Submitted by aarAdmin on Wed, 07/01/2026 - 16:25
A magnificent circa 1918 five-piece sterling silver and ivory tea service (lot 81) belonging to the Teltscher family and smuggled from Austria at the outbreak of World War II has achieved the top result of $55,000 at Melbourne-based Leski Auctions two-day Decorative Arts & Collectables sale on June 27-28.
Crafted by famous Austrian architect and designer and co-founder of Wiener Werkstatte Josef Hoffman (1870-1956), the tea set was taken to England by Henry Teltscher (1921-2003) and then on to Australia when more than 2500 Austrian and German Jewish men in July 1940 were transported as enemy aliens aboard the hired military transport ship Dunera.
Once here, they were interned in camps at Tatura, Victoria and Hay, New South Wales. However, they were released in early 1942 and those who remained in the country went on to make significant contributions to Australia’s emerging multicultural society including Teltscher who became Professor of Applied Biology at RMIT University in Melbourne and was involved in pioneering work for penicillin.
Among the world class collection of Moorcroft at the auction was a 1914 stunning three-piece tea service (lot 524) that sold for $26,000.
Entitled ‘Claremont’ with art nouveau sterling silver overlay, it was made for San Francisco’s Shreve & Co.
Occupying third place among the top 10 results was a circa 1900 sterling silver cutlery set housed in an oak canteen (lot 69) made for Melbourne’s Benjamin Jewellers that went under the hammer for $16,000.
An early 2000s Jaeger Lecoultre “Classique Phases De Lune” Atmos clock (lot 452) in rose gold plated case with month and moon phases more than doubled its top catalogue estimate at $11,000, while an Omega “Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch” (lot 422) brought a credible $8000, well within its estimate.
A Burmese dinner gong crafted from ivory tusks (lot 170) changed hands for the same price as the watch.
The gong was part of a collection assembled from local Burmese arts and crafts by US ambassador Garland Chamberlain Routt (1911-1986) and his wife Elizabeth during their time in Burma during the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Prominent as an American political scientist and diplomat, Routt is best remembered for his foundation research and legislative procedure and long tenure with the US government.
A circa 1955 Murano glass platter (lot 830) by Fulvio Bianconi (1915-1996) was another strong performer bringing $6500, more than double its high catalogue estimate, while a 2012 Montblanc Albert Einstein limited edition rollerball pen (lot 405) containing many of his most famous formulas was a pleasing $6000 result.
A George III London longcase clock (lot 434) by maker John Stephens, active in the last quarter of the 18th century, was another good performer, also selling for $6000.
