Originally comprising 89 lots, but reduced to 73 lots by late withdrawals, the National Trust (Victoria) consignment was all sold except for six lots, with many of the lots consigned, selling above the high estimate.
The prices achieved for the consignment indicate that the estimates had been set low, and it would seem that auctioneer had been given discretion to sell below low estimate, as indicated by his pronouncement several times that he was about to sell an item below the low estimate, only to have further bids materialise in the room.
The maritime lots were widely dispersed amongst buyers, with one or two taking multiple lots, the remainder spread in ones and twos.
Model ships comprised 43 of the 73 lots, and the highest price of $6,500 ($7,800 IBP) was achieved for a large and elaborate static model of the brig-sloop, HMS Oberon, (Lot 10 ) built by the James Shepherd Shipyard, Sutton, UK.
Other nautical themed articles consigned by the National Trust (Victoria) included marine instruments, signs, plaques and uniforms.
The surprise amongst these lots was a simple painted wooden sign, 'Leaving Geelong 4pm This Day', (Lot 80 ) measuring 42 x 28 cm (about the size of the open Joel’s catalogue) and estimated at $300-500. The reverse was finely painted with four versions of the original Edina, and her successors, which were late 19th/early 20th century Melbourne – Geelong passenger vessels, and estimated at $300-500. The sign was bid to $4,200 ($5,040 IBP) in the room.
A substantial 19th century Australian cedar breakfront library bookcase, (Lot 105 ) reputedly from an Angus & Robertson bookstore, and pictured on the inside of the front cover of the catalogue, was sold at the low estimate of $20,000 ($24,000 IBP).
Overall the National Trust (Victoria).consignment raised $187K at hammer, just below the high estimate total of $203K. The 94% clearance rate helped boost the low numbers in the other sections of the sale.
The remainder of the first day consisted of Australian and international decorative arts, silver and precious objects.
An important Robert Prenzel blackwood settle, dated 1903 (Lot 120 ) to which a full catalogue page was devoted, and a Robert Prenzel relief carved panel depicting kangaroos (Lot 121 ) both sold at their low estimate of $22,000 ($26,400 IBP) and $15,000 ($18,000 IBP) respectively.
Six of the eight lots of Shulim Krimper furniture were sold, while seating furniture by Grant Featherston continued to be well sought, with the sale of all six lots included in the sale.
A rare Grant Featherston Expo '67 Talking Chair, designed 1966-67, (Lot 185 ) estimated at $13,000-18,000 was passed in at the hammer, but announced as sold at the estimate from the rostrum a few lots later.
This lot had originally been catalogued as a rare surviving example from the Montreal Expo ’67, but a saleroom notice corrected the description to that of the chair being one of a number of the design, manufactured after Expo ’67.
Included in the silver section was a Victorian sterling silver mounted novelty claret jug in the form of a walrus, by Alexander Crichton, London circa 1882, and estimated at $6,000-8,000.
Crichton produced a series of these claret jugs, inspired by the drawings of animals and birds in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, of which around 34 different subject have been noted, including crocodile, fish, squirrel, seal and duck.
A Crichton claret jug in the form of a Cockatoo was sold by Mossgreen in June this year for $7,767 (IBP) and this may have had some input into the setting of the Joel estimate.
However the walrus soared well above this to sell for $19,000 ($22,800 IBP) with the lot going to a buer in the room, against competition from London and Guernsey bidders..
The second day of the sale opened with sparse attendance for the Important Asian Art section of 191 lots of predominantly Japanese wares, including cloisonné, netsuke’s, metal work lacquer ware and furniture. The low in-room attendance was reflected in the poor sales results in this section.
The power of the internet was demonstrated by the sale of (lot 449), catalogued briefly and simply as Two Chinese bronze figures 17th century, followed by a description of the two figures and estimated at $1,200-1,600.
Bidding commenced below the low reserve but an internet bidder attempted a knock-out bid of $5,000. He (or she?) was quickly outbid by another internet bidder and the two competed until the lot was knocked down for $7,500 ($9,000 IBP) to one of the two internet bidders, who obviously recognised one of the figures for what it was.
A bright spot on the second day of the auction was provided by the Royal Worcester lots, where several important pieces painted and signed by the well known Worcester artists John Stinton and George Owen made their expected prices in the $18,000 to $30,000 range.
Unexpected however was a Royal Worcester porcelain vase Signed R. H. Austin and dated 1923 (lot 624) estimated at $1,000 - $1,500 which soared to $9,000 ($10,800 IBP) in a duel between two determined room bidders.
A few lots later a similar duel between two other bidders saw a Royal Worcester porcelain vase signed H. Davis, (lot 628) sell for $18,000 ($21,600 IBP) against an estimate of $2,000-4,000.
Overall the sale raised $740K at hammer, with the sale of 45% of the lots by number.
No doubt these figures will be boosted by the many lots remaining for sale by through post-auction negotiation.