It doesn’t seem so long ago that we were writing about our previous Australian & Colonial sale, but it’s been six months. And for us, the intervening period comes to a finale with the production of a catalogue that is breathtaking in its’ scope and content. This sale is such a wonderful assembly of consignments that we have been motivated to create a new category for the catalogue: Australian Icons.
There are only four items in this new category on this occasion, but who knows what our wonderful clients will consign for next time! Please take a few minutes, as you leaf through the catalogue, to look at Lot 20, a pistol once owned by Captain James Cook; Lot 21, a cricket stump which witnessed the most attacking of the Bodyline bowling in 1933; Lot 22, a primitive premiership award created for the victorious “Richmond” football team of in Changi P.O.W. Camp and awarded to the Vice-Captain of the team; and Lot 23, the late, great “Polly” Farmer’s 1956 East Perth Premiership guernsey.
These four “Australian Icons” are surrounded by many other amazing, unusual and beautiful items. Lot 7, a Colonial scrimshaw desk set comprising of two sperm whale teeth engraved with tall ships, standing on a baleen and timber base inlaid with mother of pearl and tortoiseshell and adorned with whale bone, is both remarkable and very rare. Lot 108, a WILLIAM RICKETTS pottery vase with applied koala on tree stump spirit figure, circa 1939, incised “Wm. Ricketts, Potter’s Sanctuary, Mt. Dandenong, May God Watch Over You Both, Also Edward, To Mr. & Mrs. Roberts, 1939”, is only one of the items in a fabulous group of Ricketts pieces and there are many other pieces of Australian pottery in this section of the catalogue.
Lot 182 is a remarkable, original archive of manuscript notes and typed notebooks (in German), accompanied by hundreds of hand-drawn and hand-painted sketches, created in the first decade of the 1900’s by a visiting German anthropologist who was deeply interested in Aboriginal culture, creativity and lifestyles. There could be a doctorate lurking here! Lot 247 is one of our favourite pieces of furniture in this sale. It’s a Tasmanian tilt top table with exhibition quality inlaid top in Australian native timbers including huon pine, casuarina, musk, blackwood and honeysuckle, circa 1885 created for the Scott family. Even if you’re not a collector of Australian furniture, take the opportunity to see this wonderful piece.
We are delighted to be offering collectors and students of Australian photography a small range of exceptional images by our foremost practitioners of the craft in the 20th Century – Lot 361 by Harold Cazneaux, Lots 362 & 366 by Max Dupain and Lots 364 & 365 by Wolfgang Sievers; all superb images in exceptional condition. The quality and range of original, historic posters this time is also exceptional. Don’t miss Gert Sellheim’s important “Corroboree Australia” (Lot 381), James Northfield’s “Apollo Bay” and “The Blue Mountains” (Lots 383 and 384), Charles Meere’s controversial “Australia Celebrates” (Lot 393) or Eileen Mayo’s “Discover Australia” (Lot 399), to mention just a few of the highlights.
The Art section is equally strong, with some wonderful works by John Cleveley(Lots 429 & 430), John Glover(including Lots 445, 447 & 453), S.T. Gill(Lot 462), our front cover image(Lot 523) by Herbert Calvert, and a particularly atmospheric Pro Hart(Lot 574). There’s some great Australian wines in a small, but high quality section (Lots 628 – 645) and some delightful pieces of jewellery(Lots 646 – 672) to complete the catalogue.
We look forward to hearing from you and hope you’ll find something that thrills and delights you in the pages of our Australian and Colonial Auction Catalogue. As always, please be in touch if you have suitable items to consign. Work on our next catalogue starts immediately.
A Colonial scrimshaw desk set comprising of two sperm whale teeth engraved with tallships standing on a baleen and timber base inlaid with mother of pearl and tortoiseshell and adorned with whale bone. The baleen back plate engraved with a fine architectural rendering of a late Georgian mansion. Most likely Tasmanian origin, mid 19th century,
20cm high, 34cm wide, 14cm deep
CAPTAIN COOK'S PISTOL
An early 18th Century Continental Flintlock holster pistol, the lock signed "Corbau-A-Maastricht" with plain 13-bore barrel, brass fore-sight, spurred brass pommel (with minor damage to spur tips), brass trigger guard, replacement ramrod and pipe, pale fruitwood full stock with carved shell behind tang (with some minor damage at fore-end),
50cm long, 31cm barrel.
THE BODYLINE SERIES - A STUMP THAT WITNESSED THE CRISIS
A cricket stump souvenired from the 3rd Test at Adelaide by Australian team member, Herbert Ironmonger and subsequently gifted to W. Martin with the inscription "To W. Martin, 3rd Test Adelaide, 18/1/33" and signed by Ironmonger. The stump is also signed by the members of the Australian and English teams, with 21 autographs visible (as the stump is presented) including Don Bradman, Jack Fingleton, Stan McCabe, Bert Oldfield, Bill O'Reilly and Victor Richardson as well as Douglas Jardine, Harold Larwood, Gubby Allen, Maurice Tate, Herbert Sutcliffe, Bill Voce and Bill Bowes. A remarkable survivor of this controversial Test Series.
THE CHANGI PRISON AUSTRALIAN RULES ASSOCIATION PREMIERSHIP TROPHY PLAQUE, 1942
the hand-lettered and illustrated cardboard trophy laid down on metal backing and with a later plastic protector, inscribed in pencil "RICHMOND FOOTBALL CLUB, PREMIERS, 1942, Australian Rules Association, P.O.W. CAMP CHANGI, Coach: Horgan, D., Trainer: G. Brown, Pres: A. Bush, Capt: P. MacKinlay, Vice Capt: R. Small, Secretary: B.C. Wootten, Treasurer: H. Hollioak, Presented to P.J. Campbell as a member of the above Club., President Changi League."
19 x 30cm.
WILLIAM RICKETTS rare and early pottery vase with applied koala on tree stump spirit figure, circa 1939,
incised "Wm. Ricketts, Potter's Sanctuary, Mt. Dandenong, May God Watch Over You Both, Also Edward, To Mr. & Mrs. Roberts, 1939",
accompanied by a single page hand written letter addressed to Mr. & Mrs. Roberts signed by Ricketts from the Pottery Sanctuary"
30cm high
A GERMAN ANTHROPOLOGIST IN AUSTRALIA, circa 1900 - 1910
An archive, written in German, which appears to be the field notes and typed manuscripts of an anthropologist who travelled extensively throughout Australia to visit, learn, record and preserve the aboriginal culture and way of life that he had observed and studied. Comprising of hundreds of pages of hand-written notes, approximately 600 typed pages, and many hundreds of hand-drawn and painted and reproduced illustrations
The Scott family Tasmanian tilt top table with exhibition quality inlaid top in Australian native timbers including huon pine, casuarina, musk, blackwood and honeysuckle, circa 1885. Thomas Scott arrived in Van Diemen's Land in 1820 aboard The Skelton, he soon set to work exploring and surveying the island and identified large areas of lush farming country. Thomas was followed by his brother James who was also a surveyor. The family became wealthy land owners in the north of the island and the town of Scottsdale bears their name.
82cm high, 69cm across
CLAREMONT HOUSE five piece salon suite, Australian blackwood and cedar, circa 1885.
Reference: K. Fahy, A. Simpson & C. Simpson "Nineteenth Century Australian Furniture" [David Ell
Press, Sydney, 1985], page 421 plate 284 (features the sofa), page 442, plate 346 (features one of the chairs).
the settee 144cm across the arms.
PROVENANCE: Bonhams, The Collection Of The Late Graham & Elizabeth Cocks, 18th of Nov. 2012. lot 278
AN IMPORTANT STERLING SILVER ENTREE DISH, with early New South Wales connections:
the dish and cover engraved for presentation to John Hubert Plunkett
the dish bearing the inscription "Presented To John Hubert Plunkett, Esq., M.C.
Attorney General, By The People Of New South Wales,
as a token of respect For his Public Character and esteem for his Private Worth, Sydney, March A.D. 1841"; the lid engraved with the Plunkett coat of arms.
London Assay marks, circa 1814; 29cm across, 1750 grams.
Wolfgang Georg SIEVERS (1913 - 2007)
Bruck Mills, Wangaratta [Victoria]
c.1950s, vintage silver gelatin photograph,
photographer's stamp and titled with publishing annotation in crayon verso
39 x 49.5cm. Laid down on original board.
Gert Sellheim (1901-1970)
CORROBOREE AUSTRALIA
1935 colour lithograph, signed in image lower left,
100.5 x 62.5cm. Linen-backed.
“Australian National Travel Association...F.W. Niven Pty Ltd, Melb.”
John CLEVELEY (after James Cleveley (1747-1786)
Morea, one of the Friendly Islands in the South Seas
watercolour on paper, laid down on backing paper, circa 1780s
43.5 x 60cm
