Cordy's

Cordy's is a New Zealand fine art and antique auction house based in Auckland, described on its own website as the country's longest-standing auction house. It was formed in 1964 as John Cordy and Associates Ltd by a group of four founders: the artist Colin John McCahon, art commentator Hamish Cordy Keith, gallery owner Peter Webb, and lawyer Michael Draffin. The first catalogued auction, titled "Stamps, Coins and Important New Zealand paintings", was held in the rooms of the Royal Commonwealth Society in Queens Arcade, Auckland. Over the following decades Cordy's established itself as a leading fine art auctioneer in Auckland, handling paintings, silver, jewellery, rare books, Pacific artefacts, gold coins, medals and general collectables. It conducted prestigious estate sales and dispersed major private collections of art and antiques. The company moved premises several times — to 14 Customs Street East in 1965, to Emily Place in 1969, and in September 1985 to a refurbished building at 180 Great South Road, Remuera. In 2006 Andrew Grigg took charge of the team. Today Cordy's operates from showrooms in Mount Eden, Auckland. It runs weekly online estate and collectable auctions on Monday evenings and holds special in-person Jewellery, Decorative & Fine Art auctions once a month. Its specialisations include jewellery, decorative and fine art, Māori and tribal artefacts, and estate auctions. The company presents itself as maintaining old-fashioned principles — knowledgeable staff, trustworthy and professional business ethics, and quality modern systems — while operating a modern online auction platform. Cordy's is a private New Zealand company. It is not a listed entity and no parent company or owner is identified in the available evidence. Its brand identity is closely tied to its long history in the New Zealand art and antiques market and to its role in selling works by significant New Zealand artists.

Cordy's traces its origins to 1964, when John Cordy and Associates Ltd was formed by four founders: Colin John McCahon, the artist; Hamish Cordy Keith, the art commentator; Peter Webb, the gallery owner; and Michael Draffin, a lawyer. The first catalogued auction, entitled "Stamps, Coins and Important New Zealand paintings", was held in the rooms of the Royal Commonwealth Society in Queens Arcade, Auckland. At that auction a Walter Wright oil painting, "Pipi Gatherer", sold for £34, and a J.C. Hoyte watercolour, "Whakanapanapa Geyser", fetched £150. In 1965 the company moved to 14 Customs Street East, into a building that has since been demolished. Fine paintings, silver, jewellery, rare books, Pacific artefacts, gold coins, medals and all manner of collectables continued to be sold on a regular basis until a further move, to Emily Place, in 1969. In those early years Cordy's sold not only stamps and coins but also Goldie and Lindauer Māori portraits and iconic works by Rita Angus and McCahon. By then Cordy's was well established as the leading fine art auctioneer in Auckland, conducting many prestigious estate sales and clearing notable private collections of art and antiques. The move to premises outside the city centre became inevitable, and in September 1985 the monthly catalogued auction was held in a newly refurbished building at 180 Great South Road, Remuera. In 2006 Andrew Grigg took charge of the team. The company describes itself as remaining New Zealand's premier antique, art and collectable auction house, conducting unrivalled monthly antique and art auctions, with three estate and collectable auctions between them. It prides itself on having the most knowledgeable and helpful staff, trustworthy and professional business ethics, and quality modern systems. Today Cordy's operates from showrooms in Mount Eden, Auckland. It runs weekly online estate auctions on Monday evenings and conducts special in-person Jewellery, Decorative & Fine Art auctions once a month. Its specialisations include the sale of jewellery, decorative and fine art, Māori and tribal artefacts, and estate auctions. The company presents itself as having moved well into the 21st century while maintaining the same old-fashioned principles.

• 2006

  Andrew Grigg took charge of the team.

• 1985

  Monthly catalogued auction held in a newly refurbished building at 180 Great South Road, Remuera.

• 1969

  Company moved to Emily Place, Auckland.

• 1965

  Company moved to 14 Customs Street East, Auckland.

• 1964

  John Cordy and Associates Ltd formed by Colin John McCahon, Hamish Cordy Keith, Peter Webb and Michael Draffin; first catalogued auction held in Queens Arcade, Auckland.

New Zealand's longest-standing auction house, combining old-fashioned principles with modern online auction systems.

• Fine art

  Paintings and works by significant New Zealand artists, including Goldie, Lindauer, Rita Angus and McCahon.

• Jewellery

  Jewellery sold through weekly online estate auctions and monthly in-person Jewellery, Decorative & Fine Arts auctions.

• Māori and tribal artefacts

  Māori and tribal artefacts offered as a specialisation of the auction house.

• Estate collectables

  General collectables sold through weekly online estate auctions.

1. 1Fine Art & Antique Auctioneers & Appraisers | Cordyscordys.co.nz
2. 2About Cordy's | Cordyscordys.co.nz
3. 3Cordy'swikidata.org