Submitted by aarAdmin on Tue, 12/02/2025 - 00:00
A rare and important mid-19th century antique Australian Huon pine and turned whale’s tooth cruet set (lot 6) surprised many buyers when it sold for a staggering $36,000 on a $12,000-$20,000 catalogue estimate at Melbourne-based Leski Auctions Australian & Historical sale on November 29-30.
The cruet set descends through the family from First Lieutenant Benjamin Bayly (1797-1850) who was part of the Royal North British Fusilier Regiment of Foot sent from England in stages during 1832-33 to oversee the convict population of Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania).
In 1838, Bayly was appointed Assistant Police Magistrate at Waterloo Point, overlooking Swansea on Tasmania’s east coast and the following year his regiment was transferred to Calcutta, India.
Rather than leave his new home, Bayly, now a captain, sold his commission and retired – then lived in the now National Trust listed home Runnymede, built from 1836-40 and subsequently occupied by Tasmania’s first Anglican Bishop Francis Russell Nixon.
A circa 1860s Velocipede (affectionately known as a Bone Shaker – lot 128) – a rare and early Australian redgum and blacksmith made bicycle – was an unusual item that sold for $12,000, well above its $3000-$5000 estimate.
Colonial paintings attracted plenty of attention with Shelagh (lot 1408) by Janet Cumbrae- Stewart (1883-1960) selling for almost double its high estimate at $23,000, while Arthur Boyd’s (1920-1999) Adam and Eve (lot 1463) reached $20,000 and his Windmill in Wimmera (lot 1462) $17,000.
William Lister Lister (1859-1943) chipped in with his landscape Jamberoo, South Coast (lot 1425) that sold for $12,000.
Two of contemporary artist Criss Canning’s (born 1947) works were a good buy at $11,000 and $10,000 respectively for Pumpkins 1980 (lot 1465) and Still Life with Corn 1979(lot 1466).
The Haydn Vesty military collection achieved several pleasing results with a circa 1810 Brown Bess musket (lot 834) the highest sale at $18,000 and a 1796 pattern officer’s heavy cavalry sword (lot 829) a $14,000 bonanza on a $1200-$2000 estimate.
Haydn has been studying and collecting militaria for six decades and became a recognised authority among collectors, museum curators, auctioneers and writers who need assistance on this subject.
