Leonard Joel’s national jewellery head John D’Agata recently took a sentimental trip down memory lane when he saw a Tiffany & Co ruby and diamond double clip pin earmarked for sale (lot 85) in the company’s forthcoming Fine Jewels auction from 6.30pm Monday November 26 at 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra.

The piece reminded him a similar item – a retro Tiffany & Co ruby and aquamarine brooch that sold in November 2007 – D’Agata’s first auction after joining the staff of Leonard Joel.

When Australian golfer Peter Thomson bought a set of Dunlop Maxfli clubs in 1957, he had already won the British Open Championship the previous three years running – and went on to win two more afterwards in 1958 and 1965.

In a note accompanying the clubs and golf bag – which will be one of the most interesting lots (if not the most expensive) at Abacus Auctions forthcoming Coins, Banknotes & Sporting Memorabilia sale from noon Sunday November 25 at 19A Hampshire Road, Glen Waverley – he says “They were the best one could acquire at the time!”

The renowned The 9 by 5 Impression Exhibition of 1889 will once again be brought into sharp focus when Sotheby’s Australia auctions two of its rare paintings from 6.30pm Tuesday November 20 in Sydney’s Intercontinental Hotel at 117 Macquarie Street.

The wood panel paintings – Charles Condor’s Arcadia, June 28^th 1889, and Tom Roberts Mentone (1889) – have not been displayed together since the original Melbourne exhibition.

Followers of early Roman times will be fascinated by Christian McCann Auctions forthcoming on site sale of a Brighton collector’s important selection of five Roman marble statues which once belonged to French barrister Alexandre Nicolai (1865-1952).

The auction will take place from noon Sunday November 18 at 24 Grosvenor Streeet, Brighton.

A collector and enthusiastic archaeologist, Nicolai was a barrister at the Bordeaux Bar while actively participating in many excavations and publishing books on the Gallo-Roman period.