Fine Arts Auctions

From 5pm on Sunday November 17, Australian auctioneer Phil Caldwell will team up with Melbourne-based Christian McCann Auctions to sell Terry and Tena Wheeler ‘s collection of Japanese Meiji Period (1868-1912) masterpieces and rare porcelain at 7 Harper Street, Abbotsford.

The Wheeler collection almost never happened. English born, the family migrated in 1967 to the Western Australian mining town of Kambalda near Kalgoorlie to work for Western Mining Corporation.

When Hong Kong born Feng Xiao Wei took a position in 1969 with Radio Australia in Melbourne, little did she realise what an impact this would have on her future as a collector and seller of traditional Chinese furniture, art and antiquities.

Barely 22 years old and also known by her Anglicised name Teresa Chung, the young broadcaster was one of two (and the only woman) selected from 2000 applicants.

Perth-based wealthy analytical chemist Terry Wheeler and wife Tena have amassed a multi-million-dollar Royal Worcester collection unrivalled by any other in the world.

Last November, auctioneer Phil Caldwell sold 90 pieces from their collection in a highly publicised auction that saw a prized George Owen vase made for the 1893 Chicago Exhibition and valued at more than $200,000 among the valued treasures to change hands.

Through their eclectic personalities, Evan Mackley (1940-2019) and his son Simon made significant impacts as artists, restauranteurs, collectors of antiques and overall entrepreneurs.

From High Street, Armadale to Ringwood in Melbourne and throughout country Victoria, they were well-known and appreciated for their passion in these pursuits – with Evan’s wife Barbara a driving managerial force and connection.

Surely it takes a strong and versatile larrikin streak to farm 40,000 emus, milk the venom of poisonous snakes to aid in the research of anti-venenes and manage the largest horse-riding school in the southern hemisphere – among many other unusual accomplishments – as well as become a close friend to Australia’s First Nations people.

An unusual painting by Charles Blackman (lot 34) of one of his favourite subjects, Alice in Wonderland – entitled Face and Illusion – Alice 1966 – will be front and centre when Melbourne auctioneer Phil Caldwell begins his online two-part auction from 11am Sunday March 19 at 36A Hartnett Drive, Seaford.

“This is unusual because it is one of his early paintings of Alice – dating from 1966,” Phil explained.

The first part of the sale is devoted to important Australian investment art – assembled from long held collections and estates.

If one of their daughters had not been severely allergic to the dust of Western Australian mining town Kambalda near Kalgoorlie, 1960s English migrants analytical chemist Terry Wheeler and his wife Tena might never have embarked on a collecting journey that has resulted in the assembly of a multi-million dollar Royal Worcester collection the rival of anything ever seen in the world.

Art collectors and enthusiasts will have a rare opportunity to obtain paintings not seen on the Australian secondary market for more than 40 years when Melbourne-based Phil Caldwell begins an online auction of major investment and decorator art pieces from 11am Sunday October 16 at his new showrooms at 36A Hartnett Drive, Seaford.

A wealthy 19^th century Scottish industrialist and Britain’s wartime Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill’s butler are forever inexorably linked through a recently sold heritage listed National Trust Mount Macedon home whose contents will be auctioned online from 11am Sunday May 22 by auctioneer Phil Caldwell. 

William McGregor migrated to Australia and built the Gothic-style Victorian home at 49-51 Devonshire Lane in 1874, naming it Ard Rudah (High Promontory) as a reminder of his Highland roots.   

This might be an online warehouse auction but Melbourne auctioneer Phil Caldwell has some unbelievable items up for grabs including a rare matching pair of George Owen vases and a pair of Sevres and enamel exhibition cabinet vases for which most collectors would give their eye teeth.