Cocktail jewellery is the theme for Leonard Joel’s forthcoming quarterly Fine Jewellery auction following a regular client – who over the years has amassed a wonderful and eclectic collection of this type of piece – consigning several items to the sale.

Of the 35 items (lots 340-375) the collector has consigned to the auction, from 6pm on Monday September 4 at 333 Malvern Road South Yarra, a gold, ruby and diamond brooch (lot 365) with stylised floral design featuring round cut rubies to the stamen and diamond detail to the leaves, is typical of his discerning eye.  

A Melbourne porcelain lover’s 18^th century Sevres porcelain collection is comparable to that of Russian Empress Catherine the Great (1729-1796), according to auctioneer Christian McCann. 

Items from her collection, on loan from Russia's Hermitage Museum, were viewed last year by the Australian public at the National Gallery of Victoria. The museum began as Catherine's personal collection built up during her 34-year rule and now occupies the entire Winter Palace in St Petersburg. 

A generous philanthropist and supporter of the arts, Australian media proprietor the late James Fairfax spent many years donating art works to major Australian institutions such as the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the National Gallery of Victoria.

In 1841, his grandfather John Fairfax founded the Sydney-based media empire known today as Fairfax Media.

James Fairfax, who died in January this year aged 83, used both his publishing business and extensive business travels to build an extensive and iconic art and decorative arts collection.

A rare Victorian gilt sterling silver suite of a Warwick vase and cover and four matching bowls made in 1842 by London silversmith Benjamin Smith for British politician, traveller and author James Emerson (1804-1869) is the highlight of an extensive sterling silver collection – part of Mossgreen’s International Decorative Arts auction from 10am Tuesday August 29 at 926-930 High Street, Armadale.