About Heritage Art Auctions

Heritage Art Auctions is owned by Henry Newrick. Henry has been dealing in art since his university days almost 60 years ago. Having grown up in the 50s and 60s, surrounded by ‘old master’ paintings at his home in Wanganui, Henry has always had an interest in art. He helped fund his way through university by trading in art. One of his university friends used to trade in stamps and subsequently made a career of it. His name was John Mowbray.

Henry was the founder of the National Business Review (NBR) in 1970 and author of New Zealand Art Auction Records (1973) as well as the New Zealand Art & Antiques Yearbooks which were published during the 1970s/1980s.

His grandfather, Harry Newrick ran the Sarjeant Gallery in Wanganui for almost 25 years from 1925 until his retirement in 1950 at the age of 85 when he came to live with Henry’s family. Prior to his arrival in New Zealand in 1921 Harry Newrick was a highly regarded mount-cutter and art restorer in England, having come second in a national mount-cutting contest in 1897 celebrating Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. His two winning entries are shown below.

One of the clients for whom Harry Newrick did occasional restoration work, whilst working for Rowney’s in London, was Joseph (Later Lord) Duveen, probably the greatest art dealer of all time and owner of The House of Duveen. Harry Newrick brought his restoration skills to New Zealand where, during his time at The Sarjeant Gallery and following his retirement, he was regarded as the leading art restorer in New Zealand.

Henry Newrick, as a child, remembers his grandfather’s workshop in Whanganui and the visitors who would stop by from time to time, to drop off or pick up paintings which his grandfather had laboured over.  One such visitor was Charles Griffin (owner of Griffin’s Biscuits) who came by in May 1951 to drop off a Lindauer painting with Harry for restoration.  He also gave Henry’s mum a 5lb tin of broken biscuits which she used to make delicious fudge with!  And when he later returned to collect the painting she received another tin!!

The Team

Stock Control Michell Hollis-Johns

Assistants
Paul Mclean
Kasia Rutkowska-Newrick