LONDON.- There were impressive results at
Bonhams’ Modern & Contemporary African Art sale today (Wednesday 22 March) in London. The top lot was The Seventh Knot, 1969 by Yusuf Adebayo Cameron Grillo (Nigerian, 1934-2021), which sold for £403,500 against a pre-sale estimate of £150,00-200,000 – a new world record price for a work by the artist.
The 67-lot sale made a total of £3,323,930.
Works by Irma Stern (South African, 1894-1966) also performed well, taking four of the top ten slots. Highlights included Young Pondo Man, which sold for £327,900, and Girl With Jug, which achieved £176,700 against a pre-sale estimate of £30,000-50,000.
Helene Love-Allotey, Bonhams Head of Sale, commented: “We are absolutely delighted with the results of today’s sale and in particular to prove once again our impressive reputation for selling works by both Yusuf Grillo and Irma Stern. Grillo’s The Seventh Knot was one of the finest works by the artist I’ve seen on the market, and so it is no surprise it captivated collectors and achieved a new world record price for the artist.”
Bonhams has sold many works by Irma Stern including Arab Priest (1945), which achieved £3 million in 2011, making this the world auction record for a painting by Stern and the most valuable South African painting ever sold at auction.
Other highlights of the sale included:
•Irma Stern (South African, 1894-1966), 'Palm Trees', Zanzibar within artist's original Zanzibar frame. Sold for £290,100.
•Gerard Sekoto (South African, 1913-1993), Donkeys. Sold for £277,500.
•Benedict Chukwukadibia Enwonwu M.B.E (Nigerian, 1917-1994), Olokun Dancers. Sold for £239,700.
•Yusuf Adebayo Cameron Grillo, (Nigerian, 1934-2021), Blind Minstrel. Sold for £189,300.
•Prof. Uche Okeke (Nigerian, 1933-2016), Madonna & Child, the Manger. Sold for £151,500. A new world record for the artist.
•Maggie (Maria Magdalena) Laubser (South African, 1886-1973), Indian Girl. Sold for £151,500.
•El Anatsui (Ghanaian, born 1944), 'Talakawa', 120 x 50 x 40cm (47 1/4 x 19 11/16 x 15 3/4in). Sold for £75,900.
