Mossgreen-Webb’s, based in New Zealand and Australia, has just established one, aiming to build on the “inspiration behind the collection and its creators”.
At its head is James Hogan, a decorative arts specialist, with over 30 years’ experience in the auction market. He worked at Webb’s in NZ (Mossgreen merged with Leski Auctions in 2013 and acquired the former Armadale Picture Theatre in Melbourne where it is currently located. Mossgreen has since acquired Webb’s of Auckland).
Working alongside him is Caolan McAleer, whose experience includes Gormleys, the commercial art gallery and auction house founded in 1990 with branches in Dublin and Belfast.
Hogan says: “Part of our role is ‘excavation’ – helping clients to uncover items of value and reveal the stories that surround them. People can amass huge collections over the years, stored in garages, basements and attics, and sometimes they have no real idea what they have – or how strong the interest in it may be.”
The Warwick Brown Collection of modern art auctioned earlier this year was an “excellent example of the power of a single-owner collection”, he adds.
Another recent appointment at Mossgreen-Webb’s is in-house jewellery specialist Lauren Boustridge.
