Art+Object is delighted to present our final auction of 2023, The Collection of John Elliot Lawford (1933 – 2020). The auction will be held in two parts:
Part 1 (lot 1-94) will be auctioned live in our premises (3 Abbey Street, Newton, Auckland) on Tuesday 5 December at 2pm.
Part 2 (lot 95-432) will be held exclusively online and will begin closing on Tuesday 5 December from 5pm.
NOTES FOR BIDDERS:
1. The buyer’s premium for this auction is 20% of the hammer price plus GST on the buyer’s premium (total of 23% of the hammer price). This is to be paid on top of any successful bid. The buyer must pay the full amount due not later than 5 days after the auction date.
2. Under the Protected Objects Act 1975, only Registered Collectors of Taonga Tūturu can bid on lots with a Y registration. Interested bidders who are not currently registered, you can apply here: https://mch.govt.nz/nz-identity-heritage/protected-objects/taongatuturu. For any assistance, please contact us: info@artandobject.co.nz or 093544646.
3. The absence of a condition report does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition (some items may be described with A/F, which means “all faults”). The estimates always reflect the condition of a lot. All property is sold “as is” without warranty of any kind by art+object. Bidders who are unable to inspect the items in person are welcome to request additional information at: info@artandobject.co.nz or 093544646.
4. The link to our full Terms and Conditions can be found on the app menu or at the bottom of each page on the desktop website. We would recommend that first time and/or overseas bidders familiarise themselves with our Conditions, especially with our SUBJECT BIDS practice (point no. 11, which stands also for timed-online auctions).
5. Packing and courier options are available at buyer’s risk and expense. We’ll be in touch after the auction to arrange.
_____________
John Elliot Lawford (‘Johnny’) was a mainstay of the New Zealand auction and gallery community for many years, assembling one of the country’s most extensive and interesting collections of New Zealand paintings and prints, rare books and taonga. Born in 1933, Lawford travelled extensively for some sixty years procuring orders for the family business firm C.E Lawford, importers and merchants of hardware and tools. During this time he frequented salerooms around New Zealand and the world, pursuing his passion for collection and repatriating items to New Zealand of national significance. The collection includes historical paintings, an exceedingly rare copy of Edward J Wakefield’s 'Illustrations to Adventure in New Zealand' (London, 1845) with colour lithographs, a pair of 19th Century Huia birds mounted in vintage case, and a large pre-European pounamu adze.
Part 1 (lot 1-94) will be auctioned live in our premises (3 Abbey Street, Newton, Auckland) on Tuesday 5 December at 2pm.
Part 2 (lot 95-432) will be held exclusively online and will begin closing on Tuesday 5 December from 5pm.
NOTES FOR BIDDERS:
1. The buyer’s premium for this auction is 20% of the hammer price plus GST on the buyer’s premium (total of 23% of the hammer price). This is to be paid on top of any successful bid. The buyer must pay the full amount due not later than 5 days after the auction date.
2. Under the Protected Objects Act 1975, only Registered Collectors of Taonga Tūturu can bid on lots with a Y registration. Interested bidders who are not currently registered, you can apply here: https://mch.govt.nz/nz-identity-heritage/protected-objects/taongatuturu. For any assistance, please contact us: info@artandobject.co.nz or 093544646.
3. The absence of a condition report does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition (some items may be described with A/F, which means “all faults”). The estimates always reflect the condition of a lot. All property is sold “as is” without warranty of any kind by art+object. Bidders who are unable to inspect the items in person are welcome to request additional information at: info@artandobject.co.nz or 093544646.
4. The link to our full Terms and Conditions can be found on the app menu or at the bottom of each page on the desktop website. We would recommend that first time and/or overseas bidders familiarise themselves with our Conditions, especially with our SUBJECT BIDS practice (point no. 11, which stands also for timed-online auctions).
5. Packing and courier options are available at buyer’s risk and expense. We’ll be in touch after the auction to arrange.
_____________
John Elliot Lawford (‘Johnny’) was a mainstay of the New Zealand auction and gallery community for many years, assembling one of the country’s most extensive and interesting collections of New Zealand paintings and prints, rare books and taonga. Born in 1933, Lawford travelled extensively for some sixty years procuring orders for the family business firm C.E Lawford, importers and merchants of hardware and tools. During this time he frequented salerooms around New Zealand and the world, pursuing his passion for collection and repatriating items to New Zealand of national significance. The collection includes historical paintings, an exceedingly rare copy of Edward J Wakefield’s 'Illustrations to Adventure in New Zealand' (London, 1845) with colour lithographs, a pair of 19th Century Huia birds mounted in vintage case, and a large pre-European pounamu adze.
3 Abbey Street, Newton, Auckland
On view every day from Thursday 30 November until the auction on Tuesday 5 December, 9am-5pm weekdays and 11am-4pm Sat-Sun
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Charles McPhee 'Tahitian Innocence'

38
Charles McPhee 'Tahitian Innocence'
Est.
$1,000 - $1,500
Sold
$1,600
Joseph Jenner Merrett [attributed] 'View Auckland Looking towards the North Shore...'
![Joseph Jenner Merrett [attributed] 'View Auckland Looking towards the North Shore...'](https://images4-cdn.auctionmobility.com/is3/auctionmobility-static4/22DX-4-17QZ8N/4-BXM0WQ/191-39.jpg?width=720&height=720&resizeinbox=true)
39
Joseph Jenner Merrett [attributed] 'View Auckland Looking towards the North Shore...'
Est.
$10,000 - $15,000
Sold
$7,000
Commander Richard A. Oliver 'Jane Grey, Auckland, wearing a feather cape'

40
Commander Richard A. Oliver 'Jane Grey, Auckland, wearing a feather cape'
Est.
$8,000 - $12,000
Passed
Edward William Payton 'Partington’s Windmill'

41
Edward William Payton 'Partington’s Windmill'
Est.
$600 - $800
Sold
$800
James Crowe Richmond 'Kincaid, Kaikoura, April 5 1864 - Homestead of W. Busk...'

42
James Crowe Richmond 'Kincaid, Kaikoura, April 5 1864 - Homestead of W. Busk...'
Est.
$2,000 - $4,000
Sold
$2,800
Christopher Perkins 'Harvest Time, Northern Europe'

43
Christopher Perkins 'Harvest Time, Northern Europe'
Est.
$3,000 - $5,000
Sold
$1,400
Charles Pears 'A Gale off the Isle of Wight'

44
Charles Pears 'A Gale off the Isle of Wight'
Est.
$1,200 - $2,500
Sold
$1,200
James Crowe Richmond 'Mount Egmont'

45
James Crowe Richmond 'Mount Egmont'
Est.
$8,000 - $16,000
Sold
$6,000
Henry Singleton 'The Last Effort and Fall of Tippoo Sultan'

46
Henry Singleton 'The Last Effort and Fall of Tippoo Sultan'
Est.
$500 - $1,000
Sold
$800
William Strutt 'Untitled - Study of a Sleeping Lioness'

47
William Strutt 'Untitled - Study of a Sleeping Lioness'
Est.
$400 - $600
Sold
$300
Major Frederick R. Stack 'Auckland, the Harbor, North Shore and Rangitoto from Bastion Point'

48
Major Frederick R. Stack 'Auckland, the Harbor, North Shore and Rangitoto from Bastion Point'
Est.
$15,000 - $25,000
Sold
$12,000
A Pair of Extinct Male and Female Huia Birds

51
A Pair of Extinct Male and Female Huia Birds
Est.
$15,000 - $20,000
Sold
$27,000
Captain James Cook 'Samples of the Pacific tapa cloth '

52
Captain James Cook 'Samples of the Pacific tapa cloth '
Est.
$600 - $800
Sold
$3,100
Captain James Cook 'Samples of the Pacific tapa cloth '

53
Captain James Cook 'Samples of the Pacific tapa cloth '
Est.
$600 - $800
Sold
$2,300
Heru Iwi - Rare whalebone hair comb

55
Heru Iwi - Rare whalebone hair comb
Est.
$15,000 - $20,000
Sold
$15,000
Kāka pōria - 19th century pounamu bird leg ring

57
Kāka pōria - 19th century pounamu bird leg ring
Est.
$1,000 - $1,500
Sold
$1,400
Matau - Carved one piece whalebone fish hook

58
Matau - Carved one piece whalebone fish hook
Est.
$5,000 - $8,000
Sold
$4,000
Patu Okewa - Rare Chatham Island curved stone okewa

59
Patu Okewa - Rare Chatham Island curved stone okewa
Est.
$4,000 - $6,000
Sold
$3,200
Patu Onewa - A large 19th century stone nephrite patu

61
Patu Onewa - A large 19th century stone nephrite patu
Est.
$6,000 - $8,000
Sold
$5,250
Patu Onewa - A large impressive 19th century nephrite stone club

62
Patu Onewa - A large impressive 19th century nephrite stone club
Est.
$10,000 - $15,000
Passed
Patu Onewa - 19th century stone club

63
Patu Onewa - 19th century stone club
Est.
$8,000 - $12,000
Sold
$4,500
Patu Onewa - 19th century stone hand club

64
Patu Onewa - 19th century stone hand club
Est.
$4,000 - $6,000
Sold
$3,250
Patu Onewa - 19th century stone club

65
Patu Onewa - 19th century stone club
Est.
$3,000 - $6,000
Sold
$2,200
Patu Parāoa - Early 19th century whalebone club

66
Patu Parāoa - Early 19th century whalebone club
Est.
$3,000 - $5,000
Sold
$3,750
Patuki - Club - Late 19th century club

67
Patuki - Club - Late 19th century club
Est.
$3,000 - $4,000
Sold
$5,500
A rare portrait tile of the guide ‘Sophia’

68
A rare portrait tile of the guide ‘Sophia’
Est.
$1,000 - $1,500
Sold
$2,100
Tewhatewha - Long handled fighting staff

69
Tewhatewha - Long handled fighting staff
Est.
$3,000 - $4,000
Sold
$3,000
Tewhatewha - Long handled fighting staff

70
Tewhatewha - Long handled fighting staff
Est.
$3,500 - $5,000
Sold
$2,200
Taiaha - Fully finely carved fighting staff

72
Taiaha - Fully finely carved fighting staff
Est.
$2,000 - $3,000
Sold
$3,600
Taiaha - A long fighting staff 19th century or earlier

73
Taiaha - A long fighting staff 19th century or earlier
Est.
$3,000 - $4,000
Sold
$3,600