Penfold Grange auction selection heaven for wine lovers

Twenty-five bottle of Penfolds Grange Bin 95 dating back to 1994 is a wine lovers highlight of Philips Auctions latest sale from noon Sunday September 14 at 47 Glenferrie Road, Malvern.

The collector concerned specially selected two bottles of each vintage from 1996 to 2008 to cellar – except for the year 2000.

The 1994 vintage is a one-off. Also present at the auction is mixed group of four premium red wines from Penfolds – St Henri Shiraz from 1995 and 2003, 1996 Clare Estate and 1997 Coonawarra Bin 128 – 10 bottles of Penfolds Bin 389 Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, eight bottles of Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 407 and two bottles of Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707.

The auction contains a wide selection of silver including a fine 1882-1889 Russian silver gilt and enamel spoon by Ivan Khlebnikov and three similar silver gilt and enamel spoons probably by Nicholai Pavlov from 1908-1926.

The silver section features an 1827 George IV castletop sterling silver snuffbox with Nathaniel Mills makers mark prominent and a 1750s Irish sterling silver George II creamer jug.

Other prominent pieces include a large 1820 George III sterling silver salver probably by William Bateman, an early George III (1772) silver sweetmeat basket and two William IV sterling silver coffee pots from 1834 and 1835 made respectively by John Welby and John and Joseph Angel.

The auction features a large number of Chinese collectibles – many from a former pilot who collected them during his travels – and a significant number of Japanese items.

The Chinese highlights include a 19^th century Mandalay period Burmese ebony and gilt Buddha and a Chinese fired clay horse and rider from the Tang Dynasty (618-906) – while the Japanese collection features figural okimono from late Meiji period (1868-1912).

Other Chinese collectibles include a Jezhou ware bowl from the 12^th-13^th century Southern Song Dynasty, a mid-20^th century turquoise ornament, a 19^th century late Qing Dynasty Canton ivory card case, a 19^th century Cantonese bowl with French ormolu mounts and a soapstone group of the eight immortals from the late 19^th to early 20^th century.

Two of the more unusual items are a Pakistani stone gandhara depicting the seated figures of Pancika and Hariti from the 3^rd-4^th century AD, and 11^th-12^th century Pala period Indian red sandstone relief panel, representing Yali and two heroes and exhibited firstly at the Ian Potter Museum of Art and then the University of Melbourne from October 2012 to April 2013. 

Auction goers looking for chandeliers won’t be disappointed with two 1970s Gaetano Sciolari creations, an elegant 1860s Victorian crystal converted from gas to electricity, a late 19^th century gilt bronze 10-arm and a 1900 Belle Epoque gilt bronze example from which to choose.

Paintings include Norman Lindsay’s Song of the Faun 1921 and Will Ashton’s Parc St Maur near Paris.

The last of the items placed by Geraldine Cooper Fine Interiors over the past few months with Philips Auctions for sale will be on offer – including a set of five Sourge dining chairs and an Aster dining table.