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Tim Goodman has thrown in the towel at Sotheby's Australia after only one year's ownership of the franchise, acquired in a deal which shook the industry and was widely acclaimed as the art deal of the last decade.

Goodman moves on from the ''deal of the decade''

By Supplied on 31-Dec-2010 (Exclusive to the Antiques Reporter)

Tim Goodman has thrown in the towel at Sotheby's Australia after only one year's ownership of the franchise, acquired in a deal which shook the industry and was widely acclaimed as the art deal of the last decade.

Bonhams Moves Into Top Gear

By Supplied on 18-Dec-2010 (Exclusive to the Antiques Reporter)

Bonhams Australia is opening its new permanent offices in Australia in early 2011, at 76 Paddington Street, Woollahra, only a stone's throw from Lucio's, the restaurant where many of the big picture deals of the 1980s art boom were negotiated over long Friday lunches.

Auctioneers hope for another niche year

14-Dec-2010

 

Niche auctions for art and collectables proved to be a bright spot amid an otherwise lacklustre year for the nation's salerooms this year. Now auction house principals are trying to figure out how to keep the magic flowing

Gems sparkle in Sotheby's earnings

06-Dec-2010

The chairman of Sotheby's Australia, Tim Goodman, has said its parent company, First East Auction Holdings Limited, would overcome rugged trading conditions this year and post a similar result to last year.

Bradman struck 115 from 154 balls in 141 minutes, including 16 fours in a second wicket stand of 241 with Morris, in his last ever innings on Australian soil as Australian captain

High hopes for The Don

By Supplied on 05-Dec-2010 (Exclusive to the Antiques Reporter)

Pottle Auctions will offer a cricket bat signed by Don Bradman and seventeen others including the 1948 “The Invincibles” team for the Australian XI v Western Australia match that was held on March 15 1948.

Supreme Court: eBay not liable for counterfeit goods

02-Dec-2010

Should eBay be liable for trademark infringement when its vendors offer counterfeit goods for sale? Famous jeweler Tiffany & Co. has been arguing since 2004 that it should.

New boutique auction house for Sydney

By Supplied on 01-Dec-2010 (Exclusive to the Antiques Reporter)

Antique dealer and auctioneer David Barsby will commence trading as Barsby Auctions, with his first auction scheduled for December 4.

Among a number of Chinese soapstone carvings, this 11 cm high finely carved boulder with sages in a mountain pavilion romped to $36,600, more than 15 times the low estimate.

China’s repatriation of its cultural heritage continues at Mossgreen sale

By Peter Fish on 01-Dec-2010 (Exclusive to the Antiques Reporter)

A “hat trick” of three little jade carvings offered at a Melbourne auction this week highlighted the big premium Chinese buyers are prepared to pay for choice artworks created in the past few hundred years

National Gallery of Australia adds to ceramics collection

By Supplied on 30-Nov-2010 (Exclusive to the Antiques Reporter)

The National Gallery of Australia has acquired  a rare  circa 1920s’ Calyx Ware tea service, (lot 255) designed by the Western Australian artist, A. B. Webb at a Perth auction, for a price of $8,155.  The 21 piece set had been estimated at $5,000-7,000.

Junius Cup sells for $161,000

By Supplied on 29-Nov-2010 (Exclusive to the Antiques Reporter)

The Junius Cup, an early Australian silver racing trophy, was sold yesterday by Raffan Kelaher and Thomas in Sydney  for $161,000 (including premium).

Bonhams appoint new head of jewellery in Australia

By Supplied on 26-Nov-2010 (Exclusive to the Antiques Reporter)

Bonhams, seeking to extend staff expertise across all areas of decorative arts, have appointed Patti Sedgwick as Head of Jewellery for Bonhams, Australia, based in the Sydney office.

The surprise lot in the maritime section was a simple painted wooden sign, 'Leaving Geelong 4pm This Day', about the size of the open Joel's catalogue, estimated at $300-500 which sold for $4,200 ($5,040 IBP) to a buyer in the room.

Flotilla of small boats rescues Joel’s sale.

By Supplied on 23-Nov-2010 (Exclusive to the Antiques Reporter)

Indicative of the interest in the collection of maritime objects, being de-acquisitioned and consigned by the National Trust (Victoria), and offered at the beginning of the first day of a two day sale, there was standing room only when the sale commenced.

The Chinese and Asian art includes a 97cm Khmer sandstone figure of a deity, 11th century, estimated at $200,000 to $300,000

Movember is Mossgreen monster catalogue month

By Peter Fish on 17-Nov-2010 (Exclusive to the Antiques Reporter)

If November is a month for males to cultivate moustaches as part of the “Movember” men’s health initiative, then it’s also the month for monster auction catalogues.

At the thee day Bonhams sale, this pair of Russian ormolu and amethyst coloured cut glasses of 1830-40. sold for $240,000 IBP, which was well over the upper estiamate of $100,000.

The Early Owls Get Their Worms

By Supplied on 15-Nov-2010 (Exclusive to the Antiques Reporter)

The wise old owls of the bi-focaled variety came out for the tail end of the Owston collection sold by Bonhams Australia in the Byron Kennedy Hall at the Sydney Showground on November 14.

As well as over 100 items being de-accessioned by the National Trust of Australia (Victoria), the Leonard Joel sale will include a Grant Featherston Talking Chair, one of 240 commissioned by Robin Boyd for the Australian Pavilion at Expo ’67 in Montreal.

With National Trust de-accessioning, Leonard Joel extends decorative arts sale to two days.

By Supplied on 15-Nov-2010 (Exclusive to the Antiques Reporter)

Historical maritime objects and fine furniture no longer required by the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) will go under the hammer from noon Sunday at Leonard Joel 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra in the first part of a two-day auction sale.

The rise of the Chinese antiques market: vase sold £53 million in London

12-Nov-2010

The sale of an antique Chinese vase for an astonishing £53 million has cast the spotlight on the fast emerging Chinese bidding market, described by one expert as the biggest in the art world.

Consuming Issues: Antiques are now a cheaper, greener option

12-Nov-2010

After years of falling prices, antique furniture is now as "cheap as chips", as David Dickinson, the perma-tanned TV expert, might say. Quite simply, the bottom has fallen out of the market for ordinary Georgian and Victorian pieces.

The next Mossgreen auction will have a strong horseracing theme when the Brian Clinton painting The Greatest Cup Never Run and the contents of the magnificent Toorak mansion Dunraven are offered for sale.

Mossgreen Selling Up Contents of Establishment Toorak Home.

By Richard Brewster on 11-Nov-2010 (Exclusive to the Antiques Reporter)

A strong horseracing theme will mark Tuesday’s Mossgreen auction from 6pm at 310 Toorak Road, South Yarra, when the Brian Clinton painting The Greatest Cup Never Run and the contents of the magnificent Toorak mansion Dunraven are offered for sale.

A silver racing prize cup almost certainly made by early colonial silversmith Alexander Dick is to be offered at auction, where its price could top $100,000.

Race Expected for Early Australian Silver Trophy

By Peter Fish on 09-Nov-2010 (Exclusive to the Antiques Reporter)

A silver racing prize cup almost certainly made by the renowned early colonial silversmith Alexander Dick has emerged from a property in Rylstone northwest of Sydney and is to be offered at auction, where its price could top $100,000.

An egg of the extinct, flightless Elephant bird of Madagascar (lot 417), 31cm high, described as “in undamaged condition with original contents”.

Fur and feathers will be flying, along with tusks, eggs and fruit

By Peter Fish on 03-Nov-2010 (Exclusive to the Antiques Reporter)

Birds and beasts loom large in a bumper catalogue as Bonhams launches its second major auction in Australia, at Sydney’s Moore Park on November 13, 14 and 15.