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A circa 1790 George III mahogany library breakfront bookcase (lot 11) belonging to leading Melbourne socialite the late Billie Tyrrell beat all comers at Gibson’s Auctions August 22-23 Melbourne sale to go under the hammer for $12,000 – twice its high catalogue estimate.
Married to former Naval lieutenant Harry Tyrrell, who founded National Can Industries, Billie was born in 1924 in Malvern and spent most of her early life at Kanga, an elegant home designed by famous...
Somehow a 19th century Chinese Qing Dynasty framed panel (lot 940) with the modest catalogue estimate of $250-$350 scooped the auction pool at Melbourne-based Leski Auctions Decorative Arts & Collectables on August 14 and 15 when it changed hands for a staggering $47,800 including buyer’s premium.
Bidding for the panel was extraordinary as 87 per cent of lots sold across two sessions with Leski Auctions auctioneers spending almost 20 hours on the...
For enthusiastic collectors of scientific instruments, it probably came as no surprise that a Grand Orrery (lot 12) made by Hungarian refugee engineer George Gyori sold for $53,680 (Including buyer’s premium) – more than double its catalogue estimate – at Gibson’s Auctions Melbourne sale on July 11 of his comprehensive collection of Australian, maritime and exploration memorabilia.
The orrery, one of several in the auction, is a marvellous exhibition of his...
One of Australia’s most valued artists and an old stager by contemporary standards, Tom Roberts (1856-1931), fetched the highest price at Menzies Melbourne auction on Wednesday June 30 for his work titled Portrait of C.S. Paterson 1888 (lot 34) – a credible $233,181.82 including buyer’s premium.
The painting is historically significant because it depicts Melbourne’s leading art director of the 1870s and 80s, Charles Stewart Paterson (1834-1917), whose firm...
A £2 black and rose kangaroo first watermark stamp (lot 134) has sold for more than twice its catalogue estimate at $26,887.50 (including buyer’s premium) as part of Leski Auctions Melbourne Stamps, Coins & Postal History sale on Sunday June 27.
Accompanied by a 1983 BPA certificate, it is the finer of the two known examples still in existence with the other sold in 2007 as part of the Arthur Gray Collection in New York.
Four hundred and fifty five of the...
An early 19th century colonial Tasmanian cedar and blackwood sideboard (lot 231) belonging to Trevor Kennedy, former journalist and right hand man to Australian media tycoon the late Kerry Packer, sold for a solid within catalogue estimate range $24,400 (including buyer’s premium) at Melbourne-based Gibson’s Auctions on Sunday June 20 and Monday June 21.
The sideboard was part of his extensive collection of colonial furniture, silver and other collectables...
For the Australian couple who in 2010 won a commemorative 18-carat gold beer glass by Hardy Brothers Jewellers organised by Carlton Draft Brewery, Leski Auctions weekend auction (Saturday May 29 and Sunday May 30) in Melbourne was a real bonus.
The glass (lot 64) fell only $500 short of its lower catalogue estimate, bringing $119,500 (including buyer’s premium), and was the top-selling item of more than 1300 lots – 90 per cent of which sold for $1,401,735.
Part...
A very unusual Chinese archaistic lacquered bronze covered censer (lot 102) sold for $23,180 (including buyer’s premium) at Gibson’s Auctions Autumn Series sale on May 16 in Melbourne.
With a catalogue estimate of $5000-$7000, it was the top selling item in an auction that comprised 532 pieces covering a comprehensive range of categories.
The circa 1889 gilded and patinated bronze sculpture entitled Gloria Victis (lot 153) by French sculptor Marius...
Religious icons and statuary collected by former Australian cartoonist, artist and creative advertising director the late Joe Greenberg featured prominently among the top 10 results achieving well above catalogue estimates at Leski Auctions May 9 sale in Melbourne.
The Orthodox and Catholic icons – including a circa 1800 rare and important Palestinian School Proskynetarion or Pilgrim’s Memento comprising images of the Holy Sepulchre within the City of Jerusalem and...
COVID-19 does not seemed to have dented the confidence of art lovers and investors judging by the results of Deutscher and Hackett’s first major auction for 2021 when 80 works were earmarked to go under the hammer for an impressive $9,580,950 including buyers’ premium on Wednesday April 21 – led by a record auction price for the artist of $2.5 million ($3,068,182 IBP) for Arthur Streeton’s (1867-1943) The Grand Canal, 1908 (lot 21).
The Melbourne sale of...
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