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  • Comment: The below bit about AI assistance was apparently made by accident (see here). Also, NightJarrTeam has disclosed their paid status on the talk page. This is only a clarifying note for the reviewer; I'm uninvolved with this draft. Kodning 🌸 (talk) 09:25, 1 October 2026 (UTC)
  • Comment: In preparing this draft, I disclose that AI assistance was used as follows:
    Hello, and thank you for taking the time to review this draft. The earlier submission was declined in January 2026 for being read as advertising, and I have taken that feedback seriously. I have rewritten the article to suport another Wikipedia user to remove advertising language, including descriptors such as "premier", "renowned" and "notable", and statements that were not supported by the sources, such as the company being "considered the premier broker" in its field. I also removed wording that implied comparisons with international auction houses and replaced relative chronological references with specific dates. Where it helps give a more balanced picture, I have added context. For example, the article now shows the company's full-year 2023 turnover alongside its stronger half-year figure, and includes the Irma Stern Trust's statement on how the proceeds of a 2022 sale were used. The sourcing has been substantially reworked. I rechecked the key claims against their cited sources and corrected or removed anything the sources did not support. This included a reference to representation in Munich, an unconfirmed sale price, and a description of one auction as the company's "first" single-artist sale. We removed sponsored articles and a partner profile that had previously been cited. The article now relies mainly on independent coverage from publications including The Art Newspaper, Financial Mail, Artnet, Barron's, Time Out, Daily Maverick, Winemag, BusinessTech and the Mail & Guardian. Company sources and one sponsored feature remain, but only for basic details such as office locations, job titles and auction results. I would welcome guidance if any of these should be replaced. Citations now include authors, dates and publication names throughout. In the process, I also corrected several errors in the earlier version. The list of founders now includes Conrad Strauss, the company's namesake, supported by an independent source. I corrected several sale and exhibition dates to match the published reporting. The account of the 2022 Irma Stern Museum sale and the claims about wine auction records now reflect only what the sources state. Finally, I have restructured the article so that the lead gives a short factual summary of the body. I have also converted a bulleted list of services into prose, given the auction results section a neutral heading, trimmed the See also section, and made a number of Manual of Style fixes. I am happy to make further changes if anything still reads as promotional or needs stronger sourcing. Thank you again for your time.
    NightJarrTeam (talk) 14:19, 29 September 2026 (UTC)


Strauss & Co
TypePrivate
IndustryAuction house
Founded2009
FoundersStephan Welz, Elisabeth Bradley, Conrad Strauss
HeadquartersJohannesburg, South Africa
Key peopleFrank Kilbourn (executive chairperson), Bina Genovese (managing executive), Susie Goodman (managing executive)
ProductsFine art, modern art, contemporary art, decorative arts, fine wine, jewellery, furniture
Websitestraussart.co.za

Strauss & Co is a South African art auction house founded in 2009. It holds offices in Johannesburg and Cape Town. The company sells art, decorative arts, jewellery and wine through live and online auctions, and its sales have included auction records for works by Irma Stern and Vladimir Tretchikoff. It also runs an education programme and has supported arts and heritage initiatives in South Africa.

History

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Strauss & Co was founded by a group that included the auctioneer Stephan Welz and the businesspeople Elisabeth Bradley and Conrad Strauss,[1] alongside Vanessa Phillips, Ann Palmer, and Bina Genovese.[2] It held its first auction in Johannesburg in March 2009.[2] Welz served as the company's founding managing director until his death in December 2015.[3]

The company holds auctions in Johannesburg[4] and Cape Town,[5] and has regional representation in the Garden Route, the Cape Winelands, and KwaZulu-Natal.[6]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Strauss & Co held live auctions where bids were accepted in person, by telephone and online. A three-day sale in April 2021 attracted more than 700 bidders from more than 20 countries.[5]

By February 2024, Strauss & Co had established a London presence.[7] In March 2024, it held a selling exhibition of works by Alexis Preller at Cromwell Place in London, after staging an exhibition of sculptures by Sydney Kumalo and Ezrom Legae at The Africa Centre in London in 2023.[8]

Market context

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As of 2024, African artists accounted for approximately 0.9% of the value of contemporary art auction sales, according to ArtTactic data.[9] In 2023, reduced confidence in financial markets contributed to a decline in the global art market, and an analysis of results at the three major international auction houses (Sotheby's, Christie's, and Phillips) showed a 16% fall in year-on-year revenue.[10] Auction sales of modern and contemporary African art declined by 8.4% over the same period, compared with a fall of almost 18% in the broader modern and contemporary market.[9] Strauss & Co reported an 11% increase in revenue for the first half of 2023 compared with the same period in 2022,[10] and a 2% increase in annual turnover for 2023, to R363.7 million.[8]

Auctions and services

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Strauss & Co holds live auctions and online-only sales.[5][11] Alongside its auctions, the company conducts private sales[12] and runs an education programme of lectures, walkabouts and workshops.[13]

Auction results

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  • October 2010: Irma Stern's Gladioli (1939) sold for R13,368,000, then the highest price paid for a still life by a South African artist.[14]
  • September 2011: Stern's Two Arabs (1939) sold for R21,166,000, setting what was then a South African auction record.[4]
  • November 2013: Jane Alexander's Untitled, a companion piece to The Butcher Boys, sold for R5.5 million, setting world auction records for the artist, for South African sculpture, and for South African contemporary art.[15]
  • June 2017: J. H. Pierneef's Farm Jonkershoek with Twin Peaks Beyond, Stellenbosch (1928) sold for R20.5 million.[16]
  • May 2019: Anton van Wouw's bronze maquette for the Paul Kruger Monument sold for R10.5 million, setting world auction records for the artist and for a South African sculpture.[17][18]
  • July 2021: JH Pierneef: IN/SIGHT, a single-artist auction, sold all 69 lots for a combined R23 million.[19]
  • March 2023: Stern's Children Reading the Koran (1939) sold for R22.3 million, then a record for a work of art sold at auction in Africa.[20][21]
  • May 2025: Vladimir Tretchikoff's Lady from the Orient (1955) sold for R31.9 million, surpassing the previous world auction record for a Tretchikoff painting.[22][23]
  • October 2025: Stern's Malay (Black Headdress) (1946) sold for R21.7 million, setting an African record for a portrait of a female sitter by Stern.[24][25][26]
  • November 2025: A group of wildlife drawings by William Kentridge from the Engen Collection sold for a combined R8.4 million, with all lots sold.[27]

Auction categories

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Jewellery, decorative arts and furniture

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By 2010, Strauss & Co had added watches, silverware, jewellery (including precious gems), decorative arts, and furniture to its auction categories.[28]

Wine

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In 2019, Strauss & Co began auctioning collectable wines. Its wine sales have included South African auction records for a vertical of Kanonkop's Paul Sauer in 2020[29] and a bottle of Grand Constance 1821 in 2021.[30] In November 2024, the company introduced the Cape Fine Brandy Auction, a timed online sale of South African brandy.[31]

Education and community engagement

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Strauss & Co has offered educational programmes and community initiatives, including lectures, masterclasses, non-selling exhibitions, and tours.[32][33] The auction house has partnered with cultural organisations including the African Art in Venice Forum,[34] the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees,[35] and the RMB Latitudes Art Fair.[36]

Art Club

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In 2024, Strauss & Co launched Art Club London, a programme of in-person events and exhibitions on African modern and contemporary art, extending its activities in South Africa. It launched an online programme of lectures at the same time.[12]

Philanthropy and conservation

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In 2014, Frank Kilbourn and Stephan Welz, a founder of Strauss & Co, established Welgemeend Art Month, an event held each August at Welgemeend, a historic house in Cape Town, to raise funds to conserve the property and the Boerneef Art Collection. Strauss & Co has collaborated on the event.[37][38]

In 2022, Strauss & Co organised a sale that raised approximately R22 million (almost US$1.3 million), intended for the preservation of the Irma Stern Museum in Cape Town. After the museum closed in October 2025, the Irma Stern Trust said it reinvested the proceeds in its operations, including insurance, maintenance, and storage of the collection.[24][39]

Management

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As of 2026, Strauss & Co's board is led by executive chairperson Frank Kilbourn, who succeeded founding chairperson Elisabeth Bradley in 2016.[2][40]

Bina Genovese and Susie Goodman, who previously held senior roles at Christie's in Rome and London respectively, are managing executives and directors of the company.[6] Khetiwe McClain joined Strauss & Co in 2023 and is its client advisory executive director.[6][41] Alastair Meredith heads the company's art department.[8][42][43] Other board members have included Caro Wiese,[44] Wildu du Plessis, and Jack Ginsberg.[45]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Buitendach, Sarah (21 May 2026). "Welz treasures go under the hammer". Financial Mail. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 "Strauss & Co Bolstered by Heavyweights". ArtThrob. 30 June 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  3. ↑ Rheeder, Stephan (14 January 2016). "A conversation with art legend Stephan Welz". Art Africa Magazine. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  4. 1 2 "Stern's 'Arab' sold for over R17 million". Art Africa Magazine. 13 June 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 Dollery, Emma (20 April 2021). "The rare and expensive: Inside a fine art auction at Strauss & Co". Maverick Life. Daily Maverick. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 "Trailblazing women driving growth at Strauss & Co". Woman and Home Magazine. 20 March 2025. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  7. ↑ "African art sales outperformed the overall market despite a slump last year". Penta. Barron's. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 12 January 2026. Strauss, which recently established an office in London
  8. 1 2 3 Dawson, Aimee (12 April 2024). "South African auction house edges into London market". The Art Newspaper. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  9. 1 2 Reese, Brooke (19 March 2024). "The State of the African Art Market 2024". ArtTactic. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  10. 1 2 Corrigall, Mary (8 February 2024). "African art sales prove resilient in 2023". Investec. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  11. ↑ Proctor, Rebecca Anne (6 April 2020). "A Resilient Cape: South Africa's Thriving Art Scene Tackles COVID-19 and Lockdown". Flash Art. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  12. 1 2 Chow, Vivienne (13 August 2024). "South African Auction House Strauss & Co Expands London Footprint With an Art Club". Artnet News. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  13. ↑ "Education". Strauss & Co. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
  14. ↑ "Record price for SA art". News24. 13 October 2010. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  15. ↑ "South African sculpture reaches record R5,5 million price tag". Sunday Times. 12 November 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  16. ↑ "Twin Peaks Pierneef sells for R20m". TimesLive. 7 June 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  17. ↑ Ho, Ufrieda (22 May 2019). "Paul Kruger statue sells for R10.46-million". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  18. ↑ "Anton van Wouw; Paul Kruger". Strauss & Co. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  19. ↑ "JH Pierneef: IN/SIGHT Auction Results | 26 July 2021". Strauss & Co. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  20. ↑ "Record price for Irma Stern at Strauss & Co sale". SA Art Times. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  21. ↑ "Irma Stern's painting nets R22.3m". Weekend Argus. IOL. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  22. ↑ "Tretchikoff Lady from the Orient sets new auction record". Weekend Argus. IOL. 28 May 2025. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  23. ↑ "Tretchikoff triumph breaks world record". News24. AFP. 29 May 2025. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  24. 1 2 Abrahams, Marchelle (6 November 2025). "Irma Stern Museum's controversial closure: Here's what we know". Time Out Cape Town. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  25. ↑ Ontong, Joel (30 October 2025). "Stern's 'Malay' shatters records: Iconic portrait fetches R21.7M at Strauss & Co auction". News24. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  26. ↑ Sobekwa, Lelethu (5 November 2025). "Strauss & Co Establishes a New Benchmark Price for Stern Portraits of Female Sitters". Africa Art News. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  27. ↑ "William Kentridge Drawings Auction Results | 17 November 2025". Strauss & Co. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  28. ↑ "Strauss & Co 2010 Review". Strauss & Co. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  29. ↑ Eedes, Christian (28 July 2020). "Strauss & Co online wine auction sets new record". Winemag.co.za. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  30. ↑ "A 200 year old bottle of South African wine – still in drinkable condition – just sold at auction for a record price". BusinessTech. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  31. ↑ Leonard, Charles (15 November 2024). "A brandy idiot gets hammered at auction". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  32. ↑ "A Gerard Sekoto moment at Strauss & Co". TimesLive. 29 April 2025. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  33. ↑ "Intersections: Bill Ainslie and the Johannesburg Art Foundation". University of the Witwatersrand. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  34. ↑ "Sponsors". African Art in Venice Forum. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
  35. ↑ "Strauss & Co: Travelling Sekoto Returns Home". Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  36. ↑ "RMB Latitudes Art Fair Returns for its Third Edition in 2025". Rand Merchant Bank. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  37. ↑ "2024 Art Month at Welgemeend". Welgemeend. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  38. ↑ "Strauss & Co celebrates Art Month at Welgemeend on First Thursdays". ArtThrob. 30 July 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  39. ↑ Adam, Georgina (9 January 2026). "Storm over closure of South Africa's much-loved Irma Stern Museum". The Art Newspaper. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  40. ↑ "Frank Kilbourn appointed Executive Chairman of Strauss and Co". Art Africa Magazine. 29 June 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  41. ↑ "Leading/Inspirational Businesswomen, Khetiwe McClain And Jo-Ann Strauss, Join Strauss & Co". Business Media MAGS. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  42. ↑ "Latitudes Podcast featuring Alastair Meredith". Latitudes Online. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  43. ↑ Alastair Meredith (25 July 2020). The rise of African art globally with Dr Alastair Meredith. SABC News. Retrieved 14 January 2026 – via YouTube.
  44. ↑ "Strauss & Co Bolstered by Heavyweights". Strauss & Co. 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  45. ↑ "A Life Lived Between the Pages". University of the Witwatersrand. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
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