How to build a blockbuster collection on a budget (Part One)
Picking prints from the stars of the New Zealand art scene
Over the past few weeks, we’ve looked at New Zealand’s top-performing artists at auction. While their major works are out of reach for most of us, many of these artists also produced prints that provide one of the best entry points into the New Zealand art market. These prints appear frequently at auction and offer a more accessible way for us to collect and enjoy these artists’ work at home.
I’ve selected 29 artists and works that I think many will recognise, offering a broad snapshot of New Zealand art across the decades. With just two exceptions across the, each piece on this list can typically be bought for under $10,000. 12 in the list can often be found for under $2,000 (including 5 in today’s selection). I’ve intentionally left out the Barry Lett prints; that collection deserves its own spotlight, and including it here would have felt too easy.
Today’s edition covers the first 15 prints, with the remaining 14 to follow later this week. The works are ordered by the artist’s birth year.
Frances Hodgkins (1869 - 1947) Arrangement of Jugs
One of two exceptions in this list above $10,000, but Frances Hodgkins is too important to leave out. Arrangement of Jugs is the only print I’m aware of that she produced. It most recently sold at auction for $13,145, though has typically sold for closer to $20,000.
Charles F Goldie (1870 - 1947) A Good Joke
While Goldie’s paintings often sell for in excess of $1 million, this print offers a surprisingly affordable way to collect his work. You can likely pick this up for under $2,000. Four of these have sold in 2024 / 2025 with prices at $931, $1201, and $1,949, and $4,805. Another print worth considering is A Warm Day, which trades generally between $3,000 - $5,000.
Rita Angus (1908 - 1970) The flute player
Angus’ The flute player prints have typically sold between $1,000 - $1,500, though some have reached as high as $5,000. The most recent sale achieved $1,036, a modest price for such a defining figure in New Zealand’s modernist movement.
Colin McCahon (1919 - 1987) 15 Drawings
My favourite McCahon print is Moby Dick is Sighted off Muriwai, though it consistently sells for more than $10,000. 15 Drawings provides a more attainable alternative and has appeared regularly at auction in recent years. The most recent sale achieved $12,794, but it’s also sold in the range of $7,500 - $9,500 in recent years.
Gordon Walters (1919 - 1995) Then
If price wasn’t a consideration, I’d choose one of Walter’s classic koru prints such as Kapiti, Arahura, or Amoka, which often exceed $20,000. For this list, Then is a strong choice in an edition of 125 that usually sells for between $5,000 and $6,000, though one sold earlier this year for just $4,874. Collectors wanting the signature koru motif should consider the newer prints released by the Walters Estate and usually trade between $6,000 to $8,000.
Pat Hanly (1932 - 2004) Paradise Bird Escapes Bather
Produced in an edition of 50, this print has typically sold for between $5,000 and $6,000, though it’s most recent sale saw reached $14,414. A more affordable alternative is End of the Golden Age, which has sold in the $3,000 - $3,500 range.
Max Gimblett (b. 1935) Remembrance
The quatrefoil shape is synonymous with Max Gimblett’s practice. 7,000 of these quatrefoils were produced to raise funds for Friends of St David’s Trust - a charity dedicated to the preservation of the Soldiers’ Memorial Church in Christchurch. 26 of these have sold this year ranging in price from $1,682 to $3,582 with an average price of around $2,700. There are seven different variations of the design.
Billy Apple (1935 - 2021) Free for the Taking
Most likely to be the cheapest buy on this list. You should be able to get this for under $200 though it’s sold for as much as $700. There are two main colour versions: a red print from 2005 and a green version from 2015.
Michael Smither (b. 1939) Rocks Tractor Mountain
Smither is New Zealand’s most traded artist at auction, thanks to the sheer volume and accessibility of his prints. My pick is Rocks Tractor Mountain, a limited-edition reproduction produced in 2017 (an edition of 95). Two examples sold last year, each at $1,434.
Don Binney (1940 - 2012) Grackle, Veracruz
My favourite Binney is Swoop of the Kotare, Wainamu but that can fetch over $20,000. Instead, my pick is Grackle, Veracruz, produced in an edition of 100. This catpure his iconic bird forms at more accessible price point. Expect to pay around $3,500 - $4,500, such as this one that sold for $3,534.
Gretchen Albrecht (b. 1943) Pounamu
In an edition of 100, Pounamu reflects her oval shaped works and I love the wonderful blend of greens that reflects the works title. It generally sells for $4,000 - $5,000, though one sold for as little as $3,346 in 2023.
Dick Frizzell (b. 1943) Red Haring V
Frizzell has been prolific in printmaking and gives us an extensive number of options: I would choose from amongst his tikis, his four square men, or his kiwiana recipes. His prints typically sell between $1,000 to $1,500. Recent results include Red Haring V ($1,201), Four Four Time ($1,381), and Lisa’s Afghans ($1,434). You can also find a range of limited edition prints by Frizzell through Fishmob.
Richard Killeen (b. 1946) Black Collection
Probably best known for his cut-outs, Killeen’s Black Collection (an edition of 50) captures his interest in this style of work. Prices usually range between $5,000 to $6,000, though the most recent sale was for just $2,802. Another good is From the Museum, which has traded between $1,000 - $2,000 (eg. this most recent one at $2,151).
Robin White (b. 1946) Mabel Mitchell’s Place
White is another artist who has worked extensively in prints, so there are a good number of options. Mabel Mitchell’s Place is a great print that shows her capturing ordinary New Zealand places. It was produced in an edition of 45 and has recently ranged in price between $4,000 to $10,000, depending on condition. Michael at Home is another good choice that you can probably get for around $4,000. My personal favourite, Florence and Harbour Cone, has recently been selling around $20,000 so it’s on the expensive end of prints.
Bill Hammond (1947 - 2021) Fish Finder 1
Best known for his human bird figures. Fish Finder 1 is a good representation of Hammond’s work. It most recently sold for $8,963. If your budget stretches further, then some other favourites are the Singer Songwriter series of prints (between $16,000 to $23,000) and Limbo Bay (around $11,000).
That’s the end of Part One of this series. Later this week, I’ll share Part Two with a further 14 affordable prints that capture the contemporary end of the New Zealand art market.
* Notes: I have generally stated prices including buyer’s premium. Not all auction houses include the buyer’s premium so I’ve estimated that based on the auction house terms and conditions. But there’s probably a few instances where I’ve calculated this wrong, or simply forgot to add it on.