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Australian, Maritime & Exploration, Part I — Gibson's Auctioneers & Valuers

Auction House:Gibson's Auctioneers & ValuersNumber of lots recorded:192
Sale Title:Australian, Maritime & Exploration, Part ILots with images:192
Auction Location:MelbournePrices available:132
Date:9-Jul-2023
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A George III sterling silver tankard marked 'Latona', John Crouch II or John Cowie, London 1815, the straight-sided tankard with threaded girdles, engraved 'Latona' twice, and with an engraved image of the frigate within a laurel wreath, hallmarked below rim, 9 cm high, 170 gms. Other Notes: HMS Latona was a 36-gun, fifth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy that served during the American, and French Revolutionary wars, the Napoleonic Wars, later serving in the Baltic and Caribbean among other theatres. In 1810…
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A silver and oak presentation plaque for the St Kilda Yacht Club for the season 1899-1900, the shield 35 x 36
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A sterling silver mounted Blackwood boomerang, early 20th century, the boomerang set with small shaped plaque inscribed 'The Countess of Stradbroke from members of the William Forster Try Boys Society', together with two red gum spinning tops, the boomerang 43 cm
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Two miniature sterling silver animal figurines, Stuart Devlin, London 1975 and 1980, featuring an open mouthed hippopotamus apparently squashing a distressed rodent, and a British bulldog, both with a textured gold wash and oxidised finish; both hallmarked, hippopotamus 4 cm high, 165 gms
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A sterling silver oblong card tray, William Drummond & Co, London 1926, of plain form with everted straight sides, marks for retailer William Drummond & co, Melbourne; hallmarked underside, 12.5 x 9 cm, 90gms
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A sterling silver tankard by J.M. Wendt, Adelaide, 1899, engraved 'J Hurford A token of esteem and respect from Viscount Gormanston 1899', with giltwashed interior, crisply hallmarked to base, 11 cm high, weight of silver 375gms
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A sterling silver pug dog buttonhook, Crisford & Norris Ltd., Birmingham 1906, doubled faced, the pug with collar and glass eyes, the stem with acanthus and stiff leaf motifs to a steel hook, hallmarked the stem, 17.4 cm long
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A group of mostly sterling silver boot buttonhooks, makers include Adie & Lovekin, Wilsdorf & Davis, probably Jones & Crompton, Synyer & Beddoes, Birmingham, Sheffield, London, late 19th to early 20th century, variously shaped and decorated including an Art Nouveau hook featuring a long haired woman surrounded by floral tendrils, mostly hallmarked, 25 cm approx
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A large group of sterling silver buttonhooks, various makers including Adie & Lovekin Ltd, William Devenport, and probably Henry Matthews, Birmingham, London, Chester and Sheffield, late 19th to early 20th century, sixteen variously shaped and decorated hooks in Art Nouveau, Neoclassical and Rococo revival designs, all with steel shafts and all hallmarked, 23 cm, longest boot hook
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A sterling silver tankard by Thomas Stokes & Sons, Melbourne, early 20th century, the classic baluster shaped tankard with a waisted foot and scroll handle, with later engraving 'J.R.G.C. 1950', 11.5 cm high, 240gms silver weight
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A Chinese .900 silver presentation bowl, Wang Hing & Co, Hong Kong, late 19th/early 20th century, reticulated with confronting dragons and a flaming pearl amidst swirling clouds, raised on a straight-sided foot ring engraved, 'H.M.S Minotaur quarter mile 1911', silver marks to base, 6 cm high, 11 cm diameter, 175gms. Other Notes: Launched in 1906, HMS Minotaur was the lead ship of the Minotaur-class armoured cruisers built for the Royal Navy, serving as the flagship of the China Station prior to the First…
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A Ballarat Regatta presentation set of fish knives and forks, awarded to H. H Storrer Maiden Eights, Barwon Rowing Club 1914, the cased set with engraved silver plate blades and tines and ivorine handles, History: Captain H.H. Storrer (Henry, known as 'Harry'), sportsman and champion rower with the Barwon Rowing club joined the Australian Flying Corps in 1916 and saw service in the first Australian Flying Unit on the Western Front as Flight Commander of 69 Squadron. He perished in a crash over Flanders in…
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Wayne Strickland (Born 1949), Tough Going 1987, bronze, incised with initials and dated: Ws 87, inscribed with title and editioned on plaque: 'Tough Going' / Bronze / By Wayne Strickland / (Artists Copy), 24 cm high, 27 cm wide (irregular), Provenance, Anvil Gallery, Wodonga
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Kerry & Co. Album of photographs of Australia, early 1890's, 24 Albumen Prints (250 x 202 mm., or the reverse),mounted on thick card, recto only, all but one with the photographer's blind stamp in the image, most with negative number and caption in the image, some with pencil captions on the mount, contemporary red half roan gilt, upper cover lettered in gilt 'T. & E.A.W.' (see provenance), Provenance, Sotheby's, New Bond Street London, Travel, Atlases, Maps & Natural History, Sale L17401, lot 91, Given as…
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The Australia Album, 1972-1974, Leather bound portfolio of 52 vintage gelatin silver photographs, edition: 6/8, signed 'Jon Rhodes' and inscribed with edition number on 3rd last sheet, 12 x 18 cm, Provenance, Private Collection, Melbourne, Exhibited: These images were exhibited in another format at The National Gallery of Victoria, 1977 and The Australian Centre for Photography, Sydney, 1978., Literature, A select list of published images from the album include: No.33, John Jakamarra - Papunya Tula,…
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Three early albumen photographs of Sydney and NSW, late 19th century, comprising two photographs by Henry King (1855-1923) showing views of 171 Woolloomooloo Bay and Sydney Harbour, together with a photograph by John Paine (1833-1908) showing a view of Farm Cove, NSW, each titled and inscribed on image in negative, the largest 20 x 13 cm
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Artist Unknown, The Olde Order Changeth circa 1890, an albumen paper photograph showing a display of early Maori Artefacts, 20 x 15 cm
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Artist Unknown, Melbourne Dredging to the Port of Melbourne circa 1890, albumen paper photograph, with an early photo of Bourke St Melbourne glued to verso, 21 x 16 cm
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Artist Unknown, A collection of three vintage albumen paper photographs, Tasmanian scenes, 19th century, Launceston, Tasmania 1890, Hobarttown, December 1884, Hobart Harbour, the largest 17 x 13 cm
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Artist Unknown, Melbourne – Top of Bourke St circa 1870, albumen paper photograph, glued to board, 16 x 11 cm
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Artist Unknown, Melbourne Tram circa 1880, albumen paper photograph, title inscribed to mount, 21 x 16 cm
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Artist Unknown, Adelaide Port circa 1880, albumen paper photograph, title inscribed to mount, 21 x 16 cm
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A collection of vintage albumen photographs of Europe and Fiji, 1880's, comprising three photos of the Rock of Gibraltar, Clock Tower Colombo, Port of Malta, photographer unknown together with a photo by Burton Brothers, Dunedin (1866–1914) of Fiji rebels circa 1899, the largest photo 27 x 21 cm
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Artist Unknown, A collection of vintage albumen photographs of the city of Melbourne, circa 1880's, comprising six photographs of Government House, Exhibition Buildings, Spring Street Parliament House, the Princess Bridge and the GPO, variously titled and inscribed, the largest 21 x 16 cm
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Artist Unknown, New Public Offices, Victoria Square, Adelaide, albumen paper photograph, titled lower centre on margin: New Public Offices, Victoria Square, Adelaide, 17 x 21 cm
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An early Micronesian shark tooth sword tip, with sennit binding, 90 cm long
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An Iatmul horned spirit figure, East Sepik River, Papua New Guinea, the sinous blackened horns extending vertically from the crown of the figure, protruding points surrounding the upper head, the profusely painted face of elongated form with a cowrie and feather 'beard' to a prominently elongated jaw, tusk-like horns emanating from the nostrils, a cowrie shell ornament connecting the nose to the narrow triangular chin, painted hands conform to the exaggerated lower body, a horned tail extending from the…
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Two Oceanic carved hardwood clubs, 19th century, comprising a New Hebrides battle club together with a long Solomon Islands club, the Vanuatu battle club 95 cm long, the pike form Solomon Islands club 141 cm long
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A large Washkuk totem together with a painted and pierced spirit figure, both Sepik River, New Guinea, the totem 304 cm long
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A large orators stool, Sepik River, Papua New Guinea, the elongated head with feather 'hairs', cowrie shells across the forehead leading to three horns above the bridge of the nose with flaring nostrils, the intricately pigment decorated face with shell inset eyes, stylised with bared teeth and extended tongue set into an asymmetrical jaw framed with a cowrie shell beard and grass fringing, the upper back and shoulders incised with cowrie shell eyed alligator totems, the arms and torso carved and painted…
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A carved Queensland indigenous stockman's whip handle, circa 1920's, the polished hardwood incised with an interlocking geometric pattern around the base, 42.5 cm long
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A large flying fox cult spirit figure, possibly Iatmul, Middle Sepik River, New Guinea, with woven fibre, bead, cowrie shell and feather adornments, figural basket hook to base, 167 cm high, 68 cm wide
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A ceremonial bowl, Tami Islands, Huon Gulf, 20th century, with unusual carved club form designs to the rim on either side, 86 cm long
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A small orator's stool, Middle Sepik River Region, Papua New Guinea, the ancestral figure with applied clay patterning the enlarged face and cowrie shell eyes, bordered by money cowrie shells, feathers protruding from the head and chin, woven rattan 'tassels' dangling from the exaggerated ears, repeated painted motifs in vegetable pigment paint across the carved armbands and down the outer legs, seated upon a stool in the form of backwards squatting legs, 150 cm high
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A large male ancestral figure, Upper Sepik River, of standing form, the bald painted face with a pointed nose and flaring nostrils above stylized bared pointed teeth, his upper arms carved with horned armbands, the chest with a raised breastplate, wearing a woven palm fibre loincloth, 190 cm high
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Two finely modelled glazed ceramic kangaroos, 25 cm high, The story of the Kangaroos from China, In 1972, Hedley Elliott was in China for the Canton Trade Fair where he visited the Guangzhou Zoo. At that time Emu Bottom Homestead, was licensed as a Private Zoo and Hedley gave this involvement as the reason he wished to visit the Zoo., As he was shown around the Zoo he commented to the Zoo officials that the animals the Zoo had marked as 'Kangaroos' were actually 'Wallabies'. In further conversations with…
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An Australian turned wood specimen pedestal, late 19th century, of laminated baluster form displaying a variety of Australian timber species, 117.5 cm high
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An Australian cedar secretaire bookcase, 19th century, with an extended cornice above two glazed doors with decorative carved spandrels, the lower section with twin cupboards to a plinth base, 231 cm high, 127 cm wide, 70 cm deep
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A vintage Australian 'Gooseneck Poley' stock saddle by R.M. Williams, with R.M. Williams saddle bags adorned with silver conchos and buckles, stamped in numerous places, accompanied by a fine breast plate, two sets of stirrups and accessories including a metal stand, 50 cm long from the cantel to the back of the pommel
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An Australian cedar chest of drawers, 19th century, the top set with two half drawers over three graduated large drawers with knob handles, 107 cm high, 112 cm wide, 57.5 cm deep
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A Sunderland lustreware tankard, 19th century, Inscribed with a poem and the ship 'Crimea', 12 cm high
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A cedar chest of drawers, 19th century, with a bullnose top above two short and three long drawers with knob handles and oval brass escutcheons, raised on bun feet, 104 cm high, 110 cmm wide, 53 cm deep, Provenance, Formerly in the the Sheriff's Residence, 1 Camp Crescent, Castlemaine, circa 1854
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A pine scullery table, Australian, 19th century, of pegged construction, the plank top above a band frieze supported on turned legs with toupie feet, 71.5 cm high, 120 cm wide, 71.5 cm deep, Provenance, Formerly in the the Sheriff's Residence, 1 Camp Crescent, Castlemaine, circa 1854
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An impressive lacquered four glass mantle clock, Drummond & Co, Melbourne, late 19th century, the well cast cornice over heavy bevelled glazed panels on a swept base, the Arabic gilt dial with an applied central mask, the circular movement by Japy Freres with Brocot type suspension to a twin-jar mercury pendulum striking on a gong, with key, 38 cm high
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A small fire gilded bronze fusee verge boudoir clock, by David Barclay, Hobart Town, circa 1840, a silvered dial with Roman numerals set within a floral cast frame and raised on a tiered base with bracket feet, the back plate of the movement inscribed, 'David Barclay/Hobart Town and numbered 2405, with key, 21 cm high, 15.5 cm wide. Other Notes: David Barclay was born in Montrose Scotland in 1804 and emigrated to Van Dieman's land, arriving in Hobart Town on 30 October 1830 aboard the ship Resource (from…
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A brass telescope on stand, English, 19th century, the lens 41 cm long, the stand 31 cm high
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A Sunderland commemorative lustreware bowl, circa 1860, commemorating The Star of Tasmania 'The Destined Port to Keep in Mind...', 23 cm diameter
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Christine Audrey Pecket (1908-1996), A small glazed earthenware vase, with an incised bark and sawn branch texture in brown and green colours, incised marks of Christine A Pecket 1944 to base, 7.5 cm high, Provenance, Property from the Collection of Andree Harkness
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A fine Victorian mahogany-cased marine chronometer, 1880, etched in script to the silvered brushed dial, T. L Ainsley, 1880, South Shields & Cardiff, with Roman numerals and two subsidiary dials, the brass bound case with inset side handles, with key, the diameter of the bezel 120 mm
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A Russian deck watch, 20th century, the nickel cased deck watch with a silver dial and Arabic numerals, blue steel sweep hands, fully jewelled, in a two tier wooden case with original rating certificate in Russian, the diameter of the bezel 60 mm
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A Japanese marine chronometer, V-279, circa 1945, silvered Roman numeral dial, gilded hands, up/down indicator, and seconds bit, inscribed with Japanese script, chain fusee movement, maintaining power, two-arm bimetallic balance, Spring detent, helical hairspring, jeweled escape and balance, mounted in a brass gimbaled bowl and housed in a three-tier brass-bound oak box with carry handles and a silvered plate marked V-279, the case 19 cm high, 18.5 cm wide, 18.5 cm deep
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A gilded and etched grandfather clock mechanism by Charles Mafsey, London, 37 x 35 cm
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A vintage surveyor's theodolite and tripod stand, first half 20th century, black painted metal finish within a fitted wooden case, the case 24 cm high, 50 cm wide, 29 cm deep
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A Kienzle mahogany railway clock, German, early 20th century, set within a mahogany case, the Roman dial with maker's insignia and marked Made in Germany, the face 41 cm diameter
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An antique oak cased optometrist's lens set, 19th century, comprising a full set of trial lenses and a pair of examination glasses, the case interior with handwritten labels to the ivory compartments; mark of 'Boettgers' Adelaide to box of components, the case 15 cm high, 54 cm wide,. Other Notes: Otto Boettger (1842-1907) was a renowned Adelaide optician and instrument-maker.
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An antique iron jewellers bench vice, 18th century, 28 cm high
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A steel stick gimballed barometer by Short & Mason, London, circa 1950s, marked to plaque, Cbm 1881, 91 cm high. Other Notes: reputedly last hung at the Queensland Airport Weather Station
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A mahogany cased barograph by Short & Mason, 20th century, the case glazed to three sides, with brass barrel and paper, recording arm, 13 bellows, trademark and maker's name to the brass base plate, with a single drawer to the short end, with key, 29 cm high, 44 cm wide, 21.5deep
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A steel stick gimballed ship's barometer, 1962, retailed by A.L Franklin Pty Ltd, Sydney, marked marine barometer Mk 2 96 cm high
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A rare Breguet instrument set, by Negretti & Zambra., Hatton Garden, London, circa 1890, a portable barometer with two mercury tubes and pieces for assembly housed in a silk lined wooden case, the brass base plate marked Negretti & Zambra, Hatton Garden, London and numbered 2274-I-1886, original tubes also with maker's marks, the case 5 cm high, 38.5 cm wide, 12 cm deep
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A vintage brass and painted cast metal portable mercury barometer, mid 20th century, with a slender glass tube within the metal housing, with scaling marks, stamped Am with crown mark to base, 93 cm high, 16.5 cm wide
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A mahogany mounted brass stick barometer, England, circa 1840s, in the style of a mountaineer's and balloonist's barometer and printed to stick, 'retailed by Otto Boettger, Adelaide', 116 cm high
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An engineered single cylinder under type high speed portable steam engine, 26 cm high
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Two model engines in brass and steel, comprising a Stuart mill engine S50 and a single cylinder Hubbard engine, the mill engine 13 cm high, the base 13 x 27 cm
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A scale model of the Brigantine 'Raven', by Classic Marine Models, Melbourne, constructed on a 1-60 scale, within a glazed display case, 52 cm high, 77 cm wide, 12 cm deep (model), 63 cm high, 100 cm wide, 45 cm deep (display case)
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A Colonial cedar chest of drawers, 19th century, with two short drawers and three long drawers of graduated depth above a Georgian style base with undulating skirt and bracket corner feet, 111 cm high, 112 cm wide, 48.5 cm deep
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Two convict love tokens, copper, late 18th century, both coins smoothed, the larger engraved 'Ambrose Birch/Born 9th May/1791 below English rose, Scotch thistle, Irish clover emblems and 'God Save King William', with sentiment to the reverse: 'A dismal prison is my lot, but more than all by friends forgot, Oh think of me in this dread place, and be my friends than in disgrace', and; a naively engraved coin with love hearts, 'Succss to True Harts 1781' (sic) with initials Wb and Ch with a clasped hand motif…
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Two convict love tokens, copper, late 18th century, both coins smoothed, the larger engraved with decorative initials and a motto: 'when this you see * remember me' 1772, and to the reverse, a ribbon and floral decorated shield enclosing the initials, 'Gl', and; a smaller coin engraved, 'Sarah Horton' 1784, between sprigs, and cursive initials to the reverse, 34 mm and smaller, Provenance, Trevor Hancock, Trinity Antiques, Perth, WA
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Two convict love tokens made from Charles II silver coins, late 17th century, with later engraving, a 1696 coin with crisp details, engraved 'John Lee Born 5 Aug 1765' to the reverse, and 'James Lee Born 24 Dec 1733' as a motto, and 'John Lee Cook Born Dec 31 - 1815 - G. Grandson of ' to the obverse, and; a smoothed Charles II coin engraved 'A Gowan' amidst floral sprigs to the reverse, 39 mm diameter, Provenance, Trevor Hancock, Trinity Antiques, Perth, WA
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A pair of scrimshaw whale teeth, late 19th century, both decorated with tall ships, 13 cm high
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Joy Garlbin (Born 1968), Djomi 2018, natural earth pigments on carved wood, cat no. 17815, a certificate of authenticity from Cooee Art Gallery accompanies this lot, 116.5 cm high, 4 cm wide, 4 cm deep, © Joy Garlbin/Copyright Agency, 2022, Provenance, Maningrida Arts & Culture, NT, Cooee Art Gallery, Sydney
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Two early carved wood bowls, Vanuatu, one with an original sennit binding repair, the largest 78 cm long
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A set of box framed bird of paradise plumes, Papua New Guinea, comprising four long feather plumes in a velvet lined frame, together with a book, 'Drawn from Paradise - the Discovery, Art & Natural History of the Birds of Paradise' by David Attenborough and Errol Fuller, the frame 95 x 83 cm, Provenance, Imported by the milliner Polly Perkins, Cremorne circa 1950's
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A vintage wooden boat bow section, inscribed 'Cooks's Last Stand', the varnished stern section of a wooden boat with a separate rudder in a distressed painted finish, and two wood oars, painted lettering to the rear of the boat, 'Cook's Last Stand/Kealakekua Bay/Hawaii, 70 cm high, 130 cm wide, 75 cm deep
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An aboriginal woven pandanus mat, reputedly woven by a wife of David Malangi, 135 x 125 cm, woven area, 2 metres diameter (approx) with fringing, Provenance, Gift of the weaver, Ramingining 1979
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An antique whalebone walking stick with a serpent head handle, 19th century, the cane comprising a series of gently swollen sections replicating cane, the serpent head with carved features and a single tooth, 74 cm long
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An antique whalebone walking stick with Turk's knot, 19th century, carved from a single length of bone, with an attached handle and knot finial, with cross hatching, and spiral twist carving, 90.5 cm long
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An antique whalebone walking stick, 19th century, carved from a single length with an attached handle, featuring flutes, cross hatching and spiral twists, 84.5 cm long
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An antique whalebone pointing stick, 19th century, the curved flexible length with a petite turned knop finial, 83 cm long
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A Victorian cedar chest of drawers 19th century, with an extended surface above four short and three long drawers with mother-of-pearl buttons to the handles and flanked by turned cotton reel pillars, 135 cm high, 125 cm wide, 50 cm deep
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A Victorian cedar bookcase, late 19th century, with a protruding pediment above a pair of glazed doors with bead trim, opening to four shelves and raised on a extended base with conforming cupboards above a plinth base, 230 cm high, 94 cm wide, 32.5 cm deep
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A large polished ammonite fossil, 24 cm wide
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A large ammonite fossil, 28 cm across
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A vintage lacquered fly fishing rod together with a collection of vintage fishing accessories, including Hendryx, comprising a miniature creel and an assortment of mahogany and brass fishing reels, the cork handled reel 298.5 cm long when assembled
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An Australian cedar chest of drawers, 19th century, the top set with three square drawers above three full drawers, with knob handles, 126 cm high, 115 cm wide, 50.5 cm deep
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A vintage child's rocking horse, a dappled grey steed with hair mane and tail, with bridle, saddle and stirrups on a rocker mechanism, 107 cm high, 130 cm wide, 45 cm deep
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An Australian cedar Biedermeier style chest, 19th century, in warm light tones with an extended surface above an ogee profile frieze drawer and three drawers flanked by turned pillars, raised on a shaped base with bracket feet, 93.5 cm high, 85 cm wide, 49 cm deep, Provenance, Hahndorf, South Australia
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Three Kudu tail cushion covers, 43 x 43 cm
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A Russian copper dive helmet and associated knife, second half 20th century, the copper bell with brass fittings and glazed panels, and an associated dive knife, the helmet with a brass plaque to the breastplate in Russian, 51 cm high, 45 cm wide, 36 cm deep
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A fine New Zealand made table in mixed timbers by D.H Dachenhausen, Cabinetmaker and Upholsterer, Ponsonby Auckland, early 20th century, the circular occasional table with a parquetry arrangement of specimen timbers, including mottled kauri, raised on three cabriole legs united by an undertier, maker's label verso, 77.5 cm high, 56.5 cm diameter
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A signed print of Donald Bradman, a sepia toned reproduction print of Bradman and fellow batsman, inscribed signature in blue pen to mid section of image, 49.5 x 38 cm
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A signed collectors full size cricket bat, circa 1930's, signed to the back by members by the Australian team (13 signatures) including Bradman, Darling, Grimmett, Ebeling, Woodfull, McCabe, O'Reilly and Ponsford, the bat 87 cm
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