Phillip Caldwell has once again grabbed buyer attention with his tradition for holding auctions in Melbourne’s grand old residences.

The forthcoming on site sale of the contents of “Cumnock” at 160 The Avenue, Parkville, from 11am Sunday January 28, is his latest effort and offers a range of quality collectable items.

Leonard Joel opens its 2018 auction season on Thursday January 18 with four weekly sales covering furniture, jewellery, art salon and collectables.

The first of these – furniture – begins at 10.00am with the remainder starting respectively at 10.30am, 11.30am and noon.

Until last year, Bendigo’s Amanda’s Obsessions C.1994 was a popular haunt for the passionate collector looking for that unusual antique or collectable.

Porcelain collectors and those looking for rare Victorian or art nouveau jewellery were among those who found themselves drawn irresistibly to it doors.

Then after more than 20 years in the antiques trade, owner Amanda Tonkin decided to call it a day and has reluctantly closed the business.

It could be the ideal Christmas gift for a special loved one – superb opal jewellery from the Melbourne Opal Mine that is part of E.J. Ainger’s forthcoming weekly sale from 9.30 Tuesday December 19 at 433 Bridge Road, Richmond.

An even more unusual gift idea is the collection of Aboriginal didgeridoos and Papua New Guinea Sepik River items.

Architectural pieces and industrial furnishings, including glazed French doors, are other attractions in the weekly auction, which also comprises the usual array of French, English and Australian furniture.

A fragment of Australia’s infamous Eureka flag will be auctioned as part of Mossgreen’s Australian History sale from 10am Monday December 11 at 926-930 High Street, Armadale.

The flag flew at Eureka Stockade, also known as the Eureka Rebellion, which took place on December 3, 1854 at the Eureka Diggings in Ballarat, Victoria when disgruntled goldminers fed up at being ill-treated by authorities and forced to pay high mining licence fees decided to rebel.

In addition to the classic motorcars offered for sale at Mossgreen’s Collectors Cars auction from 2.30pm Sunday December 10 at 935 High Street, Armadale is a unique memorabilia collection involving three generations of the one motor racing family.

Passionate about car rallies, the late Bill Ferguson frequently participated in events in his 1924 Essex – and a life-long love affair with motor racing began when he first went to the now defunct Strathpine race circuit in Brisbane.

A sideboard on display in the Mornington Hotel is one of the highlights of Christian McCann Auctions last sale for the year from noon Sunday December 10 at 426 Burnley Street, Richmond.

It is part of an auction offering of 19^th century English and French furniture that includes ormolu mounted boulle and marquetry inlaid occasional pieces along with vitrines and commodes.

Leonard Joel’s International Design & Applied Arts auction – from 6pm Wednesday December 6 at 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra – is a great opportunity to pick up that Christmas gift with a difference.

Right from lot 1, a Pablo Picasso ‘Colombo Brillante’ earthenware platter for Madoura 1953 from the late James Fairfax estate, there is plenty from which to choose.

Two historic pieces of Ashes memorabilia will head Leonard Joel’s inaugural sporting memorabilia auction from 10am Thursday December 7 at 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra.

One is an engraved silver tray, presented to the Melbourne Cricket Club president Sir William Clarke and Lady Clarke following England’s defeat of Australia in the first Ashes Test series in 1882-83, and has a catalogue estimate of $80,000-$100,000.

The other is the Ashes urn presented in 1909 to Australian Test captain Monty Noble by Lady Darnley following Australia’s victory over England.

High society jeweller Raymond Schlager is an icon among Melbourne’s wealthy families and has an international client base that many of his profession could not help but envy – including sheiks, top tennis players and music stars such as Jon Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen and Elton John, who was a client for 16 years in the 1980s and 1990s.

The son of a poor Toorak shoemaker, at age 14 Mr Schlager left school to train with Bourke Street jewellery and art restorer Phillip Hawe.