Blue-chip Bill. Major Hammond Works To Be Auctioned Amidst Booming Market

Bill Hammond is one of New Zealand’s greatest ever artists. His work is held in every major public collection in the country, and is widely coveted by private collectors. The market for his work has been strong for decades, though in recent years, it has gone to another level. Last year, Webb’s set a new price record for a work by Hammond when it sold his 1999 masterpiece Melting Moments II for $939,881. While this price is sensational, it is no outlier. Hammond’s works are commanding excellent prices across the board.

The strength and consistency of the market for his work sees Hammond join an exclusive, blue-chip club. The big three New Zealand artists whose work has consistently led the market and achieved excellent prices are Charles F. Goldie, Colin McCahon, and Gordon Walters. Now, with Hammond joining their ranks, it is the big four.

Hammond passed away early in 2021, and it is often the case that artists see market interest increase posthumously. In the case of Hammond, however, the market surge is more nuanced. It is clear when reviewing his lifetime output is that he was a uniquely gifted artist with a singular vision. His sense of composition was extraordinary. His control of paint, print, ink, and any other medium he touched was masterful. The undeniable brilliance of Hammond the artist has been firmly in the spotlight, and this has led to the market surge.

Webb’s will auction two major Hammond paintings and a number of stunning works on paper later this month. The auction house is bringing a remarkable single-vendor collection to market, titled, Goods and Services: Modern and Contemporary Art from a Private Collection. The title of the auction is drawn from Hammond’s incredible 2013 painting, Goods and Services, a painting that combines many key elements of his practice. It is beautifully complemented by Wishbone Cave, an exceptional example of Hammond’s cave painting series created in a 2010. These paintings, along with the works on paper, are expected to be hotly contested come auction day.

“Bill Hammond is incomparable. His work is right up there with anything you can see anywhere in the world. He has left us an extraordinary artistic legacy that will resonate for decades to come. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to represent these incredible paintings at auction.”

– Charles Ninow, Director of Art, Webb’s

Goods and Services: Modern and Contemporary Art from a Private Collection will be on view in Wellington until Saturday 25 June. The gallery will be closed on Friday 24 June for the inaugural public holiday celebration of Matariki. The works will travel to Auckland for viewing ahead of the auction, which will take place at 6.30pm on Monday 4 July at Webb’s Auckland premises.

© Scoop Media