WORDS Lindi Brownell Meiring
The Irma Stern painting that was discovered in a small London flat in July 2015 went on auction on 9 September 2015 at Bonhams’ South African Art sale in London.
Arab In Black, still in its original frame, was until its discovery being used as a noticeboard in the owners’ kitchen.
It was estimated to be worth between R15 million and R21 million. It sold for, including the auction house premium, £842,500 (R17,693,080).
“Well, I couldn‘t believe what I saw,” says Hannah O’Leary, head of the South African Art department at Bonhams. “I walked into a small flat to see one of the artist‘s distinctive Zanzibar portraits being used as a notice board. There were letters and postcards tucked into its magnificent frame, and badges and Christmas decorations hanging off it. I think my first reaction was to laugh!”
The painting has an important history. It was owned by Betty Sonnenberg and Saul Suzman (brother-in-law of Helen Suzman), who donated it to an auction house in Johannesburg in the late ’50s to raise funds to assist in paying the legal costs for those accused of committing treason in apartheid, including Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Oliver Tambo and Albert Luthuli.
For more information about the sale, visit bonhams.com.
(h/t) Rand Daily Mail
