Strauss & co - Review 2022

Strauss & Co has a distinguished reputation for handling specialist collections of art, wine and decorative arts. The company sold over ten single-owner collections in 2022. Some notable collections handled included: • In April, Strauss & Co presented 11 magnificent paintings by Alexis Preller from the Coba Diederiks Collection. The highlight was Gold Kouros (1969), an oil and gold-leaf panel depicting a male torso, which sold for R3 641 600 ($212 915). The Diederiks Collection also included ten Erich Frey jewellery pieces inspired by Preller. A three-stone diamond and gold ring sold for R31 864 ($1 874). • Also in April, the decorative arts department successfully presented a collection of 122 lots from China, Japan and South-East Asia assembled by a Cape Town collector of oriental art. The catalogue also included English furniture, writing accessories and decorative items from the estate of respected Cape Town antique dealer David Porter. The provenance of a single-owner collection • In May, the wine department presented a collection of fine South African table and Port-styled wines from the private cellars of legendary food personality Peter Veldsman and veteran Monis winemaker Dirkie Christowitz. A limited edition of 1948 Monis Collector’s Port sold for R25 036 ($1 472). • In June, Irma Stern: Time | Line included 124 works released by the Irma Stern Trust Collection. Many of the works had never been exhibited before. Proceeds from the sale of these lots will be used to strengthen the Trust Collection as well as make its remarkable contents more accessible online. • Also in June, Inspiration and Protégé presented ceramics from the combined collections of Hilda Ditchburn and Juliet Armstrong alongside works from the Hylton Nel Collection, the latter including pieces by Nel’s protégé, Nico Masemola. A burnished fired clay uphiso (beer pot) made in 1995 by renowned ceramicist Nesta Nala sold for a record amount of R128 975 ($7 586). Three-stone diamond ring, Erich Frey (1917-2004) Sold R31 864 ($1 879) The Coba Diederiks Collection Tourmaline, diamond and gold brooch, Erich Frey, (1917-2004) Sold R28 450 ($1 674) 38