Queen's goldsmith creations in decorative arts auction
Author: Richard Brewster | Posted: 8th February, 2016
Several Stuart Devlin silver creations will be the highlight of Philips Auctions first decorative arts sale for 2016 when auctioneer Tony Philips climbs the podium at noon on Sunday February 14 at 47 Glenferrie Road, Malvern.
Eighty-four-year-old Geelong-born gold and silversmith Devlin is famous for winning the competition to design Australia’s decimal coinage and for his appointment in 1982 as goldsmith and jeweller to Queen Elizabeth II.
While his Easter egg and Christmas box creations are now collector items, he also is revered for designing the medals for the founding awards of the Order of Australia honours system in 1975 and the 2000 Sydney Olympics precious coins.
Devlin’s auction items include a silver potpourri and several silver cups and goblets.
Among other sterling silver items are four Russell Drysdale plates by medallists John Pinches for Stokes Australasia Limited.
The auction features a range of porcelain items including several 1886 and 1888 large Victorian Royal Worcester vases, a Fairyland Wedgwood lustre bowl, Moorcroft bottle vases and Carlton Ware creations bound to interest genuine collectors.
There are several paintings – including two Pro Hart watercolours entitled Ants with grasshopper, Septimus Power’s Spaniel with game bird and Norman Lindsay’s Serafina Entertains – and a collection of cast iron garden urns.
Among the furniture is a late 19th century cypress pine display cabinet that came from Italy’s Bicknell Museum (established in 1888) and was used by its founder Clarence Bicknell to display archaeological and botanical collections – particularly butterflies.
The cabinet has a sloping glazed display section and three banks of panelled drawers for storage.
Other furniture items of note include George III breakfront mahogany sideboard and two 19th century inlaid rosewood vitrines in the Louis XV manner.
