Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers held their most recent auction of Malaysian and Southeast Asian art on the 25th of June at Galeri Prima in Bangsar. 135 of the 223 works sold through for a sell rate of 61%. Bidding was generally conservative, with the majority of sold works landing within their estimate ranges. The auction was dominated by late 20th and early 21st century traditional/modern work, with significantly fewer contemporary works available for this offering.
Notable works that surpassed their high estimates include two small watercolors by A.B. Ibrahim, Gan Tee Sheng’s Red Cupboard @ 22,400rm on a pre-auction estimate of 8-14k, and three early 70s abstracts by the late Kok Yew Puah that sold on average for roughly double their highest estimates, with the three reaching prices between 8,400 and 11,200rm. An Ahmad Zakil Anwar untitled painting from 1997 sailed past its 90k estimate to 145,600rm. A Jolly Koh oil and acrylic from 2007 titled Flame of the Forest III went for 53,760rm on a 45K high.
Kok Yew Puah, Untitled, 98x76cm, Screenprint 12, 1971
Lui Cheng Thak’s small 30x40cm UV print Kegemilangan Melaka more than tripled its high estimate at 10,640rm, perhaps boding well for the future of digital works in this market.
Raduan Man’s Mr. Rhino mixed media on aluminum work squeaked by its 22K estimate to 26,880rm. A more recent contemporary work by Hisyamuddin Abdullah, one of few in the auction, reached 6,720rm on a 5K high estimate.
Raduan Man, Mr. Rhino, 122x183cm, Mixed media on aluminum, 2010
Hisyamuddin Abdullah, Pohon Perlingdungan, Acrylic, 61X91cm, 2021
Ibrahim Hussein, Sunset Garden, 101x101cm, 1989
The featured cover work of the auction titled Sunset Garden by Datuk Ibrahim Hussein surpassed its 500K estimate, settling at 504,000rm, while the artist’s Mindscape with an estimate of 200-300k failed to find a buyer. An untitled acrylic on canvas from 1973 also sold for 224,000rm, about 10% over it's low estimate. Also cracking the 100,000 price point was a mixed media work from 1992 by renowned artist, Awang Damit Ahmad titled Rumbia Dan Orang-Orangan (Sago And People), that sold for 106,400rm. The artist's 1994 work Nostalgia (White Series No. 2) also sold for 123,200rm within its 100-180k estimate.
Awang Damit Ahmad, Nostalgia, 121x137cm, 1994
Kahil Ibrahim, Untitled Abstract, 90x121cm, 1991
Khalil Ibraham's Untitled 1991 abstract sold for 89,600, comfortably within its 75-120k range. Surprisingly, several works by the renowned artist estimated to reach over 100,000rm each did not attract buyers.
Two of artist Yusof Ghani's mixed media on canvas work garnered some of the higher prices of the event, Senggarang from the 1999 Hijau Series for 134,000rm and Gandungan from the 1997 Wayang Series reached 89,600rm.
Yusof Ghani, Senggarang, 163x203cm, 1999
Sharifah Fatimah Syed Zubir, Dato', Untitled, 121x121cm
Galeria Prima in Bangsar has hosted several auctions for Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers, including two this year, three in 2022, and three in 2021. If the current pattern continues, we should anticipate a third auction for 2023 at some point later this year. The Prima space is ideal for lage-scale events such as this, with plenty of walls to hang the works for pre-auction viewing as well as ample space for bidders and viewers during the auctions themselves.
For more information about Henry Butcher auctions, please visit their website where you will find online and pdf versions of current and previous auctions.
H.Butcher Art Auctioneers.
