On the night, four of the six paintings were sold at an Art+Object auction in Auckland last Monday.
Te Aho-o-te-Rangi Wharepu, A Noted Waikato Warrior fetched $2.1 million including the buyer’s premium and GST making it the most expensive Goldie painting ever sold.
The previous record of $1.8 million was set by a painting sold at an auction in Sydney last year.
The paintings were being sold by Graham’s children, Lincoln resident Dean, Greg and Tania.
“When I walked into the gallery it sent shivers up my spine and I got all teary-eyed and it was quite emotional.
“It was very nerve-racking. We’d never done anything like that before. I’d never been to an auction before in my life,” Dean said.
Art+Object art director Ben Plumbly said there were about 50 people at the auction house and hundreds joined online.
“It’s not the easiest market at the moment for discretion spending and presenting six paintings by the same artist at the price level they were was never going to result in hundreds of bidders.”
Two of the paintings remain unsold with one currently under negotiation.
Dean said the paintings had been in storage due to none of the family having a place suitable for them.
“Now someone else can enjoy them on their wall rather than being hidden away, which is not the right thing to do with paintings like that, “ Dean said.
He said the family had no expectations on what they were going to sell for.
“We didn’t know what to expect really.
“The market dictated how it was going to go and we’re pretty happy,” Dean said.
Dean said the money will help him keep donating to charity.
