Leski Auctions

Apothecary specie jars are rarely seen on the auction market, but the recent retirement of Elsternwick pharmacists Geoff and Sue Szwarcbard has resulted in their remarkable collection being offered through Melbourne-based Leski Auctions as part of its apothecary, advertising, radio and other collectables sale from 11am Wednesday May 13 at 727-729 High Street, Armadale.

An 1873 Queen Victoria half sovereign with a previously unrecorded plate number has experts scratching their heads at its sudden appearance at an Australian auction.

The coin (lot 408), with the plate number 276 inscribed below the shield on the reverse, will be part of Melbourne-based Leski Auctions forthcoming Coins & Banknotes, Postcards, Stamps and Postal History sale from 12pm Tuesday and Wednesday April 28 and 29 at 727-729 High Street, Armadale.

A cricket bat known as the “Hayward Century” that legendary Australian batsman Victor Trumper (1877-1915) used in the 1911-12 English tour of Australia (lot 210) is the main feature of fellow Australian Test player Keith Stackpole’s cricket collection being offered as part of Melbourne-based Leski Auctions forthcoming sporting memorabilia sale from 10am Monday March 30 at 727-729 High Street, Armadale.

How many people these days use a needle and thread to make or repair their own clothes? In this modern, disposable world, it is a lot easier to throw items away and simply replace them with new ones when they wear out or are no longer fashionable.

Which is why the Margaret Frecker Collection of sewing tools is so unusual and is bound to attract massive interest when offered for sale as part of Melbourne-based Leski Auctions Decorative Arts & Collectables sale from 10am Saturday and Sunday March 14 and 15 at 727-729 High Street, Armadale.

Imagine winning the gold medal for your glass vase design at the 1962 Venice Biennale – only to have it taken away because you were not born in Italy.

This is what happened to American glass designer and sculptor Thomas Stearns (1936-2006), the first of his countrymen to design at Murano for Paolo Venini on a Fulbright Travel Grant at age 23 from 1959-61.

Five original vellum documents dating from October 1821 to April 1839, lot 1 at Melbourne-based Leski Auctions forthcoming Australian & Historical two-day sale, provide a fascinating insight into early 19^th century life into the British penal colony in Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania).

Anyone wishing to start a stamp or coin collection could do worse than visit Melbourne-based Leski Auctions forthcoming Coins & Banknotes, Postcards, Stamps and Postal History sale from 12pm Wednesday November 12 and Thursday November 13 At 727-729 high Street, Armadale.

At only a few hundred dollars in the catalogue estimates, many of the 1152 lots on offer are extremely affordable.

However, there are a few standouts for the serious collectors.

A rare English “Flambe Carp” pottery urn (lot 633) is among an important fine and rare Moorcroft collection to be auctioned by Melbourne-based Leski Auctions as part of its two-day decorative arts and collectables sale from 10am Saturday October 11 and Sunday October 12 at 727-729 High Street, Armadale.

Illustrated with six carp among waterweed, the urn has a catalogue estimate of $25,000-$35,000.

The 1981 Brownlow Medal (lot 264) belonging to foundation captain of the Australian Football League’s team the Sydney Swans, the late Barry Round (1950-2022), will be auctioned on Thursday September 18 through Melbourne-based Leski Auctions as part of its sporting memorabilia auction from 10am at 727-729 High Street, Armadale.

The auction also features inaugural AFL chairman and CEO and former St Kilda player Ross Oakley’s football collection.