Auction Report: Leski Auctions, Decorative Arts & Collectables, 26 & 27 August 2023

By Richard Brewster, on 29-Aug-2023

Most of the 1428 lots in what can only be described as a hugely diverse auction sold with military items also proving popular – such as a pair of circa 1830s antique flintlock pistols of Ottoman Balkans origin that went under the hammer for $12,000.

<p>Potential buyers competed keenly when an important and rare Chinese early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 A.D.) huanghuali scholar&rsquo;s table (lot 887) was offered for sale at Melbourne-based Leski Auctions two-day decorative arts and collectables sale on Saturday August 26 and Sunday August 27. &nbsp;The table was knocked down for $36,000 and is reflective of a period in Chinese history when the northeast Asian Manchus conquered the existing residents and its territory expanded to a point where the population grew from 150 million to 450 million and an integrated economy established.</p>

Potential buyers competed keenly when an important and rare Chinese early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 A.D.) huanghuali scholar’s table (Lot 887 ) was offered for sale at Melbourne-based Leski Auctions two-day decorative arts and collectables sale on Saturday August 26 and Sunday August 27.  The table was knocked down for $36,000 and is reflective of a period in Chinese history when the northeast Asian Manchus conquered the existing residents and its territory expanded to a point where the population grew from 150 million to 450 million and an integrated economy established.

A circa 1907-1918 Saxon Guard cavalry regiment parade helmet (Lot 778 ) adorned with a lion and lobster tail back sold for $10,000, while an 18-carat solid two-tone gold cigarette case (Lot 1190 ) brought $11,000.

A Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.) pottery male statue (Lot 575 ) accompanied an Oxford Authenticity thermoluminescence certificate sold for $9500, the same price as that reached for a 19th century paisley shawl (Lot 511 ).

Georgian sterling silver cutlery brought good results with lot 115 featuring (circa 1808) 65 armorial crests forks and spoons by London firm William Eley, William Fearn and William Chawner selling for $8500.

The flag standard of Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach - Queen of Prussia (German Empress) wife of German Emperor Wilhelm I (Lot 785 ) was a $5000 return – the same result as that achieved for a stunning early 20th century art deco platinum oval brooch (Lot 1089 ).

The brooch originally belonged to Louisa (LuLu) Nathan, owners of Melbourne’s Rippon Lea mansion, which is now part of the National Trust.

Other silver items also were popular including an impressive 19th/20th century export silver jewellery casket (Lot 14 ) that brought $4400 – the same as a rare circa 1950 Dunhill “Aquarium” table cigar lighter (Lot 1239 ).

 

Sales Referenced:

About The Author

Richard Brewster has been writing about the antiques and art auction industry for almost 20 years, first in a regular weekly column for Fairfax's The Age newspaper and also in more recent times for his own website Australian Auction Review. With 45 years experience as a journalist and public relations consultant, in 1990 Richard established his own business Brewster & Associates in Melbourne, handling a wide range of clients in the building, financial, antiques and art auction industries.