News and Opinion — Year 2020

An early 19th Anglo-Indian centre table, two paintings by Australian artist Hugh Sawrey and the ship’s masthead figure of Spain’s Queen Isabella II’s husband Don Francisco de Assis Maria Fernando de Bourbon filled the top four spots at Leski Auctions Australian & Historical sale from June 13-14 in Melbourne.

The table (lot 430) sold for $16,000, just clear of its top catalogue estimate of $15,000, while the Sawrey paintings (lots 853 and 854) – respectively titled McConachies Ten Horse Team North Queensland and Trooper on Patrol, Ranken N.T. – each went under the hammer for $15,000.

The masthead figure of Don Francisco de Assis Maria Fernando de Bourbon – in English more commonly known as Francis of Assisi after the saint of the same name (lot 10) – from a 19th century sailing ship will be among the items to greet auction goers as Leski Auctions cautiously transcends back to live auctions following the easing of restrictions after the coronavirus pandemic lockdown in Australia.

The "live" auction, featuring 716 lots – Leski Auctions biggest sporting sale in years – gave  buyers the choice of lodging bids for individual items before the auction, phone line bidding or bidding online as auctioneer Charles Leski stood alone on the rostrum calling out to an empty room.

Strong support from the Leski clients logging into the "virtual auction room" resulted in an almost 80 per cent clearance rate at the actual auction.

The autograph book’s illustrated title page is dated 1925 but contains a double page spread of autographs from West Indian teams visiting Australia from 1920-1931. (Lot 141)

With Australia still operating under heavy restrictions following the hundreds of thousands of deaths and economic destruction worldwide caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Leski Auctions is the first of the Melbourne-based auction houses to hold a full-blown sporting memorabilia sale involving 716 lots – its biggest in for many years.

The auction, from 12pm Sunday May 10 (Mothers’ Day) at 727-729 High Street Armadale, covers valued and historic football, cricket, billiards, boxing, golf, horse racing, tennis, motor sports and Olympic Games items.

While the coronavirus lockdown removed live auction bidding, many of the Australia and New Zealand auction houses have continued sales with online-only auctions, while others have closed their doors until the crisis passes.

The Australian Auctioneers and Valuers Association (AVAA) have kindly shared this update on protocols for the auction industry with us.

They report that they have been in contact with the Premiers office of each state and can confirm that the restrictions put in place on 24 March 2020 regarding auction houses, did not include auctions done remotely, ie, online.

Although the auctions themselves are to be conducted online there has been an easing in the absolute ban on viewings prior to the auction.

The full details are in the protocol developed by the AVAA, are available here.

Last night (24 March), the Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison announced further restrictions to slow and restrict the spread of the coronavirus. For the antiques and art industry he said:

"In the retail space, auction houses, gatherings together in auction rooms, can no longer continue."

Despite the constant coronavirus threat, collectors bid enthusiastically at Leski Auctions Melbourne sale of toys, trains and models on March 22, 2020 – so much so that auctioneer Charles Leski kept reminding them to keep the recommended government ordered distance from each other to minimise the risk of infection. By the end of the sale, about 75 per cent of lots had been sold – most within the catalogue estimates. 

The cabinets by American designer Jonathan Adler (lots 383 and 384) belong to a famous Australian singer and celebrity, who had the interior of her Hawthorn home designed by TV personality Shaynna Blaze from the much-loved show The Block.

Now 54, Adler was born in New Jersey, New York and turned his childhood passion for pottery into a full-blown professional career, launching his first ceramic collection in 1993.

When Glenleigh Antiques in High Street, Armadale was a major fixture in Melbourne’s antique furniture scene in the early part of this century, one of its greatest customers was a wealthy Toorak socialite whose exquisite tastes were easily indulged by an open cheque book.

The furniture she bought at the time is now a major part of E.J. Ainger’s special two-day auction from 10am Saturday March 14 and 11am Sunday March 15 at 433 Bridge Road, Richmond.

Exquisite furniture and paintings from the Victorian branch of the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation is among highlights of Philips Auctions first 2020 sale on  Sunday February 16 at their Malvern, Victoria  rooms. Among the major features are a 19th century European school portrait of a young lady in a black dress with lace collar (lot 367), a Regency style early to mid-20th century mahogany bureau plat (lot 432) and a late 19th century Louis XVI giltwood canape with musical score motifs imprinted on the aqua silk taffeta (lot 436).