IMAGE OF ROYAL BAFOKENG MAID BY ONE OF SOUTH AFRICA'S LEADING ARTISTS FOR SALE AT BONHAMS IN LONDON

IMAGE OF ROYAL BAFOKENG MAID WHO SERVED TEA TO MAGGIE LAUBSER FOR SALE

AT BONHAMS IN LONDON

Sold for £45 in 1945 the picture is estimated to sell for £200,00 to £300,000

The Verster family of Rustenberg have a remarkable story that is now part of South Africa’s artistic history thanks to a visit for afternoon tea by the leading artist Maggie Laubser (South African, 1886-1973).

When Maggie Laubser visited the Versters at their home in Rustenberg in 1945, their nanny, Annie, was called upon to serve afternoon tea to their esteemed guest. Laubser was struck by the beauty of the young Annie, and was adamant that she should sit for a portrait.

Several days later, on her departure, Laubser tucked the painting under her arm and left for the train station. Her hosts were surprised that she did not offer them the painting, and begged her to part with it. It was only on boarding the train that she relented, reluctantly selling the work for £45, a considerable sum in those days.

Annie was a daughter of the Bafokeng people, and Dr Verster had to seek special dispensation from the Bafokeng Chief in order to employ her as a nanny. At that time, the Royal Bafokeng held considerable power and wealth due to the discovery of substantial reserves of platinum on their land in the Rustenburg valley in the 1920s.

Laubser was often influenced by exotic beauty and her various travels within South Africa. Her portraits of young Indian and African women, in which flower motifs are employed as decorative surrounds, are some of her finest. Comparable works include Young girl with head scarf holding a protea, Pondo woman and Indian girl with poinsettias (all sold at Bonhams between 2009-2010).

The painting, `Annie of the Royal Bafokeng’ is signed 'M. Laubser' (lower right) and further signed, inscribed, and dated 'Maggie Laubser, Oortmanspoort, Klipheuvel Stasie, Kaap 1945'. The picture an oil on canvasboard, 50 x 45cm (19 11/16 x 17 11/16in) is estimated to sell for £200,000-300,000. Oortmanspoort was the name of Laubser's farm near Klipheuwel in the Overberg, where she settled in 1924 after the conclusion of her European travels.

Hannah O’Leary, Head of South African Art at Bonhams comments: “We are delighted to offer Annie of the Royal Bafokeng on the market for the first time. As well as being a beautiful painting, and a magnificent example of Laubser’s portraits, which have become the most-prized works in her oeuvre, the story of Annie the nanny is simply charming. The portrait obviously caused a lot of excitement in the Verster household, and no doubt the story was often recounted when visitors admired the painting. While £45 was a high price at the time, Laubser was then at the peak of her career and knew she could command a high price for the painting back in the Cape. In fact, when one compares the prices fetched for lesser works at auction in recent years, we can see that Dr Verster made a very sound investment indeed.”

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son and Neale UK. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street, and Knightsbridge, and a further four throughout the UK. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Boston in the USA; and Switzerland, France, Monaco, Hong Kong, Australia and Dubai. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 57 specialist areas. By the end of 2009, Bonhams had become UK market leaders in ten key specialist collecting areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, go to www.bonhams.com