There seems to be something of a global re-assessment in the value of prints and multiples at present: Galerie LeLong in New York are currently exhibiting a curated group show of prints by well-established artists Etel Adnan, Leonardo Drew, Samuel Levi Jones, Jaume Plensa, Kate Shepherd, and Barthélémy Toguo; Stephen Friedman Gallery in London are presenting a series of unique screen prints spanning three years by Scottish artist, Claire Barclay; Photo London is intent on presenting a ‘live’ art fair in the first week of September, and closer to home, Menzies have announced its inaugural “Prints & Multiples” auction slated for an online edition in September.

Leonard Joel has been presenting its Prints and Multiples auction for some time now, and it is perhaps not surprising that this modest, yet highly successful sale continues to garner collectors and quality consignments. 

The major drawcard for their July sale was Banksy’s screenprint, “Jack and Jill (Police Kids)” of 2005 and with an estimate of $80K to $100K, sold for a hammer price of $90K.  The controversial street artist’s secondary market is now “booming”.  In just over two decades Banksy has gone from $300 per print to a total sales tally of $125,002,316, $48 million of which were generated solely from prints and multiples.

Invader’s “Prisoner” of 2007, a giclee print (and generally not as highly valued by the market) also elicited strong online bidding, selling for $14,500 on the hammer, well above its high estimate of $8K.   “Invader”, is the pseudonym adopted by Franck Slama, a French street artist born in 1969, and in like fashion to Banksy, (they’re collaborators and friends) Invader’s market has also witnessed a massive surge, with one of his works,TK_119, 2014, selling for a hammer price of US$1 million at Sotheby’s in New York in November 2019.

Elsewhere in the sale, John Coburn’s works represented at various lots also enjoyed good interest from multiple bidders; Hall Thorpe’s woodblock prints (scattered throughout the sale) all sold well and mostly, above their high estimates; and Barbara Brash’s 1955 modernist screenprint “ Red Bridge” from the estate of artist, Kenneth Jack, also sold above its high estimate.

Contemporary works also sold well; the two Del Kathryn Barton works (Lots 1 & 2) saw the auction commence with good energy both selling at either end of their estimates; the vibrant and fresh editioned pigment prints by Melinda Harper (Lots 96 & 129); Stephen Haley’s clever “Echohouse (Pink)” (Lot 105); and internationally profiled Tom Blachford’s “Midnight Modern” series seemingly struck a nostalgic chord with buyers. 

The 165 lot sale generated a total of AU$425,925 incl BP and a sale rate of 108% by value and 87% by number.

©Catherine Asquith 2021