"Ladies and gentlemen, over my three decades holding the gavel, I have witnessed the hammer fall on history’s greatest treasures, yet the most transfixing stories often lie not in the masterpieces we celebrate, but in the deceptions that nearly seduced us. The world of high-stakes art is built on the fragile pillars of trust and provenance, but lurking in the shadow of every record-breaking canvas is the specter of the forgery—a testament not to artistic genius, but to a criminal alchemy so convincing it challenges the very definition of authenticity. Tonight, we move beyond the glamour of the auction block to examine the silent, skillful war between the connoisseur's eye and the forger's hand, where the difference between a fortune and fraud is often nothing more than a single, misplaced brushstroke."

Join us for a storytelling dinner with the highly experienced and entertaining auctioneer, Anton Welz.

Anton Welz worked at his first auction while at high school. He is the grandson of famous artist Jean Welz and nephew of the late Stephan Welz. He studied History of Art at the University of Cape Town and spent two years with what was then Sotheby Parke Bernet South Africa from 1986. He re-joined Stephan Welz and Co in 2009.

Date: Thursday, 9 April 2026
Time: 18h00 Meet in the bar. Dinner will be served at 19h00 upstairs in the Gallery.
Menu: Price includes a 2-course meal (drinks not included).
Venue: The Cape Town Club.
Tickets: Members R300 | Guests R400 available on Quicket.