An African auction house presenting work from the continent, to the continent and beyond

As pioneers of online sales with a wide global reach, Strauss & Co has a large international client list interested in artists, designers and wine producers from Africa and beyond. Private treaty sales are also available.

Strauss & Co is the leading reseller of works by blue-chip South African artists including William Kentridge, J.H. Pierneef, Alexis Preller and Irma Stern, among others and holds the highest number of auction records for South African artists globally. Among its notable results is the 2025 sale of Vladimir Tretchikoff’s iconic 1955 portrait Lady from the Orient, which achieved R31.9 million (US$1.78 million). The year’s results also include R21.7 million / US$1.26 million for Irma Stern’s Malay (Black Headdress) from 1946.Sold to a telephone bidder, the impressive result is the highest price ever paid for a Stern portrait of a female sitter in Africa.

Strauss & Co actively champions artists and makers from Africa in global centres across Africa, the UK and Europe through dynamic engagements with partners in cities such as Berlin, London, Nairobi and Venice. “The inaugural edition of Art Auction East Africa | Strauss & Co in October 2025 is a realisation of our strategic commitment to be an auction house from the African continent presenting work to collectors on the continent and beyond,” says Susie Goodman, Managing Executive, who travelled to Kenya with a team of Strauss & Co sales and logistics experts. “Our experience in conducting online sales has positioned us well to present auctions such as this live and online sale in a new location. We are very much committed to having sales in this region and other regions across the African continent,” adds Goodman.

In South Africa Strauss & Co supports various education and community engagement programmes, including a year-round exhibition programme in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Art Club is an important expansion of Strauss & Co’s belief in a sustainable art ecosystem and commitment to arts education. Art Club provides collectors with opportunities to learn and socialise at events in Cape Town, Johannesburg, London, Stellenbosch and beyond.

Strauss & Co offers expert appraisals for auction, private sale, probate, and insurance, with a strong focus on South African art and art from the rest of Africa. Our specialists bring deep knowledge across modern, post-war, and contemporary art, as well as design, furniture, fibre, art, ceramics, silverware, watches, jewellery and fine wine.

As we head into 2026, South Africa’s macroeconomic outlook has begun to show signs of improvement. Over the past year, the South African Reserve Bank cut interest rates by 125 basis points, offering some relief to consumers and investors. Around the same time, S&P Global upgraded the country’s foreign-currency long-term sovereign rating to “BB” from “BB-”, citing stronger growth prospects. GDP growth is forecast to rise to 1.1% in 2025, from 0.5% in 2024, and to average 1.5% through to 2028.

“This renewed economic confidence is being felt across our business,” says Frank Kilbourn, Chairperson, Strauss & Co. “The heightened engagement we are seeing points to a meaningful shift in sentiment after a quieter period for the broader market. These encouraging results achieved in 2025 reflect a resurgence in demand and a growing sense of optimism for the years ahead. We are deeply grateful to our clients for their consistent support, which sets a positive tone as we head into the new year.” DM