
chiatric patients and his book “Bildernerei
der Geisteskranken” (Artistry of the Men-
tally Ill), published in 1922 became an influ-
ential work amongst Surrealist and other art-
ists of the time.
One artist who was particularly affected by
the works Prinzhorn presented was Jean
Dubuffet. Together with others, including
Andre Breton, he formed the Compagnie de
l’Art Brut in 1948 and strove to seek out and
collect works of extreme individuality and
inventiveness by creators who were not only
untrained artists but often had little concept
of an art gallery or even any other forms of art
other than their own.
Dubuffet’s concept of Art Brut, or Raw Art,
was of works that were in their “raw” state,
uncooked by cultural and artistic influences.
He built up a vast collection of thousands
of works, works which bore no relation to
developments in contemporary art and yet
were the innovative and powerful expres-
sions of a wide range individuals from a vari-
ety of backgrounds.
Dubuffet’s great collection was eventually
granted a permanent home by the city of
Lausanne and the Collection de l’Art Brut
is now one of the most powerful and over-
whelming art museums to be found any-
where in the world.
A parallel development to the awareness of
paintings, drawings and sculptures which
fell into the sphere of Art Brut, was the dis-
covery of environmental creations by a simi-
lar range of people.
One of the most famous of these, the Palais
Ideal, built by the postman Cheval, received
much attention from the Surrealists who
admired his ability to realise his dream in this
incredible structure, the product of thirty
years of devoted toil.
In Los Angeles, the extraordinary Watts
Towers, the product of a similar commit-
ment by an Italian immigrant worker, Simon
Rodia, became the first step in the realisation
of a vast number of environments to be found
right across North America.
Today the increased awareness of all these
forms of expression has led to a network of
small organisations in both Europe and the
United States devoted to the preservation of
such works and the support of their creators.
Similar collections to the one in Lausanne
have been established in many countries and
exhibitions of different aspects of the phe-
nonema are a regular occurence. The diverse
influence of all these forms is now appar-
ent in the work of an increasing number of
“trained “ artists who have turned their back
on changing trends and fashions to try and
form a truly singular reality for themselves.
Michel Thevoz, Curator of the Collection
de l’Art Brut in Lausanne has written the
following:”Art Brut”, or “outsider art”, con-
sists of works produced by people who for
various reasons have not been culturally
indoctrinated or socially conditioned. They
are all kinds of dwellers on the fringes of
society. Working outside fine art “system”
(schools, galleries, museums and so on),
these people have produced, from the depths
of their own personalities and for themselves
and no one else, works of outstanding origi-
nality in concept, subject and techniques.
They are works which owe nothing to tradi-
tion or fashion. A firm distinction should be
made between “art brut” and what is known
as “naif art”. The naif or primitive painters
remain within the mainstream of painting
proper, even if they fail ingenuously to prac-
tise its style. However, they accept its sub-
jects, technique (generally oils) and even its
values, because they hope for public, if not
official recognition.
“Art brut” artists, on the other hand, make up
their own techniques, often with new means
and materials and they create their works for
their own use, as a kind of private theatre.
They choose subjects which are often enig-
matic and they do not care about the good
opinion of others, even keeping their work
secret.
The article reproduced here is generously provided by the magazine Raw Vision, the International Journal of Outsider Art.
WhAT IS oUTSIDER ART?Outsider Art is a term loosely used to describe art produced by art makers “outside” the
accepted mainstream. It was coined by Englishman Roger Cardinal in 1972 to embrace
Jean Dubuffet’s concept of Art Brut. And while it is in common usage in Europe and
North America, it is a term less familiar to Australian audiences.
In 2014 Arts Project Australia will present an International Outsider Art Conference in
Melbourne as part of a program commemorating its 40th anniversary. In association
with the conference, a series of exhibitions of Outsider Art from Australia and overseas
will be presented in Melbourne.
The article reproduced here is generously provided by the magazine Raw Vision, the
International Journal of Outsider Art.
Jonah Jones
President
Arts Project Australia
1
8 leonardDEC - FEB
FeATuRe
1ChRISToPhER MASon Not Titled (seated nude woman)ceramic 20 x 28 x 30cm
2LEo CUSSEn Crocodile Dundee, 2009 pastel on paper 56 x 38cmPrivate Collection, Melbourne
3PAUL hoDGES Not Titled (woman wearing black blouse), 2009 gouache and ink on paper 29 x 19cmPrivate Collection, South Australia
4JULIAn MARTIn Not Titled (blue form ob brown), 2010 pastel on paper 81 x 60.5cmPrivate Collection, Melbourne
5ALVARo ALVAREZ Not Titled (figure in suit), 2005 ink on paper 33 x 25cm
3
2
4 5
9 DEC - FEBleonard
ART
In ThE oCToBER SUnDAy ART SALE ThREE IMPoRTAnT WoRkS By IVoR hELE WERE oFFERED FoR ThE
FIRST TIME AT AUCTIon. ThE oIL PAInTInGS WERE PART oF ThE DR G. J. SMIBERT ESTATE ThAT LEonARD
JoEL WAS EnTRUSTED WITh ThE SALE oF. ALL ThREE WoRkS ATTRACTED EnoRMoUS InTEREST AnD
LoT 41 TITLED ThE CIRCUS SET ThE SEConD hIGhEST AUCTIon PRICE EVER, SELLInG FoR $43,200
now consigning for the March sunday fine art auction
IvoR Hele (1912-1993) The Circus, oil on board, 60 x 90cm, Sold $43,200 (IBP)
the SoUth aUStRalian ivoR hele
10 leonardDEC - FEB
ART – pRevIew
AuctionSunday 4 December 2011, 2pm
PreviewWednesday 30 November 2011 9am – 8pmThursday 1 December 2011 9am – 5pmFriday 2 December 2011 9am – 5pmSaturday 3 December 2011 10am – 5pmSunday 4 December 2011 Limited Viewing
DeCeMBeR aRt Sale
Auction Sunday 4 December at 2pmELAInE hAxTon (1909-1999) Harlequin oil on board, 85 x 49.5cm Estimate $5,000 - 7,000
John GLoVER (1767 -1849)
IMPoRTAnT CoLonIAL WoRk SECURED FoR MARCh 2012 ART SALE
Consigned for March Sunday Fine Art Sale 2012
John GLoVER (1767-1849)Leathe’s Water, Skiddaw and Saddleback in Distanceoil on canvas, 75.5 x 111cmPROVENANCEThe kurt Albrecht Collection, MelbournePrivate Collection MelbourneEstimate $70,000 - $90,000
John Glover’s passion for the English Lake
District was such that he visited it many
times between 1793 and 1824. In about 1818
he settled at Blawick Farm on Ullswater
near Patterdale. Furthermore, when he and
his family moved to Van Diemen’s Land in
1831, he named his property Patterdale after
the village in the Lakes district. Oil paint-
ings, watercolours and numerous sketches
bear rich witness to this interest. Notable
examples included the watercolour Bridge
at Buttermore, c.1806, in the collection
of Victoria and Albert Museum, London;
and the oils (Landscape near Ullswa-
ter), c.1820, National Gallery of Australia;
Ullswater, early Morning, c.1824, Art Gal-
lery of New South Wales; and Goldrill Beck
and Place Fell near Ullswater, c.1827, in the
collection of Jeffrey Archer. The lakes and
rugged mountains of this part of Cumbria
had long fascinated poets, painters and
writers. Thomas Gainsborough painted
there in 1783, as well as Francis Towne and
J.M.W. Turner, John Constable toured the
Lake District in 1806; and the celebrated
Hevellyn, the third highest peak in Britain,
inspired William Wordsworth to write:
Inmate of a mountain dwelling,
Thou hast clomb aloft, and glazed
From the watch-towers of Helvellyn:
Awed, delighted, and amazed!
The views were inspiring if not breath-
taking, as seen in Glover’s Leathe’s Water.
Viewed from the south, Raven Crag rises
on the western side of Leathe’s Water, to
the east the mighty Helvellyn, with mounts
Skiddaw and Saddleback in the distance.
All is bathed in the soft, golden light of late
afternoon. The picturesque was in vogue as
artists and connoisseurs delighted in the
magnificence of the mountain landscape
with its touches of the sublime, the rug-
ged wilds contrasted with the orderliness
of the pastoral scene. Glover captures this
superbly, the supreme clarity and high fin-
ish of his paintings enabling the viewer to
discern the insignificance of the human
endeavour amid the might and beauty
of nature - a concept made so popular by
the Romantics. A boatman piles the still
waters, sheep graze on the grassy slope,
and surrounded by trees nearby is what
appears to be Dalehead Hall, the ancestral
home of the Leath family since the time of
Elizabeth I. Dubbed the ‘English Claude’.
Glover imbued his paintings with a mood
of classical order and calm, expressing the
nobility of nature found in the grand moun-
tain ranges of this painting, or the pastoral
fields of England. His ability to observe and
record accurately within the idiosyncrasies
of his style is seen throughout this painting.
Significantly, the dark serpentine trunks
and branches of the foreground trees are
harbingers of his sinuous trees of Van Die-
man’s Land.
David Thomas
11 DEC - FEBleonard
JewelleRy
that’S not a DiaMonD- that’S a swimming Pool
143An impressive diamond ringEstimate $140,000 - 180,000
AuctionSunday 4 December 2011, 12pm
PreviewWednesday 30 November 2011 9am – 8pmThursday 1 December 2011 10am – 4pmFriday 2 December 2011 10am – 4pm
Saturday 3 December 2011 10am – 5pmSunday 4 December 2011 Limited Viewing 10am – 11am
When John D’Agata, Head of Jewellery and John Albrecht, Managing Director were offered this important brilliant cut diamond for auction it reminded them of a fun story from Sydney when Kozminsky was exhibiting with Martyn Cook Antiques. John Albrecht: “We were showing a very vivacious client a very large diamond at the time and she commented ‘that’s not a diamond, it’s a bloody swimming pool’. I asked her if what she meant was that she could buy a swimming pool instead for the same money and she explained that wasn’t what she meant. She simply meant that she thought it was so big she could dive in to it!” With international prices for large diamonds continuing to rise, this impressive diamond ring pictured below is rare to the market. Its centre stone weighs 5.20 carats and is accompanied by a detailed gemmological certificate.
12 leonardDEC - FEB
now consigning jewellery, watches and Pre owned luxury for March 2012
JewelleRy
DeCeMBeR JeWelleRY anD Pol aUCtionS
25AN ART DECO COMPACT BY TIFFANY & CO Estimate $1,400 - 1,600
380A PLEATED STEAM BAG BY LOUIS VUITTON Estimate $4,000 - $6,000
JaCoBSmeets vUitton
109AN ANTIQUE FAVRE LEUBA JUMP HOUR POCkET WATCH Estimate $2,000 - 3,000
On Sunday December 4th Leonard Joel conducts its last major catalogue jewel-
lery and pre-owned luxury auction before Christmas. Almost 400 lots of period and
contemporary precious stone jewellery, collectable wrist and pocket watches and
designer leather goods will be offered for public auction. The houses of Cartier, Tif-
fany & Co, Patek Philippe, Rolex, Bulgari, Van Cleef & Arpels, Vacheron Constantin,
Georg Jensen, Hermes, Yves Saint Laurent, Prada, Chanel and Gucci are all repre-
sented in this auction and can often be acquired for a fraction of their retail prices. An
interesting highlight in this auction is a large collection of black diamond jewellery.
13 DEC - FEBleonard
clAssIc obJecTs AnD FuRnITuRe
ClaSSiC objects anD fURnitURe
2011 has been a watershed year for the Leon-
ard Joel Decorative Arts and Design depart-
ment, with over 1,900 items sold to Australian
and overseas collectors. The addition of The
Specialist Collector department has brought
to market single owner auctions such as The
Clendinnen Collection, The Graham Geddes
Warehouse Auction and The Kazari Reloca-
tion Auction, while the mid-year stand alone
Modern Design auction, the only auction of
its type in Victoria, provided a select offering
of Australian and international design to an
enthusiastic audience.
The attraction of collectors to fine quality
objects across both traditional and modern
categories has been borne out throughout the
year and the Leonard Joel decorative arts and
design specialists look forward to sourcing
objects of beauty and quality for our clients in
2012.
guy cairnduff, head of decorative arts and design
WARREN MCCARTHUR (1885-1961)AN EASY CHAIR, DESIGN ORIGINATED 1930Sold August 2011 for $2,400 (IBP)
A PATINATED BRONZE AND IVORY FIGURE OF A GOLFERSIGNED F. (FERDINAND) PREISSSold November 2011 for $23,400 (IBP)
A THOMAS WEBB CAMEO GLASS SWAN SCENT BOTTLE 19TH CENTURYSold November 2011 for $14,400
AN ENGLISH GILT METAL MOUNTED SCARLET TORTOISESHELL CASED BRACkET CLOCkSIGNED JOHN TAYLOR, LONDON, CIRCA 1780Sold November 2011 for $16,800
IB kOFORD-LARSEN (BORN 1921)A ROSEWOOD SIDEBOARDSold August 2011 for $13,200 (IBP)
14 leonardDEC - FEB
JApAnese ART
netSUkeThe survival of the Ephrussi netsuke collec-
tion as the leitmotif of one man’s discovery
and retelling of his family history has cap-
tivated millions. Edmund de Waal’s ‘The
Hare with Amber Eyes’ has rekindled inter-
est in the Japanese netsuke, but it provides
scant information on the nature of netsuke:
Japanese and part of the fad of Japonisme
in 19th century Paris; able to be purchased
in large quantities; significant enough to be
displayed in a special vitrine; fascinating to
the Ephrussi children in their mother’s bou-
doir, but perhaps not important enough to be
on display with the Ephrussi art collection;
small enough to be smuggled and hidden
from the Nazis.
The Japanese netsuke has been regarded in
the West as a significant art object and focus
for serious collecting activity since the 19th
century. Dedicated clubs, societies and jour-
nals abound in the West, and more recently
in Japan. Reference material in English out-
weighs that on any other subject of Japanese
art, yet much confusion and lack of knowl-
edge remains.
The netsuke is a perfect example of the
fusion of art and function. It evolved from the
lack of pockets in the traditional Japanese
dress, the kimono. In order to be able to carry
objects about the person, a suspended pouch
– or variation thereof (sagemono) – was
devised. This pouch was strung with cord,
had a round bead, which moved up and down
the cord to fasten it (ojime) and a toggle by
which it was suspended from the belt (obi).
This toggle was the netsuke (pronounced
nets-kay the last ‘ay’ short). The word ‘net-
suke’ is a compound of two characters ‘ne’
(根) and ‘tsuke’ (付)- ‘ne’ meaning ‘root’ and
‘tsuke’ the stem form of the verb ‘to attach’.
The late eighteenth/early nineteenth cen-
tury is what may be called The Golden Age
of netsuke. The Tokugawa had stabilized
Japan: Samurai, no longer militarily engaged,
became patrons of the arts and gentlemen
of leisure. At the same time, the merchants,
bottom of a legislated class structure, had
increased greatly in wealth and power and
were vying for social and cultural status.
Netsuke-shi, as the carvers were called, were
recognized and patronized, certain artists
and styles enjoying waves of popularity. Net-
suke were collected as functional accessories
to the inro rather than as art pieces in their
own right until major collections of netsuke
were amassed in the late nineteenth and
throughout the twentieth century – mostly
by Western collectors.
Earlier in 2010, it was suggested that “the
market for Japanese art, which experienced
an extended lull after the bubble of the Japa-
nese economy burst in the early 1990s, is now
demonstrably back on track” (artfixdaily.
com) This has been further supported by
recent international sales records reaching
astounding heights and achieving a world
record price for netsuke of £265,000.
As an art form, the netsuke has continued into
modern times and has captured the creative
interest of Western artists. Internationally
recognized netsuke artists, Susan Wraight
and Leigh Sloggett live in Melbourne. Susan
is the recipient of the inaugural Golden
Dragon Award for contemporary netsuke,
and both artists have work in leading inter-
national museums and the collection of HIH
Princess Takamado.
For further information, please contact
Lesley Kehoe Galleries, 9671-4311
www.kehoe.com.au
Herald of Spring Sea Eagle
Seated Tiger
15 DEC - FEBleonard
collecTAbles
GILES Moon hEAD oF CoLLECTABLES InVITES John ChERRy,
ExPERT SILVERSMITh To DISCUSS ThIS UnIqUE SILVER TRoPhy
the CoRoWa CUP
275A FINE LATE 19TH CENTURY AUSTRALIAN SILVER EQUESTRIAN TROPHY ATTRIBUTED TO EDWARD FISCHER LATER INSCRIBED FOR THE COROWA CUP, 1952Estimate $8,000 - $12,000
7. Examining the base of this trophy speaks reams about
the maker, their training and ability to execute fine work.
This trophy has been made by a master who understands
traditional hand construction techniques, shown here by
the classic heavy base “wire” silver soldered to the flared
base section. By looking for a vertical line on the inside of
this section will inform as to whether it is “raised” in one
piece from a flat sheet, or “seamed” by way of constructing
the base from a development, like a tailor would cut out a
pattern to make a sleeve. The fine, even hammer marks are
real so the sign of a master Silversmith
4. If the plinth on which the trophy is presented appears
to be original, what is it made from? Many Victorian silver-
smiths, especially William Edwards, used polished Black-
wood as plinth material; where as in South Australia (where
good timber was scarce) Pine or other wood that was “ebon-
ised” was often used. This is also a pointer to its origin.
2. Even though this piece is not individually stamped with
a makers mark, (which was not uncommon with stock items
produced during this period), but only with a quality stamp,
detective work on the stamp itself will enable a keen eye
to make comparisons and deductions by cross referencing
with similar stylistic examples. My own experience tells me
three Master Silversmith’s names.
• EdwardFischer–Geelong
• J.M.Wendt–Adelaide
• HenrySteiner–Adelaide
Stylistically, I would favour the first name, Edward Fischer.
3. By looking at the overall quality of construction already
discussed, as well as observing the appropriate gauge (thick-
ness) of metal used, to create strength and “good weight”,
one can also determine the abilities of the maker. If too little
metal is used then weaknesses where the components join
become a problem. Always examine the junction between
the body and foot of a piece, or where a spout or handle meet
the body. If there is buckling or a poor fit at these points
then this could be an underlying manufacturing fault which
could influence its longevity and need for repairs. This tro-
phy is of high quality.
1. Reading John Hawkin’s books on Australian silver will
tell you that all the great craftsmen worked in collaboration,
both in Victoria and South Australia and one would assume
the other States also! Examination of modelled parts of
Australiana, be it Kangaroos, Emus, Echidnas, Cockatoos,
Snakes, etc. will also give many clues to its maker as they all
had their own styles, but also used craftsmen outside their
own domain for this specialised skill. Not unlike winemak-
ers in this current era. The horse finial that is on the lid of
the trophy has a story of its own …. So the sleuths need to do
their research!
6. In well-made European and English silver all joints
are “silver soldered”, using a solder alloy that matches the
standard of the silver construction. This involves quite high
temperatures and great skill - don’t forget that a charcoal
hearth with bellows (powered by the Apprentice!) were the
tools of the day, or later, “town gas” torches with forced air.
Consequently if clean, sharp solder joints are seen on an
antique item of silver, then this also bears witness to the skill
of the maker, not only in making a solder alloy that flows
well, but also in the execution of the process itself. Examine
the solder joints on some Georgian silver …… rough as! On
this trophy, all joints are clean and neat.
5. The engraving of the Racing scene on one side of the
cup is stylistically naïve in nature, typically reminiscent of
the early to mid 19th century, easily comparable with other
works of this period. This also figures in the “stock item”
theory. An item made to sit in the display case waiting for a
buyer, the blank side remaining un-engraved for maybe 75
years or so. The “1952 Corowa Cup” engraving style does not
match the racing scene and under a magnifying lens the dif-
ferent cutting styles of the engravers would be apparent.
Article by John Cherry
Silversmith, Goldsmith & Jeweller
Service Provider for AAADA
Trained and worked in the U.K prior
to coming to Australia
Over 35 years experience
“First impressions are always significant. I immediately identified this tro-
phy as Australiana as I have over the last 30 years or more worked on count-
less Australian pieces. Name-dropper? Why not! Wendt, Steiner, Brunkhorst,
Schomburgk, Firnhaber, Basse, Fischer, Mole, Quist, Edwards and many
other makers, jewellers too! I know them well and their work speaks to me.
I won’t start on the European makers ….. Australia is an incredibly rich
source of International objects D’art, it reflects our rich cultural diversity ….”
John Cherry
16 leonardDEC - FEB
In 1964, “Beatlemania” had swept the globe.
Sales of the Fab Four’s albums and singles had
broken all records. Even in the U.S.A. where
few British bands succeeded, The Beatles at
one point monopolised the top 4 positions of
the U.S. singles chart with “She Loves You”,
“Twist And Shout”, “I Want To Hold Your
Hand” and “Please Please Me”.
In April of that year The Beatles were pre-
paring for their first (and only) tour of Aus-
tralia. A press reception was held for them at
Australia House in London. The event took
place on 22 April and was hosted by the High
Commissioner to Australia the Right Hon-
ourable Sir Eric Harrison. 700 guests and
reporters packed Australia House, eager to
meet the group, much to the consternation of
Sir Eric who was heard to exclaim “There has
never been a reception quite like this in Aus-
tralia House and I hope there will never be
another one. I guess I am what you would call
a square but those photographers were just
too much. They climbed all over the chairs
and then when we went inside a closed office
they were thrusting their cameras through
the windows and rapping on the glass ...”
One of the attendees was John Mcdonald,
Private Secretary to the Australian High
Commissioner. Mcdonald’s 16 year old
daughter Gillian was a huge Beatles fan but
her father disapproved and would not allow
her to attend the event. Rather suspiciously,
when her father produced his invitation for
inspection there was a letter attached stating
that under no circumstances would daugh-
ters of employees be allowed to attend the
party! However, although Gillian was not
able to meet the Beatles in person, her father
asked them to sign his invitation which he
gave to his daughter.
The autographs are expected to realise
$10,000-15,000.
A SET oF BEATLES AUToGRAPhS WITh FASCInATInG PRoVEnAnCE WILL BE oFFERED In ThE FoRThCoMInG CoLLECTABLES AUCTIon on 11 DECEMBER
collecTAbles
ThE PRIVATE SECRETARy AnD ThE BEATLES
17 DEC - FEBleonard
theWeeklY
The Weekly Auction – Viewing Wednesdays 9am to 8pm / Auction Thurdays 10am / View online at leonardjoel.com.au
THe weekly
On Tuesday evening December 20th at 6.30pm and just four shopping days before Christmas, Leonard Joel will conduct its first devoted Christmas auction that aims to showcase select items from each of our departments and special collections tailored to the collecting habits of “Christmas shoppers”. We are particularly excited to advise that the auction will include a large collection of Danish furniture never before seen in Australia. This auction will offer a carefully selected range of jewellery, objects, art, collectables and furniture. Please join us at the auction for a glass of champagne and help us make our Christmas auction part of your December shopping habit.
ThE ChRISTMAS AUCTIon
TUESDAy 20 DECEMBER
AT 6.30PM
18 leonardDEC - FEB
pHoTogRApHy
A photograph by Andreas Gursky titled
Rhein II just sold for a record price of
$4,300,000 (USD) – how can a photograph
sell for so much money?
The Andreas Gursky image is a very unusual
image for him. It was taken in 1999, a defin-
ing point in his career. Its pre-auction esti-
mate was $2,500,000 - $3,500,000 (USD) and
it was an edition of only six – four of the six
are already in public galleries and will never
re-sold; those galleries include MOMA, the
Tate and others. Gursky had been planning
and thinking about this photo for 18 months
and that included what elements of the
image would be removed and what would
be included. Would I have put that price on
it? No. Is it worth it? Two people obviously
thought so. I think there are better photos in
the world.
When did photography evolve from a func-
tional hobby in to a recognised art form?
The beginning of the 20th century.
What was so significant about that discov-
ery of Ansel Adams plates in a garage sale
in the USA?
The Ansel Adams plates were made between
1919 and the early 1930’s, very early in his
career. They were thought to have been lost in
a fire in 1937. They show how his style devel-
oped into one of the most famous landscape
photographers of the 20th century.
How can a buyer be sure that a photogra-
pher will not turn an edition of say 10 in to
an edition of 1000 and render the purchase
much less valuable?
If a photographer extended an edition he
would ruin his own market so usually sensi-
ble art practice will dictate that this will not
happen.
What should someone pay for an unlimited
edition photograph?
Whatever they are willing to spend, as long as
they are not expecting it to rise in value. Do
not expect an “open edition” photograph to
increase in value until after the photographer
dies.
If there were ten photographers that I sim-
ply must collect who would they be?
Well it all depends on your budget and taste
but if you were wanting to cover off interna-
tional contemporary, vintage and Australian
then you will need an unlimited budget. I
don’t have 10 for you but my photographers
would be Man Ray, Richard Avedon, Edward
Weston, Max Dupain, Edward Steichen,
Alfred Stieglitz, Ansel Adams and Frantisek
Drtikol.
To buy a quality work by any of these photog-
raphers would cost $30,000 and if you want an
important vintage print you will need at least
$150,000. You can still buy important 1970’s
Max Dupain photographs for $12,000 or for
a vintage Dupain you will need $35,000. Max
Dupain is the ONLY Australian photographer
I am ever asked about by the overseas photo-
graphic dealers and I believe Max Dupain is
seriously undervalued in the Australian mar-
ket place.
What is the difference between a vintage
print and a modern print?
A vintage print is a print printed within five
years of the photograph being executed.
Do photographs have different condition
or covservation issues to other mediums?
All photographs should be kept away from
direct sunlight and moist air. If a photograph
loses five (5) per cent of its toning and contrast
it loses 50 per cent of its value. If it loses ten
(10) per cent it loses 90 per cent of its value!
Is there any pattern or theme to the value
of subject matter? For instance, do nudes
tend to be more valuable than landscapes
or urban scenes or interiors?
There is only one nude in the top ten most
expensive photographs ever sold and it was
taken by Alfred Stieglitz. I personally believe
nudes are the purest form in photography.
Why should a photograph that takes a
moment to snap be worth as much as an
oil painting that takes hours or days to
execute?
$4,300,000 (USD) is not a lot of money for
the world’s most expensive photograph when
you consider that the world’s most expensive
painting is around $150,000,000 (USD) and
when compared to sculpture where there can
also be multiple editions, the highest price for
a photograph is not outrageous. For instance,
someone such as Giacommetti can sell for
over $100,000,000 (USD).
What is your favourite image and who is it
by?
Kiki and Mask by Man Ray held by the
National Gallery of Victoria (NGV). I first saw
this image when the NGV opened in 1974 and
have loved it ever since.
Philip Kulpa
SOURCE PHOTOGRAPHICA
www.sourcephotographica.com.au
the MaRket foR PhotogRaPhYJohn ALBREChT DISCUSSES PhoToGRAPhy WITh PhILIP kULPA oF SoURCE PhoToGRAPhICA
Mark Seliger (born 1959) USAGiselle in HeaddressC-type photograph mounted to aluminium and glassSigned and editioned verso 1/1068cm x 89cm$15,000 (inc GST)
19 DEC - FEBleonard
AucTIon ADvIce
Every time I provide a client with a contract
of sale it is accompanied by our Conditions
of Business and it is the standard exchange
around the world between auctioneer and
seller but too often a lack of explanation
between agent and seller and the terms that
govern their relationship create unnecessary
angst. To avoid these situations, I generally
try to indicate to my clients key points that
they should be mindful of and usually end
that discussion with my light-hearted sug-
gestion that the four or so pages will make
“great bedtime reading” – not! I usually get a
small acknowledgment from my client of the
humour in the statement.
But jokes aside, this contract between seller
and agent is a complex one that is a unique
and evolving blend of common and con-
tract law, legislation, a few hundred years
of, mainly English, auction-centric thinking
(with little concern for the client in my opin-
ion) and some local adaptations along the
way.
Occasionally I’m required to re-read ours
and while the overall task is torturous (I must
remind myself what it must be like for the
client) on my last read I committed myself
to extracting the “pearls” that will be truly
helpful in informing the seller of what they
should consider when contracting with an
auction house. Below I identify what I con-
sider to be the seven most common points of
contention between seller and auctioneers.
While conditions of business vary from auc-
tioneer to auctioneer you can be reasonably
confident that, wording aside, these items
our universal in “auction land”. It does not
purport to be a definitive summary but it is
designed to highlight and explain items that
can cause unnecessary angst and confusion
for the seller and hopefully assist them when
dealing with an auction house.
Discussing these items with your auctioneer
and understanding them will simplify your
auction experience and hopefully make it
more enjoyable.
Things for the seller to think about ranked in
order of significance:
1. If a seller decides to withdraw from sale
before the auction or raise already agreed
reserve prices and depending on what stage
the auction house is at in terms of cataloguing
and marketing the item, fees will be charged
and calculated with reference to the antici-
pated sale value of the item. In my experi-
ence this item seems to be the most challeng-
ing for both seller and auctioneer but my rule
of thumb is that if both parties are reasonable
a fair outcome can always be negotiated.
2. An auction house does not settle with
the seller until it has received cleared funds
from the buyer and if the buyer reneges on
their purchase, both the auction house and
the seller must work together on whether to
pursue settlement.
3. If the seller is aware that his or her item
has been restored, has been altered in any
manner or may be a forgery the auctioneer
should be advised of this. This avoids later
detection of this after sale and the messy
task of seeking a return of proceeds from the
seller and a refund to the unwitting buyer.
4. In certain circumstances the removal of
images from their frames or surrounds or the
dismantling of objects for detailed inspec-
tion is sometimes necessary and as long as
no damage is caused the auction house is
authorised to undertake such activity.
5. The estimated selling range provided by
the auction house is an indication only of the
anticipated selling price and is not the mini-
mum price at which an item can be sold. The
reserve price agreed between the parties is
the price at which the item can be sold.
6. The auction house usually has an exclu-
sive agency to sell the item for 28 days after
the nominated auction date and while most
auction houses will allow collection of items
immediately after sale, they do have the right
to hold the item for post-auction sale, usually
only if they have a very interested party.
7. Sellers can have obligations under the
Resale Royalty for Visual Artists Act 2009.
Ask your auctioneer what these obligations
are but in short, they relate to simply advis-
ing the auctioneer when the item was bought
or acquired.
John Albrecht, Managing Director and Head
of Corporate and Private Collections
a ConDi ionof businessin this article john alBrecht distills and siMPlifies the key eleMents of the conditions of Business that sellers at auction need to know
20 leonardDEC - FEB
Should artists be subject to censorship?
The widely-held view within the fine arts is
that artists should not be subject to the same
sorts of classifications that apply to film,
music and advertising because:
• ‘artisticmerit’ exists as an implicit free-
dom of creation for the artist; and
• audiencesviewingfineartexhibitionsare
a small niche group with a level of knowledge
and education who know what they’re look-
ing at.
But the controversy generated by the work
of one high-profile artist in 2008 brought
into stark relief the differences in attitude
between fine art audiences and the general
population and has resulted in a Federal Sen-
ate enquiry examining whether works of art
should be subject to the National Classifica-
tion Scheme (NCS).
The artist in question is of course Bill Hen-
son. In the three years since his Sydney
exhibition was closed prior to opening by
the NSW police, Henson has become a light-
ning rod for the Australian tabloids which
have discerned a more sinister motive lying
beneath the surface of his otherwise (to fine
arts audiences) evocative and sublime photo-
graphic works.
Since that time the artist has not been
accorded the title of artist by these newspa-
pers. He is a “photographer”, as though Hen-
son is no more important a person to anyone
else standing behind the lens. This appears
to be a deliberate strategy to strip away the
accomplishments of Henson’s distinguished
career by the papers in question but it also
seems to reflect suspicions held by broader
Australian society towards the arts, particu-
larly in the fields of photography and new
media. This was most famously echoed in
then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s descrip-
tion of Bill Henson’s work as “absolutely
revolting” in 2008 and the questioning of his
artistic merit.
In June this year the Senate Committee
tabled its “Report on the Review of the
National Classification Scheme: achieving
the right balance”. In the terms of reference
were listed 15 specific concerns, including:
“application of the NCS to works of art and
the role of artistic merit in classification
decisions”.
The Committee found: “’artistic merit’
remains a defence to child pornography and
child abuse material offences in many states,
meaning that sexualised images of naked
children can be exhibited in public galleries
under the guise of ‘art’”.
Fine art audiences would be aghast at the
above finding; however it does reflect three
common misconceptions:
1. Art is never required to be classified
2. ‘Artistic merit’ is the predominant factor
taken into consideration when classifying
material submitted for classification
3. ‘Artistic merit’ is an excuse for child
pornography
The fact is that art is not “never required to
be classified” - rather art is rarely classified
– because the majority of artworks would
not cause sufficient offence to make them
‘submittable publications’. The Classifica-
tion Board rating of Bill Henson’s artworks
in 2008 as PG indicated that they were not
‘submittable publications’ under the Act and
there was no need for them to be classified.
However because of the negative reaction
from the public it was deemed necessary to
submit the work for classification in order to
prove it was not offensive.
A trend of self-regulation has also emerged
with many public galleries now provid-
ing information about their exhibitions for
the purpose of allowing audiences to make
informed choices about what they are about
to view. Unlike public advertising audiences
can avoid viewing ‘offensive artworks’ by
simply not entering that exhibition space.
‘Artistic merit’ is not the most salient factor
in deciding classification; rather its existence
may tip the balance with high impact works
(generally films) that are borderline between
Refused Classification (RC) and R18+ in
determining whether to ban them altogether
or to allow publication on a restricted basis.
For example the film Salo was given an R18+
and allowed a limited release while Ken Park
was given an RC rating and was not allowed
to be shown in Australia.
Finally, the Commonwealth Criminal Code
Act 1995 does not provide for a defence of
artistic merit for child pornography, however
the jurisdictions of Victoria, Queensland and
WA do. As a criminal law defence ‘artistic
merit’ only comes into play if the police or
Director of Public Prosecutions believes an
offence has been committed. In Australia the
only time in recent history when the artistic
merit defence was raised in relation to a child
pornography charge, the defence failed.
According to the Arts Law Centre of Australia
(ALCA) the purpose of classification is pri-
marily to enable adults to make an informed
choice as to what they want to see, hear and
read, and what to allow their children to have
access to. It should not be used as a means to
censor material that is otherwise legal.
I can only agree with the view of ALCA
that not only do the creative arts provide an
important means of expressing a wide vari-
ety of opinions and beliefs vital to the articu-
lation of public or social debate, but the arts
also assist Australians to develop a culture
which reflects and documents the society in
which we live.
The final report and recommendations of
the review into the NCS are due to be deliv-
ered to the Attorney-General by the end of
January.
ART busIness
Michael Fox is a qualified accountant and
professional fine art valuer who successfully
ran the Save Super Art campaign to prevent
the prohibition of artworks from self-managed
superannuation funds (SMSFs). He is a member
of the Leonard Joel Valuation Panel and is
engaged exclusively by Leonard Joel to provide
advice to their clients in relation to artwork
investment in SMSFs. He may be contacted at
aRtBUSineSS
“SInCE 2008 ThE ARTS InDUSTRy hAS BEEn DISPRoPoRTIonATELy TARGETED In RELATIon To CEnSoRShIP AnD CLASSIFICATIon ISSUES….IT IS CLEAR ThAT ThIS hAS hAD A ChILLInG EFFECT on ThE ARTS WITh SoME ARTISTS ChooSInG To AVoID ConTRoVERSIAL ThEMES.”ExTRACT FROM THE ARTS LAW CENTRE OF AUSTRALIA’S SUBMISSION TO THE NATIONAL CLASSIFICATION REVIEW, JULY 2011.
By Michael fox
21 DEC - FEBleonard
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