Auction a time machine trip back to yesteryear

Christian McCann Auctions has been busy as it prepares for its second auction in seven days – an historic Western Districts homestead called Sylvan Grove and located at 101 Mibus Lane Croxton East near Hamilton, Victoria.

The auction, from noon Sunday November 24, will be a time machine trip back into history as it features a magnificent collection of early English and European antiques lovingly collected over a lifetime to furnish the blue stone homestead built originally in 1866 by German Lutheran migrants Johann Huf Junior and his wife Pauline who had five surviving children.

Although Johann died in 1877 from hydatids, his wife continued to run the property until second son Ernst took it over about 1900.

It remained in the family until bought in 1976 by the current owners Jill Sinclair and her husband who restored it to its former glory and built up the antiques collection over many years.

According to auctioneer Christian McCann, the rare 17^th and 18^th century English oak furniture would not be out of place in the grand Elizabethan mansions and castles of England.

“The collection includes early Welsh dressers, oak cupboards, carved panel coffers, chests and throne and wheel back chairs,” he said.

The auction also features fine 19^th century mahogany and Australian cedar furniture including four poster and rare Normandy carved beds.

The porcelain collection is prolific and includes rare 17^th and 18^th century Delft, antique Staffordshire, Royal Worcester, Meissen and Mason.

Another highlight is outstanding collection of about 30 19^th century banquet lamps.

Antique timepieces are another strong collector attraction and include 18^th century bracket clocks, George III mahogany longcase clocks and clock sets.

Among the outstanding selection of 18^th, 19^th and 20^th century Australian, English and European art are important Australian artists Walter Withers, Hans Heysen, Charles Rolando, Norman Lindsay, Hugh Sawrey and Pro Hart.

For garden and rustic antiques lovers there is a superb array of statuary, statues and urns, an original Australian Furphy water tank, a colonial bullock dray and the entire contents of early bluestone sheds.