Collectors wooed by fellow collector's passion for collectibles

Willowbank, one of Lilydale’s original homesteads at 16 Crestway Street, will the site for Christian McCann’s latest auction from 11am Sunday June 29.

Owned by passionate collectors Malcolm and Heather McInnes (related to famous seven-time Archibald Prize winner William McInnes), the auction features a comprehensive collection of Victorian furniture, glassware, art and 18^th and 19^th century French porcelain.

Malcolm McInnes said an unusual item was a rare chaise longue with decorations carved from one piece of timber – then cut in half to fit around the back of the lounge.

“Many of the furniture pieces are one offs and no longer available anywhere,” he said.

“There also are several Royal Worcester vases and jardinières, including a couple by well-known artists Harry and James Stinton.

“These are particularly unusual because they come in pairs and are very hard to find.”

Other interesting items include dinner sets that started as one piece and ended up, in one case, as an eight-piece setting made in 1900 and, in another, as a Royal Doulton able to serve 12.

Malcolm and Heather are quite unusual collectors because they ensure that everything in the house is used constantly.

Auction goers and collectors also should be intrigued by the specialty clocks on offer – including a huge, mid-1800s bronze cartel clock that weighs 40 kilograms, and a skeleton timepiece in its original 100-year-old dome.

“Another is a long case inlaid mahogany clock that should appeal to many auction goers,” Malcolm said.

There are several Mary Gregory glass pieces in different colours and tea and coffee sets complete with large 38-centimetre high pots.

The auction also contains Persian rugs and an 1860s 2.1-metre high flame mahogany fully fitted out three-door wardrobe with centre mirror.