Gold is the underlying theme for Sotheby’s Australia October Fine Asian, Australian & European Arts & Design October sale when three significant historic gold items are put up for its latest Sydney auction.

In a reminder that the 2016 Spring Racing Carnival is now in full swing, the first gold offering is the 1985 Melbourne Cup won by What a Nuisance – notable because it was first time the event had been attended and the cup presented by a member of the royal family.

An extremely rare and important 19^th century Japanese But Sudan-ki gold leaf Buddhist temple cabinet should really set the collector market buzzing when auctioneer Phil Caldwell climbs the podium from 11am Sunday October 23 to auction the contents of the beachfront home at 204 Esplanade, Brighton.

This is the first Caldwell auction for three months and features not only this deceased estate (belonging to a Russian immigrant engineer who migrated in the 1950s to Australia) but also three others.

A magnificent collection of antiques that belonged to Toorak couple the late Bruce Reid and his late wife Joy Gertrude Beattie is the highlight of E.J. Ainger’s special two-day sale from 11am on both Saturday October 22 and Sunday October 23 at 433 Bridge Road, Richmond.

Bruce’s great-grandfather William Reid, a prominent banking and racing identity of the early 20^th century, started the collection, which has been cherished and handed down through several generations.

Maritime items, folk art, Aboriginal and tribal artefacts and artworks, pottery, books and historical documents, silver, convict memorabilia and antique furniture comprise part two of Mossgreen’s Australian History auction from 10am Monday October 17 at 926-930 High Street, Armadale.

Some of the more interesting items include a circa 1905 naval commander’s dress uniform with Queen Victoria buttons once belonging to T.E.J. Bigg and a 61-centimtere long William Ricketts (1898-1993) pottery coolamon with applied kangaroos and an Aboriginal tribal elder.