Young’s Auctions latest sale from 9.30am Friday at 229 Camberwell Road, East Hawthorn features a collection of Danish retro furniture that should have many buyers keen to purchase.

One of the major highlights is a Hermon & Hermon dining suite that cost $10,000 when new.

The auction also contains new furniture from a shop that has closed along with a selection of English porcelain, art, electrical goods and new and as new leather lounge suites.

Estate jewellery includes a Rolex watch and two one-carat diamond rings.

More than 400 images by many of the world’s best-known photographers from the mid-19^th century to the late 20^th century will be auctioned from 2pm Sunday at Leonard Joel 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra.

The images belong to Dr Dinesh Parekh who has been collecting photographs for most of his adult life.

His interest in photography developed as a teenager growing up in Rajhisthan, India and he began collecting in earnest after qualifying in 1962 as a doctor.

In 1911, the Commonwealth Government announced the Commonwealth Stamp Design Competition to create a uniform national stamp.

Previously, stamps were designed and issued by each of the six States (or colonies until 1901) but the Federal Government then believed it was time for a national identity stamp that contained “features characteristic of Australia”.

Curiously, the winning designs never made it to print and, instead, artist Blamire Young was commissioned to prepare alternative designs.

David Conroy was studying surgery in London more than 50 years ago when he first met the much older antiques expert and dealer Bill Johnston.

He and his wife Judith had only recently married and had not long arrived in England to further his medical studies.

During their four years in England they became firm friends and Bill Johnston was able to advise and mould what was to become a lifelong interest in antiques and collectibles.