Barry Colman's notable Hoteres under the hammer

Former NBR publisher Barry Colman's collection of valuable Ralph Hotere paintings will go under the hammer next month.

The collection of 13 paintings and lithographs for the November 22 auction include the notable Vive Aramoana, which Mr Colman bought in 2002 for $210,000 – a then-record price for a work by a living New Zealand artist.

It was one of Mr Hotere's works based on a proposal in the 1970s to make Aramoana a site for an aluminium smelter.

While the guide price for Vive Aramoana is lower than the 2002 sale price, International Art Centre director Richard Thomson says the painting could possibly fetch that figure again.

"Hoteres come up for auction fairly regularly but a collection like this is quite rare," he says.

"The market is not the same for Hotere that it was 10 years ago, despite him being probably New Zealand's favourite, or most important, living artist."

He believes the collection could fetch up to $400,000.

Mr Colman's Hotere collection graced the walls of the Carey's Bay Hotel in Port Chalmers, near Dunedin – a bluestone hotel, built in 1874, which was lavishly restored by Mr Colman's late wife Cushla Martini over several years from 2002.

The hotel was sold in 2008 and some of the collection adorned NBR's Auckland office walls until recently.

In August, Mr Colman announced he would sell the print and online publishing business to NBR chief executive Todd Scott.

Mr Colman remains a consultant to the business.

David Williams
Wed, 24 Oct 2012

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Barry Colman's notable Hoteres under the hammer

End of era for NBR publisher

End of era for NBR publisher