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While some of the top pieces of jewellery at Philips Auctions December sale carry thousands of dollars in estimates, many of the 230 lots are in the more affordable hundreds of dollars range and would make ideal Christmas gifts.
Australian jockey the late Arthur Edward "Scobie" Breasley (1914-2006) was a household name from the 1940s to the 1960s with five Caulfield Cup and two Victoria Derby wins to his credit before going on to win the prestigious 1958 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and two Epsom Derbies in 1964 and 1966.
Gibson’s Auctions Spring Auction Series on Sunday November 29 includes a Melbourne-based private collection of Chinese and Asian ceramics and works of art including a Han Dynasty green glazed pottery ‘hill’ jar and cover (lot 1) similar to one sold in September 2018 by Sotheby’s New York.
Since his death, there have been several auctions to sell parts of his collection and Leski Auctions Australian & Historical sale from 11am Saturday November 28 and Sunday November 29 is the latest with the first 165 lots on offer to auction goers under the title “Gems from the Marvin Hurnall Collection”.
To the relief of many auction goers, viewing is now live with the auction rooms open from 9am-5pm Friday and 12pm-5pm Saturday and Sunday. Silver from several collectors is another strong auction attraction with tureens, flatware, vinaigrettes and card cases on offer.
Gibson’s Auctions is delighted with the results of its Australian, Maritime & Exploration sale on Sunday November 8 when 75 per cent of items sold realising 138 per cent of catalogue estimate value. Even more telling was the fact that 94 per cent of the late Bob Munro’s maritime collection, which comprised the auction’s first 217 lots, realising 258 per cent of the estimated value – a positive portend for his forthcoming warehouse online auction on Sunday November 22.
Two important collections are among offerings at Melbourne-based Gibson’s Auctions forthcoming Australian, Maritime & Exploration online sale from 11am November 8 at 885-889 High Street, Armadale. One is from keen maritime and nautical collector the late Bob Munro, who owned several CBD properties, and the other belongs to antiquarian bookseller Kay Craddock.
Constructed from ebonised wood, brass, ivory, pewter, vallum, cord and bone, the lectern was made in his Milan workshop, established in 1888, from where his eccentric designs found a ready market. In the same year, he exhibited bedroom furnishings at the Milan Industrial Arts Exhibition and the Italian Exhibition at London's Earls Court.
The Bugatti name later became famous for its successful development in the early 20th century of inspiring racing cars involving three generations of the family – Carlo, sons Ettore and Rembrandt and Ettore's son Jean.
A highlight of the two day online only sale by Leski Auctions on 31 October and 1 November is an antique English sterling silver warming tureen, circa 1863 probably by Harrison & Howson of Sheffield (above). The sale comprises an eclectic and comprehensive range of over 1000 items from more than 100 vendors from all states of Australia. In terms of lot numbers, this will be the largest online only sale in Australia as a result of the pandemic prohibiting or restricting viewing and live bidding.
Despite the inability of buyers to physically attend Gibson’s Auctions Melbourne sale on Sunday October 11 due to current coronavirus lockdown restrictions, 82 per cent of the Interiors Private Collections online only offerings were snapped up with a 148 per cent return by value.
Jewellery, art and other collectables belonging to the late Tony White – Sydney architect turned jeweller – will be auctioned from 2pm Sunday October 11 by Bonhams at 36-40 Queen Street, Woollahra New South Wales. White trained formally in architecture and graduated in 1965 from Sydney University before practising his craft for five years in Sydney and Melbourne.
The collectors include Edward (Ed) Clark Antiques, the late Bjarne Nielsen and Robyn Allen.
First coming to prominence as a key figure in the 1974 Melbourne sale of the Maharajah of Mysore Collection, Ed Clark has been in the antiques trade for more than 50 years.
Nielsen was a diamond merchant passionate about blue and white porcelain and, because his jewellery business meant several trips every year to Europe and the Far East, each time London antique dealers and galleries were a must-see destination. The result is a precious blue and white collection majoring in antique Chinese pieces and Delft porcelain.
For more than 20 years, Robyn Allen ran the highly successful Antique Selections and her fine eye for detail and passion for exhaustive research resulted in a well-earned reputation.
For some Melbourne-based businesses, COVID-19 is having unexpected impacts – and none more so than in the art and decorative arts auction industry. While others have been struggling for months with harsh coronavirus lockdown restrictions, auction houses that have been able to move their sales online have often achieved surprising results. So it was for Leski Auctions latest two-day sale on September 26 and 27 when the comprehensive eclectic collection of former National Gallery of Victoria curator, the late Geoffrey Burke, went under the hammer.
The almost 900 lots that comprised the late Australian Geoffrey Burke’s collection is as eclectic as any collection can possibly get. From Scandinavian and Murano glass to international porcelain and ceramics, Australian pottery and art glass, antiquities, Chinese and other Asian artefacts, silver, jewellery, furniture, lamps, clocks, photographs, posters, paintings, fossils and other items – if he liked it, he collected it.
The family has now entrusted the collection to Leski Auctions, to be sold on Saturday September 26, so others can experience the joy he obviously derived from such a comprehensive range of items. Because of the still severe Stage 4 coronavirus restrictions in Melbourne the auction will be held in the company’s rooms at 727-729 High Street, Armadale devoid of any buyers or other auction goers. Bidding will be entirely by absentee bids, over the telephone or online with viewing also online, however, condition reports can be requested.
With Victorian auction houses forced by the continuing Stage 4 coronavirus lockdowns in Victoria to hold online auctions only, Philips Auctions will hold its first timed online Fine and Decorative Arts auction, which ends from 12pm Tuesday September 22, offering an impressive array of sterling silver for those buyers and collectors willing to take the plunge.
Farmer, who died last year aged 84, was a Western Australian football icon – winning five premierships in the State competition, three Sandover Medals for fairest and best player, four Simpson Medals for best player in the grand final and the coveted Tassie Medal for best player in the Australia-wide National Carnival – before being recruited in 1962 by the Victoria’s Geelong Football Club.
With Melbourne in lockdown, bidding was limited to absentee, phone or online, but it didn’t prevent keen competition among the buying public with an incredible 1400 registrations (including a massive number of phone bids) and a clearance rate of 98 per cent by lot and 334 per cent by value.
The name Joel is synonymous with Australia's antique and arts auction industry. In 1919 Leonard Joel opened his doors in Melbourne's CBD and son Graham, who was no less of an enthusiast, became a recognised doyen of the auction industry – regarded by many as the driving force behind Australia's art market boom of the 1970s and 1980s.
Given the uncertainty surrounding business operations in Australia as the deadly coronavirus pandemic continues to be a thorny global problem that shows little sign of abating in the near future, Melbourne-based Gibson's Auctions must have been pleased with the results of its 20th century design auction on June 29.
A significant proportion of Melbourne's population has been forced into local lockdown as COVID-19 numbers and hotspots continue to grow in what has amounted to a second spike since initial restrictive measures were introduced mid-March.
However, this did not prevent spirited, mainly online, bidding for an eclectic range of items on offer.
French artist Arlette Martin Untitled (Marquetry Duck scene, lot 2) is another unusual attraction, while a striking painting of early 20th century Russian communist leader Vladimir Lenin by an unknown artist (lot 3) is certainly worthy of examination.