Robert Webeck 2010

In his work as an art dealer over four decades, Robert Webeck was known for his honesty but perhaps will be more remembered for creating extraordinary vehicles to carry his goods. One was an adapted beach buggy, another was a motorbike with a metal wraparound frame.As either one zapped up a hill, bubble wrap flapping, it was watched with some anxiety by other members of the art auction trade lest a valuable work of art went flying. In the end, only one painting is known to have fallen off, and that was saved from disaster by its frame.

Webeck's family had dealt in art for many years. His father was a dealer and his uncle, Adolph Albers, who was fiercely anti-avant garde, represented the artists Sidney Long and J.J. Hilder early last century. Albers left a monument to his eccentricity in Bungan Castle, a medieval stone pile he built at Newport.

Robert James Webeck was born in Sydney on June 1, 1947, the second of two sons of Eric Webeck and his wife, Maggie Mudie.

He died during an operation for cancer of the oesophagus, which had developed despite being a non-smoker (at least in later years), non-drinker and very fit. He was surfing in the days before going to hospital and expected to be out again within three weeks.

Robert went to Asquith Boys' High School but did not take it very seriously. He got an apprenticeship as an electrical engineer and was employed at the Eveleigh rail workshops and on mining projects in Western Australia and Bougainville but, finding this boring, he returned to the family business of art dealing.

In the 1970s and '80s, he and his older brother, John, operated an auction house in North Sydney under the name Spectrum Art Enterprises. Webeck was chirpy, with a mischievous grin never far away, and he soon became a familiar identity at art sales. With no grandiose designs on the art business despite his background, he frequented the secondary rooms in Sydney and also sent pictures to Melbourne for sale. Few Sydney auctions were conducted without his involvement and he was a supplier to auctions in both capitals.

The brothers were also innovative. They pioneered the use of the buyers' premium, a commission charged by auction houses to buyers usually in addition to a vendors' commission. They called their charge a ''split commission'' and charged 6 per cent to vendor and buyer alike.

This led to challenges from other auctioneers under trade practices legislation on the grounds that an auctioneer could not act for both vendor and buyer at the same time, and the brothers were forced to stop. This, of course, no longer seems a problem in the industry and the premium is almost universal, and usually 20 per cent.

Another innovation, showing Webeck's ingenuity, was a revolving picture stand that showed each lot as it was being sold. This speeded up the auctions in an age before even slide projection was used, ending last-minute confusion and delays over what was going under the hammer. Sotheby's in New York simultaneously developed a similar device.

Webeck was content to make small profits on his deals, eschewing the big trade in ''investment pictures'' that had developed since he moved into the business. He did good trade in etchings and liked to deal in works by members of the Arthur Streeton school. He also had exhibitions by modern painters of Australian outback scenes such as Kevin Best at town halls around the north shore. Webeck stood out for his directness in a trade noted for its guile. His height - just over 1.5 metres - did not hold him back. He once confronted a man who had sold him a dud Arthur Streeton painting. As the man opened the boot of his car on a lonely stretch of road on a dark night, Webeck got his money back.

He also collected and enjoyed telling bad jokes around the armed security industry, which helped support him and his family after the '80s art boom folded. He ended up on the floor with a gun in his ear on at least one occasion. His bravura also helped him perform a related job - debt collector - at other times.

He was also fascinated by politics and stood for the One Nation Party in several NSW state and federal elections. He was active in local council politics and in the early 1980s was elected deputy mayor on Ku-ring-gai Council on a ''no to blocked roads in Turramurra'' ticket.

In his last days, Webeck was still attending auctions and making appearances at the monthly antique markets at Wentworth Park.

Robert Webeck is survived by his wife of 34 years, Judy (nee Waddell) and their children Tanya, George and Clinton. His ashes will be buried in the grounds of Bungan Castle.

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