News

Gift to TheNewDowse

As one of the Foundation's Partners, and in fulfilment of the Foundation's objective of "establishing great collections to preserve our decorative art and design and archives", TheNewDowse has been gifted with a core selection from the Blumhardt Collection.  Much of this Gift will be exhibited in the Blumhardt Gallery at TheNewDowse from 4 September to 17 October 2010. 

 Other Gifts

In consideration of Doreen's highly significant contribution to New Zealand's educational and creative landscape, appropriate gifts to preserve that legacy have been made to the Alexander Turnbull Gallery and working materials including her Leach potter's wheel were gifted to Te Papa. 

The Doreen Blumhardt Collection Auction

On 23 July at 11am the balance of Doreen's ceramics collection and related ephemera were put under the hammer at Dunbar Sloane Ltd in Wellington to raise funds for the Blumhardt Foundation.

The auction was an outstanding success. The auction room was packed with collectors, institutional representatives and many of Doreen's' friends, acquaintances and supporters. The bidding was brisk from lot 1, which made an astonishing $3600 against an estimated price of $400-$800.This set the tenor of the auction - the bidding was firm across the board and sometimes rather fierce, right through to the end of this 470 lot auction.  It was a fitting tribute to Doreen and her work, its enduring popularity and its importance. This was the largest and most significant auction of its type ever to be held in New Zealand.

Most importantly the approximately $170,000 raised wildly exceeded expectations and together with the other funds held in trust by The Foundation from Doreen's estate means that her dreams of furthering education and excellence in the Applied Arts field can now be realised.