Menzies Auctioneers

31/08/2026

"Menzies' auction stared down tough economic times with strong realisations and successfully curated recent aboriginal work within the wider contemporary."

Read Peter James Smith's review of Menzies' successful August auction on the Australian Art Sales Digest here:

In presenting a catalogue furnished with 65% of the works post 1970, the house of Menzies is making a clear move to engage younger and online buyers, many of whom may never have set foot in an auction house as they live their lives online. Menzies auction stared down tough economic times with strong...

31/08/2026

🔥AUCTION RECORD🔥
Menzies’ 27 August auction of Important Australian and International Art achieved remarkable results, with an impressive 92.3% sold by volume and 141.6% sold by value, representing a total of $3,802,582.

A new auction record was achieved for Adam Cullen, with 'Outside Glenrowan' selling for $104,318 (including buyer’s premium) against pre-sale estimates of $50,000 – 70,000. 👏👏👏

Full auction results are available on our website: https://www.menziesartbrands.com/catalogue-details/26AUG

ADAM CULLEN (1965-2012)
'Outside Glenrowan' 2011
synthetic polymer paint on canvas
137.5 x 137.5 cm
Estimate: $50,000 - 70,000
Sold August 2026 for $104,318 (including buyer’s premium)

© Adam Cullen/Copyright Agency, 2026

27/08/2026

📣AUCTION TONIGHT📣
Menzies auction of Important Australian & International Art will commence at 6:30pm AEST tonight Thursday 27 August 2026 in our Melbourne saleroom.

☎️📝 To register to bid via telephone or leave an absentee bid, please submit your form by 4:00pm today here: https://www.menziesartbrands.com/register-to-bid.html

💻 Online bidding will be hosted by with buyer’s premium parity. A live video stream can be viewed on Invaluable from 6:30pm here: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-house/menzies-5g4mby0t07

🙋 To attend the auction in person please come along to 1 Darling Street, South Yarra from 6:00pm to register for a bidding paddle.

MARGARET OLLEY (1923-2011)
'Pomegranates and Brush Pots' 1979
oil on board
75.0 x 121.0 cm
Estimate: $60,000 - 80,000

© Margaret Olley/Courtesy of The Margaret Olley Art Trust & Philip Bacon Galleries, Brisbane

24/08/2026

Menzies 27th August auction includes a notable selection of contemporary sculpture led by Bronwyn Oliver’s ‘Horn’. The verdigris copper piece was created during the artist’s two-month residency at Auckland City Art Gallery in 1992, where it was featured on the front cover of the exhibition catalogue. Designed to be wall-mounted, the woven copper strands create an equally intricate shadow, referred to by the artist as the horn’s ‘ghost’.

BRONWYN OLIVER (1959-2006)
‘Horn’ 1992
copper
70.0 x 65.0 x 14.0 cm
Estimate: $200,000 - 250,000

Another significant sculpture is ‘The Cradle’ by Lisa Roet, an oversized orangutan foot executed with remarkable anatomical precision in bronze. ‘The Cradle’ is one of Roet’s most recognisable and impactful sculptures, with another example residing at the Melbourne Zoo.

LISA ROET born 1967
‘The Cradle’ (also known as ‘Orangutan Foot’) conceived 2007; cast 2024
bronze on powder coated stainless steel base
185.0 x 89.0 x 70.0 cm (including base)
edition of 6
Estimate: $60,000 - 80,000

© Lisa Roet/Copyright Agency, 2026

Also represented in bronze is Bruce Armstrong’s stoic ‘Perching Bird’ and John Olsen’s playful ‘Leaping Frog’; both exceptional examples of the artists’ favourite subjects at a domestic scale.

BRUCE ARMSTRONG (1957-2024)
‘Perching Bird’ conceived 2000; cast 2023
bronze
54.0 x 13.0 x 10.0 cm
edition: 1/7
Estimate: $30,000 - 40,000

© Bruce Armstrong/Copyright Agency, 2026

Also represented in bronze is Bruce Armstrong’s stoic ‘Perching Bird’ and John Olsen’s playful ‘Leaping Frog’; both exceptional examples of the artists’ favourite subjects at a domestic scale.

JOHN OLSEN (1928-2023)
‘(Leaping Frog)’ 2004-05
bronze
51.0 x 22.0 x 13.5 cm
edition: 11/14
Estimate: $30,000 - 40,000

© John Olsen/Copyright Agency, 2026

Finally, Menzies is pleased to present ‘Black Knot Contra’ by Martin George, pictured here in front of pieces by Gunter Christmann and Tim Storrier.

MARTIN GEORGE (born 1980)
‘Black Knot Contra’ 2013
stainless steel with epoxy coating
100.0 x 100.0 x 60.0 cm
edition: 3/5
Estimate: $6,000 - 9,000

05/08/2026

✨CATALOGUE NOW ONLINE✨
Menzies is delighted to present its catalogue for the forthcoming auction of Important Australian & International Art to be held in Melbourne on 27 August.

Leading the auction is 'Bulla Goonyah' 1993 by Lin Onus, a quintessential example of the artist’s finest subject. The title translates to 'Two Fish', referring to the raark-incised protagonists who inhabit the dark waters in the upper left, between Onus’s two visual registers of surface and below.

With both Scottish and Aboriginal ancestry, Onus described himself as a ‘bridge between cultures.’ He was acclaimed for combining ecological knowledge with cultural memory to create profoundly unique paintings, and was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia the same year he painted 'Bulla Goonyah'.

View Menzies' full catalogue online now: https://www.menziesartbrands.com/catalogue-details/26AUG

LIN ONUS (1948-1996)
Yorta Yorta language group
'Bulla Goonyah' 1993
synthetic polymer paint on canvas
182.0 x 182.0 cm
Estimate: $350,000 - $500,000

© Lin Onus/Copyright Agency, 2026

23/06/2026

Menzies is currently inviting entries to the forthcoming auction of Important Australian & International Art, to be held on 27 August in Melbourne.

Menzies’ winter sale historically sees strong bidding across the genres of traditional, modern and contemporary art, including this Rupert Bunny which soared above its estimates in August 2025.

To have your fine art appraised for auction, please contact one of our specialists today, or complete our online appraisal form.

Cameron Menzies
Chairman & Head of Private Sales
0466 636 142
[email protected]

Asta Cameron
Head of Art
0400 914 088
[email protected]

RUPERT BUNNY (1864-1947)
‘Sunbath’ c1915-16
oil on canvas
54.5 x 81.0 cm
Estimate: $180,000 - $240,000
Sold August 2025 for $368,182 (inc. buyer’s premium)

16/06/2026

Menzies is pleased to present Tim Storrier’s ‘Emperor of the Abrolhos’ for private sale.

Storrier is fascinated by pelicans for their curious proportions and eccentric traits, describing them as ‘one of nature’s heroic guardians.’ Here, the quietly dignified bird sits atop an old suitcase, a characteristic note of eccentricity by Storrier.

If the pelican is the emperor, his empire is The Houtman Abrolhos, a pristine chain of 122 coral islands and reefs off the coast of Western Australia. Executed in mirror-finish stainless-steel and standing at 140 cm tall, the sculpture instantly delights viewers and was recently the recipient of the People’s Choice Award at Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe (pictured in second slide, another example).

‘Emperor of the Abrolhos’ is now available to view by appointment in Menzies’ Melbourne gallery.

For further information, please contact:
Cameron Menzies
Chairman & Head of Private Sales
0466 636 142
[email protected]

Asta Cameron
Head of Art
0400 914 088
[email protected]

TIM STORRIER born 1949
‘Emperor of the Abrolhos’ 2025
stainless steel
140.0 x 60.0 x 98.0 cm
edition: 5/8
© Tim Storrier/Copyright Agency, 2026

15/06/2026

After a stellar May auction which saw outstanding sell-through rates of 149.2% by value and 89.2% by volume, Menzies is now inviting entries to the August auction of Important Australian & International Art.

Speak to one of our specialists today by calling 03 9832 8700 for a confidential art appraisal and holistic advice regarding your collection, or complete our online appraisal form.

EMILY KAME KNGWARREYE (c1910-1996)
Anmatyerre language group
‘The Anooralya Yam’ 1995
synthetic polymer paint on canvas
152.0 x 91.5 cm
Estimate: $100,000 - 150,000
Sold May 2026 for $270,000 (inc. buyer’s premium)
© Emily Kame Kngwarreye/Copyright Agency, 2026

04/06/2026

Enjoy some respite from this dreary June weather with a look at some sunflower still lifes Menzies has sold over the years. 🌻🌻🌻

Menzies is currently welcoming entries to our next auction of Important Australian & International Art. If you have a work of fine art you are considering selling, contact us for an appraisal today.

1) WILLIAM ROBINSON (1936-2025), ‘Sunflowers and Peaches’ 2014, oil on linen, 81.5 x 66.0 cm
Sold May 2026 for $34,364 (inc. buyer’s premium)

2) ARTHUR STREETON (1867-1943), ‘Sunflowers’ 1928, oil on canvas, 91.5 x 71.0 cm
Sold July 2020 privately

3) JOHN PERCEVAL (1923-2000), ‘Sunflowers’ (also known as ‘van Gogh Sunflowers’) c1935, oil on linen, 88.0 x 72.0 cm
Sold November 2025 for $90,818 (inc. buyer’s premium)
© John Perceval/Copyright Agency, 2025

14/05/2026

FOR PRIVATE SALE: ‘Roses, Red’ 1934 by Arthur Streeton.

‘Roses, Red’ 1934 is a consummate example of Streeton’s prowess within the still-life genre. Originally exhibited at The Athenaeum Gallery in 1934, it was later selected for inclusion in the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery’s 2001-02 exhibition ‘Arthur Streeton: The Passionate Gardener’.

Streeton’s paintings of roses, his favourite flower, were favourably received by critics, curators and collectors during his lifetime, with rose paintings acquired by both the and the in 1930.

ARTHUR STREETON (1867-1943)
‘Roses, Red’ 1934
oil on canvas
77.0 x 64.0 cm

‘Roses, Red’ is now available to view by appointment in Menzies’ Melbourne gallery. For further information, please contact:

Cameron Menzies
Chairman & Head of Private Sales
0466 636 142
[email protected]