ONLINE ONLY ESTATE COLLECTABLE AUCTION
Thursday, 16 - Monday, 20 November 2023
JAN NIGRO (NZ 1920-2012) PORTRAIT OF FREDA STARK PASTEL ON PAPER SIGNED & DATED 1991 790x560mm
Current Bid $660 (57 bids, reserve met)
This lot is now closed 20 Nov 7:08 PM (NZST)
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Lot Details
Note: Freda Beatrice Stark was born on 27 March 1910 in Kaeo, Northland, the daughter of James William Stark, a storekeeper, and his wife, Isabella Matilda Bramley. Soon after, her parents moved to Auckland, where Freda attended Grafton School, St Benedict’s Convent School and later Epsom Girls’ Grammar School. Freda’s father encouraged her to dance, teaching her tumbling and basic dance steps. She began formal dancing lessons when she was about nine and was taught acrobatics by a circus performer. In 1934 Stark performed in the chorus of an opera, The Duchess of Dantzic , at His Majesty’s Theatre in Auckland. Thelma, the star of the show, was now married to the conductor, Eric Mareo. Freda was a frequent visitor to the couple’s home in Mount Eden, where on 15 April 1935 Thelma took a fatal dose of the drug Veronal. Eric Mareo was arrested, and in the much-publicised murder case that followed, Freda was the star witness for the prosecution.
