The auction has been divided into several sections including silver, porcelain and ceramics, glass, antiquities, furniture, clocks and timepieces, Chinese and Asian art, artworks, jewellery, tribal artefacts, taxidermy and tobacciana. A Sydney collector has consigned his antiquities collection, while the silver selection is from South Australia.
Of particular note within this latter collection is an Austro-Hungarian silver snuff box (Lot 20 ) with a purple guilloche enamel and floral border, and a Russian Mary and Jesus icon (Lot 23 ) .
Among the antiquities collection are 5000-year-old Sumer bronze axe heads from Southern Mesopotamia (Lot 400 ), while typical of the Chinese and other Asian artefacts are a famille rose porcelain vase (Lot 408 ) and a 19th/20th century Sino-Tibetan gilt bronze Mahakala and Yab-yum sculpture (Lot 430 ).
Porcelain and ceramics include such treasures as a 19th century Sevres pair of French porcelain panels in gilt frames (Lot 118 ), a 2003 Moorcroft exhibition pottery fruit bowl (Lot 137 ) and Andy Warhol’s Rosenthal studio-linie “Campbell’s Soup” porcelain plaque (Lot 171 ) – one of two of his plaques (with lot 172) in the auction.
Another strong attraction is the late 19th century Legras French art nouveau glass vase (Lot 199 ), along with an Orrefors “Ariel” glass vase designed by Edvin Ohrstrom (Lot 219 ) and the Barbini for Cenedese Murano aquarium glass vase with four fish (Lot 225 ).
A mid-18th century oak and fruitwood Welsh dresser base [lot 578] is a furniture highlight, while the circa 1835 north Italian inlaid centre table [lot 585] is bound to set tongues wagging.
Likewise, the 19th century French Gueridon black marble, slate and white onyx circular games table with figural gilt bronze legs [lot 633] should generate plenty of interest and a circa 1895 French art nouveau boutique shop counter display cabinet [lot 688] has to be seen to be believed.
Two pieces by the legendary Carlo Bugatti [lots 708 and 709] – one an 1880-1895 ebonized wood lectern and the other walnut cabinet with letter racks from the same period – will be instant hits with auction goers.
The auction also contains a comprehensive range of jewellery including a South Seas tear drop pearl pendant in 18-carat gold with eight diamonds on a foxtail chain [lot 834].
Other auction highlights include a 19th century English corkscrew with applied coat of arms, whalebone, bristle, brass and steel [lot 1062].