Success evaded both of the star paintings at Smith & Singer’s auction of Important Australian and International Art in Sydney on Tuesday night, auctioneer Stuart Davies passing them in when they failed to reach their lower estimates.

Bidding was more subdued than the heady pre-sale estimates anticipated. Ultimately, on the night a sale whose 100 works had a combined low estimate of $10.675 million, and an upper estimate of $14.845 million, brought less than $8 million on the hammer, and less than $10 million when the 25 per cent buyer’s premium is added. Seventy-four of the works sold on the night.