AUSTRALIAN & HISTORICAL
Session One
Saturday 27 May 10.00am (Lots 1-737)
001-227 Pottery
228-412 General
413-440 Glass
441-519 Jewellery
520-537 Silver
538-561 Goldfields
562-737 Furniture
Session Two
Sunday 28 May 10.00am (Lots 738-1415)
738-747 Convicts and Historic
748-775 Scrimshaw and Maritime
776-861 Polar Exploration
862-932 Photographs
933-945 Postcards
946-954 Posters
955-1006 Books & Historical Documents
1007-1026 Maps
1027-1032 Prime Ministers
1033-1051 Railways & Trams
1052-1103 Military
1104-1415 Paintings & Artworks
Session Three
Monday 29 May 12.00pm (Lots 1416-1634)
1416-1634 Wine
Well, here it is at last, and we think you’ll agree it was worth the wait: more than 1600 lots, more than $1,000,000 in estimates, and sessions spread over three days.
There are some wonderful sections and some superb and rare individual items. Permit us to mention just a few before you dive into the pages of the catalogue.
Australian pottery is growing in popularity as a collecting interest, so the first 227 lots (Lots 1 -227) will be a feast for existing collectors and those just looking for a new pursuit. From the history and beauty of a Colonial period bread plate (Lot 2) to the rare and very collectable artworks created by John Perceval (Lots 94 and 116) there is literally something for everyone.
We have a lovely range of apprentice or miniature furniture pieces for your consideration. This is another popular area for collectors. Don’t miss Lots 256, 259, 263, 266, 267, 289 and 302 to see what we mean.
The Australian jewellery section features a spectacular and scarce “COOLGARDIE” gold-fields brooch (Lot 445) and a lovely 14ct yellow gold ring, set with three brilliant cut diamonds (Lot 514). Appropriately, these creations are followed by a delightful section of silver antiques, in particular a massive, solid silver centrepiece (Lot 520), which should be of interest to Aireys Inlet residents and Victorian collectors in general, and a remarkable range of gold nuggets, especially Lot 538, a 296gram heavyweight which kicks-off the section of the catalogue which celebrates Australia’s gold-mining heritage.
The highlights of the furniture offering are undoubtedly Lot 564, the LEPPINGTON HOUSE Australian cedar sofa, circa 1830, Lot 565 a WILLIAM HAMILTON, important Colonial Australian cedar wine table, circa 1845 and Lot 675, a spectacular Australian sample wood wine table handsomely crafted in blackwood, late 19th century by SCHRAMM. Collectors of mid-20th Century masterpieces will also be delighted to see Lots 727 to 730, by post-war immigrant craftsmen, Krimper and Rudowski.
Day Two begins with a small section of Convict Era interest (Lots 738 – 747) and some very interesting pieces of Maritime history (Lots 748 – 775). Lots 776 – 861 bring collectors and students of Antarctic Exploration an exciting range of original Frank Hurley photographs from the Mawson-led Expedition of 1929-31 as well as photographs and books from other Heroic Age Expeditions.
Other early photographers also feature in the following section. If you can visit us during the inspection days, take some time to view Lots 881 (an exceptional assembly in 9 annotated albums), Lot 885 (a collection of 25 photographs by Charles Barrett), Lots 886 – 920 (a rare collection of original prints by Donald F. Thomson, photographs taken during his study trip to North-East Queensland in 1928), and Lots 921 and 922 (two albums of photographs taken by Engineer Eric Croll during his time on Nauru and Ocean Island in the early 1930s).
The small poster section is enriched by the inclusion of two of the most iconic and important Australian posters of the 20th Century, Lots 948 and 949, both by Gert Sellheim. Incredibly scarce, we have had these superlative images only once or twice in the past. The presence of both in an auction catalogue is probably unique.
The Ravenstein map of Australia and New Zealand (Lot 1021) is also quite remarkable, as our research turned-up only one other example, and a variant at that. Lot 1025, the Railway Map of Victoria is impressive for its size as well as its rarity.
We always have mixed feelings about Military Medals; while some medals award bravery (Lots 1059, 1079, 1094 and 1095 for example), others are awarded posthumously (Lots 1067 and 1068), or simply for staying alive (Lots 1060 and 1064). We can’t help wondering, after researching their military careers, what became of the men and women after they came home. For those of us old enough to have been part of the conscription “lottery” during the Vietnam War, Lot 1102 will be particularly poignant; one of the 521 Aussie soldiers who didn’t make it.
The next auction-within-the-auction is the 311 lot Australian Art section, Lots 1104 – 1415. We are proud to be able to offer you paintings of the quality of Lots 1114 and 1115 (John Glover), Lots 1122 and 1123 (George French Angas), Lot 1137 (Conrad Martens), Lots 1159, 1160 and 1163 (Emanuel Phillips Fox, as well as other lots attributed to him), Lot 1161 (Penleigh Boyd), Lot 1173 (Knox), Lot 1175 (Streeton), Lot 1195 (Norman Lindsay), Lot 1265 (Criss Canning), Lot 1297 (Judith Cassab), Lot 1305 (Leonard French), Lot 1325 (John Coburn), and Lot 1403 (Jeffrey Smart). There are many more gems, of course, but we’ll leave them to you to discover.
Day Three begins and ends with Wine. Lots 1416 – 1634 offers you a wonderful selection of some of Australia’s best wines, estimated at modest prices and all drawn from several fine cellars.