Prenzel woodcarvings maintain their popularity at Leski Auctions June 25 and 26 Australian & Historical Auction.

By Richard Brewster, on 28-Jun-2022

Born in Prussia, Prenzel, completed a four-year apprenticeship and studied at the Dusseldorf Academy before “carving” his way through Europe and arriving in Melbourne  in November 1888. Here, he first worked for a shipbuilder and designed furniture for Nunan Bros. A partnership with Johann Treede as architectural modellers, designers and woodcarvers during the 1890s included such projects as the carvings on the ceilings and walls of St Patrick’s Cathedral. In the early 1900s, Prenzel began his own woodcarving business and from about 1910 to 1930 ran a furniture making operation in South Yarra.

Renowned Australian woodcarver Robert Prenzel (1866-1941) topped the billing at Leski Auctions June 25 Australian & Historical sale with a pair of signed carved portrait panels of an Aboriginal man and woman (lot 307) which sold for $28,680 (including buyer’s premium).

Renowned Australian woodcarver Robert Prenzel (1866-1941) topped the billing at Leski Auctions June 25 Australian & Historical sale with a pair of signed carved portrait panels of an Aboriginal man and woman (Lot 307 ) which sold for $28,680 (including buyer’s premium).

Most of the 1491 items in the two-day sale sold within or above their catalogue estimate range.

Of particular note was lot 961, was an illustrated survey map of Melbourne and its suburbs completed in 1872 and published by Chas. F. Maxwell and W. Reed Phillips that changed hands for $21,510 on a $3000-$5000 estimate.

Another big performer was a circa 1878 photograph (lot 1126) of Dan Kelly (younger brother of infamous bushranger Ned Kelly) by Arthur Burman at his Bourke Street East studio. Estimated at $6000-$8000, the photograph sold for $20,315.

An 1846 dressing case box (lot 770) by Richard Dowling, made of Australian blackwood, Huon pine, cedar, myrtle, celery pine and exotic timbers achieved a healthy $17,925 after also being estimated at $6000-$8000.

The same price was paid for Norman Lindsay’s (1879-1969) female nude holding a silk scarf in a landscape (lot 1292) which carried a modest $2000-$3000 catalogue estimate.

More realistic in the estimates was Kenneth Robertson MacQueen’s (1897-1960) circa 1927 watercolour and pencil entitled The Bush Track (lot 1314) that sold for $15,535 – just above its high estimate of $12,000.

Helen Alice Peters (1861-1923) fared better with In The Garden (lot 1229) that brought $14,340 against an insignificant $1000-$2000 estimate.

Even more amazing was a 20th century Australian School rendition of Ned Kelly (lot 1355) that changed hands for $13,145 after being estimated at $600-$1000.

Rounding out the top 10 auction items were lot 1218, a Charles Rolando (1844-1893) and/or Jan Hendrik Scheltema (1861-1941) (attributed) girl in the farmyard oil on canvas, that was a $10,755 pick up and lot 1225 Jane Rebecca Price’s (1860-1948) Sydney Harbour from Pyrmont – a nocturne version of which is in the National Gallery of Victoria – that sold for $8962.

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About The Author

Richard Brewster has been writing about the antiques and art auction industry for almost 20 years, first in a regular weekly column for Fairfax's The Age newspaper and also in more recent times for his own website Australian Auction Review. With 45 years experience as a journalist and public relations consultant, in 1990 Richard established his own business Brewster & Associates in Melbourne, handling a wide range of clients in the building, financial, antiques and art auction industries.