Art galore at Strauss& Co’s two upcoming auction sale

Some of the highlights are works by Irma Stern, JH Peeernef, Gerard Sekoto, Maggie Loubser, Alexis Preller, George Pemba and William Kentridge as well as the The Starcke Collection comprising mainly of African classical art pieces.

By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor

Recently researchers sin the UK have concluded that people who view art in galleries benefit immensely both intellectually and spiritually.

I personally do not disagree with those findings. For some reason, each time I visit a gallery and view art I have felt good if not intellectually stimulated, even engage with the art works.

And so on Monday, November 10, 2025, I honoured an invitation for a walkabout of two exhibitions at Strauss &Co in Houghton, Johannesburg. In fact, I looked forward to an intellectual stimulation at this walkabout hosted by the auction house’s two to art executives, Wilhelm van Rensburg, Senior Art Specialist and Dr Alistair Meredith Senior Art specialist and auctioneer, whose knowledge of especially South African Modern Art history is legendary. Their talks are always informative, and their research on the works on display is rigorous and top class. No thumb sucking when it comes to the two art historians.

Meredith’s walkabout particularly focussed on the works of Irma Stern, JH Peeernef, Gerard Sekoto, Maggie Loubser, Alexis Preller, Sydney Kumalo and George Pemba – all late, who defined an important era of art making in South Africa known as The Modernist Era. He also touched on a special lot dedicated to the works of William Kendridge, focussing on the works he created early in his career in the 1980s, a turbulent time politically. But also the time when the now world renowned multidisciplinary artist was emerging as an artist of substance.

I personally however was drawn to the single work by Sekoto, which was sourced from a private collection, titled Three Women in Conversation. This particular work Meredith explained, had not been seen before as the person who put it up for sale, whose estimate is R1 000 000-R1 500 000, kept it locked in her house all these years (it is thought to have been made in 1946, a year before the legendary artist left for exile in Paris, via the UK. Her surviving daughter, who lives in the UK inherited the lot and is putting it up for auction, we were told.

It will be interesting to see how much interest this particular work will attract from Sekoto collectors, especially because his works are much sought after around the world whenever they appear on the auction floor.

After Meredith’s knowledgeable presentation, the media was then led to another gallery dedicated to an online only auction titled The Starcke Collection, which was owned by the late award winning journalist and ardent collector of African classical art Anna Starcke. Here one immersed in great African classical art, such as the legendary African masks and sculptural works of different forms, such as drums and figures. Starcke, according to van Rensburg, passed on in August this year, and her UK based daughter is the one who offered the works on auction.

The curator regaled us with stories about what one understood, was the late collector’s eccentric nature.

And indeed the late journalist loved classical African art as her collection filled the whole gallery, and one even wonders how she managed to store all these works in her Killarney, Johannesburg apartment, where according to van Rensburg, she was fond of hosting regular dinner parties.

“Ï used to be invited for dinner at her Killarney apartment, and I was forewarned that she did not tolerate those who get to her dinners late, and so I went there 5 minutes early, and she remarked: “You are five minutes early.”

Indeed Starcke had a taste for the fine things in life. Among other items that are part of this collection and which are up for the grabs on November 19 at 2pm, are unique tables, beds and other personal possession of value.

.The live Modern and Contemporary Art action sale will take place on November 18, 2025 at 7pm, at Strauss& co 0ffices, 89 Central Street, Houghton, Johannesburg and the online The Starcke Collection auction sale will take place on November 19, 2025.