Rare plantation chair in auction spotlight

A rare Australian cedar plantation chair purchased from the Chirnside family’s Mount Rothwell homestead and a rare Australian cedar sideboard are major highlights of E.J. Ainger’s forthcoming weekly auction from 9.30am Tuesday November 8 at 433 Bridge Road, Richmond.

In addition to owning the Mount Rothwell homestead, between 1874 and 1877 pastoralist brothers Thomas and Andrew Chirnside built the Italianate-style Werribee Park Mansion west of Melbourne and it became one of Victoria’s most famous landmarks.

In 1973, the Victorian Government bought and fully restored the property and four years later opened it as a tourist attraction.

The auction, featuring items from homes in Surrey Hills, Glen Iris, Brighton, Malvern, East Melbourne and Kew, contains quality Edwardian mirror back sideboards with other Edwardian (including 12 oak dining room chairs) and early 1900s English occasional and formal furniture.

Auction goers will also be impressed at the luxurious lounge suites, gilded mirrors and reproduction mahogany dining room suites on offer.  

Another attraction is an Australian library reading table, along with a flat top and roll top desk and chairs.

The estate jewellery features a large selection of nine and 18-carat gold rings, necklaces, brooches and wristwatches.

The auction also contains English, continental and oriental ceramics, glass and silverware.

Japanese woodblocks, oil and watercolour paintings are other buyer attractions, along with Persian and Middle Eastern rugs and a range of garden furniture.