News and Opinion

Spirited bidding bumped up the modest $400-$600 catalogue estimate of a Chinese carved ivory and engraved gourd cricket cage (lot 880) to a massive $10,000 sale price at Melbourne-based Leski Auctions November 16 and 17 decorative arts and collectables auction.

A strong result also was reached for an impressive 20th century Continental 925 sterling silver punchbowl (lot 78) which sold for $8000. Other silver items to fare well included a 20th century German 925 sterling silver tea service (lot 79) that brought $3800m and a circa 1749 Rococo English sterling silver basket (lot 1) by famed silversmith Elizabeth Godfrey (active c1720-1766) which reached $3400.

There are 1340 lots on offer over the two days containing items bound to interest all auction goers – with categories including silver, jewellery, watches, clocks, porcelain and ceramics, glass, lamps and lighting, furniture, paintings, Chinese and Asian art, tribal artefacts, books, posters, photographs, music, radios and gramophones, military and aviation memorabilia, medals and medallions, and models and toys.

One of the more intriguing paintings is a portrait of a boy by an unknown artist from the Newlyn School (lot 680), featured on the auction catalogue front cover.

Situated in the county of Penzance, Cornwall, between the late 19th and early 20th centuries the school was home to a new colony of artists who sought to paint outdoors in the ‘plein air’ style using natures natural light and everyday subjects.

Dublin-born artist Stanhope Forbes (1857-1947) moved to Newlyn in 1884 and was often referred to as ‘the father of the school’.

Famous Austrian biologist, filmmaker and diving technology pioneer Hans Haas (1919-2013) – and his Viennese firm Akustiche und Kinogerate – was front and centre at Melbourne-based Leski Auctions cameras and photographic equipment two-day auction October 29 and 30 when his c1954 underwater housing for Leica was sold with a c19555 red-dial Leica 1f camera (lot 863) for $5500.

Melbourne-based Philips Auctions fine and decorative arts auction  ending from 9.30am Monday October 28, could be the ideal solution for those looking for an extra special item. The auction offers a broad range of items which would make splendid Christmas gifts such as the George VI sterling silver bachelor tea and coffee set (lot 156) and a Rene Lalique ‘Rampillon’ opalescent glass vase (lot 207), or the Meissen silver clad hot chocolate pot (lot 227), Meissen porcelain coffee port (lot 226) or Dresden porcelain Helena Wolfsohn chocolate cup and saucer (lot 222).

The scene depicted was largely destroyed in the Great Port Adelaide Fire of November 1857 in a blaze covering several acres that wiped out half the area and almost its entire commercial district including three hotels, 12 shops, one bank, 16 cottages, two stables and several outbuildings. Frank was the son of William Hankey (1807-1872), a scion of the Hankey mercantile and banking dynasty in London, and arrived in Adelaide on board the Madras on January 11, 1855 with Samuel Francis White, a principal of their families joint London mercantile firm Dauglish, White & Hankey – which possessed interests in Australian mining and communications and large commercial interests in the colony. By the mid-1860s, Frank had settled in Sydney where he served several lengthy jail terms for forgery, despite inheriting princely sums from his father’s estate – engendered largely by his love of expensive living.

The photographs belonged to well-known Adelaide freelance photographer Victor Clarence Grimmett (1923-2017) who was one of the lucky few to gain access to the Beatles during their two-day early June visit – including the airport landing, motorcade, press conferences and concerts – at the start of their incredible, history-making careers.  Five of the photographs were purchased by The Australian Women’s Weekly, the rest tossed into a cupboard and rediscovered in 1995 when Victor signed, mounted and framed them.

A stalwart of Australian antiques and art history, Dr Jane Lennon, is auctioning 533  items from her personal collection of Australian silver and gold, rare photographs, furniture, pottery, jewellery and paintings at Melbourne-based Leski Auctions forthcoming sale on Sunday, October 20 at 727-729 High Street, Armadale. With a PhD in art history from the University of Sydney and long experience in the fine arts field including as co-editor of The Australian Collector and its successor The World of Antiques and Art, in 2003 Dr Lennon purchased a rambling 1840s sandstone building in Elizbeth Street, Hobart, Tasmania.

The Pratten collection was one of three in the auction – the others being Sydney dealer Alan Landis and Tasmanian collector Chris Burghey.  A long-time National Trust member and Australian Conservation Foundation board member, as a boy Chris gained his love of nature through visits to the family property Amaroo at Borenore, west of Orange in New South Wales.

Melbourne interior decorator and landscaper the late Daryl Mills, who died late last year, was a popular figure among collectors.

Those who visited his business Demille Decorative Arts in High Street, Kew became used to seeing him in trademark white overalls tending to his largely art deco and 1950s and 1960s collection of fittings and furniture, and he was a great supporter of Melbourne’s auction houses.

Daryl’s artistic life began at 18 with landscaping that also incorporated an art gallery in Gardenvale.

A stint in England in the 1960s thrust him into the world of photography, furniture and fashion and, on his return to Melbourne, he worked with famous designer Helmut Newton. The first in the city to sell men’s vintage clothing – a business which also incorporated art deco, decorative arts, luggage and accessories – Daryl later worked in TV and film art direction and design garden planning and maintenance.  Now the second part of his considerable collection – the first was sold in August, comprising 143 lots, is being sold by Philips Auctions at 47 Glenferrie Road, Malvern in an online auction that closes from 9.30am Monday September 16.

All items are unreserved and more than affordable for first-time buyers.

Melbourne-based Leski Auctions August 11 Eye for Beauty sale certainly lived up to its name when a gorgeous 19th/20th century Russian silver photo album (pictured opposite)with a hand painted front panel (lot 39) was knocked down for $16,000 – 16 times its upper catalogue estimate. This was part II of a single owner private collection of decorative arts that featured a comprehensive range of items including silver, Chinese and Asian art, jewellery and watches, religious icons and artefacts, porcelain and ceramics, glassware, furniture, paintings and other collectables.

Titled An Eye For Beauty, this Part II auction of a single owner collection of decorative arts and general collectables from 10am Sunday August 11 by Melbourne-based Leski Auctions at 727-729 High Street, Armadale is an excellent opportunity for buyers to pick up affordable pieces in a comprehensive range of categories. There are several interesting items including an antique 19th/20th century Russian silver photo album with a hand painted panel (lot 39), a circa 1889 English Aesthetic Movement three-piece sterling silver tea service stamped “Hunt & Roskell late Storr Mortimer & Hunt” made in London (lot 35) and a circa 1896 English sterling silver cigarette case decorated with an enamel reclining lady and angel by Colen Hewer Cheshire of Birmingham (lot 20).

Two inescapable conclusions are apparent from the results of Melbourne-based Leski Auctions latest two-day decorative arts and collectables sale on June 22 and 23. One – the personal collections of well-known collectors are popular with buyers, with almost all items selling within or above catalogue estimate range. Two – it can be difficult at times to set realistic estimates for items imported from other countries.  It is of little surprise that the possessions of well-known collectors will be snapped up by others keen to build on their own collections.

Melbourne auction houses loved Har Siu and she was regarded fondly as one of their favourite customers.  As Philips Auctions director Tony Philips commented, “she collected pretty decorative items over many years – the crowning glory being a fine gilt bronze neoclassical mantel clock ‘a Cercles Tournant’ that she bought from Sothebys for $50,000.” Har Siu died five years ago and her collection is now being auctioned through Philips Auctions from 3pm Sunday June 23 at 47 Glenferrie Road, Malvern.  

It is hardly surprising that the late David Vinall became a passionate collector given that his father Laurie amassed a nationally significant array of veteran cars on their historic South Australian 32-hectare property Albion Farm.

The vehicle collection included an 1898 Mercedes Benz – the first car ever registered in Victoria. This belt and tiller driven invention ended its passenger-ferrying life in Glenorchy driving farm machinery before being fully restored and is now a proud part of South Australia’s Birdwood National Museum. 

David, who died last year, built an enormous collection of vintage clocks and watches – to be auctioned from 10am on Saturday June 22 and Sunday June 23 by Melbourne-based Leski Auctions at 727-729 High Street, Armadale as part of its forthcoming decorative arts & collectables sale. It is hardly surprising that the late David Vinall became a passionate collector given that his father Laurie amassed a nationally significant array of veteran cars on their historic South Australian 32-hectare property Albion Farm.The vehicle collection included an 1898 Mercedes Benz – the first car ever registered in Victoria. This belt and tiller driven invention ended its passenger-ferrying life in Glenorchy driving farm machinery before being fully restored and is now a proud part of South Australia’s Birdwood National Museum. David, who died last year, built an enormous collection of vintage clocks and watches – to be auctioned from 10am on Saturday June 22 and Sunday June 23 by Melbourne-based Leski Auctions at 727-729 High Street, Armadale as part of its forthcoming decorative arts & collectables sale.

Highest price in the Leski Auctions Australian & Historical sale on May 25 was for a large brass medallion (lot 722) with Monash’s profile and text in relief and listing the World War I military campaigns from 1914-1919. The medallion, which brought a staggering $52,000 against its $5000-$8000 catalogue estimate, was designed by Australian sculptor and medallist Dora Ohlfsen (1869-1948), who also created the 1916 Anzac medal as well as those for a range of prominent public figures and politicians, and struck in London.

General Sir John Monash (1865-1931) is undoubtedly one of Australia’s most iconic figures – his name perpetuated in institutions such as Melbourne’s Monash University and a major city freeway also bearing his moniker. Regarded by some as “the only general of creative originality produced by the First World War”, Monash headed Australia’s 4th Infantry Brigade at Gallipoli and in May 1918 became the Australian Corps commander, at the time the largest military contingent on the Western Front.Born in Melbourne, Monash was a particularly gifted student, matriculating at age 14 from Scotch College and graduating in 1893 with a Master of Engineering at the University of Melbourne.

With more than 400 lots on offer and currently on view in the company’s rooms at 47 Glenferrie Road, Malvern, director Tony Philips says he already has more than 250 international bidders and more than 200 from Australia. “Interest in the sale has been massive,” he said. “The collection is a great insight into Japanese culture unlike anything I have ever seen.” Many of the pieces pay tribute to the samurai era of Japanese history, particularly the Edo period (1603-1868) – such as the kozukas or knife handles listed in lots 126, 124, 152, 151, 150, 108 and 104 (see composite photo).

Personal collections built up over many years often attract a strong following when auctioned and so it proved for ageing Australian couple Michael and Valerie Gregg’s lifetime assembly of silver, Australian furniture, ceramics, jewellery and pottery unrivalled anywhere in the world sold on March 24 by Melbourne-based Leski Auctions. The entire collection of 797 lots was sold with many of the items attracting bids well above their catalogue estimates.

When hearts and minds from across the globe unite as one, the results can have a lasting impact on all those around them.
So it was for Michael and Valerie Gregg – he from Guernsey in the Channel Islands and she from the New South Wales town of Wagga Wagga.
Both shared a passion for collecting and, over 65 years, built an eclectic collection of silver, Australian furniture, ceramics, jewellery and pottery unrivalled anywhere in the world.
Despite their totally different backgrounds – Valerie, born in 1934, became a nurse at Wagga Base Hospital before working and travelling extensively throughout Europe and North America – their paths crossed in the small northern New South Wales town of Brewarrina, population 1000, when Michael, who was two years younger, took a job as a jackaroo on a remote but nearby cattle station.

A vintage Patek Philippe 18-carat gold gent’s manual wristwatch with the clasp stamped “Patek Philippe, Geneve, 750” (lot 360) was the best of the watches, the buyer paying $13,000 against a catalogue estimate of $6000-$8000.