Mossgreen

The development of mail being carried by aeroplane and the significance of how individual letters came to be selected for the purpose as a historical narrative is largely revealed in the second auction of well-known Canberra collector Tom Frommer’s extraordinarily diverse aerophilately collection. 

Mossgreen carried out the first auction in September last year and this time has divided the sale into three sections – international pioneer airmails, Australian aerophilately, and the airmails of Papua & New Guinea.

Well-known Melbourne interior designer Toni Maticevski has picked his eight favourite items (displayed at the front of the catalogue) from Mossgreen’s latest Interior Design auction from 6pm Tuesday March 28 at 926-930 High Street, Armadale.

Maticevski’s genius for design has resulted in his label becoming known and stocked internationally in the best boutiques and department stores and his works represented in the National Gallery of Victoria, Powerhouse Museum Sydney, the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles and numerous private collections.

The major James Gleeson surrealist painting Sea-wrack Involving the Heads of Tristan and Isolde is one of the highlights among a collection of his works belonging to the late Rodney Davidson to be auctioned through Mossgreen from noon Tuesday March 21 at 935 High Street, Armadale.

Tom and Sylvia Lowenstein are about to auction more than 250 paintings, works on paper and sculptures valued at $2 million as their firm Lowenstein’s Arts Management prepares for a new era.

The couple occupy a unique position in the Australian art world as patrons, collectors and close confidantes to many Australian artists and, through these relationships, have created a collection that represents the very best of modern and contemporary art.

A William Moorcroft flambé Waratah exhibition vase dated 1939 adorns Mossgreen’s catalogue front cover – signifying the forthcoming auction of Australian journalist and businessman Trevor Kennedy’s massive decorative arts collection.

The vase is indicative of the quality of the items on offer and testament to Kennedy’s early interest in Australian history (from colonial times to the present day) and his zeal for collecting – helped by an enquiring intellect and years spent as the now defunct Bulletin editor, published from 1880 to 2008.

Beautiful 1920s Wedgwood ‘Fairyland’ lustre fruit and octagonal bowls by Daisy Makeig-Jones are the highlight of an inspiring collection of quality ceramics built up over many years by passionate collectors Lachlan and Kerry Ely on their country Victorian property at Yea.

The couple’s original focus had been first period Worcester but soon moved to 20^th century English ceramics like Doulton, Worcester and Wedgwood with a particular emphasis on individual designers such as Keith Murray, John Skeaping, Charles Noke, the Barlow sisters and Makeig-Jones.

Like his efforts for advertising industry giant Ogilvy and Mather – where during the 1980s he became the company’s highest paid Australian executive – Michael Ball AO has left an indelible impression on the collecting of antiques and antiquities.

The cream brick veneer exterior – admittedly with magnificently manicured large lawns and gardens – belies the plushness of the interior at 14 Otway Street, Holland Park in Brisbane with furnishings to rival those seen in Buckingham Palace, according to Mossgreen’s antiques and decorative arts specialist Jennifer Gibson.

Many of the items to be auctioned – from 2pm Sunday December 18 – are fit for a queen, including a pair of William IV sterling silver Rococo Revival soup tureens made in 1835 by Henry Wilkinson and Co in Sheffield.

Some of the finest European antiques Australian collectors have ever seen will go under the hammer at Mossgreen’s forthcoming auction from 6pm Wednesday December 14 at 926-930 High Street, Armadale.

The antiques belong to Mark Koronowicz who for more than 20 years ran an antique shop under his own name in High Street, Prahran and has now decided to move onto a new venture.

A rare 700-year-old banknote discovered by Mossgreen specialists inside an ancient Chinese sculpture will be a major drawcard to the auction house’s sale of The Raphy Star Collection of Important Asian Art from 6.30pm Sunday December 11 at 36-40 Queen Street, Woollahra in Sydney.

The banknote was found inside the head of the large wooden sculpture Luohan – a Chinese word for a ‘perfected person’ or one who has reached Enlightenment.