Magnificent French furniture collection on auction market
Author: Richard Brewster | Posted: 19th February, 2015
Sydney-based Peter Orlando’s collection is the highlight of Christian McCann Auctions first sale for the year.
According to auctioneer Christian McCann, this is the finest collection of French antique furniture, mirrors, chandeliers, clocks, sculpture and objets d’art to be offered in Melbourne for many years.
“I first met Peter many years ago while exhibiting at the James Johnson great Sydney antique fairs,” he said.
“As well as being a wonderful personality in the trade, I was always amazed by the varied and amazing quality items he carried – from the finest furniture to important bronzes, garden statuary, timepieces and decorative arts.”
Mr McCann said Peter Orlando was one of the pioneers to bring antiques from South America – particularly Chile, Uruguay, Peru, Argentina and Cuba.
“With his shop entitled Orland-Brown, he became one of Sydney’s prominent antique personalities, known for selling the highest quality antiques,” he said.
Now the shop has closed and Mr Orlando has decided to sell his entire collection.
Included are rare French antique crystal and gilt bronze chandeliers and light fittings.
Among the furniture are many important signed French pieces – including vitrines, cabinets and commodes.
There are antique carved gilt and Venetian mirrors and important antique sculptures, signed bronze groups and figures, the highlight of which is a museum quality, signed life size marble torso.
A rare signed antique Italian harp with bronze mounts should attract plenty of attention along with a highly important exhibition commode of palatial proportions.
A collection of 19th century Sevres and ormolu porcelain should bring collectors running and a collection of carved antique Japanese and Chinese ivory groups and figures have to be seen to be believed.
There also are French 18th and 19th century bracket clocks, long case clocks and garnitures.
The auction also contains important antique and contemporary art and rare 18th century Chinese lacquered screens.
