Horse racing devotees and auction goers will have the opportunity to obtain a slice of Australian thoroughbred racing history when the contents of historic Wood Nook Farm, near the Victorian town of Nagambie, go under the hammer from 2pm Tuesday July 25 at Mossgreen 926-930 High Street, Armadale.

A thoroughbred nursery for more than six decades, Wood Nook was extensively developed by former Moonee Valley Race Club chairman Bob Scarborough and his wife Rosemary.

A Boulle credenza and table from Sir Edward “Weary” Dunlop’s estate – among superb examples of 19th century French and English Regency furniture – should set auction goers into raptures when auctioneer Christian McCann climbs the podium to begin his latest sale from noon Sunday July 23 at 426 Burnley Street, Richmond Victoria.

During World War II, the medically trained Sir Edward enlisted in the Australian Army Medical Corps and, in 1942 when Java fell to the Japanese, was a Lieutenant Colonel in command of No. 1 Allied General Hospital at Bandung.

A grand piano purchased in 1973 in Switzerland by Judith Durham, lead singer of the famous Australian group The Seekers, will be part of Leonard Joel’s weekly Interiors & Jewellery auction from 10am Thursday July 13 at 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra.

The piano – an ebonised C. Bechstein circa 1898-1902 – was shipped to Australia and has remained in her personal posession until now.

Leonard Joel’s latest weekly auction of furniture, jewellery, art and objects and collectables begins at 10am Thursday July 6 at 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra.

Among the furniture is a pair of decorative French serpentine fronted marble top commodes, an 18^th century French Henry II style oak table and a French continental style parquetry top extension dining table.

A pair of Schonbeck crystal chandeliers is among the more interesting highlights to attract auction goers to E.J. Aingers forthcoming weekly sale from 9.30am Tuesday July 4 at 433 Bridge Road, Richmond.

The auction, which comprises fine furnishings and collectables from several Melbourne estates, features an impressive collection of sterling silver – including silver flatware, bowls, dishes condiments and trophies.

Costumes designed for and worn in Opera Australia’s production of “Opera in a Box” – Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Gondoliers are among those used in a comprehensive range of operas up for the organisation’s Costume & Memorabilia auction over two days from 6pm Friday June 30 and continuing from 10am Saturday July 1 through Leonard Joel at the Opera Centre, 480 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills in Sydney.

A treasure trove of antiques, collectables and art will be up for grabs when the former owner of Portland’s Glenelg Auctions, Brian O’Halloran, auctions his private collection – amassed over 50 years – from 11am Sunday July 2 in his private residence at 390 Glenferrie Road, Malvern.

Now operating under the banner Victorian Auctions and Valuations, O'Halloran has spread items for auction throughout the large two-storey historic mansion, which features many unusual collectables.

The rare and important J.W. Lindt (1845-1926) Album of Australian Aboriginals 1873 should bring collectors running to Mossgreen’s auction of the Denis Joachim Collection Part II – an important assembly of indigenous and colonial Australian history, European decorative arts and Chinese and Oceanic and tribal arts – from 2pm Wednesday June 28 at 935 High Street, Armadale.

The album, in new green paper covered boards, contains 19 enlarged gelatin silver or carbon prints from about 1893 to 1920.

Russell Drysdale’s masterpiece Grandma’s Sunday Walk is the major drawcard at Mossgreen’s forthcoming auction of the Alan & Margaret Hickinbotham Collection in Adelaide.

According to the catalogue preview, the painting exhibits the essential characteristics of a classic Drysdale – a set of recognisable outback characters in a landscape pared back to a few generic forms that might be found anywhere on the Australian continent. 

Two Egyptian figures once belonging to disgraced Australian businessman the late Christopher Skase are among a more than 40-year-old comprehensive and exquisite private collection of Egyptian, Roman, Greek and Chinese antiquities to be auctioned on site from noon Sunday June 25 at 7 Ottowa Road, Toorak through Christian McCann Auctions.

One is a wood bearded male mask/bust complete with long black painted beard and striped turquoise wig from a New Kingdom Late Period (664-332 BC) Egyptian mummy case.