Well we found this rare gem of a painting which belongs to Bob from New Zealand. Here's an interesting account of Bob's interaction with Robert Ixer and how the painting came to life - 

"I commissioned Robert to do this painting in 1995 from a photograph I had taken for historic reasons. Because the scene faces South East I took the photo 5-30am on a mid summers morning, (on my way surfing) to get the only time these buildings saw the sunlight and get light right. The wharf I took the photo from has now been heavily commercially built on and some the harbour filled in and the Custom House building demolished.

I live in Hamilton and at the time your folks lived up the Otaki Gorge  Rd. Interesting side story was that I contacted Robert and he suggested I call in and see progress. So I traveled all the way down there only to be told he did not like what he had painted and had scrapped all the paint off and felt he could not do the painting. After a lot encouragement from his wife, Robert undertook to give it another go but insisted he wanted to add a ship that was not in my photo. I felt I had to give some artistic licence, as I know from personal experience, doing art for someone on a subject you have no feel for is very difficult. ( I remember seeing lots of dogs and other animals but not you!)
My only stipulation it had to be a ship that would have frequenting Wellington Harbour about the time Custom House was built 1890.
 On the back of the painting in Roberts hand writing is the name of the ship he chose,"The Immigrant Ship - 'The St Leanard'
The result I feel is a fine historical scene capturing the early morning light, the historic building, and the tranquility of the harbour."