Software Glitch Delays Major Art Auction

A major art auction featuring an oil painting of one of the Maori chiefs who signed the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 has been delayed 24 hours by a significant software glitch.

Auckland’s leading art auction house, the International Art Centre in Parnell , was part way through bidding for the first of 129 lots when the software which has been used many times for art auctions, developed a fault.

“We had no option. We had to delay the sale until 6pm tomorrow,” said Richard Thomson, a director of the International Art Centre and the auctioneer for tonight’s sale.

“This software has given us no problems in the past but the problem was outside our control. Because we had a room full of potential bidders and many more registered online, we had to delay the sale until the problem is sorted.

“We can only offer our sincere apologies for the inconvenience of all those registered online and those who came to our Parnell gallery and we hope to see everybody again tomorrow.”

The Lindauer oil on canvas of Harawira Te Mahikai, chief of the Ngati Kahungunu Tribe, was painted in 1883, three years before Te Mahikai died in 1886. It was set to sell for at least $550,000 but Mr Thomson, said there was such widespread interest in it, he would not be surprised if it sold for about $1 million.

Lindauer and Charles Goldie are the best known painters of Maori figures in New Zealand art history. Their works are in very high demand and regularly bring record prices. Lindauer trained professionally at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna before migrating to New Zealand in 1874.

Lindauer is known to be more realistic with his portraits of Maori kaumatua while Goldie works tend to reflect the lighter side of kaumatua.

In the Lindauer work scheduled to be sold tonight, Te Mahikai was wearing an ornate Maori cloak and holding a taiaha (fighting staff). Lindauer kept the painting until 1908 when he gave it to his son Hector on his 21st birthday. Most recently it has been in a private collection in Auckland.

“It has all the hallmarks of a top Lindauer work, a top painting and a top subject and potential bidders are very enthusiastic. The impact on the art world when word got out that it was being sold at auction was quite amazing and there was as much interest in this work as any Goldie or any other fine work of art.”

He said it rated as one of Lindauer’s finest paintings.

Lindauer was born in Pilsen, Western Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. He arrived in New Zealand in 1874 and when commissioned by many prominent Maori chiefs, he accurately recorded their facial tattoos, clothing, ornaments and weapons.

Lindauer was 87 when he died in 1926. He is buried at Woodville near Palmerston North.

The sale also features works by several highly respected and sought-after New Zealand artists, including Ralph Hotere, considered one of New Zealand’s most important artists; Dunedin-born Frances Hodgkins; and the renowned Peter McIntyre, also Dunedin-born.

One of McIntyre works, Waiting for the School Bus, features three school children waiting for the bus to take them to school. It was predicted to sell for up to $120,000.

One of Hotere’s works, Kyrie Eleison No 5 was also expected to bring up to $120,000.

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