Historic Ned Kelly movie props go under the hammer

They had the distinction of providing the horse for Australia’s first Marlboro cigarette television commercial in the 1960s.

Since then, partners Bruce Gleeson and Ivanna Chesson have been the primary source of animals, wagons, sulkies and horse drawn carriages for iconic Australian films such as the Man from Snowy River, Ned Kelly and their latest effort The Legend of (outlaw) Ben Hall shortly due for release in cinemas – and countless numbers of TV commercials.

Now planning to downsize from their Shepherds Hill Road Spring Hill Victorian property, they have asked auctioneer Steve Graham to auction on site all such items and farm equipment from 10am Sunday March 6.

The undoubted auction highlight is the Royal Mail Cobb & Co 14-passenger horse drawn coach – the communication backbone of early Australian colonies.

Another is “Victoria”, the wired wheel Indian horse drawn carriage that once belonged to the Maharaja of Mysore.

There also is a spring cart, slatted dogcart, c1900 trotting sulky and a Furphy original horse drawn cart.

Of interest to classic car restorers could be the 1955 Ford Prefect ute, while there are plenty of tractor implements and other farm equipment items for country auction goers.

Of course, Gleeson and Chesson would not have all this 19^th century transport without the associated saddlery, wagon wheels and harnesses – and Andalusian and Fresian cross registered horses.

Of interest could be the World War I and II Light Horse saddlery (including a WWI pack saddle and gun case) – along with tourist camel and donkey saddles.

There also is a Vietnamese bicycle rickshaw, a treadle sewing machine, power and vintage tools and early 1900s horse prints and photos.