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Sotheby’s Sydney June 21 Fine Asian, Australian & European Arts & Design auction reached an expected $1.5 million sale price (including buyers premiums) with strong prices for contemporary works.
A highlight was the collection of leading Australian law firm Minter Ellison that featured an impressive selection of Australian photography and art including works by Adam Cullen, Max Dupain, Bill Henson, Akio Makigawa, Rosemary Laing, Robert MacPherson, Tracey...
Philips Auctions June 22 jewellery auction rendered pleasing results and reinforced the importance of buyers physically attending the sale to make the auction more fun for everyone, according to resident gemmologist Tanya Philips.
“The more people in the room, the greater the air of excitement,” she said.
Excitement certainly drove the bidding for the Patek Philippe golden eclipse wristwatch that brought $8760 on a $3500-$5000 estimate.
Other jewellery...
Sterling silver remained popular at Philips Auctions June 21 sale with bidders almost tripping over themselves to pick up items from a quality collection.
Typical was the set of six Italian silver plates by maker Fratelli Broggi from 1934-1944, that changed hands for $1584 (including buyers premium), and a rare and unusual 85-piece sterling silver and gilt fish and dessert service for 12 from B. Muller & Son, Chester, dated 1904, which brought $6912.
An...
A collection of Japanese ivory figures proved extremely popular with collectors and sold for four to five times its quoted value at Philips Auctions latest sale on May 17.
The collection belonged to the late Bonnie Knight, who had been collecting artefacts and jewellery since she was a teenager and viewed netsukes as her favourite items.
One of the figurines, depicting a couple making love, was the subject of a contentious indecency court case in the late 1980s...
The rare Willows 35.73-carat yellow sapphire pendant – the largest ever offered at an Australian auction – sold for a staggering $122,000 in Melbourne on May 12 through Sotheby’s Australia.
Chairman Geoffrey Smith said the yellow sapphire was exceptional and achieved $3414 a carat.
“The stone captivated people from Australia and around the world,” he said.
With a significant number of international registrations, the auction attracted strong...
A pair of horseshoes worn by the legendary Phar Lap sold for $24,400 (including buyer’s premium) at Mossgreen’s April 23 Sporting Memorabilia auction.
Originally belonging to Phar Lap’s strapper Tommy Woodcock, the shoes are mounted in a frame, complete with Woodcock’s photograph, which also carries a letter of authenticity from master farrier Dick Bell.
Another auction highlight was the 1888 Coloured Champion of the World Boxing trophy – a Victorian sterling...
A Poltronova Glove sofa, knocked down for $8000, was the highest furniture money earner at Leonard Joel’s Modern Design Furniture auction on April 23.
Other strong highlights were the Charles and Ray Eames lounge chair and ottoman, which went under the hammer for $7000, and a Poul Kjaerholm PKO chair for $6000.
The auction featured an international collection including designer pieces never offered on the Australian auction market and, while many of the pieces...
A growing auction trend towards sterling silver saw 153 keen bidders battle it out for quality items at Philips Auctions late March sale.
Many of these items sold well above catalogue estimates with an 1840 large early Victorian sterling silver salver one of the leading contenders.
Complete with maker Henry Wilkinson’s mark, the salver changed hands for $2880 including buyer’s premium, its richly scrolled foliate border carrying a coat of arms bearing the Latin...
Sotheby’s Australia’s attempts to sell many of the personal owned by Australian opera diva Dame Nellie Melba met with resounding success when more than 400 people registered to bid and the sale achieved a total of $1.99 million including buyer’s premium.
The auction commenced with a rousing start when the first lot, a circa 1905 Belle Epoque diamond and seed pearl hairpin, sold for $26,480 – more than four times the pre-sale estimate.
Melba travelled with...
Mossgreen’s first auction of Collectors Motor Cars & Automobilia at the Australian Motoring Festival on March 29 received a mixed response from the more than 250 bidders who attended – with many of the cars being passed in.
Designed to appeal to weekend motoring enthusiasts and discerning collectors, the auction realised $1.5 million.
However, much of that was the result of the high-end rare models being sold and the fact that Martin Burger’s highly prized...
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