Mossgreen

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. 

Collectors will have a golden opportunity to obtain a piece of Australian photographic history when Mossgreen’s auction entitled Max Dupain (1911-1992) – Part II: The Final Estate Photographs gets underway from 10.30am Monday June 19 in its Sydney office at 36-40 Queen Street, Woollahra.

Up for grabs are some of the original works (now belonging to son Rex Dupain) from the estate of what experts agree is one of the country’s most important photographers.

A grand Sevres porcelain and gilt bronze centrepiece is a major highlight of the Peterson Collection, formed over a lifetime by the late husband and wife team Burton “Pete” and Melda Peterson and housed in their Brisbane family home.

Mossgreen has been asked to auction the collection in two sessions from 10.30am Sunday June 18 at the Kedron Room, Brisbane City Hall, 64 Adelaide Street, Brisbane.

Born, raised and educated in Pontiac, Illinois, early in World War II Pete was shipped to Australia and joined the new 1^st Air Depot Group in Brisbane.

A finely curated selection of traditional and modern art works is the hallmark of Mossgreen’s first multi-vendor Fine Australian and International art auction for 2017.

The auction, from 6.30pm Tuesday June 6 at 926-930 High Street Armadale, features an important Charles Condor painting Morning in the Park as an eloquent example of the artist’s late European work.

For the first time at auction is a striking Leonard French painting (The Workshop) – a strong complex work possessing all the traits of his best efforts.

A new series of curated contemporary art auctions – the only one of its kind in Australia – has been introduced by Mossgreen.

The first in the series will be held from 6.30pm Sunday May 28 at its Sydney premises 36-40 Queen Street, Woollahra.

Mossgreen has teamed up with contemporary art auction consultant Melissa Loughnan to help with the sale, which includes key works created after 1970 by Australian and New Zealand contemporary artists.

Gabriele and Caterina De Meneghi landed in Australia with nothing but a couple of leather suitcases as part of the post World War II Italian immigration push, full of hope and more than a little trepidation.

Arriving on March 27, 1960 aboard La Flamina and docking at Port Melbourne, Gabi had been a member of the Italian partisans and was looking forward to a better life for his wife and two young children away from war-torn Europe.

Initially, the family settled in Noble Park and almost immediately his passion for collecting began.

Impressive Australian Aboriginal art collections belonging to former Australia Council chairman Dr Terry Cutler and obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Paul Sutherland lead Mossgreen’s Fine Australian Indigenous Art auction from 6.30pm Tuesday May 16 at its Sydney premises at 36-40 Queen Street, Woollahra.

A 1930s art deco diamond bracelet from Cartier in London (lot 113) is a major highlight of Mossgreen’s forthcoming fine jewels and watches auction from 6pm Tuesday May 9 at 926-930 High Street, Armadale.

The other massive collector attraction is an 1890s Victorian diamond riviere set with 48 old brilliant cut diamonds (lot 76) – the centre stone of which is an estimated 3.17 carats – giving the collet a total weight of 48 carats.

A 1638 Greuter-Rossi terrestrial globe, with a catalogue estimate of $150,000 to $200,000, is an unusual and exciting historical drawcard to Mossgreen’s two-day International Decorative Arts auction from 6pm Monday May 8 at 926-930 High Street, Armadale.

Giovanni Rossi published this extremely rare example of Matthaeus Greuter’s terrestrial globe in Rome following the latter’s death in 1638.

A 1921 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost with a catalogue estimate of $320,00-$350,000 is the highlight of Mossgreen’s forthcoming Collectors’ Cars, Motorcycles and Automobilia auction from 2.30pm Sunday April 30 at 935 High Street, Armadale.

The car, now fitted with a body by Sydney firm Bradbury and with continuous provenance, was brought to Australia from London aboard the SS Karamea, arriving in Melbourne on October 22 of its year of manufacture.