Mossgreen has launched a brand new auction format to handle, promote and sell top-end art works by Australian and international artists.

Held twice a year, they will present auction goers with a finely curated selection of rare and collectable paintings and sculptures.

The first of these ‘Important Art’ sales will be from 6.30pm Monday November 20 at 926-930 High Street, Armadale.

In the catalogue introduction, Mossgreen art specialist Petrit Abazi emphasises the works selected must meet three main criteria.

Well-known international and Australian figures of the 1980s and 1990s are the focus of a collection of original caricatures by cartoonist and caricaturist Alberto Ricardo to be auctioned from 2pm Thursday November 16 through Leonard Joel at 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra.

Ricardo has contributed to Brisbane’s Courier Mail and Melbourne’s The Age and Herald Sun.

Royal Crown Derby jewelled plates, carnival glass, antique glass domes and mint condition dinner services are among the highlights of E.J. Ainger’s forthcoming auction from 9.30am Tuesday November 14 at 433 Bridge Road, Richmond.

A special attraction is Royal Worcester plates signed by R. Austin.

The auction also contains mid-20^th century teak furniture including lounge chairs and sideboards, two fine 18^th century long case clocks and lounge suites in showroom condition.  

Collectors will have a rare chance to obtain a piece of Australian art history when 22 of iconic modern artist Sidney Nolan’s Ned Kelly paintings – the most ever to come to market – are auctioned from 5pm Sunday November 19 by Bonhams at NCJWA Hall, 111 Queen Street, Woollahra in Sydney.

The paintings are part of the 118-strong collection assigned from the estate of Nolan’s widow, Lady Mary Nolan, who died last year in the United Kingdom.

An Australian 1930 penny acquired in loose change by the brother and sister vendors when they were young collectors is a major highlight of Mossgreen’s forthcoming Coins, Medals & Banknotes auction from 6pm Wednesday November 15 at 926-930 High Street, Armadale.

Since the 1950s, the penny has been residing in their Hawthorn Press coin album and has never before been on the market.

Extremely rare, 1930 pennies were never meant to be minted and there are several theories on how they came into circulation.

Historic Falls House at Wentworth Falls in New South Wales Blue Mountains began life in 1850 when Joseph Poll established the venue as a hotel.

Eighty years later, the building was almost destroyed by fire before being completely rebuilt and during the 1990s iconic Australian artist John Olsen and his girlfriend lived there where they set aside a room for his studio.

With spring racing fever once again gripping Melbourne as the city prepares for the running of the 2017 Melbourne Cup, Leonard Joel has taken the opportunity to entice auction goers to obtain their own piece of racing history.

The auction, from 2pm Thursday November 2 at 333 Malvern Road South Yarra, features a range of racing memorabilia from a metal bust, pin and tribute trophy of iconic Australian racehorse Phar Lap to original photographs of Flemington racecourse taken about 1884.

On the base of the bust are the words “Phar Lap, 37 wins from 51 starts, 1928-32”.

Watch lovers will be in their element when the Robert Herbert collection of Seiko wristwatches and associated items goes under the hammers from 6pm Wednesday November 1 at Leonard Joel 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra.

All 228 lots carry very affordable catalogue estimates of a few hundred dollars and there are plenty of bargains to be obtained.

Highlights include a 2006-2016 divers automatic wristwatch and a 1973 chronograph automatic both with day, date and stainless steel cases.

Carnival glass, Minton and Wedgewood dinner services and Lladro and Royal Doulton figures are among the attractions at E.J. Ainger’s forthcoming auction from 9.30am Tuesday October 31 at 433 Bridge Road, Richmond.

The auction also contains a wide selection of kerosene lamps, estate jewellery, sterling silver and Goebel and carved ivory figurines.

Among the furniture on offer is a pair of Moran Chesterfield settees, an impressive cedar desk, a Tasmanian Huon pine wardrobe, a decorative oriental six-fold screen and large gilt and wooden mirrors.

Leonard Joel continues to develop its Modern Design category and the latest auction – from 6.30pm Thursday November 2 at 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra – further examines the relationship between architecture and furniture design.

Writing in the auction catalogue, modern design specialist Anna Grassham claims there is no better example of this symbiotic design collaboration than with Italian luxury furniture manufacturer Cassina.