Dear Friends & Collectors,

This sale brings to a close another amazing year for Charles Leski Auctions. We have produced 26 auction catalogues, offering nearly 35,000 items for sale. We have welcomed over 1,000 new clients to our “actives” list and we have accepted consignments from nearly 1,300 vendors. What a year!

We couldn’t have achieved and maintained this level of activity without the contributions of many people. I would particularly like to acknowledge my staff: our expert describers, our catalogue production staff, our display, storage and delivery staff, our IT department, our front desk and reception staff, and, of course, our accounting staff, who do their best to keep up with the rest of us. Thank you to all of you for your commitment and professionalism. I know everyone of us takes pride in the steady stream of attractive, informative and well presented catalogues we deliver to our clients. The positive feedback you receive from so many of our customers is richly deserved.

Of course, without vendors - regular and occasional - and buyers (we still have room for more!), none of us would have anything to do. So from all of us at Leski’s, thanks to all of you who have entrusted us with your collections. And thanks also to those of you who pore over our catalogues (printed and web-based) to find things to buy.

The end of a year is just an artificial break - nothing much changes except the date. And certainly, in our case, 2006 will be business-as-usual. We are already hard at work on auctions scheduled for as far ahead as April. We are working on a fabulous collection of Antarctic postal history and ephemera, a Gold Medal collection of Queensland postal history, a very fine collection of pioneer aviation memorabilia and covers and a world-class collection of autograph letters, documents and photographs. And I haven’t even mentioned the sporting memorabilia already in our warehouse, just waiting for some attention. It looks like 2006 will be a record year! We will also be doing a lot of travelling - attending Exhibitions, visiting clients and collecting consignments.

But perhaps I’m getting a little ahead of myself. After all, this catalogue is one of the most diverse and eclectic auctions we have ever assembled. Everything from exceptional autographs, football, cricket, toys and wine, to an evocative group of items illustrating Australia’s convict heritage.

Lot 46 in this auction is, without a doubt, the highlight of this catalogue, as well as being one of the most significant groups of historical artefacts we have offered. The convict shirt, punishment shoe, and the associated items which emerged during the renovation of “The Commandant’s Cottage” in the early 1960’s, is a truly remarkable and important group. We are honoured to have been entrusted with the opportunity to research, describe and present for sale this historic hoard.

Things have changed a lot in Australia in the decades since the discovery of these echoes of our past. In those days, the “family secret” of even a hint of convict background was assiduously suppressed. The circumstances in which some of our ancestors found themselves transported to “the ends of the earth” rarely discussed and largely unstudied. Today, so much has changed: not only have we learned to acknowledge and honour the original inhabitants of the land, but we have also embraced their culture and artworks as part of our heritage - part of what defines us as a nation. Even more so have we recognised the significance of our unique past and the roles the convicts and their descendents have played in shaping our culture and world view. No longer a matter of shame, a convict or aboriginal ancestry is now celebrated, studied and prized, which is as it should be.

Considering the tens of thousands of unfortunates who were transported between 1788 and the mid-19th century, when the system came to an end, the number of pieces - physical artefacts that were brought here or used here - that have survived, is remarkably small. A shirt, a platter, a leg-iron, a carving, a shoe, a sketch....a paltry few fragments which can give us an insight to their lives and struggles in this new land.

At the other extreme, the rock’n’rollers amongst you will be delighted to find the “Kissworld” stock offered here in all its glory! You will find some wonderful sporting memorabilia, including a cricket based used during the “Bodyline Series”, some great football items, plenty of wine and, of course, nearly all of them would make excellent presents!

Enjoy your collecting! Our best wishes to all of you for a healthy, happy and safe 2006.

Charles Leski

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Please have a look at the catalogue for this auction, Auction 278 catalogue

Please check our auction calendar for the latest auction dates.