JACK DALE

While Dale’s works were freely available in the primary market, his results at auctions were less than auspicious. In 2007, two works sold for what remains the artist's record and third highest price to date. The first of these appeared at Lawson-Menzies in May (Lot 25). Offered with an estimate of $30,000-35,000 this eye-catching 180 x 231 cm image, Male Wandjinas - Baby Dreaming, created just 12 months earlier, sold for $31,200 to a buyer who had already announced his intentions prior to the sale. It was obvious that powerful primary market influences were at play in underpinning the work of an important old artist of whom most collectors were, as yet, largely unaware. At its next sale in November 2007, Lawson~Menzies featured another major work, this time measuring 143 x 199 cm. This canvas, Wandjinas at Iondra 2006 was an even more impressive painting than the former lot and sold above its high estimate for $45,600, the artist’s current record price. As a direct result of these two sales, Jack Dale shot to 120th on the most successful artist list. Further success in 2008 when two works sold for $38,400 and $13,200 saw him leap to become the 66th most successful Aboriginal artist of all time. In 2009 strong sales pushed him further to 60th, with a highly impressive average of $20,518. This was all the more remarkable because he had yet to reach the threshold of 20 works offered. In 2010 another seven works appeared at sale pushing over the threshold for the first time. However, it was not the most opportune time for it to do so even though three new works entered his top ten sales records. In 2013 and 2014 two fine examples entered his top 10 records but his results have not been nearly as impressive since and his ranking has dropped sharply. He is currently the 100th most successful artist of the movement.

While one would expect Jack Dale’s rating and position to have continued to rise, they have not done so. His high-value works tend to be large, and for this reason, few are offered for public sale. Major paintings sell for $35,000-40,000 in the primary market, as no other artist has portrayed these iconic creator beings on such a scale other than perhaps David Mowaljarli. They are now being shown internationally. As time progresses these paintings are likely to become emblematic of the last artistic outpouring of a generation of genuine characters that embodied the spirit and Aboriginal heritage of the West Kimberley region.

© Adrian Newstead