William Dobell Paintings & Artwork for Sale | William Dobell Art Value Price Guide

Sep. 09, 2026
William Dobell, Beach Scene, watercolour.
Est: $800 - $1,200
William Dobell, Beach Scene, watercolour. 20 x 29 cm.
E J Ainger
Sep. 08, 2026
WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970) Army Recruits Training and Builders c. 1941-44 pencil, pen and ink on paper 14.5 x 22.5cm (31 x 38cm framed)
Est: $400 - $600
WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970) Army Recruits Training and Builders c. 1941-44 pencil, pen and ink on paper 14.5 x 22.5cm (31 x 38cm framed) PROVENANCE: probably: Christie's, Sydney, Australian Paintings, 22 October 1975, lot 139 The Estate of Sue Hewitt, Sydney (1941-2024) OTHER NOTES: © William Dobell/Copyright Agency, 2026
Leonard Joel
Aug. 25, 2026
WILLIAM DOBELL 1899-1970 Drunken Bridesmaids (1936) oil on canvas on board signed ‘W Dobell’ lower left 18.3 x 28.5 cm
Est: $20,000 - $30,000
WILLIAM DOBELL 1899-1970 Drunken Bridesmaids (1936) oil on canvas on board signed ‘W Dobell' lower left 18.3 x 28.5 cm PROVENANCE William Dobell, London Mr and Mrs Gregory Blaxland, Sydney Clune Collection, Sydney, by 1964 Barry Stern Galleries, Sydney Private Collection, Melbourne, acquired from the above in 1970 Important Australian Art, Smith & Singer (trading as Sotheby's Australia), Sydney, 24 November 2015, lot 12, illustrated David Aspinall, Perth, acquired from the above The Estate of the Late David Aspinall, Perth EXHIBITED Margaret Preston and William Dobell Loan Exhibition, National Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 19 March – 16 April 1942, no. 12, 'The Drunken Bridesmaids' William Dobell, David Jones' Art Gallery, Sydney, 1-26 August 1944, no. 22, '1938' William Dobell: Paintings from 1926-1964, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 15 July – 30 August 1964, no. 43 LITERATURE Sydney Ure Smith (ed.), The Art of William Dobell, Ure Smith, Sydney, 1946, p. 106 (illustrated) Helen Blaxland, Flower Pieces by Helen Blaxland, Ure Smith, Sydney, 1946, p. 62 (illustrated) James Gleeson, William Dobell, Thames and Hudson, London, 1964, cat. no. 57, p. 191
Smith & Singer
Aug. 25, 2026
WILLIAM DOBELL 1899-1970 Festival (circa 1936) oil on board signed 'DOBEll' lower right 20.3 x 15.5 cm
Est: $20,000 - $30,000
WILLIAM DOBELL 1899-1970 Festival (circa 1936) oil on board signed 'DOBEll' lower right 20.3 x 15.5 cm PROVENANCE William Dobell, London Norman Schureck, Sydney The Norman Schureck Collection of Valuable Pictures, James R. Lawson, Sydney, 1962, lot 58 Cecil Green, Sydney, acquired from the above Marjory Green, Sydney, by descent from the above The Estate of the Late Marjory Green, Sydney Important Australian Art, Smith & Singer (trading as Sotheby's Australia), Melbourne, 17 May 2011, lot 95, illustrated Private Collection, Victoria, acquired from the above
Smith & Singer
Jul. 26, 2026
DOBELL William (1899-1970), 'Stormy Day at Wangi', Oil on Board, 19.5x24.5cm
Est: $8,000 - $12,000
DOBELL, William (1899-1970) 'Stormy Day at Wangi' Signed lower right. Verified as part of the artist's estate by label verso, Sir William Dobell Art Foundation. Stock label also affixed verso from Rudy Komon Art Gallery, Sydney (stock no. 4202) Oil on Board 19.5x24.5cm PROVENANCE: The artist's estate; Sotheby's, Sydney 'Catalogue of Paintings & Drawings from the Studio of Sir William Dobell,' November 19th 1973 (lot 70); Rudy Komon Art Gallery, Sydney; Sotheby's, Sydney 'Fine Australian & International Paintings,' August 15th 2000 (lot 77); private collection, NSW.
Davidson Auctions
Jun. 02, 2026
WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970) Oxen 1933 pencil on paper 24.5 x 34.5cm (41.5 x 51.5cm framed)
Est: $500 - $800
WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970) Oxen 1933 pencil on paper signed lower left: Dobell 33 24.5 x 34.5cm (41.5 x 51.5cm framed) PROVENANCE: The Estate of Sue Hewitt, Sydney (1941-2024) OTHER NOTES: © William Dobell/Copyright Agency, 2026
Leonard Joel
Jun. 02, 2026
WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970) Male Nude pencil on paper 16.5 x 21cm (36.5 x 42cm framed)
Est: $500 - $800
WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970) Male Nude pencil on paper 16.5 x 21cm (36.5 x 42cm framed) PROVENANCE: The Estate of Sue Hewitt, Sydney (1941-2024) OTHER NOTES: © William Dobell/Copyright Agency, 2026
Leonard Joel
May. 31, 2026
After Sir William Dobell, Australia (1899-1970), The Wangi Boy, Reproduction print
Est: $50 - $100
After Sir William Dobell Australia (1899-1970) The Wangi Boy Reproduction print On Canvas, rolled.
Theodore Bruce Auctioneers & Valuers
May. 31, 2026
William Dobell, Australia (1899-1970), Ian Stewart - Kalgoorlie, Ink on paper
Est: $1,200 - $1,600
William Dobell Australia (1899-1970) Ian Stewart - Kalgoorlie Ink on paper Signed 'WD' in centre.
Theodore Bruce Auctioneers & Valuers
May. 31, 2026
William Dobell, Australia (1899-1970), Smoking Worker, Pen & Ink on paper
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
William Dobell Australia (1899-1970) Smoking Worker Pen & Ink on paper
Theodore Bruce Auctioneers & Valuers
May. 27, 2026
WILLIAM DOBELL, Australia (1899 - 1970), New Guinea Scene (Seasons Greetings to Hudson Fysh Family), 1958, gouache, 4 x 9 cm. (1.57 x 3.54 in.), sheet: 17.5 x 13.5 cm. (6.88 x 5.30 in.)
Est: $800 - $1,200
WILLIAM DOBELL Australia, (1899 - 1970) New Guinea Scene (Seasons Greetings to Hudson Fysh Family), 1958 gouache signed and dated: Bill Dobell/ 1957 - 1958
Lawsons
May. 19, 2026
William Dobell, Study for portrait of Joshua Smith, 1943
Est: $6,000 - $8,000
William Dobell (1899 - 1970) Study for portrait of Joshua Smith, 1943 ink on paper 19.0 x 8.5 cm 43.0 x 34.5 cm (frame) PROVENANCE Estate of the late Joshua Smith, Sydney Yve Close, Sydney, a bequest from the above Estate of the above, Sydney RELATED WORK Portrait of an Artist (Joshua Smith), 1943, oil on canvas, 107.0 x 76.0 cm, private collection (winner, Archibald Prize 1943, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney) Study for Portrait of an Artist (Joshua Smith), 1943, oil on composition board, 36.0 x 25.5 cm, formerly the collection of Sir Warwick Fairfax and Mary, Lady Fairfax AC OBE, Sydney Study of Joshua Smith, c.1943, pencil, pen and black ink on paper, 27.9 x 20.3 cm, formerly the collection of Yve Close, Sydney Untitled [Two studies for portrait of Joshua Smith], 1943, pencil on paper, 32.8 x 24.8 cm, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra Joshua Smith, 1943, silverpoint on paper, 22.4 x 17.3 cm, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney © Courtesy Sir William Dobell Art Foundation / Copyright Agency, 2026 This work is located in our Melbourne Gallery
Deutscher and Hackett
May. 19, 2026
William Dobell, Sketch for Woodcarter, c.1950
Est: $18,000 - $25,000
William Dobell (1899 - 1970) Sketch for Woodcarter, c.1950 oil on composition board 17.0 x 34.5 cm 29.5 x 46.5 cm (frame) signed lower left: W Dobell PROVENANCE Major Harold De Vahl Rubin, Queensland (label attached verso) The Harold De Vahl Rubin Collection Part II, Christie's, Sydney, 2 October 1973, lot 81 Private collection, Sydney Sotheby's, Melbourne, 18 June 2013, lot 120 Philip Bacon Galleries, Brisbane (label attached verso, as 'Carting wood') Private collection, Sydney Estate of the above EXHIBITED The Landscape 1804 – 2015, Philip Bacon Galleries, Brisbane, 2 – 27 February 2016, cat. 20 (as 'Carting wood') © Courtesy Sir William Dobell Art Foundation / Copyright Agency, 2026 This work is located in our Melbourne Gallery
Deutscher and Hackett
May. 18, 2026
WILLIAM DOBELL, Australia (1899 - 1970), New Guinea Scene (Seasons Greetings to Hudson Fysh Family), 1958, gouache, 4 x 9 cm. (1.57 x 3.54 in.), sheet: 17.5 x 13.5 cm. (6.88 x 5.30 in.)
Est: $1,000 - $1,500
WILLIAM DOBELL Australia, (1899 - 1970) New Guinea Scene (Seasons Greetings to Hudson Fysh Family), 1958 gouache signed and dated: Bill Dobell/ 1957 - 1958
Lawsons
May. 18, 2026
WILLIAM DOBELL, Australia (1899 - 1970), Koki, Port Moresby 1951, oil on composition board, 40 x 45 cm. (15 3/4 x 17.71 in.), frame: 61 x 67 x 6 cm. (24.01 x 26.37 x 2.35 in.)
Est: $25,000 - $35,000
WILLIAM DOBELL Australia, (1899 - 1970) Koki, Port Moresby 1951 oil on composition board signed and dated lower right: W.Dobell.51
Lawsons
May. 17, 2026
WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970), London Characters and Genre - Early London (c. 1935-38)
Est: $800 - $1,200
WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970) London Characters and Genre - Early London (c. 1935-38) pencil and ink on paper certificate verso: Sir William Dobell Art Foundation / signed by The Trustees of the Sir William Dobell Art Foundation/ LONDON CHARACTERS & GENRE/ EARLY LONDON, CIRCA 1935-38 / B206 10.5 x 13cm PROVENANCE Sotheby's, Melbourne, Fine Modern Australian Paintings and Drawings, 31 August 1985, Lot 83 Private collection, Melbourne © William Dobell/Copyright Agency, 2026
Gibson's
May. 12, 2026
William Dobell 1899-1970.
Est: $10,000 - $15,000
William Dobell 1899-1970. 'Peasant Ferry Saigon.' Oil on board, signed lower left. 24 x 32 cm.
McKenzies Auctioneers
May. 07, 2026
WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970), Portrait of Sir Leon Trout c1959
Est: $18,000 - $24,000
PROPERTY FROM THE FRANK & JANET SOUTH COLLECTION, VICTORIA WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970) Portrait of Sir Leon Trout c1959 oil on board 36.5 x 31.5 cm; 55.5 x 50.5 cm (framed) signed lower left: W. Dobell
Menzies
May. 06, 2026
William Dobell (1899-1970) Women Gossiping, 1943
Est: $1,000 - $2,000
William Dobell (1899-1970) Women Gossiping, 1943 signed and dated lower left: 'Dobell 43' pen and ink on paper 23.5 x 20.5cm (9 1/4 x 8 1/16in).
Bonhams
Apr. 28, 2026
WILLIAM DOBELL 1899-1970 Mother and Child (circa 1942) oil on wood 29 x 20 cm
Est: $50,000 - $70,000
WILLIAM DOBELL 1899-1970 Mother and Child (circa 1942) oil on wood 29 x 20 cm PROVENANCE William Dobell, Sydney Millicent Francklyn Thompson, Melbourne Private Collection, Melbourne, by descent from the above in 1999
Smith & Singer
Apr. 28, 2026
WILLIAM DOBELL 1899-1970 Woman at a Window (circa 1936) oil on wood 25 x 21 cm
Est: $60,000 - $80,000
WILLIAM DOBELL 1899-1970 Woman at a Window (circa 1936) oil on wood signed 'W Dobell' lower right 25 x 21 cm PROVENANCE William Dobell, Sydney Millicent Francklyn Thompson, Melbourne Private Collection, Melbourne, by descent from the above in 1999
Smith & Singer
Apr. 22, 2026
DOBELL, Sir William (Australia, 1899-1970). Two Publications including PEARCE, Barry. William Dobell - The Painter's Progress, Exhibition Catalogue
Est: $40 - $80
DOBELL, Sir William (Australia, 1899-1970). Two Publications including PEARCE, Barry. William Dobell - The Painter's Progress, Exhibition Catalogue, soft cover, published by The Art Gallery of New South Wales, 1997
Theodore Bruce Auctioneers & Valuers
Apr. 12, 2026
WILLIAM DOBELL, 1899-1970, Beach, watercolour, 20x29cm, Frame size (49x64cm)
Est: $1,000 - $2,000
WILLIAM DOBELL 1899-1970 Beach watercolour unsigned
Lawsons
Apr. 12, 2026
WILLIAM DOBELL, 1899-1970, Beach, watercolour, 20x33cm, Frame size (49x64cm)
Est: $2,500 - $3,500
WILLIAM DOBELL 1899-1970 Beach watercolour signed lower left
Lawsons
Mar. 24, 2026
William Dobell, Australia 1899-1970, View of St Paul's Cathedral from Across the Thames, oil on board, 23 x 31 cm. (9.06 x 12.19 in.), Frame: 40 x 48 cm. (15 3/4 x 18.89 in.)
Est: $25,000 - $35,000
William Dobell Australia, 1899-1970 View of St Paul's Cathedral from Across the Thames oil on board certificate of authenticity signed 'James Gleeson', attached verso, stating 'During his years in London (1929-38) Dobell painted a number of works based on the Thames, its bridges, buildings and water-traffic. This view of St Pauls Cathedral was painted in 1931' Lauraine Diggins Fine Art label, attached verso
Artvisory
Mar. 23, 2026
DOBELL William (1899-1970), Study of a Woman, Pencil, 9.5x6.5cm
Est: $150 - $300
DOBELL, William (1899-1970) Study of a Woman Personal inscription and signed 'Bill Dobell'. Pencil 9.5x6.5cm
Davidson Auctions
Mar. 01, 2026
William Dobell (1899-1970). Study for Suzanne and Goldfish 1948. Watercolour and Gouache on paper. Signed lower left and verso. H 15cm, W 22cm
Est: $10,000 - $15,000
William Dobell (1899-1970). Study for Suzanne and Goldfish 1948. Watercolour and Gouache on paper. Signed lower left and verso. H 15cm, W 22cm
Christian McCann Auctions
Dec. 01, 2025
William Dobell (Australian, 1899-1970) STUDY FOR THE THATCHERS
Est: €10,000 - €15,000
William Dobell (Australian, 1899-1970) STUDY FOR THE THATCHERS oil on panel numbered [85] and titled on Sir William Dobbell Art Foundation certificate of authenticity signed by trustee and director on reverse h:11.75 w:18.75 in. Provenance: Estate of the artist; Private collection
Whyte's
Nov. 27, 2025
William Dobell - James Gleeson
Est: $20 - $40
William Dobell - James Gleeson
Lawsons
Nov. 25, 2025
WILLIAM DOBELL 1899-1970 Helena Rubinstein (1963) oil on composition board 98.8 x 98.8 cm
Est: $800,000 - $1,200,000
WILLIAM DOBELL 1899-1970 Helena Rubinstein (1963) oil on composition board signed 'Dobell' upper right 98.8 x 98.8 cm PROVENANCE William Dobell, Sydney Frank Clune and Thelma Clune, Sydney, acquired from the above Richard Crebbin and Joan Crebbin, Sydney Joseph Brown Gallery, Melbourne (stock 9363) Tom Silver Fine Art, Melbourne, acquired from the above on 10 April 1985 Lee Johnstone and Brian Johnstone, Melbourne, acquired from the above on 26 April 1985 EXHIBITED William Dobell: Paintings from 1926-1964, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 15 July – 30 August 1964, no. 215 Masterpieces of Modern Australian Art, Bonhams & Goodman, Melbourne, 29 May – 1 June 2008, no. 6 LITERATURE James Gleeson, William Dobell, Thames and Hudson, London, 1964, cat. no. 274, pp. 121 (illustrated), 203, 'Helena Rubinstein (8th Version)' James Gleeson, William Dobell (rev. ed.), Thames and Hudson, London, 1969, pp. 10-11 (illustrated) Geoffrey Smith, The Lee & Brian Johnstone Collection 1965-2019, Smith & Singer, Melbourne, 2020, pp. 54, 55 (illustrated)
Smith & Singer
Nov. 25, 2025
William Dobell, (1899-1970), Christmas Card - Wangi Wangi, 1956-57, gouache on paper, diameter 5 cm
Est: $800 - $1,200
William Dobell (1899-1970) Christmas Card - Wangi Wangi, 1956-57 gouache on paper signed and inscribed around image 'To Tony and Mary Horden, The Seasons Greetings from Bill Dobell, Wangi Wangi 1956-57'
Shapiro Auctioneers
Nov. 19, 2025
WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970), Lake View, Wangi 1947
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
PROPERTY FROM THE FRANK & JANET SOUTH COLLECTION, VICTORIA WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970) Lake View, Wangi 1947 gouache on paper 12.0 x 17.0 cm; 33.0 x 38.0 cm (framed) signed, dated and inscribed lower centre: William Dobell/ Lake View, Wangi 1947
Menzies
Oct. 14, 2025
William Dobell, Mother and child, 1948
Est: $10,000 - $15,000
William Dobell (1899 - 1970) Mother and child, 1948 oil on composition board 31.0 x 23.0 cm 44.0 x 36.5 cm (frame) signed lower left: DOBELL PROVENANCE Mr C. Gheysens, Sydney Niagara Galleries, Melbourne The Hicks Family Collection, Melbourne EXHIBITED William Dobell Retrospective, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 15 July – 30 August 1964, cat. 34 (label attached verso) © Courtesy Sir William Dobell Art Foundation / Copyright Agency, 2025 This work is located in our Melbourne Gallery
Deutscher and Hackett
Sep. 24, 2025
WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970) Study for the Matriarch c1967 oil on board 21.0 x 22.0 cm inscribed verso: Study/for the Matriarch/Sir William Dobell
Est: $16,000 - $24,000
WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970) Study for the Matriarch c1967 oil on board 21.0 x 22.0 cm inscribed verso: Study/for the Matriarch/Sir William Dobell Provenance: Estate of the artist, Sydney The Dobell Foundation, Sydney Sotheby's, Melbourne, 31 July 1985, lot 12 Private collection Christie's, Sydney, 14 August 1994, lot 103 Collection of James and Margaret Bleasel, Melbourne Christie's, The Bleasel Collection of Australian Paintings, Melbourne, 22 March 2005, lot 21 Private collection Mossgreen, Melbourne, 13 November 2007, lot 42 Private collection, Canberra Menzies, Sydney, 24 June 2010, lot 94 Private collection, Melbourne
Christian McCann Auctions
Sep. 15, 2025
WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970) Study for Tonia Blaxland c. 1941 oil on board 16.3 x 14cm (32.5 x 30.5cm framed)
Est: $15,000 - $20,000
WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970) Study for Tonia Blaxland c. 1941 oil on board signed lower left: W DOBELL titled on Art Gallery of NSW label verso 16.3 x 14cm (32.5 x 30.5cm framed) PROVENANCE: Magnus Collection Sotheby's, Melbourne, Fine Australian Paintings, 30 April 1995, lot 75 Property from a Private Woollahra Residence EXHIBITIONS: William Dobell Retrospective, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, July-August 1964, cat. 84 (label verso) LITERATURE: Gleeson, J., William Dobell, London Thames and Hudson, 1964, p. 193 cat. 100 OTHER NOTES: © William Dobell/Copyright Agency, 2025
Leonard Joel
Sep. 15, 2025
WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970), Two Abstract Sketches
Est: $1,500 - $2,500
WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970) Two Abstract Sketches two pastel on paper signed lower left: Bill Dobell 18 x 11cm
Gibson's
Sep. 15, 2025
WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970), William Dobell's painting smock accompanied by the artist's sketchbooks circa 1930s, ephemera and photographs
Est: $40,000 - $60,000
WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970) William Dobell's painting smock accompanied by the artist's sketchbooks circa 1930s, ephemera and photographs i) cotton smock with hand painted illustrations from cartoonists and peers, circa 1948 110cm long ii) sketchbook with 100 illustrations throughout, dated 1936 various mediums including watercolour, pencil and ink signed, dated and inscribed in front page: William Dobell / London / 25.5.36 20 x 16cm iii) various other sketchbooks with scattered drawings and notes throughout various mediums including pencil and ink 35 x 28cm (largest) iv) Portrait of William Dobell and Goddaughter, 1945 (Photographer unknown) silver gelatin photograph inscribed upper right: To "Godfather Bill" / From David William / 28-4-45. 20 x 15cm v) The Boy at the Basin by William Dobell, Photographed by David Moore silver gelatin photograph David Moore studio stamp verso stamped verso: AGNSW 24 x 19cm vi) A collection of ephemera including newspaper clippings relating to the artist ESSAY The opening pages of Dobell's 1936 sketchbook commence with the following quote; ‘Things well done, and with a care, exempt themselves from fear.' - Shakespeare, King Henry VIII This historic collection of ephemeral items associated with William Dobell reveals a personal side of the artist that is rarely exhibited. The foundational sketches included in these sketchbooks connect us to a time and place that inspired some of his most revered paintings. The artist's smock provides a glimpse into the world of his peers and friends who loved and admired him. Dobell's time in London, a pivotal period in his artistic journey, opened up a world of possibilities previously unimagined by the son of a bricklayer, one of seven siblings, from Newcastle. It is impossible to encapsulate Dobell as an artist in a few words, but we can catch glimpses of the person he was to his close friends, known for his satirical wit and his quiet determination to challenge the status quo. Dobell left home at the age of 14 to seek gainful employment. He pursued an eclectic mix of jobs, including dog walloper, architectural draftsman, and eventually settled in Sydney pursuing a stint in advertising for Wunderlich Ltd in Redfern. Throughout his diverse career he succeeded in collecting a broad social network of artists, cartoonists, and laypeople along the way. By the age of 25 around 1924, he had gathered the means to attend the Julian Ashton School of Art, where he excelled, winning several modest prizes for his paintings and drawings. In the 1930 (at the age of 30) wishing to further his studies, Dobell moved to London to study at the Slade School of Fine Art. ‘London stirred his imagination. It's parks and streets, the river and its bridges, and, all above, the Londoners themselves provided him with an inexhaustible source of material.' He drifted from place to place, living thriftily ‘on five pounds a week, staying in seedy bedsits in Pimlico and Bayswater.' Roughhousing and a scant income didn't appear to faze the young, burgeoning artist; his nourishment was the surroundings, and he soaked it all up by drawing incessantly. This collection of sketchbooks follows Dobell's life in London during the 1930s. One book containing 100 pages of sketches provides a detailed record of Dobell's surroundings from late Spring to early Summer of 1936. Filled with illustrations of penguins, baboons, punters at the zoo and candid profiles of Londoners going about their business around the streets of Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill. Scenes from Epsom Oaks races and carnivals, as well as interior scenes of friends and companions lounging, drinking, eating, and sleeping. ‘The years between 1935 and 1938 were vintage years for Dobell, the artist, because he was able to protect himself with the swordplay of satire. Experience gave him an added pungency.' Dobell observed the lives of many Londoners, which mirrored his own experience growing up in a working-class family. He refrained from romanticising, instead creating a unique visual language of social commentary, relating to the streets of London with a kind of admiration for the everyday struggle. Many years later, these experiences remained relevant in Dobell's career and social sphere. A key element of this offering is the historically important artist's smock, gifted to Dobell for his 50th Birthday on 24th September 1949, adorned with comical illustrations from cartoonists and peers. The illustrations scattered across the canvas smock reveal a jovial banter of sorts—a roast—the inside jokes relating to some of Dobell's more notorious and notable moments in the public eye. For instance, references to the Joshua Smith Archibald scandal abound, now jokingly referred to, though only five years ago, it was a cause of severe trauma for Dobell and contentious among the arts community. Another illustration refers to Dobell's iconic painting The Dead Landlord, created in 1936. The young artist witnessed this event while living in a house in Bayswater, London. ‘One morning, he heard a commotion below and rushed downstairs to find the landlord dead on the floor, and proceeded to help the landlady lift the body onto the bed. She then turned to the dressing table and, in a bizarre act of trauma control, began to brush her hair, announcing there was to be a ‘ham funeral'.. Overcoming his shock, he felt a writer rise within himself, a Dickensian to tell the tragic-comic story of this little life and death in the city.' On the smock gifted to Dobell, his friend and cartoonist Joe Jonnson reverses the gender roles and presents a comically macabre rendition, depicting instead a dead Landlady lying on her back, surrounded by bottles and glasses of gin. At the same time, her husband stands by helplessly, brushing his thinning hair in vacant placidity. All these small jests offered to Dobell for his 50th year illustrate that, behind all the fame, hubbub, and success, a man of humble and humorous nature remained. This personal collection holds historical and artistic value in the framework of Dobell's personal journey and artistic oeuvre. We have the formative years of Dobell as a young fresh Australian travelling abroad for the first time where he created unique sketchbook journaling his experience. Comparatively, in his later years as a veteran artist he remains stringent in his point of view, yet there exists a tinge of cynicism as conveyed through the lens of his friends and peers in the gifted smock. Through it all, Dobell remains true to his nature, attempting to face the world with a quiet integrity. The sketchbooks and smock, with their personal and historical significance, deserve to be kept together in perpetuity in a public collection, where they can continue to connect us to the inner world of one of Australia's greatest Modern artists. 1. James Gleeson, William Dobell, a biographical and critical study, Angus & Robertson, London, 1981, p. 26 2. Judith White, William Dobell: Yours Sincerly, Art Collector issue 12, April-June 2000 3. James Gleeson, William Dobell, a biographical and critical study, Angus & Robertson, London, 1981, p. 47 4. Barry Pearce, Barry, William Dobell, 1899-1970 : The Painter's Progress, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 1997, p. 11
Gibson's
Sep. 15, 2025
WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970), Greetings for Xmas From Wangi Wangi
Est: $1,200 - $1,800
WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970) Greetings for Xmas From Wangi Wangi watercolour and gouache on paper signed lower right: Bill Dobell 16.5 x 10cm
Gibson's
Sep. 06, 2025
William Dobell (1899-1970)
Est: $700 - $1,000
Portrait of A Seated Gentelman , ink & pencil on paper , signed lower right , 18cm x 15cm
Barsby Auctions
Sep. 02, 2025
William Dobell, (1899-1970), New Guinea, 1955, oil on board, 24.2 x 29 cm
Est: $15,000 - $25,000
William Dobell (1899-1970) New Guinea, 1955 oil on board signed l.l.c. 'W. Dobell', dated and inscribed l.r.c. 'To Jill and Harry/Oct 21.55'
Shapiro Auctioneers
Aug. 27, 2025
William Dobell, Young man sleeping, c.1936
Est: $180,000 - $280,000
William Dobell (1899 - 1970) Young man sleeping, c.1936 oil on board 27.0 x 44.5 cm PROVENANCE Estate of the artist, New South Wales Thence by descent Private collection, the artist’s nephew Sotheby’s, Melbourne, 22 August 1994, lot 76 Private collection, Melbourne EXHIBITED William Dobell: The Painter's Progress, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 14 February – 27 April 1997, Newcastle Region Art Gallery, Newcastle, 7 May – 6 July 1997, Museum of Modern Art at Heide, Melbourne, 29 July – 21 September 1997, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, 25 October – 7 December 1997, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart, 8 January – 1 March 1998 (label attached verso) LITERATURE Pearce, B., William Dobell: The Painter's Progress, The Beagle Press, Sydney, 1997, cat. 11b, pp. 34, 49 (illus.) RELATED WORK Study for Young Man Sleeping, c.1936, pencil on paper, 26.0 x 35.7 cm, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney ESSAY In 1929, William Dobell was awarded the Society of Artists’ two-year travelling scholarship following an extended period of study at Julian’s Ashton’s art school in Sydney. The award came with a stipend of £250 per year for two years, augmented by funds from the committee for the Artists’ Ball and from Wunderlich Ltd., for whom he worked. He travelled to England where he enrolled at London’s Slade School of Fine Art but even with the scholarship’s financial support, living in the city was expensive and Dobell spent most of his time in conditions close to poverty. At first, he lived in ‘squalid little bed-sitting rooms in Bayswater and Pimlico.’1 One room he shared with a burglar named ‘Stiffy’ who used the bed in the daytime whilst his flatmate was at Art School.2 It was during these London years that Dobell truly became an important painter, able to capture the inner life of his subjects, a ‘humanity that is a little sombre in tone, a little uneasy... brilliant, but somehow disturbing.’3 The Slade recognised his talent and in 1930, awarded him first prize for figure painting with his Slade nude (Newcastle Art Gallery) and shared second prize for drawing. At the National Gallery, he avidly studied the works of Rembrandt, Goya, Soutine, Corot and El Greco, before visiting Holland, France and Belgium, where he found the artists of the Northern Renaissance, particularly Vermeer and Rogier van der Weyden, to be an inspiration. By the time of his return, the scholarship money had run out, but in late 1932 he was fortunate to be given the use of the studio of his New Zealand colleague, Fred Coventry, on the ‘top floor of a trace house in Westbourne Grove, Bayswater.’4 Before Coventry left to take up a commission, Dobell painted his portrait – arms folded, looking askance at the viewer, hair upswept and unruly – an early example of the artist’s finely intuitive portraits. More importantly, Dobell also painted his first masterwork here, The boy at the basin, 1932 (Art Gallery of New South Wales), which had started as a sketch for an unfinished image for the Slade from the previous year. Now transposed to Coventry’s studio, the rumpled, bare-chested figure in striped pyjama pants undertakes his morning ablutions, using a bowl of water set on a counter while the kettle boils on the flat’s single electric burner, a half bottle of milk and opened box of sugar to one side. It is a ‘a frozen moment in time, with the muted stillness of a Flemish interior’5 but has the attention to detail of straightened circumstance that would later be celebrated by the ‘Kitchen Sink’ movement which emerged in Britain in the late 1950s. Besides Coventry, other Australian artists Dobell mixed with in London included Godfrey Miller, John Passmore and Arthur Murch. All (apart from the independently wealthy Miller) lived on low incomes and often supported each other; indeed, Young man sleeping was painted at a time where Dobell’s frugal living forced him to miss occasional meals whilst using ‘shoe polish on his legs to cover holes in socks.’6 In Young man sleeping, Dobell does not sensationalise such austerity; rather, he imbues the scene with the same refined sensibility as The boy at the basin. Technically, the sleeping figure is set at a diagonal which divides the picture plane, an angle emphasised further by the contrasting grey used for his suit and the shirt illuminated by white, scumbled brushstrokes. The overall design comprises a series of devices that cause the eye to roam across every detail, from the vertical stripes of the wallpaper carried through to the details on the headboard, and on to the irregular fringe of the bedspread. The figure’s left hand dangles by his side, the attenuated fingers mirrored in the upright struts at the back of the chair, and all is illuminated by the bedside lamp, the top of which has been adjusted to blaze solely on the model. This lighting is theatrical, likely informed by Dobell’s experiences as an extra in several London films in 1934. A comparison between Young man sleeping and The boy at the basin clearly illustrates the subdued tenor and masterly technique found in the very best of Dobell’s London paintings. 1. ‘William Dobell: an Australian genius’, People, Sydney, 21 June 1950, p. 42 2. ibid. 3. ibid., p. 44 4. Gleeson, J., William Dobell, Thames and Hudson, London, 1964, p. 33 5. Adams, B., Portrait of an art: a biography of William Dobell, Hutchison, Victoria, 1983, p. 66 6. Gleeson, 1964, op. cit., p. 39 ANDREW GAYNOR © Courtesy Sir William Dobell Art Foundation / Copyright Agency, 2025
Deutscher and Hackett
Aug. 26, 2025
William Dobell (1899-1970) Sketch of Lloyd Rees and Wakelin, 1950
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
William Dobell (1899-1970) Sketch of Lloyd Rees and Wakelin, 1950 oil and ink on board 44.5 x 35.5cm (17 1/2 x 14in).
Bonhams
Aug. 20, 2025
WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970), Road to Banz (New Guinea) c1950
Est: $25,000 - $35,000
PROPERTY FROM THE ESTATE OF A PRIVATE COLLECTION, MELBOURNE WILLIAM DOBELL (1899-1970) Road to Banz (New Guinea) c1950 oil on board 24.0 x 40.5 cm; 40.5 x 57.0 cm (framed) signed lower right: DOBELL inscribed verso: ROAD TO BANZ/ 27
Menzies
Aug. 19, 2025
WILLIAM DOBELL 1899-1970 The Smoko (circa 1944) oil on composition board 76.5 x 70 cm
Est: $400,000 - $600,000
WILLIAM DOBELL 1899-1970 The Smoko (circa 1944) oil on composition board 76.5 x 70 cm PROVENANCE William Dobell, Sydney Private Collection, Perth Fine Australian Paintings, Fine Furniture and Decorative Arts, Sotheby's Australia, Melbourne, 22 April 1991, lot 332, illustrated Private Collection, Perth, acquired from the above Private Collection, Melbourne, acquired from the above
Smith & Singer
Aug. 19, 2025
WILLIAM DOBELL 1899-1970 Self Portrait (circa 1960) oil on composition board 38 x 33.5 cm
Est: $45,000 - $55,000
WILLIAM DOBELL 1899-1970 Self Portrait (circa 1960) oil on composition board 38 x 33.5 cm PROVENANCE William Dobell, New South Wales Sir William Dobell Art Foundation, Sydney Joseph Brown Gallery, Melbourne Private Collection, Melbourne Important Australian Art, Smith & Singer (trading as Sotheby's Australia), Sydney, 8 May 2012, lot 69, illustrated Sam Cullen AM and Janet Cullen, Sydney, acquired from the above
Smith & Singer
Aug. 07, 2025
WILLIAM DOBELL, (C.1899-1970), "Mary Reclining", Biro Drawing, Image: 16cm x 22cm Frame: 49cm x 53cm
Est: $600 - $1,200
WILLIAM DOBELL (C.1899-1970) "Mary Reclining" Biro Drawing Provenance from the Dobell sketchbooks. Comes with Certificate of Authenticity. Artwork is framed and ready to hang.
Ozbid Auctions
Aug. 03, 2025
WILLIAM DOBELL, 1899-1970, At the Coast, watercolour, 18x30cm
Est: $1,000 - $2,000
WILLIAM DOBELL 1899-1970 At the Coast watercolour Unsigned
Lawsons
Aug. 03, 2025
WILLIAM DOBELL, 1899-1970, At the Coast, watercolour, 20x29cm
Est: $1,000 - $2,000
WILLIAM DOBELL 1899-1970 At the Coast watercolour Unsigned
Lawsons