For those interested in the bidding action, there are timed online as well as live auctions, with pre-auction exhibitions of these wide-ranging pieces on show Strauss & Co's Houghton showroom until Wed, Nov 19, 2025. Even if you don't plan to purchase anything, the expert-led walkabouts are always illuminating: held over the weekend of Sat, Nov 15 and Sun, Nov 16, 2025.
1. All things rare and wonderful: Modern and contemporary art from South Africa
Leading the auctions is the live-virtual evening sale (Tue, Nov 18 at 19:00), which includes sought-after works from museum retrospectives of Laubser and George Pemba. The latter's The Angry Gamtoos River is a particularly powerful work painted after the flooding of the Gamtoos River. In it, the woman in the river is faced by a bull, but what makes it stand out is the ambiguity of their interaction. It's unclear whether the woman is there in surrender, defiance, or celebration.
Perhaps the most exciting work on auction is a pre-exile Sekoto, which, up until now, was hidden away in a home. Velvety and atmospheric, Three Women in Conversation is a wonderful example of Sekoto's unique ability to capture the tensions and emotions of everyday life. With his work showing at the Venice Biennale and the Pompidou in Paris, Sekoto is garnering more and more international recognition, making him one of the most sought-after modernist South African artists.
Strauss also continues to profile South African sculpture, and the consignment spans more than a century of output. Here, Anton van Wouw's Shangaan is the earliest work featured, first modelled in the artist’s Doornfontein studio in Johannesburg in 1907. Then moving towards the contemporary, the Claudette Schreuders work, The Loved Ones highlights the evolution of South African sculpture, and is notable as she was the first South African sculptor to have her work acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Browse the timed online Day Sale here and see what's up for auction in the Evening Sale here.
2. Early wildlife drawings from William Kentridge
While the evening sale features several works by Kentridge, the dedicated auction William Kentridge Drawings from the Engen Collection stands out. The drawings on display, created during his prolific period in the 1980s when Kentridge was approaching the age of 30, possess a simplicity not often seen in his work. Beyond being beautiful representations of South African wildlife, they contain that quintessential Kentridge character – and reveal the depth and vibrancy of his art from this era.
Browse the lots here.
3. Anna Starcke: From the Killarney home of an eccentric collector
Then, a slightly different auction is The Starcke Collection of African Art. A rather eclectic collection of artwork, ceramics, furniture, and a bevy of sculptures from the late Anna Starcke: journalist, socio-political analyst, and patron of African culture. Here, a visit to the showroom is a must with Strauss recreating the wondrous clutter of Starcke's Killarney apartment – once a salon for political thinkers, artists, and leaders in the 1980s and early ’90s. Strauss & Co head curator Wilhelm van Rensburg was a friend of Starcke’s and recalls how her love affair with African art began with a single figurine in a Johannesburg gallery window – a piece that “whispered loudly” to her. She walked inside, her heart racing, to put down a deposit.
Born near Frankfurt in 1936, Starcke sought adventure and possibility beyond post-war Europe. She and her husband, artist Helmut Starcke, sailed to Africa and were inspired by the continent’s light, colour, and energy. At the time of her passing, her collection exceeded 150 works and stands as a testament to both her intellectual rigour and joyful artistic sensibility. We had a lot of fun finding strange oddities amongst the clutter of objects. It also brings a wealth of more affordable options, with quite a few lots coming in under R1,000.
Browse the items for sale here.
Schedule at a glance
William Kentridge Drawings from the Engen Collection: Mon, Nov 17, 2025 at 19:00Online auction: Closes Tue, Nov 18, 2025 at 14:00
Live auction: Tue, Nov 18, 2025 at 19:00
The Starcke Collection of African Art: Closes Wed, Nov 19, 2025 at 14:00
Walkabouts: Sat, Nov 15 and Sun, Nov 16, 2025 at 11:00
If you're a collector, the auctions are not to be missed, yet even those with a modest budget can find works that are on the affordable side. And what makes us such big fans of Strauss & Co is that their auctions come with an accompanying exhibition, which provides a rare opportunity to see historic and museum-grade works from the art canon of South Africa. Each auction includes expert-led walkabouts, which reveal the stories and histories behind the paintings as they are brought to life.
Viewings are open daily from 09:00 – 16:00, with specialist walkabouts on Sat, Nov 15 and Sun, Nov 16 at 11:00 at Strauss & Co’s Houghton headquarters (89 Central St). Whether you’re a serious collector or simply an art lover, this is an unmissable opportunity to see museum-grade works up close.
