Submitted by aarAdmin on Wed, 12/11/2024 - 00:00
A landscape painting (lot 1430) by Australian artist John Perceval (1923-2000) purchased by the vendor’s father – a close friend of the artist – was the top selling item at Melbourne-based Leski Auctions Australian & Historical sale on December 7 and 8.
The painting was knocked down for $66,000, slightly more than its upper catalogue estimate, while another work titled Cobaea (lot 1432) by Criss Canning also performed well at $36,000.
A third painting (lot 1433) entitled Fairy Watching a Boy Playing a Flute by Ida Rentoul Outhwaite (1888-1960) sold for $22,000.
Results were particularly pleasing across all categories with many of the lots selling well above their catalogue estimates.
A particular case in point was the circa 1750 bronze cannon from the Dutch East India Company (lot 192), gifted to the vendor by the Fremantle Maritime Museum which, at $46,000, more than doubled its lower estimate.
Another outstanding achievement was the complete set of 12 sterling silver goblets from the 1907-1909 British Antarctic Nimrod Expedition (lot 1113). Estimated at $4000-$6000, they were knocked down for an impressive $34,000.
The Nimrod Expedition was the first of three British Antarctic expeditions led by explorer Ernest Shackleton – the main aim to be the first human beings to reach the South Pole. Although the expedition members did not achieve this, they were only 180 kilometres from their goal and at the same time became the first explorers to climb Mount Erebus, Antarctica’s second highest volcano.
A major auction item was the important pair of circa 1853 bronze portrait plaques of renowned Melbourne identity Dr Godfrey Hewitt and his wife Phoebe (lot 70) by English sculptor and founding member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood Thomas Woolner (1825-1892).
Forced to emigrate in 1851 to Australia, which helped him obtain commissions for likenesses of public figures and British imperial heroes such as Captain James Cook, after 12 months Woolner returned to England.
Renowned Sydney restaurateur the late John Richards was a great collector of fine Tasmanian colonial furniture, amassed during 20 years of visiting the island State. The collection was offered in this auction with most of it selling within or above catalogue estimates.
An impressive circa 1855 half tester double bed crafted from solid Huon pine with cedar rails (lot 17) from the collection sold for its high estimate of $12,000, while a 19th century set of seven Imperial standard measures (lot 9) was knocked down for $14,000.
Early Antarctic photographs by famed photographer Frank Hurley also proved popular with one (lot 1127) entitled “The Start Of The 750 Mile voyage Across The Sub-antarctic Ocean
In Our 22 Ft Boat Ballasted With A Large Supply Of Faith And Hope” bringing $16,500 against its $1000-$2000 estimate.
Another of his photographs (lot 1128) also sold for a solid $12,000 on the same estimate.
Objects and documents from the estate of Amy Howard Birt (lot 1266), whose family in the early 1900s owned the massive Keeroongooloo Station in south-west Queensland were another strong result at $14,000.
