Strauss & co - Review 2019

Strauss & Co’s twice-yearly decorative arts sales in Cape Town have been a mainstay of its business since its formation in 2009, and a vital contributor to its bottom line. These two premier events are now complemented by online sales, as well as occasional once-off house sales. In 2019, Strauss & Co earned R33 million through all these combined activities. The two annual live sales in Cape Town, in March and October, earned R21.8 million with a phenomenal lot sell-through rate of 77.59%. Frank Kilbourn credited this outcome to the stellar work of Vanessa Phillips and her colleagues, whose tireless cataloguing efforts ensure that important single-owner collections are optimally presented to buyers. Strauss & Co was proud to offer four important single-owner collections in 2019. The impeccable consignments from the Dr JR and Mary Strong Collection, Dr Johan Bolt Collection, Estate late Mrs Sonia Lapin and Andrew Newall Collection showcased a range of artisanal traditions from various cultural epochs. Decorative Arts: The province of the discriminating collector International telephone bidders vied for Chinese pieces from the Strong Collection, offered in March. A celadon and beige jade two-handled vase with five-clawed dragon motifs from the late Qing Dynasty sold for R227 600. A robin’s egg blue- glazed vase trounced the pre-sale estimate, achieving R136 560. There was also considerable interest in the Strong Collection’s carved pieces. A trio of Chinese snuff bottles, including a pink tourmaline example depicting a Qilin (mythological hoofed creature), sold for R54 624. Dr Johan Bolt started collecting Cape furniture in the early 1980s, initially focussing on yellowwood and stinkwood pieces. His collection of Cape furniture, Cape brass and copperware, also offered for sale in March, included pinnacle examples of furniture pieces sourced from important earlier collections sold at auction. A rare Southern Cape Neoclassical jonkmanskas from the early 19th century sold for R512 100. An important south-western Cape Neoclassical settee exhibited in 2002 at the Gemeentemuseum, Den Haag, sold for R227 600. A Chinese ‘robin’s egg’ blue-glazed vase, Qing Dynasty, 19th century Sold R136 560 The Dr JR and Mary Strong Collection A Chinese celadon and beige jade two-handled vase, late Qing Dynasty Sold R227 600 The Dr JR and Mary Strong Collection 33