SYDNEY.- Highly respected art adviser John Cruthers and Bonhams Australia have formed a unique partnership to present the first-ever curated fine art auction in the country.

The June 16 sale brings together 61 works from five vendors with whom John has been working for many years to build their private art collections.

The works span the decades from the 1920s to the present day and include paintings by Sidney Nolan, Fred Williams and Grace Cossington-Smith as well as contemporary artists such as Adam Cullen, Howard Arkley, Rosalie Gascoigne and Peter Booth.

Bonhams chairman Mark Fraser said the exciting new approach to the secondary market offered buyers the chance to purchase works with outstanding provenance.

“These paintings not only have the imprimatur of a leading international auction house, but they have also been personally selected by the art specialist behind the renowned Grundy Collection of art,” Mr Fraser said.

Mr Cruthers said curated auctions had been held overseas but had not been tried before in Australia.

“This sale offers something different – a group of works carefully chosen to reflect the best works by individual contemporary artists as well as paintings by major art historical figures that are still relatively affordable,” he said.

“It’s heartwarming to see that the works in the sale have stood the test of time and still radiate the energy and ideas that attracted me and my clients to them in the first place."