Records Fall As Irma Stern Prices Continue To Rise

Three new records for South African artists fell at Bonhams sale of South African Masterpieces in London today, 23rd March, with an Irma Stern at £3,044,000 (R34m), an Alexis Preller at £748,000 (R8.4m) and a Gerard Sekoto at £602,400 (R6.7m).

The Stern was some £600,000 above her last record made at Bonhams October 2010 sale where a painting titled `Bahora Girl’ sold for £2.4m (R26.6m).

The sale total was just short of £9m (R101.2m) but with after-sales is expected to end closer to £10m (R112.4m).

Giles Peppiatt, Director of South African Art at Bonhams, commented after the sale: ”There was evidence of a highly educated group of buyers in the room and on the phone. They picked the best and paid handsomely for it. If the sale has a message it is that there is a growing appetite for the best of Stern but alongside that long discernable trend is the growing number of other artists beginning to command outstanding prices, these names now include South Africa’s leading black artist, Gerard Sekoto and Alexis Preller.”

to see more: www.bonhams.com/eur/southafrica

View auction sales figures here