Antiques & Art in New South Wales by World of Antiques & Art

antiques IN NEW SOUTH WALES

MAY - SEPTEMBER 2013

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antiques &art IN NEW SOUTH WALES

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An antique emerald and diamond ring circa 1900, set in silver and 18ct gold

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18th century poplar console conversion with ‘Pulley’ standard lamp French farmhouse ‘Versailles’ table in French oak

CLASSIC & CONTEMPORARY harmony in fusion I sometimes think that there is large confusion over what should be a small matter. What do I mean? Many think the bringing together of, what at first seem, foreign elements – the classical and the contemporary – will always be a tricky marriage. I don’t believe it has to be. Why should the antique and the modern keep their distance when, if brought together sympathetically, they can prove the best of friends? It should not be necessary for the modern home to be devoid of antiques or classic furniture. For me, the key to achieving harmony and sympathy between classic and modern elements is to consider the task as one of adding an accent or a highlight, or providing a counterpoint to the prevailing decorative theme. In this light, it then becomes a simple thing of finding the right element(s) to serve this function(s) for the look of your home, room, or even a single corner or wall area.

CHOOSING WHAT WORKS If you were to visit the new home of Sally Beresford/French Farmhouse on the Mount Ashby Estate Winery in Moss Vale and step into our historic showroom, you would find examples of the principles of which I’ve been talking. One of our specialties is lighting: floor, table, pendant, and chandeliers. Our range extends across centuries and styles, from 18th century ornate chandeliers to repurposed cloche and industrial paraphernalia to contemporary table and standard lamps. The key to styling our showroom is the same as that for styling your home: accent and counterpoint. If I am to pair one of our antique pieces with one of our modern table or standard lamps, first I consider which element is to provide the accent. A 17th century, William and Mary walnut chest of drawers is obviously going to be the feature element when paired with a lamp. But consider the piece as a whole; not simply the size, but the timber and the details of inlay, escutcheons, handles, mouldings, and so on. Informed by these aspects of the feature piece, and thinking in terms of accenting or offsetting these, I would be inclined to avoid anything fussy or overly detailed, instead selecting a piece that gives balance by way of simplicity and strength of design. From our collection I would choose either the ‘Button’

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or ‘Adelaide’ table lamps; and for a standard lamp, I would be so bold as to select the ‘Pulley’ or ‘Epinal’. You will see what I mean if you glance at the example image; and if you want to familiarise yourself with the other suggested lamps, drop by our website at www.sallyberesford.com.au. If you take something away from this example, it should be the application of sympathetic evaluation and accenting/counterpointing the elements.

more welcoming setting for the client and her dinner guests. To me, that is the true measure of successful integration of modern and traditional elements: a welcoming home. I hope these examples have gone some small way toward illustrating the ideas I introduced at the opening of this article. Sally Beresford SALLY BERESFORD/FRENCH FARMHOUSE TABLES 02 4869 4144 info@sallyberesford.com.au www.sallyberesford.com.au

William & Mary chest with ‘Adelaide Nickel’ table lamp

GUIDED BY TRADITION On a larger scale, I think the blending of traditional furniture and decorative pieces with the design scheme of the modern home can be understood in a simpler way. All that is modern has been derived, in some way, from all that came before, from all of tradition. The same design principles found in early furniture, have been carried over and developed on by contemporary innovators; line, shape, tone, texture, etc. The best of these have survived, as is the case with raw materials. The durability, versatility, and beautiful grain structures of oak and walnut have seen both these timbers achieve a distinction above other varieties like cedar and mahogany. Their ability to carry a purer tone, without the intrusion of the overt red tint of both mahogany and cedar, makes them perfect for integration into the modern home. Our bespoke range of hand-crafted French farmhouse tables is just such a synthesis of traditional aesthetics, design, and construction. Reproducing the style, construction, and authentic antique ‘look’ for our tables, is a modern devotion to tradition. But, this does not limit a French farmhouse table to a home filled only with ‘brown’ furniture. I am thinking, specifically, of one of our clients who wanted a grand dining table for her quintessentially modern home: hard edges and straight lines, white walls, glass and stainless steel. The benefits of introducing one of our dining tables into her home were manifold. First, the table (our French oak ‘Versailles’ pedestal table) served as the most distinctive accent to the dominant design scheme, and in so doing, allowed for a better appreciation of the modern details. Second, the table leant a rustic warmth to an otherwise clean and precise environment and, moreover, softened the space, resulting in a

Early Georgian low dresser with modern French painted clock

Editorial Content COVER J.M.W. Turner Venice, the Bridge of Sighs exhibited 1840 oil on canvas 68.6 x 91.4 cm Tate, accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856 Photo: © Tate, 2013 See page 92 Classic & contemporary: harmony in fusion – Sally Beresford

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Out & About

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A misadventure leads to creative output – Mike Gleeson

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Wallis’ album – a Canadian mystery – Tim McCormick

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Australian illustrations of acclaimed children’s books – Susanne Gervay

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The history of a work of art: the Navajo concha belt – Jeannette Arif

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Fine furniture, art works and more in the heart of Bondi Junction

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Pack & Send art and antique specialists

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ASSETLINE, a leading Australian personal asset lender

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From a special place: Burmese Buddhist arts

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Storing your carpet – Ahmet Solak

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Art Gilding and the Midas touch promise

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Antiques in the 21st century

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Antique engagement rings: celebrate your love with genuine antique jewellery – Tammy Palmer

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AAADA Sydney Antiques Fair

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Industrial furniture at Doug Up On Bourke – Sophie Mason

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Savi Maurizio furniture for celebrating the art of dining

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Mitchell Road Antique & Design Centre for setting your own trends

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Living with collections – Beverley Brown

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Aaron Upholstery – built on a legacy of quality

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Pack & Send at Botany

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The evolution of the pocket watch case

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Noble Numismatics’ $3.2 million sale – Jim Noble

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The making of the Australian’s Men’s Open Trophy – Christine Erratt

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‘I yam what I yam,’ – the collectable world of Popeye the sailor man – Kim Hughes

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A different perspective to collecting antique maps and prints – Kathryn & Derek Nicholls

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Baker & Houghton Antiques adds a warm touch of flair for winter

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Investing in antique chests of drawers – Gary Auton

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The art of glass a perfect modernist medium

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The mysterious Monsieur Descubes: a botanical thriller

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Adieu to Annandale means bargains for astute collectors – Jane Rush

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A new look at traditional European flooring – Steve Krsticevic

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Even more to see in Balmain’s ‘windows to watch’

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Vesta boxes: an illuminating collectable

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The Lions Club of Berowra 3rd Northern Sydney Antiques and Collectables Fair

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Islington Antiques in Newcastle since 1990

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Driven to collect Diana Wares – Richard Snedden

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Provenance – things that turn up in the Hunter valley – Michael Lee

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Windsor and Hawkesbury antiques and collectables trail

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Especially for the guys at historic Windsor

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The scenic Hunter Valley – perfect for antique hunters

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Faulconbridge Antiques the destination for quality in the Blue Mountains

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Steelreid Studio: a world of art and fantasy

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Heritage and collecting: Maori artefacts and the importance of taonga – Roger Garner

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King’s Antiques at Crago Mill opens in Bathurst

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The Rotaract Club of Dubbo annual Antiques and Collectables Fair

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Journey back to childhood at the annual Doll Collectors Club Fair

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Maintaining the high-gloss look on modern and traditional furniture – David Foster

VALUE ADDED @worldaa.com NOW ONLINE Australia’s foremost magazines on the decorative arts antiques, art & collecting vintage & retro Need to contact your local dealer but don’t have a copy of your state’s Antiques & Art? Problem solved – log on and read online. Peruse World of Antiques & Art – the most authoritative magazine on the decorative (antiques) and fine arts in Australia. A portal to national and international collecting trends, subscribe to the online edition and SAVE! Check out Collectables Trader – subscribe to the online editions and save! Australia’s only bi-monthly magazine on vintage, retro and collectables.

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27th Annual Camden Antique Fair

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Edward Miller burners – Jurgen Weissner

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The mantelpiece: an important architectural accent – Tony Healy

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Dirty Jane’s Emporium & Antique Market: find the unusual rather than the usual in Bowral

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Visit Braidwood for Longbarn & ‘String’

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Stars in the River, the prints of Jessie Traill – Roger Butler

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At the National Gallery of Australia, Tate’s Turners: an unrivalled collection – Christine Dixon

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Welcome to Canberra’s Forrest Hotel and Apartments

❑ ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA ❑ ANTIQUES IN NSW ❑ ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND

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ACT’s Autumn Antiques and Collectables Fair – Les Selkirk

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Measuring time: Horology 1650-1700 – Michael Colman

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A specialist furniture manufacturer: Churchill Chesterfield made in Australia

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The Australian Antique and Art Dealers Association

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Orient House: Australia’s source for antique Chinese furniture and accessories

NOTICE The publishers reserve the right to refuse and edit material. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. No responsibility will be taken for any decision made by the reader as a result of such opinions.

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ABN 39 945 398 132

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OUT &

about David Crane and author Penny Olsen in conversation at the book launch

The exhibition space

Two works by Neville Henry Cayley

David Crane with one of his Cayley paintings

CAYLEY AT MOSMAN LIBRARY osman Library hosted the Sydney launch of a book that many have been waiting to read for decades. This book is about Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most famous bird artists Neville Henry Cayley (1854-1903) and his son, Neville William Cayley (1886-1950). Cayley & Son: The life and art of Neville Henry Cayley and Neville William Cayley by Penny Olsen, published by the National Library of Australia was celebrated in the guise of an interview with the author, Penny Olsen and collector of all things Cayley, David Crane to an audience of bird and art lovers. As part of the celebration Donna Braye curated a wonderful exhibition of original art works by the two artists in a setting of bush flora and bird calls. This was a rare opportunity as these works had never been on public exhibition and may never be able to be viewed together again. Wandering around the exhibition space it was clear everyone had a story to tell about their own Cayley â&#x20AC;&#x201C; on the walls over the dining table, rolled up in the bottom of wardrobes, prints purchased that turned out to be originals and originals that turned out to be prints!

Noela Gill, Professor David Carment and curator, Donna Braye

MORE FOR COLLECTORS IN KEW fter 11 years working and operating in Bulleen, the highly successful partnership of David Freeman and Amanda Addams decided it was time for a change and have relocated to 344 High Street, Kew. This closely knit family business which boasts between the two of them over 50 years of experience is continuing their popular regular auctions and equally in-demand valuation services. David invites regular and new clients to take advantage of their free market appraisals, held every Thursday between 3 pm and 7 pm. Amanda and David are excited about moving into Kew and look forward to meeting new neighbours and the local community while continuing their relationship with long-time customers and clients.

Melbourne dealers Chris Ogden, Alastair Ingles and Jon Davies

David and Amanda Freeman

Amanda Freeman and Jared Shaw

Julian, David, Amanda and Juliana Freeman

Kathy Mc Mahon, Amanda Freeman and Michael Sirakoff

Bryan Stertern-Gill

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Susanne Gervay OAM and David Whealy

David Whealy, Executive Producer and Stephan J Wellink, Producer of I Am Jack

PERFORMING ARTS, LITERATURE AND HUMAN RGHTS he powerful theme of anti-bullying attracted a diverse crowd to the ‘I Am Jack’ event at the Lend Lease Darling Quarter Theatre, Darling Harbour. Susanne Gervay OAM’s best selling, award winning children’s books – the I Am Jack series – have been adapted into an acclaimed play by Monkey Baa Theatre. Tim McGarry performed powerful segments of the play to the audience. I Am Jack is currently in development for a feature film to be directed by Nadia Tass and starring actor Deborra-lee Furness who both enthusiastically endorsed the evening and the feature film. Guests included Linda Funnell, Chair of the Board of the NSW Writers Centre, acclaimed sculptor Terrance Plowright, David Small CEO of Variety the Children’s Charity, Lisa Berryman publisher HarperCollins, the British Consul General and many people from the film industry.

T Tim McGarry performing segments of the play

CELEBRATING NATIVE AMERICAN JEWELLERS our Winds Gallery hosted an exhibition of works by internationally acclaimed Native American mother and daughter artists Denise and Dawn Wallace. Their finely crafted jewellery which features scrimshawed fossilised ivory set into silver and gold reflect their Aleut Eskimo culture and heritage.

Lesley Paul and Annette Goubran

Colleen Keys and Waverly Lynch

Denise Wallace and Gayle Sutherland

Peter and Shelley Madden

Joanna Thorpe and Ross Teitzel

Marie Scott and Jenny Reed

Lydie Bacot and Edwina Anderson

Helen and Mark Clifton

Denise Wallace, Dawn Wallace and their mother and grandmother Sally Hottinger

Sue Brannon, Dawn Wallace and Issabel Little

Chris and Ed Pearson

Dawn Wallace, Ashleigh Cullen and Denise Wallace

Ethan with his mother Dawn Wallace, Jennifer Cullen, Dawn’s grandmother Sally Hottinger and Denise Wallace

Victoria and Peter Smith

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CROSS COUNTRY LAUNCHES OF SIGNIFICANT INDIGENOUS ART COLLECTION PUBLICATION QLD Former Prime Minister The Hon Kevin Rudd MP formally launched Power + Colour, the second book on Pat Corrigan’s Indigenous art collection, to a crowd at Brisbane’s Queensland Art Gallery of Modern Art on 9 February. Previews were also held at Bond University, where Corrigan is a patron, The National Gallery of Victoria and SBS Television in Sydney. The book features 129 artworks by 76 artists painted predominantly post 2005.

The Hon Kevin Rudd MP launches Power+Colour

Pat Corrigan, Peter Beiers and Suzanne O’Connell Pat Corrigan and Avril Quail

Kevin Rudd and Pat Corrigan

NSW The Sydney launches of Power + Colour were held at SBS, which hosts loans from the collection, and Corrigan’s bookstore Better Read Than Dead. Law Professor Larissa Behrendt spoke of the book’s ‘must read’ essay on art and Indigenous identity, as well as the generosity of collectors like Pat, who have influenced positive outcomes in remote communities.

Pat Corrigan and Jane Raffan

Better Read Than Dead launch

Jane Raffan, Adam Knight and Pat Corrigan at Bond University launch

Michael Lavarch and Larissa Behrendt at SBS launch

VIC The Melbourne art crowd turned out in droves to attend the launch of Power + Colour. Tony Ellwood, Director of National Gallery of Victoria, noted the beauty of the artworks reflected Pat’s keen eye. Commenting on the book’s critical relevance, he highlighted the indepth reference material on the 76 represented artists. L to r: Roger McIlroy, D’lan Davidson (Sotheby’s), Chris Deutscher (Deutscher & Hackett), Tom Lowenstein, front Pat Corrigan and Bill Nuttal (Niagara Galleries)

Pat Corrigan, Jane Raffan (Artifacts), NGV Director Tony Ellwood

MELBOURNE’S THIRD ANNUAL AAADA FAIR he fair was again held at the magnificent Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton and this year commenced with a special launch to announce the winner of the inaugural ‘Object of the Fair’ award sponsored by Tiffany & Co. The winner was Derek Greengrass with his articulated carved oak skeleton of c. 1680. Tony Elwood, Director of the National Gallery of Victoria in his keynote address at the gala opening stated that ‘The diversity and range of dealers, collectors, specialist societies and interest groups is testament to a public that is deeply informed, discerning and passionate about art and antiques.’ Visitors were again able to access the most affordable collectables to world-class antiques worth many thousands, so it was not surprising to see many leave with at least one special purchase, and many returning on the remaining fair days.

Dawn Davis of Eaglemont Antiques (Vic) with assistant Ian Hadley from Sydney

WA exhibitor, John Brans with Liz and Phil Capocchi, Victorian AAADA member

Keynote speaker, Tony Elwood, Director National Gallery of Victoria

Marketing team members Tira Lewis and Melinda Melrose

Brian Abbott and wife Nan ventured south to exhibit at the fair

Carmel Jenkin, exhibitor Jamie Allpress of Allpress Antiques (Vic) and Martin Tighe

AAADA Fair Marketing Director Paul Sumner, Fair Patron Deborah Thomas and AAADA President Jolyon Warwick James Right: Inaugural award winner Derek Greengrass with Lesley Whittaker from Tiffany & Co. sponsors of ‘Object of the Fair’ award

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Thara Krishna-Pillay and Linda Catalano our Spiegeltent friends from the Arts Centre

Paul Sumner and Amanda Swanson

A MISADVENTURE LEADS to creative output

n 8 August 2012, at around 4.30 pm my life, as I knew it, all changed. Since starting work at the age of 15 as an apprentice painter and decorator, and having run an antiques and mirror business for nearly 40 years, I had been up and around ladders nearly every day without a care. I was up an extension ladder at my business as part of the preparations for moving premises when the ladder slipped and I came down feet first on to the concrete. This on its own would not have been so bad, but my right foot landed on the rung of the ladder and shattered my heel into many fragments. It has been six months since my accident and I now have a heel made up of titanium screws and brackets. I still can't walk unaided and it has been a sharp learning curve in safety and forced rest. I have been telling people that I now have enough metal in my foot to build a Toyota and I am seriously looking forward to going to the airport just to see what happens!

CUSTOM MADE STICKS The changed circumstances to my life have resulted in my developing an appreciation for the various aids that have helped me achieve some degree of mobility. The forced leisure time together with the dependence on these medical aids opened an unexpected window of creativity. It gave me the idea to create\my own exclusive range of custom-made walking sticks. Now back at work, though in a limited capacity, this idea of making walking sticks came to me when one night, while I was going through the rigmarole of locking up and putting alarms on etc. I realised that I had left my borrowed walking stick inside the premises found the effort too hard to go back inside and retrieve it.

I hobbled to the car and was able to drive home, but knew I would need help in the morning when my foot would not work again. So when I got home I grabbed a garden stake from the garage and set to it with my trusty tomahawk! This roughly created stick got me through the next day at work.

FANTASTICAL DESIGN IDEAS I don’t know what exactly inspired me to modify or put a handle on the garden stake but having several drawers of old fittings proved to be providential. The more I looked the more ideas began to flow and, before I knew it, I had five made and now its eight and the ideas keep coming. I am finding that there is no limit as to what can be made. Some have lights built in with a laser pointer, one has a compass and four have 100year-old metal brackets as handles. I haven’t even gotten around to the gilded models yet! It seems the more weird the idea, the more people like them. I have even had an idea of building a USB into a stick which could store the owners name and address, medical history and perhaps a Google map of how to get home. This would really make it a ‘memory’ stick or ‘USB’ stick. The idea seems to have merit but this would require plugging one’s walking stick into a computer to retrieve the information. One thought is this could well be done by ambulance paramedics if they happen to be in attendance.

NAMING RIGHTS The other thing which has been playing with my mind is the number of possible business names. Should it be Qwick Stix, Stix Ahoy, Stix R Us, Stickman, or The Memory stick (taken)?

Now that we are in the new shop and everything looks great, I just want everybody to be super careful around ladders because, as I have found out the hard way, in the blink of an eye your whole life can change so dramatically that you won't know what hit you. Stick to what you know is safe! Meanwhile, if you do require a walking stick, all in the range are for sale at $150 each. By the way, am thinking of donating most of the proceeds to Cara a not-for-profit

community service organisation providing specialist accommodation, care and support for vulnerable children and young women. Mike Gleeson Giltwood Photographic Services GILTWOOD 03 9889 6543 giltwood@hotmail.com www.giltwoodps.com www.giltwood.com

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Pasted down on 9th flyleaf 9 cut out watercolours of 10 fish, the sheet inscribed ‘The Fish of New South Wales’

Watercolour view of Port Jackson pasted to 7th endpaper attributed to Joseph Lycett

WALLIS’ ALBUM – A CANADIAN MYSTERY An Australian colonial treasure rediscovered O ur story begins in a small town in the Canadian state of Ontario called London, which is two hours’ drive west of Toronto. The local chattel auctioneer was called in by a local solicitor to clear a house and sell anything found to be saleable. The deceased owner with no known family had bequeathed his home to a local charity. Working his way through the kitchen pots and pans and china vases he reached the bedroom wardrobe and on the bottom shelf, under the shoes, he discovered what was to become the greatest Australian treasure of the decade. Grant Gardner, third generation auctioneer, knew he had struck gold but had no idea as to its value. In June 2011 he placed an advertisement in an English paper announcing the rediscovery of what is now known as The Wallis Album, forgotten for over 150 years. Its reappearance immediately caused a wave of excitement in the world of colonial art. The album, a collection of previously unknown watercolour drawings of colonial New South Wales was compiled between 1816 and 1818 by Major James Wallis, commander of the Newcastle penal settlement. Wallis, an amateur artist, included his own watercolours of landscape and Aboriginal inhabitants as well as paintings by the convict artist Joseph Lycett. The collection consists of 39 separate works, never previously seen in public, revealing life and natural curiosities in the infant colony.

DOCUMENTS AUSTRALIAN SETTLEMENT The State Library of New South Wales’ Mitchell Librarian Richard Neville notes ‘this remarkable album is a prime document about settlement of Australia and is without doubt the most significant pictorial artefact to have

been made during the 1810s’. My affair with Major Wallis’ album began in July 2011 with a trip to London via Toronto. Actually trembling with excitement (albeit hidden) I was the first Australian to see this artefact since 1818. The auctioneer enquired as to what I thought the value was. Feigning slight disinterest I expressed most probably $100,000. It ranked with the most impressive colonial artwork in my experience. After photographing and documenting the album, I returned to Australia and advised the State Library of my findings. A successful fundraising, with help from the New South Wales Government, enabled the Library to bid for the album at its October auction. The honour of bidding on behalf of the Library was given to my English colleague Maggs Bros and myself.

provenance was Wallis’ widow to her nephew Lt Colonel Tayler. Art historians did not follow up these tantalising clues. In 1989 Christie’s offered – as the property of a gentleman and from the artist’s family – an album of sketches done by Wallis in India and South America. This album included a manuscript describing two Aborigines of the Newcastle tribe, obviously from the same Canadian source. This album was sold to the State Library of New South Wales for £2,860. Once again, art historians did not follow the clues to the Canadian source. Then travel into the future 22 years and the Canadian source now deceased was revealed. The role of an art historian sometimes merges with that of the genealogist.

A MILLION REASONS FOR COLLECTING

Using the provenance, now confirmed, we know Major Wallis took sketches whilst on his military postings throughout the colonial empire. He also collected drawings by talented convicts in his charge, the best known, the forger Joseph Lycett. Wallis retired from the army in 1826, marrying Mary-Ann Beach in 1836, at first living at Douglas, Isle of Man. While here he collated his art and memorabilia and commissioned albums from the local bookbinder. Major and Mrs Wallis then resettled in Prestbury in Gloucestershire where he died in 1858. According to an inscription in the album, he gifted his works to his wife in 1857. Mrs Wallis then passed the work to her nephew Lt Colonel Tayler in 1866 and also suitably inscribed the album. Tayler is presumed to have emigrated to Canada and so continued the long voyage of the artworks, ultimately returning in 2012 to their place of origin.

After a nail biting auction – which started at US$100,000 and quickly rose to US$1.9 million – the album was ours. The underbidder is thought to have been a private Australiana collector from the west. How did this treasure end up in London? The first clue as to the album’s existence, unrecognised at the time, was the appearance in 1987 of five watercolours at a Christie’s South Kensington sale of topographic pictures: one of New South Wales, one of Madeira and three of England – all with a Canadian provenance. The catalogue noted these were the first original drawings by Wallis to come to public notice. The New South Wales view of the Hawkesbury River sold for £28,600. The other views sold between £165 and £2,000 – a huge premium for his Australian work. The

Pasted to 4th flyleaf, three cut out watercolours, pasted onto sheets with bird of prey overtop; the right watercolour signed ‘Lycett’

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Detail of 7th flyleaf, watercolour portrait titled ‘Dick’

CONNECTION TO LYCETT

AUSTRALIANA GEM The collection comprises watercolours and drawings of Sydney, environs of Newcastle, portraits of Aborigines and natural history studies. The Aboriginal portraits are most striking, naming the local inhabitants of the Newcastle region. The most impressive watercolour is by Joseph Lycett of Sydney Cove which, if offered for sale, would command an individual price of at least $200,000. Wallis inscribed it ‘drawn by a convict’. The unexpected appearance of such a special item of Australiana gives all art historians hope for future discoveries and hope that they will be the discoverers. Tim McCormick 02 9363 5383 www.mccormickbooks.com.au

Below: Watercolour pasted to 2nd endpaper, each cut out figure named and inscribed in black ink along bottom margin ‘These figures of Natives are all drawn by Major Wallis 46th Regt. These Natives all sat for their Pictures’

Watercolour pasted to 12th endpaper of Sydney Cove attributed to Joseph Lycett, written in black ink below ‘Drawn by a Convict’

WOOLLAHRA

An illustration be Anna Pignataro from Ships in the Field

An illustration by Frane Lessac from The Greatest Liar on Earth

AUSTRALIAN ILLUSTRATIONS of acclaimed children’s books he 19th century saw the emergence of children’s books by authors and illustrators such as E Nesbit, Banjo Paterson, Ethel Turner, Rudyard Kipling, Robert Louis Stevenson, Lewis Carroll, Norman Lindsay, May Gibbs, Pixie O’Harris, Ida Rentoul Outhwaite, and Charles Dickens. In the Centennial Parklands, which opened in1888, there can be found on Dickens’ Drive, one of only two statues in the world of Charles Dickens. Australian children’s books are internationally recognised for their innovative and unique style and adaptations across mediums and formats. Acclaimed illustrator Shaun Tan, who adapted his illustrated children’s book The Lost Thing into an animated short film, achieved worldwide recognition through an Academy Award. He also won the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award from the Swedish Arts Council, the biggest prize in children’s literature. Graeme Base’s acclaimed multi-million selling picture book Animalia has recently been released as a television series. Fox, written by Margaret Wild illustrated by Ron Brooks, a modern fable of love, friendship, jealousy and betrayal has been stunningly adapted into an opera by Monkey Baa Theatre and Siren Theatre Company. Sarah Davis, a remarkable illustrator who works in a variety of mediums, takes story and illustration into new areas including photography and modelling in Sounds Spooky. Susanne Gervay’s rite of passage anti-school bullying book, I Am Jack, illustrated by political cartoonist Cathy Wilcox, has been adapted into an acclaimed play by Monkey Baa Theatre touring Australia and USA, and is in production as a feature film. Increasing recognition of the vibrancy of Australian illustrators of children’s books, has led to the authentic growth over the past 30 years of galleries, centres and venues for Australian illustrations of children’s books.

SYDNEY NSW The Hughenden Hotel Woollahra, home to the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators Australia & New Zealand since 1980 (www.scbwiaustralianz.com) has a permanent exhibition of the illustrations of the works of Pixie O’Harris, Shaun Tan, Sarah Davis, Cathy Wilcox, Nina Rycroft, Donna Rawlings, Serena Geddes and many more. The Hughenden holds the full collection of Anna Pignataro’s evocative illustrations of the acclaimed Ships in the Field which ‘explores complex yet accessible visual literacy and identity… a moving exploration of the migrant experience.’ (The Canberra Times). Ships in the Field is recognised for its universality. Written on its cover is Article 15 The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in seven languages. • Everyone has the right to a nationality. English

• Jeder hat das Recht auf eineStaatsangehörigkeit. German • Svakoimapravonadržavljanstvo. Bosnian/Croatian • Minden személynekjoga van valamelyállampolgársághoz. Hungarian • Setiap orang berhakatassesuatukewarganegaraan. Indonesian • Sing sahabaebogahakdinanangtukeunkawarganagaraanana. Sudanese • Her ferdinbiruyruklukhakkıvardır. Turkish (Susanne Gervay, Ships in the Field, illustrated by Anna Pignataro, Ford Street Publishing)

BLACKHEATH NSW Pinerolo the Children’s Book Cottage was established by Margaret Hamilton AM, one of Australia’s most respected experts in children’s literature and illustrations. A home for children’s books in New South Wales in the beautiful Blue Mountains, Pinerolo (an Italian word meaning place of pines) promotes Australian picture books and their creators, and exhibits and sells original artwork from picture books.

Denton, Kim Gamble, Bob Graham, Leigh Hobbs, Ann James, Alison Lester, Caroline Magerl, Stephen Michael King, Gregory Rogers and Shaun Tan.

FREMANTLE WA The Literature Centre (www.thelitcentre.org.au), formerly Fremantle Children’s Literature Centre, established in 1992, is uniquely located within the walls of the Old Fremantle Prison, Western Australia. It exhibits illustrated works of some of Australia most prominent writers and illustrators including Jan Ormerod, Matt Ottley, Frane Lessac, Mark Greenwood, Jackie French, Bruce Whately and Shaun Tan. Open to the public, some illustrations are also available for purchase.

An illustration by Serena Geddes from Gracie and Josh

Susanne Gervay www.sgervay.com THE HUGHENDEN 02 9363 4863 reservations@thehughenden.com.au www.thehughenden.com.au

CANBERRA ACT The Lu Rees Archives is a comprehensive collection of books and other resources about Australian authors, illustrators, publishers and their creative works. The collection includes over 20,000 books, with 2400 of these in overseas translations in 53 languages, 415 research files, and significant collections of authors’, illustrators’ and publishers’ papers, manuscripts and artwork. The resources are publicly available, and visitors are welcome during opening hours. Lu Rees, the founding president of the ACT branch of the Children’s Book Council of Australia, proposed in 1974 that there should be a collection of research files about Australian children’s authors and illustrators together with a collection of their books. In 1980 this collection was deposited at the University of Canberra Library (www.canberra.edu.au/lurees) so it could be publicly available with the ACT Branch continuing as owners and managers. The archive is supported by the National Executive of the Children’s Book Council of Australia.

MELBOURNE VIC The Dromkeen Children’s Literature Collection, established in 1985, now located in the State Library of Victoria (www.slv.vic.gov.au), houses this internationally significant collection. It consists of approximately 7500 original artworks and illustrations from prepublication material of many of Australia’s best-loved children’s books. The collection also includes a historical book collection, six bronze sculptures of picture book characters and the Dromkeen archive. Established by much loved children’s English illustrator Ann James and her partner Ann Haddon in 1988, Books Illustrated specialises in the promotion, exhibition and sale of Australian book illustrations. It includes the works of some of Australia’s best known artists including Terry Antiques and

art

First Phase concha belt

Second Phase concha belt

The history of a work of art:

THE NAVAJO CONCHA BELT or the Navajo tribespeople, from Southwestern United States, the concha (aka concho) belt is an integral part of their jewellery adornment that dates back to the mid 1800s. The concha belt is a leather belt with a buckle and attached or woven along the leather belt are round or oval discs of silver with a decorative design. The earliest adopters from the Native North American Indian people for this form of embellishment were the Navajo tribe. It has been said that the Navajo used and wore concha belts as early as 1848. It is likely that the Navajo blended design elements from both the Plains Indians and the SpanishMexicans. Initially the Navajo obtained the belts as loot or trade from the Plains Indians, namely the Kiowa, Ute and Comanche tribes, who were understood to be enemies of the Navajo. The Plains Indians wore round silver discs or conchas made of German silver (an alloy made up of 60% copper, 20% nickel and 20% zinc) as hair decorations and as belts. Another possible influence on the design development was the scalloped edges of the concha disks which derived from SpanishMexican bridal horse headstalls. However, the Navajo also applied Mexican leathersmith decorative designs to their silversmithing.

content. The coins were melted down to be remade into jewellery up until 1890, at which point the United States government enforced laws to inhibit defacement of its currency. As an alternative, traders then turned to Mexican pesos for Native North American Indians to use, which they discovered they preferred to work with. The content of silver in these coins was also much higher with less alloy, making the Mexican peso the metal of choice among plateros (silversmiths) because it was more malleable when worked into jewellery. As time went on, Native North American Indians not only made jewellery for themselves but also for the western and Mexican markets. Their jewellery has, as with most things, changed visually over time to the present day.

SILVER FROM US COINS & PESOS

FIRST PHASE CONCHA BELTS 1868-1900

The word ‘concha’ or concho derives from the Spanish word conch, which means seashell. The Native North American Indian people also used their jewellery as trade or currency with the Western peoples. Sam Tilden, a Navajo Indian born in 1869, recalls the Navajo people would bring: ‘Mexican pesos to the silversmiths and paid one cow or horse for a big belt’. One of the first sources of real silver used by the Navajo was American coins – particularly silver dollars, fifty cent pieces and quarters. These denominations were favoured due to their high silver and low alloy

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TYPES OF CONCHA BELTS Over time different types of concha belt designs evolved. The types are determined by their design phase or their age. To accurately determine a piece’s age, it is best to have a trained eye study the belt’s design features and materials used. There are many examples on the market today created for the tourist trade that are neither authentic nor of museum quality.

This is the earliest of the concha belts, dating around the mid 1800s. The design of the concha is beautiful in its simplicity. They are less ornate than what was to follow. The disc is round in shape, light in weight with an open diamond slot in the centre which the belt is woven through. The diamond slot has a transverse bar in the centre that is secured from behind. This holds the leather in place, or rather the conch on the leather. The concha itself is domed outward of the leather. The conchas can be moved to any point along the belt the wearer desires. You’ll find that

the very earliest Navajo concha belts are smooth around the edges, just like the Plains Indians’ ornaments from which they were appropriated. Slightly later, the Navajo concha were given a scalloped edge, borrowed from the SpanishMexicans. Further in from this edge, there was an additional, simple stamped border. Buckles were less about a decorative statement and more for functional purposes. They were basic in design, made of silver and were smaller than the concha disks themselves. Often the buckles had no stamping details and only a cross bar to hold the leather in place. Towards the end of the first phase, the buckle started to change form and sometimes a cross shape was featured with stamping work. Tools used at this time were often bespoke simple hand tools made from different objects found within their environment. The plateros created amazing works of art using these tools.

SECOND PHASE CONCHA BELTS 1880-1920S By the late 1800s, with silver in abundance, the plateros had become more skilled due to access to better tools. Soldering was now a mastered skill. The use of soldering allowed them to make a solid silver concha with no open diamond slot as they could attach the leather from behind by soldering a loop of silver or copper to hold the leather belt in place. The conch was still movable along the leather. The open diamond slot was replaced with a diamond stamp and further stamping, using a cold chisel, was used outwards of the diamond to create a sun ray pattern. Sometimes, these linear rays were raised up from the concha surface using repoussé, a technique of hammering from the reverse side of the piece. The concha itself was now becoming oval and heavier. The buckle form was moving away from the original small round shape to more

elaborate varieties. They became larger, rectangular or oval shaped, with more stamping designs. The rectangular buckle sometimes would have two wing-like edges. Scalloped edges were also popular. Another widespread stamping design was the long sshape. Some silver buckles were cast in a mould which was either rectangular in shape or rounder in shape. Rectangular buckles looked similar to a ketoh, a leather arm brace with a silver rectangular design on top facing outward of the wearer. The buckle was now considered a feature rather than just a functional utility.

THIRD PHASE CONCHA BELTS 1900 TO PRESENT At first, third phase concha belts had only one distinguishing design feature different to second phase belts – the stunning use of semiprecious turquoise. Due to the mining boom of turquoise, making it plentiful, and its desirable intense colour, this stone was favoured by many. Plateros were now incorporating a circular or oval cabochon of turquoise in the centre of the concha. The look was even more striking due to the contrast of the vivid blue turquoise against the backdrop of the silver concha. More turquoise was soon added by creating a border of turquoise stones set around the edge of the concha. The buckle at this point also shows the use of turquoise. Often four stones were popular when the buckle was rectangular in shape with one stone centred for each long edge of the rectangle. Third phase concha belts also include an additional decorative element; a separate piece of silver added between each concha. Looking similar in shape to a bow tie they orientate perpendicular to the body of the wearer. They are found to be either adorned with a number of turquoise stones or stamped with repoussé detail and attach to the leather belt with a silver or copper loop at the back of each piece.

DOUBLE BAY

Internationally acclaimed jewellery of

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The word ‘concha’ or concho derives from the Spanish word conch, which means seashell.

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These belts were popular for their elaborate appearance and favoured by the western market. Due to their popularity, plateros made the belts lighter to meet western tourists need for comfort. Today’s buyer has many choices. If considering a concha belt of significant age and simplicity, then one would be looking at purchasing a first or second phase concha belt. The current buyers’ market can attract prices over $20,000, depending on how early the piece is, who made it, and the amount of work involved in creating the belt. If your interest is mainly decorative, a more elaborate and equally historic third phase belt will be to your liking. Whatever your choice, find a trusted trader who has the knowledge and experience to guide you through the many beautiful concha belts. Most importantly, they can be worn just like any other belt. However, unlike any other belt, you’ll be wearing a unique piece of history that can be enjoyed by men and women alike. Jeannette Arif FOUR WINDS GALLERY 02 9328 7951 www.fourwindsgallery.com.au

Third Phase concha belt

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BONDI JUNCTION

FINE FURNITURE, ART WORKS AND MORE in the heart of Bondi Junction B ellagio International has been operating at 1A Hollywood Avenue, Bondi Junction for more than a decade. It has become the favourite place for interior designers, commercial producers and those who like fine and unique items. They sell and purchase their stock from around the world. Each piece of furniture and art is unique.

FURNISH IN STYLE

Bellagio International carries a wide range of crystal chandeliers, beautiful oil paintings, gilded mirrors, fine porcelain, bronze statues, console tables, dining suites and bedroom suites. They also offer a vast selection of clocks, period and modern furniture and much, much more.

Bellagio International BU Y ~ SE L L ~ H I RE RELOCATION SALE Selected items up to

30% off We repair and service all clocks and watches with 30 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience. French, German, American clocks, Swiss watches, all mechanical movements

1A Hollywood Ave Bondi Junction 50 metres from Westfield

Ph: 02 9369 4934 Mob: 0416 131 015 ask for Ray Open: Mon-Sat 11 am - 6 pm 14

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Items from their catalogue can be viewed on their website and ordered through their store. BELLAGIO INTERNATIONAL 02 9369 4934 0416 131 015 bellagiointernational@gmail.com www.bellagiointernational.net

BONDI JUNCTION

PACK & SEND art and antique specialists

pecialising in transporting art and antiques means that Pack & Send superstores stock an extensive range of packing supplies – including bubble wrap, air bags, tailor-made boxes and crates – for both shops and individuals who choose to do their own wrapping. Museums, art galleries and antique dealers Australia-wide are finding Pack & Send’s service truly valuable when they ask them to take care of the entire logistical process: from pick-up to packaging to insurance, paperwork, freighting and safe door-to-door delivery. No other company in Australia does this. In relieving them of what can often be a time-consuming and onerous task, curators and collectors are free to concentrate on their core business. Pack & Send will personally manage the entire job and even computertrack the item en route until it arrives safely and in pristine condition at its destination.

PROFESSIONAL PACKING SERVICE Pack & Send is the only packaging and freight company that has access to Instapak Foam-in-Place technology, a system using soft foam that expands when two chemicals are combined in contact with air. Foam-in-Place moulds itself to fit the precise shape of the item being packed and this product possesses a density that aids in the prevention of damage from impact,

vibration or from being dropped. Instapak Foam-in-Place enables glassware, paintings and various antiques to be sent through the freight system without compromising the safety of the item. Not only that, but Foam-inPlace is highly cost efficient and readily disposed of without harming the environment. Pack & Send is the only freight company that will send as well as pack antiques and art for you. When you consider the price of packing the item yourself on top of another company’s freight charges, Pack & Send’s price – as well as its hassle-free, one-stop shopping convenience – makes it a very attractive option.

for people such as the Miami, Florida, customer who purchased some framed sailing prints, including an 1830s copy of a French sailing ship heading out for a perilous expedition to the Arctic and a sailing scene on Sydney Harbour in the 1880s. Pack & Send Bondi Junction is open six days a week, from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm, Monday to Friday, and from 9 am to 12 noon on Saturday. The team at Pack & Send look forward to the opportunity to offer their services in solving any packaging or freight problem you might have.

PACK & SEND 02 9386 1644 bondijunction@packsend.com.au

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Museums, art galleries and antique dealers Australia-wide are finding Pack & Send’s service truly valuable when they ask them to take care of the entire logistical process

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SAVES TIME AND MONEY Art and antique dealers, galleries and museums are now realising that using Pack & Send for their logistics is a means of providing a superior level of service to their customers and actually saves them time and money. Martyn Cook of Martyn Cook Antiques in Renwick Street, Redfern NSW is a fan. He uses Pack & Send to send artworks worth many thousand dollars. ‘From long experience I know I can rely and depend on Pack & Send. They collect fine art, pack and deliver for us nationwide and around the globe. We’ve had no breakages so far,’ he says with a smile. That’s good news

Superstores... We Send Anything, Anywhere!

Your investment in professional care The time and care you take when selecting your precious pieces should not be compromised when you need to move them. PACK & SEND uphold the highest standards in customer service and packaging methods, and possess a wealth of experience in handling precious items. PACK & SEND deliver you: • Dependable and versatile transport options across town, interstate and around the world • Complete assurance – ‘no compromise’ packaging solutions and protection against loss and damage • Total convenience – we pick up from you and provide on-site quotes! • Professional, no obligation advice from a team with a wealth of experience

Excess baggage? Have your personal effects custom packed and sent home safely by the professionals at Pack & Send

304 Oxford Street, BONDI JUNCTION NSW 2022 PH: 02 9386 1644 FAX: 02 9386 1760 bondijunction@packsend.com.au Antiques and

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Finding capital at the right moment ASSETLINE, A LEADING AUSTRALIAN PERSONAL ASSET LENDER

offers unique flexibility CASE FILES en, a seasoned art collector, has recently put a painting up for auction. The next week, browsing in his favourite gallery, he sees a new piece by an artist he’s very keen to buy more of. Short of cash flow until the auction goes through in three months’ time, Ben is worried the painting will be gone by the time he is able to come back. Lauren, director of a small but popular art showroom, is offered rare stock from a new connection. She’s still waiting on outstanding invoices, and doesn’t have the immediate finance to take advantage of this opportunity to grow her business. If she doesn’t act quickly, she faces losing the deal to her competitor. Lachlan is a successful clothing entrepreneur. He inherited an impressive collection of antiques and coins from his grandparents, which he’s been adding to over the past few years as his interest in this area has really grown. He now has the opportunity to buy stock for his business at hugely discounted levels as a supplier is running down inventory. Lachlan realises he needs to move quickly, knowing he can resell the stock in a few weeks, making a substantial profit. However, to get the deal done requires immediate access to cash. Extending the credit facility at his bank will take time, and he doesn’t want to lose this great buying opportunity to a competitor. He knows his collection is worth a lot of money, but has never really considered the possibility that it could be used as security for a loan. If these problems sound familiar, it’s because finding capital at the right moment is an issue that has plagued the art industry for years. Art

Nick Raphaely and Steve Beinart

Antiques and

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buying opportunities are often time-sensitive. Why should Ben, Lauren and Lachlan miss out on their ideal pieces just because auctions move slowly and business cash flow can sometimes be irregular, or banks take ages to make decisions?

INSTANT LINE OF CREDIT Luckily for Lauren, Ben and Lachlan, they no longer need to wait for an auction date or existing funds to come through or be at the mercy of the banks. Assetline, a leading Australian personal asset lender, is making it simpler than ever for everyday art collectors to take advantage of time-sensitive opportunities. Founded by Steve Beinart and Nick Raphaely, Assetline removes the obstacles often required by other lenders, and gives Australians unique flexibility to use their existing art as collateral for loans. Steve Beinart, Director and co-founder of Assetline, says ‘In Australia’s growing art market, we saw that the finance component was very much under-serviced. Pre-existing assets are valuable collateral that can be used to secure a loan to take advantage of a financial opportunity.’

SALE ADVANCE LOAN For Ben, a sale advance loan is the service he needs to seamlessly leverage and grow his art collection. A sale advance loan is an innovative way to use what you already have to take advantage of a new opportunity. Sale advance loans are specially tailored for clients selling valuables via auction, but who would benefit from some immediate liquidity. Assetline makes available up to 50% of the estimated sale price of the asset prior to the sale. This way, Ben gets the best of both

worlds – some immediate liquidity to secure the new piece and the also the opportunity to achieve the highest sale price for his painting. Nick Raphaely, Director and co-founder says ‘A sale advance loan to grow your art collection can provide a client with much needed flexibility. Suddenly, you aren’t restricted by the long lead times involved in an auction, and you’re able to maximise potential elsewhere.’

GET THE MOST FROM YOUR ASSETS As for Lauren, she’s in the perfect position to use her existing stock as collateral for a loan, purchasing the new collection before her competitors catch wind of it. With Assetline, savvy art collectors and brokers can unlock the financial potential of their existing collections within a short space of time. Without requiring credit checks or income verification, it’s possible to receive funds and secure the newest additions to your art collection within a few days. Lachlan can simply use his collection as collateral for a short term loan to buy the discounted inventory. Once he resells the stock, he can bank the profit and repay the loan. If a similar opportunity arises in the future, he can draw down another loan again. For Lachlan, Assetline is his standby line of credit for when he needs fast cash for business opportunities.

INNOVATIVE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS ‘We’re committed to helping collectors and dealers unlock the financial potential of their art collections – we are giving attention to an asset class that has long been unloved by lenders.’ This love for good art extends to the way Assetline stores and transports valuables during the terms of any loan. ‘When

extending credit based on your art, we make sure your piece is valued by an industry expert who intricately understands what makes your art special. The better we understand the piece, the more value we can ascribe to it and the larger the loan we can advance,’ comments Steve. ‘In many cases we take better care of our clients’ art than they do! It’s very important to us that each individual piece receives optimal care with our best-in-class storage and transport partners,’ says Nick. Assetline’s services aren’t just limited to art collections – other valuables can be used as collateral for loans too – things like luxury watches, gold and precious metals, jewellery / diamonds, prestige cars and fine wine collections. So, is it time you started thinking about your valuables, and the possibilities they offer, differently? For confidential inquiries contact Nick Raphaely and Steve Beinart at ASSETLINE 1300 370 821 info@assetline.com.au www.assetline.com.au

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PADDINGTON

From a special place

BURMESE BUDDHIST ARTS Lacquer ware proceeds go directly to Burmese families elebrating 22 years of trading in Paddington, Special Pieces has secured a number of unique Burmese artefacts from family sources in Burma. All products have been provided to retain Burmese art and culture, showing the remainder of the world how special these artisans are… and hopefully save these artefacts from being lost or destroyed. All images of Buddha within the collection contain a Burmese Government seal of approval to ensure a controlled program of artefact distribution.

BURMESE BUDDHIST ARTS Tales from the Life of Buddha, the Jataka stories of the 550 former lives of the Buddha and various teachings, have provided much of the subject matter and outlets for expression in the arts and crafts. Burmese practice Theravada Buddhism that emphasises the need for every person to seek his own way to salvation by following the precepts, meditating and performing acts of charity to improve karma in future existences. Burmese craftsmen were anonymous and

Chinese and Japanese Quality antique and reproduction furniture and artefacts

were expected to follow various rules and formulae when creating a Buddhist icon – failure to observe established norms would render the object unsuitable for use in worship. Initially, artisans closely copied imported models, but over time the Burmese craftsmen assimilated foreign influences and blended them with a local style, so that works of art became unmistakably Burmese in spirit and method.

LACQUER WARE

ESTABLISHED 1989

336 South Dowling Street, Paddington

www.specialpieces.net.au • 02 9360 7104 Monday to Saturday 10 am to 5 pm - Sunday by appointment 18

Antiques and

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We already are familiar with two words and one source of the lacquer used in Burma. Lac is the varnish made from certain insects’ shells, long known as shellac or cheik lac in Burmese. General usage now uses lac as the term for any of the various resinous wood varnishes, including that from the sap of the thit-si tree. This resin lac is used in making lacquer ware in Burma, China, Japan and Korea, but the Burmese thit-si tree (Malanhorrea usitata) that grows in Shan State is said to have better viscosity and last longer. Bagan is the centre of making ‘laureate’ or lacquer wares stretching back almost a millennium, prospering in the period from the 11th to 13th centuries CE when it was the seat of the Myanmar dynasty. Burmese kings would presents lacquer ware as gifts to other royals, along with silk and jewellery. It is still the hub of culture with many temples, pagodas and monasteries surviving, along with many arts and crafts. Bagan is located on the eastern bank of Ayeyarwady River, not far from Shan State where resin bearing trees grow. The other materials for making laureate are softwood and bamboo. The techniques of making lacquer ware have been handed down in the surrounding villages. There are instructors in the craft where a family member may work in an unpaid apprenticeship – to keep the art and culture alive. Artwork on the lacquer ware is either painted or etched in between the many layers of lacquer. The colours used in paintings are natural products, such as trees, lime, earth, sand, rock, bones, smoke, charcoal and egg. In

Burma, lacquer work is a major art and still a pride of the country.

TYPES OF LACQUER WARE Lacquer wares were used not only by royalty but also by ordinary Burmese families to serve their daily meals. Usually, a threelegged low circular table made of bamboo strips and lacquer was used, such as still being used in remote villages and monasteries. The monks used lacquer thapeik (alms bowl) during their daily alms round of collecting their food from the villagers. Thapeik and its cover were made of bamboo, wood and resin. There are many types of lacquer ware vessels, the two primary types being the betel nut box and the hsun ok, the daily multilayered food container. The hsun ok is the most varied among all of the containers, ranging from a bamboo frame with plain red or black lacquer to the very ornate style – even decorated with gold, gilded and jewelled. All have a classic design and spiritual forms, unique to Burmese artisans.

MODERN CHALLENGES Due to increasing economic costs associated with resin retrieval and the desire of modern Burmese people for ‘western’ products, the lacquer ware art has less demand and is dying. Fortunately, some Burmese families, in an attempt to preserve the ancient art, have chosen to share it with the remainder of the world. Hopefully, through external interest, the unique talent of the Burmese people can be restored and flourish for all posterity. Visit Special Pieces in Paddington to view the selection of unique Burmese artefacts. Proceeds of product sales have gone directly to individual families – this project pays no third party.

For more information contact SPECIAL PIECES 02 9360 7104 specialpieces@yahoo.com www.specialpieces.net.au

PYRMONT

STORING YOUR CARPET toring carpets is a delicate process. If stored correctly, you can safely protect the value and lifespan of your carpet. If stored incorrectly, you could damage your carpet resulting in a condition far worse than if it had not been stored. If you are storing them seasonally in your own home then the selected location becomes more flexible as you are able to monitor the environment. However, if you are going to be away from the storage location for an extended period it is very important that you select a room that is cool, dry and out of direct sunlight.

ADDRESS DIRT & DAMAGE If planning to store a carpet for the summer itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very important to ensure that it is not dirty or damaged. Storing a dirty or damaged carpet allows the substances to settle in which could leave the carpet permanently damaged as a carpet stored for an extended period of time without having it cleaned could mean storing your carpet with dirt, harmful chemicals and other contaminants. These contaminants can damage the carpet during the storage preparation and throughout the storage period. Storing an unclean carpet will also attract nasties such as mould and silverfish. Once you have prepared your carpet it will need to be rolled before being stored. You can do this yourself, however if this is an expensive carpet and you wish to retain its value, I highly recommend that you have it professionally cleaned, rolled and stored.

WATER DAMAGE AND MOULD AFFECTED CARPETS If a carpet has been affected by a flood then you must get it cleaned, if possible while it is still damp. Once the carpet dries it needs to be assessed for damage and if this has occurred, it will then need to be repaired as well as

cleaned in order to retain its value. If a carpet is rotting around the edges then there is something in the room near the carpet that is causing this. At first many people believe a pet is the cause however, if the markings are around the edge, the first thing that comes to my mind is pot plants. Pot plants, if heavily watered, can have small spurts of overflow onto the floor. Water alone can damage a carpet but the water from a pot plant can be even more damaging. After processing through the soil the water becomes contaminated with chemicals that are hazardous to a carpet. Check around your carpet for other household items that could be passing contaminants. If the carpet is mouldy then it must be cleaned first. Also check the environment for what could have caused the mould to avoid this happening the next time you display it.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve spent the past 30 years repairing, restoring and cleaning Persian and oriental carpets, kilims and rugs. If you would like to know more about how to care for your carpets, kilims, rugs and textiles visit our website.

Ahmet Solak PERSIAN CARPET REPAIR AND RESTORATION COMPANY 0414 598 692 persiancarpetrestoration@gmail.com www.persiancarpetrestoration.com.au

ANIMAL STAINS & HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS WARNING! NEVER USE HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS Lastly, you should never store a carpet that has been affected by animal urine. Animal urine is very acidic and a major cause of changing the chemical composition of the dyes once it has set in. If this has happened you should try to remove as much of the urine as possible with a damp towel. You can add water as you soak it up to dilute the acid but do not use cleaning chemicals. Regular household cleaning chemicals are not designed for the textiles found in antique rugs or carpets and could create additional damage. Unfortunately soaking up the urine is not enough to ensure your carpet is not damaged from the incident, if you value your rug you will need to have it cleaned by a professional that can work with antique rugs.

EXPERT REPAIRS, RESTORATION, CONSERVATION, CLEANING & HANDWASHING OF ANTIQUE & ORIENTAL CARPETS, KILIMS & TEXTILES

Ahmet Solak 123 HARRIS ST (REAR ENTRANCE) PYRMONT SYDNEY NSW 2009 Alternate drop off/pick up from Marriott Street, Redfern (available on request)

Tel: 02 9571 4411 Mob: 0414 598 692 www.persiancarpetrestoration.com.au

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SURRY HILLS

ART GILDING ACADEMY and the Midas touch promise ‘It is our passion to pass on our considerable skills to anyone who wishes to learn this age old craft of gilding.’ ave you ever wished to have the skills to apply gold and silver leaf to your furniture, frames, and artwork? Or embellish your cornices, columns, walls and ceilings with metal leaf? Work for yourself from home at your own pace? Master gilder Karl Eggert can make your dream come true – and you need no prior knowledge of gilding. In the past, this ancient craft with all its secrets was passed from father to son. But in 1999, Karl Eggert, together with his wife Brigitte, founded a unique teaching establishment to make the wonderful craft of gilding available to anybody who wants to learn in Australia. Learning the art of framing and church

restoration in Germany from master gilders, Karl has a broad knowledge and more than 45 years’ experience in gilding. This knowledge and experience is reflected in his teaching program at the Art Gilding Academy. Class sizes are kept to a maximum of six students to ensure the best learning experience.

MASTER GILDING CLASS BUILD YOUR OWN BUSINESS AND WORK FROM HOME The Professional Master Gilding class is fully hands on and runs over a nine day period, starting Saturday and finishing on the following Sunday, from 10 am to 4 pm daily. During these nine days, students learn more

Master Gilding class 2012

than they could in a three-year apprenticeship. We provide a relaxed and fun atmosphere and attendees are always like-minded people.

HISTORICAL RESTORATION PROJECT It has been 21 years since we worked on the Sydney Town Hall interior. As the Town Hall is undergoing restoration and is currently covered in scaffolding it was decided that now is the perfect time for the clock face to be re-gilded. The heritage architect working on the project, Peter McKenzie, has discovered that the Sydney Town Hall original clock face had three rings of gold leaf and so we are restoring it to match the original. As part of our Master Gilding teaching program we have invited one of our students to work on the project with us.

Weekend class project. Large Egyptian plaque gilded in faux gold, silver and copper leaf

commitment to assist members of the club to build their ‘very own golden dream.’ For those who’ve completed one of our gilding courses, this free ongoing advice for any project is supported through phone and email. In addition generous discounts of 10-20% are available on all materials and supplies.

SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS Brigitte and Karl are committed to giving every student support, helping them to maximise their potential and to reach their goals. Hence contact with students does not end with the completion of the course and over the years many of their students have become good friends. ‘We’ve found that good support is the key to success for many of our students so we’re passionate about making sure they get the most out of our courses,’ says Brigitte. Completing the Master Gilding training course allows students to add skills to their chosen profession and offers the freedom to build up a business and work from home. On completion of the professional Master Gilding Class, students receive a certificate.

WEEKEND CLASSES Gilded French clock

Thai restaurant foyer

Masterclass student John

Art Gilding Studio Restoration and frame conservation Oil and water gilding services On-site architectural gilding We come to you FREE STUDIO QUOTES

Brigitte and Karl working on the Town Hall clock

Art Gilding Academy Weekend Classes Master Classes (fully certified) FREE INFORMATION EVENINGS For dates, free brochures and friendly advice Call Brigitte now 02 9310 3007

99-101 Buckingham St, Surry Hills NSW (Entrance in Cleveland Street) artgilding@artgilding.com.au www.artgilding.com.au

FREE INFORMATION EVENING ON GILDING These popular evenings are strictly by invitation only, so please call Brigitte on 9310 3007 for dates and bookings. Golden Bedroom

GOLDFINGER CLUB We cannot teach you ‘experience’, but being a member in our Goldfinger Club will give you the support to tackle every project with confidence. We have a policy of full

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Sydney: Sat/Sun 10 am – 4 pm GENERATING MORE PROFITS FOR YOUR BUSINESS This class has been especially designed for people unable to attend week-day classes and is held once a month. We know how difficult it is for small business owners to find time during the week, so our intensive weekend class may suit you perfectly. The classes run from 10 am – 4 pm Saturday and Sunday and participants are taught, step-by-step, gilding techniques that are applied to furniture, picture frames and mirrors, cornices and even walls. Many students have found that gilding adds another dimension to their business, which they have been able to capitalise on by adding a new profit centre. Moreover, it’s fun! The weekend class is very reasonably priced at $795. This includes the project – an Egyptian plaque – and all tuition and materials. In certain circumstances this fee could be claimed as a tax deduction. Those able to benefit by acquiring this skill include artists, painters, framers, restorers and French polishers; in fact, anyone who wants to add new skills and a new source of profit to their business. In 1999, Karl Eggert, together with his wife Brigitte, founded a unique teaching establishment to make the wonderful craft of gilding available to anybody who wants to learn in Australia.

Details about courses are found on our website or for more information contact Brigitte at ART GILDING ACADEMY 02 9310 3007 artgilding@artgilding.com.au www.artgilding.com.au

LEICHHARDT / SURRY HILLS

Antiques IN THE 21ST CENTURY O ften the way you live will determine what kind of environment you wish to create when renovating, building or simply just redecorating. When you’re starting to think about acquiring pieces for your next project make sure you visit both of the beautiful spaces we have created. The warehouse – Architectural & Antique Elements and the sister store – Elements i love… At the warehouse, behind a large set of French entry doors, you will discover an enormous selection of vintage, recycled and restored antiques as well as grand-scale architectural pieces from around the globe. Think gates, entrance and salon doors, lighting, garden, provincial furniture and more.

At Elements i love… we have created a chic boutique space with a carefully curated collection of (smaller) pieces we just had to have on our buying trips as well as a select choice of European home wares and whimsical finds like the French bird lights – in store now. Decorative and eclectic abound. Today many of us choose to live in homes that are increasingly informal it is not surprising that antique pieces are incorporated to spaces as they can easily set the tone of the room and add instant character. When renovating the kitchen for instance, the desire to have a beautiful yet functional family dining table is high on most people’s wish list. The appeal of buying an antique table with a hundred years of patination,

is that one more dent, scratch or spilt wine will only add to its charm not detract from it. At Elements we always have some wonderful character filled pieces in store. All homes are shaped by architectural details and elements. With a little forethought, antique doors and windows can create interest, define spaces and add intimacy. In a new house the addition of one or two original features, whether it be a wall mounted Moroccan grille or a pretty pair of French gilt sconces in the entry, can produce a dramatic effect. The chances of finding that unique door, window or fireplace to suit your space is greatly increased when you still have some flexibility in regards to wall space and ceiling height and

before the plans are signed off on. The warehouse at Leichhardt has some wonderful and unique pieces that will truly inspire you, bring your plans or your architect. Always build around a key piece – don’t create a space and then look for something to fill it! At Elements, everything we have in our showroom is there because of its strength as an individual piece, nothing appears by chance. We look for originality in colour, texture, proportions, and lustre, pieces that wear their age (marks and blemishes) well. The bonus is that if another one appears you are simply adding to the story. For more information contact ELEMENTS i LOVE... 02 9698 8884 ARCHITECTURAL & ANTIQUE ELEMENTS 02 9560 3067 www.elements.net.au

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SURRY HILLS

ADVANCE AUSTRALIANA ANTIQUES

EXHIBITING AT AAADA SYDNEY ANTIQUES FAIR 21–25 AUGUST 2013 The Kensington room ROYAL RANDWICK RACECOURSE Alison Road Randwick NSW 2031

www.aaada.org.au/sydneyfair 22

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Sydney Antique Centre 531 South Dowling Street Surry Hills Open 7 days 10am - 6pm Ph: 0400 103 316

SURRY HILLS

ANTIQUE ENGAGEMENT RINGS Celebrate your love with genuine antique jewellery n antique engagement ring represents longevity and implies the continuity of love to the new beginning an engagement represents. Unlike much of the mass produced and marketed jewellery widely available, each vintage and antique engagement ring is truly one of a kind – just as is your loving partner. Similarly, an antique ring comes as you see it – you cannot customise the design of a genuine antique diamond ring or purchase it in a different colour. The ring may need to be re-sized or adjusted, as often an antique ring is thin from devoted wear. For more guidance and a more certain and credible choice, try one of the many jewellers who specialise in antique jewellery.

HISTORY OF ENGAGEMENT RINGS With many versions of its origins, one of the most ancient that I’ve heard and seems credible is that Pope Innocent III declared that a waiting period before marriage should be observed in 1215. Engagement rings were introduced to society as an indication that their change in marital status was about to occur. Over time, this became the acceptable norm. Today, most couples place their wedding rings on their second smallest finger, called the ring finger and believed to be the one that contained the vein of love. So the practice of placing rings on a ring finger, on either left or right hand, is both logical and romantic.

ANTIQUE OR VINTAGE? People usually consider an antique engagement ring as over 80 years old, a bit less than the purist rule of more than 100 years of age for furniture. Vintage refers to items over 50 years old. There are a number of eras to select from and the designs are varied and always interesting, beyond the simple solitaire diamond ring.

VICTORIAN ENGAGEMENT RINGS (1837-1901) Queen Victoria reigned for 64 years, so engagement rings from her long era have a range of designs, always very elegant and deceptively simple, generally in rose or yellow gold. They often feature diamonds and pearls, but coloured gemstones also appear and are a very popular stone choice today. I suppose if it’s good enough for Princess Di and Duchess Kate...

EDWARDIAN ENGAGEMENT RINGS (1901-1910) Platinum became the vogue metal for engagement rings with the help of the new oxyacetylene torch (1900) with which jewellers crafted lacy and pierced shapes, scrollwork and filigree detail on mountings. Rose-cut diamonds and brilliant sapphires were especially popular in Edwardians’ intricate and delicate rings.

ART DECO ENGAGEMENT RINGS (1918-1939) This spectacular design movement generated geometric lines, coloured gemstones and filigree details including Egyptian, Asian, Native American and French motifs. Art Deco engagement rings are often colourful, using sapphires, emeralds and rubies in combination with beautiful old European-cut diamonds. These, as well as many other cultural influences, resulted in a colourful, clean design era that has been revived and reflected in other distinctive style eras. The mad ’60s era is most certainly influenced by deco designs. Art Deco rings are the most popular antique engagement ring in our shop although we still carry a strong representation of Victorian and Art Nouveau as well as mid 20th century rings. On your ring finger, an antique engagement ring featuring hand finished delicate details is simply beautiful.

At Vintage Times we understand that the absolute most important thing is that you find and love the perfect engagement ring for you personally, and for generations to come. So stop at our website www.vintagetimes.com.au or our shop, Vintage Times located at the Sydney Antique Centre in Surry Hills. We have an extensive jewellery, cufflinks and watch collection with 100 years of proven designs from which to choose. Tammy Palmer VINTAGE TIMES 02 9361 3244 info@vintagetimes.com.au www.vintagetimes.com.au

ANTIQUE BEFORE NEW Here are a few reasons to consider antique rings before you head to the mall to purchase a ring off the sushi train of mass produced jewellery. Stylish, elegant, intrinsically extraordinary and with timeless appeal, antique rings are wearable hand crafted works of art created as opposed to the poured and mass assembled clones offered in new jewellery. Recycled, antique engagement rings are a perfect option for environmentally-friendly individuals. Unlike modern rings, they have already been around for a number of years and their eco footprint is miniscule. Historically romantic, antique engagement rings represent the old and the new, a birth of a new romance layered over prior historical romances. Every single detail of an antique or vintage ring represents a period in history and a romance recycled. The 4 C’s (Cut, Clarity, Colour, Carat weight) are important, so study before buying. Remember that today’s standards of good cut, clarity and colour don’t necessarily apply to older diamonds. Methods of cutting were different, and the scientific ability to see internal flaws was not as advanced, therefore a flaw not seen without magnification was not a flaw at all. These changes do not mean these stones are less valuable, only that the technology, fashion and styles of previous eras netted a more organic end product. Budget is important too, so decide what you are willing to spend on a ring and then shop for the perfect antique ring within that budget as they are less than the brand new rings, plus give more individuality and quality. Antiques and

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AAADA SYDNEY ANTIQUES FAIR returns to Royal Randwick Racecourse in August 2013 aul Sumner, marketing director of

AAADA fairs, reported that the association was very pleased with the response to the excellent marketing initiatives staged for the Melbourne fair. Building on this success, association members are looking forward to the next AAADA fair which is being held in Sydney.

REVIEW OF MELBOURNE AAADA FAIR The Melbourne AAADA fair gained wider market exposure than it had previously attracted resulting in strong attendance figures. Many who attended came down from NSW and indicated how much they were looking forward to the Sydney AAADA fair being held in August. The stylish and comprehensive fair catalogue was extremely well received by clients, customers and exhibitors alike. A notable feature of the publication was the

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inclusion of exceptional pieces each exhibitor was bringing to the fair. Derek Greengrass was the popular winner of the Tiffany and Co. ‘Object of the Fair’ award with his extraordinary 16th century skeleton and will have one year of bragging rights about his achievement. Dealers participating in the Melbourne fair reported strong sales and are looking forward to the AAADA Sydney fair with a sense of optimism. At this time, the AAADA is the sole prestige antique fair operator in Sydney.

ROYAL RANDWICK – THE PERFECT CHOICE The allure of the new Randwick exhibition space is sure to attract visitors who will be keen to visit our well-established fair in a new and exciting venue. We will be the first nonracing event to be held in this impressive and superbly appointed facility. The exceptional state of the art amenities have been designed

to meet the needs of exhibitors and management, and enhance the experience of visitors to Royal Randwick. Royal Randwick is a 10 minute journey from the airport, in close proximity to the CBD, plus has the added convenience of free onsite parking. The gala preview will be held on Wednesday 21 August from 6 pm – 9 pm; tickets are $30 per person and can be purchased from the AAADA office.

The fair will be open from 11 am to 7 pm on Thursday 22 August to Saturday 24 August and from 11 am to 5 pm on Sunday 25 August. Tickets will be available at the door. General admission: $20; concession $15; children under 16 free. Details can be obtained from NSW Chapter secretary, Adrienne Wilson, T: 02 9332 3882 or E: adriennewilson@iinet.net.au, or AUSTRALIAN ANTIQUE AND ART DEALERS ASSOCIATION 03 9576 2275 secaada@ozemail.com.au www.aaada.org.au

WATERLOO

Industrial furniture AT DOUG UP ON BOURKE t’s big, it’s heavy and it’s bold. Industrial furniture has a sense of presence about it. Yet it is basic in design and beautifully hand crafted. It has a lifetime of character and history engraved into it. Worn timbers and hard thick metal and steel have a history that we will probably never see again. Shipyards, railway yards, iron foundries, shoe factories, bus depots and large warehouses were where manufacturing once happened. These sites had endless pieces of industrial furniture hidden away or used every day; they were just waiting to be re-born into unique spectacular pieces for a new home or work space. It’s amazing how the centre of any room can be set off by a large cast iron legged, kauri pine top, railways workbench, or using an ex-government pigeon hole filing unit for the home office. Bringing industrial furniture back to its raw state restores its sense of class. A highly polished metal two-door stationery cabinet tends to stand out from the rest with its wow factor. While polished metal is great to look at, this is not always easy to achieve, especially if it was covered with layers of paint and lacquers – like most industrial

furniture. If it has been neglected such as left outside to rust, or if it is covered in oil and grease, it will take a lot of work to bring back its glory. The long process of restoration starts with paint stripping, sand blasting, hours of elbow grease with a wire disk on an angle grinder. After polishing and buffing, a final finishing with a coat of wax, oil or lacquer will prevent further unwanted oxidization. This takes time and dedication for each industrial piece we salvage and restore. Here at Doug Up On Bourke we do the hard work for you.

Sebel Stak-a-bye chairs, stationery cabinets, steel hospital furniture, timber and metal packing crates, tool boxes, unused canteen equipment, valves of glass and metal, wooden bobbins, workbenches, workshop lockers, x-ray viewing boxes, yards of bus and tram destination rolls, and zinc-topped counters.

It is worth a visit to Doug Up On Bourke. Wander through our store and see what treasures you can find. Sophie Mason DOUG UP ON BOURKE 02 9690 0962 info@douguponbourke.com.au www.douguponbourke.com.au

A TO Z OF INDUSTRIAL ANTIQUES You name it – we might have it – or will search for it to meet your objective. When it comes to industrial antiques, Doug Up On Bourke is the place to visit, look and shop. From A to Z we have: army furniture, bell jars, cast iron beds, drawer units, enamel lightshades, feed bins, filing cabinets, foot lockers, globes and lamps, hospital beds, iron and timber stools, jugs, kitchen pots and pans, ladders in all sizes, metal and timber shoe lasts, metal plan cabinets, navy equipment, office desks, platform signs, railway desks,

901 Bourke Street Waterloo NSW 2017

02 9690 0962 web: www.douguponbourke.com.au email: info@douguponbourke.com.au TUESDAY TO FRIDAY 10 AM - 5 PM, SATURDAY 10 AM - 5 PM CLOSED SUNDAY, MONDAY & PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

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SAVI MAURIZIO FURNITURE for celebrating the art of dining S avi Maurizio Furniture specialises in the pleasure of dining. Whether you are looking for a small, intimate dining table for two or a grand buffet style dining table to seat 24 plus, you will be assured of finding a table that suits your needs. Offering a custom design service on a large range of dining tables, Savi Maurizio Furniture gives you the flexibility to choose the dimensions that you desire. The collection of dining tables are all fully made and designed in Italy using prestigious, selected and aged timbers such as walnut, cherrywood and oak. There is a choice of rectangular, square, oval and round shape tables. You also have the option to interchange 18 different inlaid patterns on the table tops as well as mixing and matching with the table bases. The dining tables are constructed by skilful craftsman still using the traditional method of furniture making. The finishing colour can vary with many different tones from walnut to a coloured lacquered finish including gold and silver leaf decoration. You may even

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prefer a mix of both to create a two tone finish (timber and colour). The natural shellac and bees wax finish gives the final touch of brilliance to the table tops.

ORIGIN OF THE DINING TABLE The word ‘table’ is derived from the Latin word tabula. The history of dining tables stems all the way back to the earliest tables first used by the Ancient Egyptians; these were small, designed as stands to lift food off the floor. During the classical Greek period tables were used principally for serving food. The designs created by the Greeks were elaborated on by the Romans. One famous example is the Grecian table of an oblong top set on four straight legs terminating in lions’ paws that the Romans then recreated with curved and highly decorative legs. The Greeks and Romans created a catalyst for the creative process of future furniture design. Drawing on the Roman design of marble supports and a wood top was the refectory table, a favourite during the Renaissance.

TABLE DESIGNS The Romans invented the round table mounted on three legs – the tripod that was made in various sizes. The legs, in the form of animal legs terminating in a paw, were recreated in English Regency cabinetwork. The round table produces a more relaxed atmosphere where diners all had equal views of the other diners without the need for a head of the table and represents a stylish throwback from the Middle Ages where boisterous festivities were the order of the day. A famous dining setting of a circular table and 6 chairs is that by Robert Adam, 1768, for Saltram House in Devonshire. Traditional dining tables were constructed from various materials although marble, timber and metal were primarily used. Tables were usually supported by four feet linked together via X shaped stretches to portray a mix of authority and efficiency. Initially, dining tables were very big and rectangular in shape. This rectangular shape allowed the head of the household to sit at the end of the table, giving him the privileged position of viewing his guests all at once. Back in

time, families were much larger and included immediate and extended family members who all lived together as a group. As a result of this, the dining table was considered a very important piece of furniture that created the centrepiece of a dining room. Meal times became this wonderful mix of socialising while enjoying food and wine. Even now, the designs and materials used for the making of dining tables continue to evolve, yet one thing remains consistent: over the years, these sensational pieces of furniture have managed to retain their central allure and will surely continue to do so. Stylishly reenforcing family values and emphasising the importance of communication and companionship, the dining table beautifully represents the essence of good living, and this is one thing that will never change. SAVI MAURIZIO FURNITURE 02 9698 1112 info@savifurniture.com.au www.savifurniture.com.au

WATERL00

146 – 152 Botany Road Waterloo NSW • On-site parking available

02 9698 1112 email: info@savifurniture.com.au open Monday – Saturday 9.30am – 5pm

www.savifurniture.com.au Antiques and

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ALEXANDRIA

MITCHELL ROAD ANTIQUE & DESIGN CENTRE

Antiques, 20th century design, industrial and architectural heritage, toys and dolls, rustic farmhouse furniture, jewellery

A new industrial space in the inner west for lovers of design and curiosities Upper Level 76 Mitchell Road, Alexandria NSW 2015 I Open 7 days 10 am - 5 pm I P: 02 9698 0907 I E: mitchellroadcentre@yahoo.com.au I www.mitchellroad.wordpress.com

Mitchell Road Antique & Design Centre FOR SETTING YOUR OWN TRENDS the course of watching Australian-made films and televisions shows or reading a magazine published here. Customers take delight in setting their own trends with the treasures they discover at our centre.

YOUR WISH LIST At Mitchell Road Antique & Design Centre we endeavour to help you locate that perfect piece which you’ve been searching for. Add your wish to our ‘wish list’ and each week the list is sent to our dedicated dealers who go in search of these items. With many great results and happy customers, we believe it’s the customer service from our devoted staff that sets us apart from the rest.

KEEPING UP TO DATE

arking seven years of success, Mitchell Road Antique & Design Centre is renowned as a popular and important centre for those in search of the beautiful and the unusual.

well as bus routes that drop you right at our door, this centre houses over 60 dealers displaying their wares. The scope of pre-loved and recycled items is breathtaking and all this under one roof is an exciting convenience.

EASY TO FIND

A DESIGNER’S DREAM

Located on the upper level of a large, yellow, industrial brick warehouse building with distinctive and iconic graffiti signage guiding you to the entrance at 76 Mitchell Road, Alexandria, (corner of Fountain Street) makes us easy to find. Within a short walking distance from Erskineville and Redfern train stations as

We have long been a favourite hunting ground for stylists, set producers, TV, film and magazine shoots far and wide, looking for that unique inspiration to create their signature mood and look. Without realising it, almost everyone would have seen items from Mitchell Road Antique & Design Centre in

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To keep you up-to-date with all the latest trends and exciting new additions, ‘like us’ on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. Daily activity provides an array of stunning new items for sale, invaluable information on particular items and also our monthly business card draw for one of our lucky customers. An online store will soon be opened on our website so you can shop ’til you drop – watch this space! Mitchell Road Antique & Design Centre is open 10 am to 5 pm, 7 days a week. For more information contact MITCHELL ROAD ANTIQUE & DESIGN CENTRE 02 9698 0907 www.mitchellroad.wordpress.com

ALEXANDRIA

MITCHELL ROAD ANTIQUE & DESIGN CENTRE

Upper Level 76 Mitchell Road, Alexandria NSW 2015 Open 7 days 10 am - 5 pm P: 02 9698 0907 I E: mitchellroadcentre@yahoo.com.au www.mitchellroad.wordpress.com

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ALEXANDRIA

LIVING WITH COLLECTIONS Synthesizing antique, vintage and modern for today’s lifestyle o you feel at odds with trends (mainly dictated by magazine and lifestyle editors) advocating a pared down, clutterfree aesthetic? You’re not alone. Leading New York designer, Thomas O’Brien, has come to the realisation that most people who have opted for a big open-plan space for everyday use (with not much more than the perfect vase) long for a formal living room after all.

MODERN VINTAGE Renowned designer, Thomas O’Brien’s take on classics for today. Furniture by Hickory Chair Company and lighting by Visual Comfort, available in Australia only at LAURA KINCADE 80 O’Riordan Street, Alexandria (next door to Domayne) Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm & Sunday 10.30am to 4.00pm T: 02 9667 4415 • W: www.laurakincade.com

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The idea of knocking down walls and opening up space was meant to pare down our lives. Trouble is, you need walls to furnish against and display art. Even with air conditioning, without walls a room can feel cold. By a certain stage of life, the average person has accumulated books, music, art and objects that need to be housed and displayed. Bang goes the idea of living in a spare uncluttered environment! Many have tried a clean open space only to find in a year or so that they are totally bored with it and ‘things’ start creeping back. O’Brien’s long list of clients are now embracing his ‘vintage modern’ approach, which blends period and modern furniture, collectables and art in a way that is satisfying, warm and inviting. Everything is used and enjoyed and guests feel relaxed and comfortable. Fine antiques and reproductions mix happily with contemporary pieces, and chaos is avoided by grouping collections and treating walls, floors and windows as a neutral canvas, allowing the furniture and art to shine. The result is elegance, not clutter. Lighting plays a major role, with lamps providing pools of light around the room, drawing attention to the groupings or hanging low over tables. With the advent of halogen downlights, for a long time the warm glow of table and floor lamps and suspended lighting has been missing from the modern home. Thankfully, they are back in vogue.

Thomas O’Brien is blessed with boundless energy and creativity. His Soho store and design studio, Aero, has long been a favoured destination for New York’s style conscious. His collections include furniture, inspired by early to mid 20th century classics, produced by North Carolina’s Hickory Chair Company, lighting by Visual Comfort, bath fittings for Waterworks, textiles for Lee Jofa’s Groundworks and now rugs for Safavieh. He has also brought style to the masses with a collection for America’s Target. Thomas O’Brien’s furniture and lighting can be found in Australia at Laura Kincade in Sydney. Beverley Brown LAURA KINCADE 02 9667 4415 www.laurakincade.com

FARMHOUSE ANTIQUES

R E S T O R AT I O N S

IMPORTERS & RESTORERS OF ENGLISH, WELSH & CONTINENTAL ANTIQUE PINE & COUNTRY FURNITURE FOR 25 YEARS Wednesday to Sunday 11 am to 5.30 pm or anytime on a phone call

358 Botany Road Alexandria NSW 2015

02 9698 2785 www.farmhouseantiquepine.com.au

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ANGELA & CHRIS LISTER Specialising in: Re-seating of chairs in cane, Danish cord and Restoration of Seagrass furniture

02 9516 2851

THE LEATHER TOP DESK COMPANY est. 1993

Traditional Gold Leaf Embossed • Leather Inlays for Desks • Leather Desk Mats • Complete Desk Restorations

Antique and Modern Finishes Quality Imported Leather Large Range of Patterns and Stamps Regular Pick-up and Delivery Sydney Metro Area Mail Order Australia-wide

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to Collectables Trader magazine starting with the next issue for only ❏ $49 for 6 issues ($8.15 per issue, 18% off) or ❏ $85 for 11 issues ($7.70 per issue, over 22% off) Overseas rates available on request I enclose my ❏ cheque/money order payable to JQ Pty Ltd

ABN 39 945 398 132

Grose Road, Faulconbridge Saturday 1 June 2013 9 am - 4 pm and Sunday 2 June 2013 10 am - 3 pm

antiques 16 molonglo st bungendore 02 6238 1742 mob: 0410 481 742

Admission $7 Daily

ALL ITEMS FOR SALE Wide range of fine estate, period and costume jewellery, English and Australian furniture, sterling silver, precious gold, fine porcelain, glass and crystal, linen, clocks, prints and many other onteresting collectables.

Enquiries may be phoned to Valda: 02 4751 8277 or Ross: 0414 279 805

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❏❏❏❏ ❏❏❏❏ ❏❏❏❏ ❏❏❏❏ For credit card orders call 02 9389 2919 or fax this coupon to 02 9387 7487 or mail to Collectables Trader, PO Box 324, BONDI JUNCTION NSW 1355 Cardholder Name:.....................................................................................Expiry Date: ........................... Signature: ................................................................................................Date:........................................ Send Collectables Trader to: Name: ...................................................................................................................................................... Address: .................................................................................................................................................. .....................................................................................................................Postcode: ........................... Daytime phone: ......................................Email:.......................................................................................

Eastern Suburbs Antique Restorations Pty Ltd Traditional French polishing and all furniture repairs Specialising in all upholstery and a wide range of discounted fabrics 1603 Botany Road, Botany NSW 2019

t: 02 9316 4445 m: 0416 048 222 Antiques and

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BOTANY

Re-covered three-seater lounge

AARON UPHOLSTERY

Above: Before and after restoration of armchair

built on a legacy of quality aron Upholstery is an Australian owned and Sydney based family business specialising in building upholstered furniture. Our in-house craftsmen build furniture with attention to detail using traditional methods, materials and tools and the way fine antique furniture was originally made. Computer Assisted Design (CAD) drawings also assist in the building of the furniture which is undertaken in our own frame workshop by skilled cabinetmakers using beech hardwood cultivated in New Zealand.

HIGH STANDARDS IN COMFORT To provide unparalleled support and comfort, we use heavy gauge coil springs or double weave webbing covered with coconut fibre and lintus cotton wadding. In addition, seat cushioning is made from feather and down or high resilience foam. Our cutters and machinists are highly skilled and experienced to ensure that the finished product is of the highest standard and is matched to perfection. All of these skills and components combine to make our

Re-upholstered leather couch

furniture environmentally friendly and of a very high quality. The traditional techniques we use to build all our furniture makes them destined to become tomorrow’s antiques.

IN-HOUSE DESIGN

Aaron Upholstery Australia Pty Ltd CHOOSE YOUR COMFORT SPECIALISING IN CUSTOM MADE & RE-UPHOLSTERY

Custom built Armarni Modular

Aaron Upholstery has serviced the interior design community for over 35 years and our in-house craftsmen build custom made furniture to specification for interior designers and architects. Our furniture takes pride of place in many of the best addresses in Australia and endures the test of time. We also offer our own in-house Steve Shaw Design range of furniture. This in-house design range can be viewed in our showroom located at our Botany factory address. The showroom is open by appointment only and is an ideal environment to tailor furniture to your specification and comfort level. For your convenience, we also display a selection of our in-house design range of furniture in the gallery section on our website. Right: Custom built bed heads and surrounds

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SOFAS & CHAIRS MODULARS CUSHIONS WINDOW SEATS OTTOMANS STORAGE BOXES

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DINING CHAIRS OCCASIONAL CHAIRS BEDHEADS & BED SURROUNDS MODERN & TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES UPHOLSTERED WALL PANELLING RE–UPHOLSTER / RE–COVER

Below: Custom built bed head

Please feel free to call us in regards to upholstery enquiries – FREE QUOTES – Our friendly and helpful staff will be more than happy to assist. 1611-1613 BOTANY ROAD BOTANY 2019 NSW PHONE: 02 9666 5696 WEBSITE: aaronupholstery.com.au Email: evelyn@aaronuph.com.au

SHOWROOM: BY APPOINTMENT ONLY CUSTOM WORK: TRADE ONLY — SEE YOUR DESIGNER RECOVER-REUPHOLSTERY WORK OPEN TO THE PUBLIC OFFICE HOURS: 8.30 AM – 5.00 PM (MON-THURS), 8.30 AM – 3.00 PM (FRI) Custom built Angelique lounge

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EXTENSIVE SERVICES The many furniture items we build and sell include lounges, chairs, sofa beds, ottomans, bedheads, bed surrounds, dining chairs, wall panelling, cushion covers, scatter cushions and loose covers. A re-cover/re-upholstery service to rejuvenate your favourite lounge or chair is also available, a service which is open to the general public. Any furniture with legs can be remodelled and strained to suit a client's requirements.

SPECIALISED DELIVERY In Sydney, we deliver our fine furniture using our own specialised vehicles. The standard lead time is between four and six weeks from receipt of the fabrics. For further inquiries please contact our office. AARON UPHOLSTERY 02 9666 5696 evelyn@aaronuph.com.au www.aaronupholstery.com.au

BOTANY

PACK & SEND at Botany rt and antique dealers, galleries and museums are now realising that using Pack & Send for their logistics is a means of providing a superior level of service to their customers and actually saves them time and money. At Pack & Send we specialise in transporting art and antiques, which means that we stock an extensive range of packing supplies – including bubble wrap, acid-free films and tailor-made boxes made of cardboard, pine or plywood – for both shops and individuals who choose to do their own packing. Museums, art galleries and antique dealers Australia-wide are finding our service truly valuable and asking us to take care of the entire logistical process – from pick-up to packaging to insurance, paperwork, freighting and safe door-to-door delivery. No other company in Australia does this. By letting us take care of all the details, curators and collectors are free to concentrate on their core business. At Pack & Send we will personally manage the entire job and even computer-track the item en route until it arrives safely and in pristine condition at its destination.

PROFESSIONAL PACKING SERVICE Pack & Send is the only packaging and freight company that has access to Instapak Foam-in-

Place technology, a system using soft foam that expands when two chemicals are combined in contact with air. Foam-in-Place moulds itself to fit the precise shape of the item being packed and this product possesses a density that aids in the prevention of damage from impact, vibration or from being dropped. Instapak Foam-in-Place enables glassware, paintings and various antiques to be sent through the freight system without compromising the safety of the item. Not only that, Foam-in-Place is highly costefficient and readily disposed of without harming the environment. We are the only freight company that will send as well as pack antiques and art for you. When you consider the price of packing the item yourself on top of another company’s freight charges, Pack & Send’s price – as well as its hassle-free, one-stop shopping convenience and total service solutions – makes it a very attractive option.

PEACE OF MIND With our specialist knowledge and our experience in the packing and freighting of fragile, large, awkward and valuable items, we are able to insure even the most fragile art or antique item. Insurance against loss and or damage is available through all Pack & Send stores, giving you peace of mind when sending valuable items and one-off pieces.

NO JOB TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL When you call Pack & Send, regardless of whether the job is large or small, we can professionally pack it and co-ordinate its delivery to anywhere in the world. Anything from an envelope, archaeological artefacts, to large oversize paintings and 100-year-old antique chandeliers, Pack & Send have the expertise to transport it safely. Pack & Send Botany is open seven days a week, Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 5.30 pm, Saturday and Sunday by appointment. The team at Pack & Send looks forward to the opportunity to offer their services in solving any packaging or freight problems you might have. PACK & SEND 02 9661 1144 www.packsend.com.au/botany

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At Pack & Send we will personally manage the entire job and even computer-track the item en route until it arrives safely and in pristine condition at its destination

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PACKAGING....TO US IT’S AN ART FORM! PACK & SEND maintain the highest standards in customer service, packing materials and techniques that ensure your precious pieces are not compromised when being moved. Our trained staff can professionally pack any item no matter how fragile, awkward or valuable and then have it delivered anywhere!

PACK & SEND Botany offer: • Dependable and versatile transport across town, interstate and internationally • ‘No compromise’ packaging and loss/damage cover • Total convenience including pick-up and on-site quotes! • No obligation professional advice from our experienced team • Tailor-made crates, cases and cartons at our site

456 BUNNERONG RD, MATRAVILLE NSW 2063 PH: 02 9661 1144 FAX: 02 9661 1133 Email: botany@packsend.com.au www.packsend.com.au/botany Antiques and

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The evolution of

THE POCKET WATCH CASE ong before wristwatches – and indeed iPhones – became the norm for time keeping, pocket watches were the only portable means for telling the time. Here some of the various styles and designs of pocket watch cases and how they evolved over the centuries will be examined. The earliest watch forms were a transition from clocks that goes as far back as the 16th century. These ‘clock-watches’ were fastened to clothing or worn on a chain around the neck, pendant style from the neck. In the 17th century men began to wear watches in pockets instead, spurred along by the introduction of the waistcoat. To fit comfortably in the pockets it evolved into the typical pocket watch shape – rounded and flattened with no sharp edges.

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One of the earliest styles of cases was the pair case pocket watch which was most common from the 1700s through to the early 1800s. These were mostly created in sterling silver with a lesser amount in gold and were made with an outer case to protect the inner pocket watch, and both cases were usually plain. These are easily identifiable by the pocket watch having a longer than normal stem when removed from the outer case.

POCKET WATCH MOVEMENTS The mid 1800s saw a major leap forward in pocket watch movements from the larger and somewhat bulky verge and fuse escapements to a relatively thinner lever escapement movement. In addition better ways of protecting the pocket watch from damage as well as dust and other debris were introduced by adding a front hinged cover called the full hunter or the hunter case. During this time, the open face pocket watch was also developed and, as the name implies, this does not have a front cover however it also was just one piece as opposed to the two piece pair case pocket watches. Both of these cases are commonly found in sterling silver and solid gold cases. Added to this, the late 1800s to the 1900s saw the production of rolled gold or gold filled cases as well as nickel silver and gun metal cases. This was because the higher the precious metal content, the softer the material. Gold filled pocket watches are well-built to stand ageing but in time, such filled cases may show patches of brass which can lessen the pocket watch value.

FULL & DEMI-HUNTER The full hunter was produced mainly for when a gentleman was hunting on horseback, and the front cover is opened by depressing the crown, that will reveal the dial. With any of these two there are of course both advantages and disadvantages. The advantage of an open face pocket watch is the ease with which to tell the time, i.e. no need to open the top case to view the time. The disadvantage is of course the fact that it is easier to damage the glass covering the pocket watch dial, and these features – that is, protection versus convenience – are reversed for the full hunter pocket watches. Which leads us on to another form of pocket watch case; the demi-hunter or halfhunter pocket watch. This style of pocket watch gives total protection of the full hunter pocket watch by having an outer cover, yet still allows the time to be read while this is still closed by having a small inner circle cut out. Most demi-hunter cases have additional numbers on front cover of the case which correspond to the numbers on the dial. The demi-hunter cases make for a very handsome and elegant pocket watch case and are much harder to find than the more traditional styles.

WINDING UP As mentioned earlier, the key wind and key set is quite straight forward in winding and setting via the key, and the later pocket watches from Switzerland and America from around the 1880s used a new technology in winding and setting the pocket watches. This was the crown wind also called the stem wind, where the top crown is rotated to wind the pocket watch. The earlier forms of these were lever set where, under the front cover – usually to the

left or right of the crown – a small lever is pulled out then the crown turned to set the time; after the lever is pressed back in, the crown reverts back to winding the movement. A similar style is the pin set where, again at the same position but this time just on the outer edge of the case, a small ‘pin’ is depressed and the same process applied as the lever set. With either of these pocket watches do not ever attempt to pull the crown out to set the time as this will very quickly and easily damage the pocket watch! The next step was the crown wind and set movements where, as it is implied, the crown was turned to wind the movement, pulled out and turned to set the hands then pressed back in. This step was a huge leap forward; transitioning into wrist watches that were slowly entering the market at the same time. Other styles of pocket watches include a railway grade, side wind, fancy cased as well as repeating and chronograph pocket watches to name a few but these will be covered in a later article. KALMAR ANTIQUES 02 9264 3663 kalmar@ozemail.com.au www.kalmarantiques.com.au

ROCKDALE

ph 02 9567 1322 fax 02 9597 1782

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Australian pattern florin 1937

Adelaide Assay Office, cracked die pound 1852

NOBLE NUMISMATICS’

$3.2 million sale O ver 82 per cent of lots sold at eleven per cent over the estimate at the latest and 102nd sale held by Noble Numismatics. Although the sale was well supported by bidders in attendance and in absentee, the vast majority supported it via the internet.

SALE HIGHLIGHTS A major highlight was the coin featured on the catalogue’s front cover – the Spanish silver 50 reales or cinquentina dated 1636. Estimated at $25,000, from $60,000 on, it became the subject of a drawn out but most exciting bidding duel between two overseas phone bidders – the hammer finally going down for an amazing $102,000. Other highlights included the Adelaide pound, 1852, type one or cracked die which fetched $116,500 and the pattern 1937 florin estimated at $100,000 but sold for $133,975 and the highest price achieved in the auction. In the mis-strikes section, a full reverse brockage of a 50 cent piece realised more than ten times the estimate bringing $6,408 while a mule dollar, 2000, was bought for $2,915 realising almost triple its estimate, as it was nearly uncirculated.

The German New Guinea gold 20 mark, 1895, was sold to a phone bidder for $29,125. The Waitangi crown, 1935 realised $8,621, while the balance of the set, which was estimated at $3,750, achieved $6,384. Two pattern silver dollars of 1981 and 1982 were knocked down for $4,893 each.

TOKENS & MEDALS In the tokens, while a Jamberoo penny realised $6,990 the highest price went to the James Campbell, Morpeth silver threepence which sold for $8,155. All the James Cook medals by L. Pingo sold well over their estimates, the first one in silver realising $3,728 while a convict token sold for $2,563. The Geelong Grammar School silver medal of an early date, 1858, sailed past its $300 estimate to realise $1,748. A Municipal Council of Sydney, Harbour Bridge medal in oxidised silver plate sold for $2,913.

AUSTRALIAN COINS Among a series of Australian pre-decimal coins, a nearly uncirculated 1946 penny brought well over the $350 estimate, realising $1,631. A second type Adelaide pound with

Australia 50 cent brockage

an attractive natural mint bloom was bought for $34,950 while the extremely rare Port Phillip Kangaroo Office, gold quarter ounce, 1853 was bought for $14,679, and a W J Taylor-C Weiner pattern shilling in copper sold for $16,310. An extremely fine 1855 sovereign fetched $11,068, while an outstanding type coin, a Sydney Mint half sovereign, 1856, was knocked down for $40,775. A high grade very rare date sovereign, 1923 Sydney, sold for $32,620. The highest priced sovereign went to the 1926 Sydney which saw spirited bidding take it to $47,765. It was sold on behalf of the granddaughter of the assayer at the Mint at the time of closure in 1926. Best results in the Imperial half sovereigns went to an 1875 Sydney which sold for $6,408, over double its estimate. In the early proofs a 1952 Perth Mint proof penny obtained the best result at $32,038 from an estimate of $20,000. A choice 1960 Perth Mint two coin set realised a strong result at $2,563. In the early florins, a gem uncirculated 1916M sold for $4,427 while the best price went to the 1932 at $16,543. In the pennies, a good fine 1930 realised $19,805 from its $12,000 estimate, an Indian die dropped one 1931 multiplied its estimate of $750 to bring $3,612, as did the 1943I and 1953 penny varieties which realised $1,864 from a $200 estimate.

BRITISH GOLD In this section, the Queen Anne guinea, 1711, fetched the best price, realising $3,612. In silver, a choice groat of Edward III, was sold for $2,447 while a Richard III was knocked down at $4,194. The top price went to the Charles I Shrewsbury Mint silver pound of 20 shillings at $20,970. A high grade 1692 crown of William & Mary realised $4,078. In medals, a William IV and Queen Adelaide issue in gold brought a record $5,243. In military medals the highest price went to an historical Waterloo Medal awarded to a Tasmanian settler at $14,446. A World War II MM group of six for the Anzio Beachhead fetched multiples of the $750 estimate at $2,447.

BANKNOTE ENTHUSIASM The highlight in world banknotes was the offering of two previously unseen issued examples of the highest denomination value notes of 1920 of Mombasa, East Africa Currency Board, the 20 florins or two pounds which were sold for $25,630 and the 50 florins or five pounds which fetched $34,950 both to the same buyer on the phone against another determined phone bidder. Many bids were received for the French Equatorial Africa WWII emergency issue 1,000 francs which eventually realised $3,495 to a floor bidder, way above its $500 estimate. In New Zealand banknotes, a Union Bank ten pounds of 1923 also multiplied its $1,500 estimate bringing $6,990 while a Wilson

Phillip IIII of Spain, silver 50 reales dated 1636 issued by the Segovia Mint

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East Africa Currency Board 50 florins of 1920

Reserve Bank 50 pounds doubled its estimate, realising $3,262. In Commonwealth notes, a 1918 ten shillings sold for $11,068. The repaired Rainbow pound sold to a floor bidder at $12,815 while a fine ten pounds of 1932 was bought for $13,456. The best of the Hay Internment Camp notes, an Epstein/Stahl two shillings was sold for $17,475. An uncirculated pair of five dollar star notes of Coombs/Randall realised $13,398. By far the top price in the error notes went to a same number pair of 20 dollars of Phillips/Randall at $6,990.

WORLD COINS The highlight of the world gold coins was the South Africa, ZAR ‘veld’ pond 1902 ex Captain J.J. Cullimore Allen Collection with original set plush case by Spink & Son and a letter of 4 August 1960 which achieved $18,640. Next was the Atocha shipwreck gold finger bar that realised $16,543. The Argentina, Tierra del Fuego five gramos, 1889 was bought for $4,078, over double its estimate. Of several lots to sell at multiples of estimate, the album collection of Norway did best realising $2,796 from a modest $400 estimate.

SALE OF ANCIENTS The final afternoon session witnessed the sale of ancients. In the gold, a Lydia electrum third stater sold for $2,447 while a Vespasian aureus found a buyer at $9,087 and the Faustina Junior issue the same buyer at $9,320. In silver, a Sicily tetradrachm ex Robert Rossini Collection easily beat the estimate of $1,500 realising $2,913 and a beautifully toned Lysimachos tetradrachm sold for $2,330.

VALUABLE DOCUMENTS To conclude the sale, two important documents were offered – four letters by Winston Churchill in 1917 which were sold for $1,631, and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother’s correspondence to an Australian soldier from 1918 bought for $4,194 – many times the estimate of $1,000 – by a local collector against a member of the soldier’s family in the final bids. These letters were front page news in Melbourne and Sydney a month prior to the auction.

CONSIGNMENTS FOR SALE 103 CLOSING SOON Noble’s next sale takes place in Melbourne on Tuesday to Thursday 13-15 August and consignments close Friday 14 June. We look forward to seeing you then. Jim Noble NOBLE NUMISMATICS 02 9223 4578 www.noble.com.au

Roman gold aureus of Faustina Junior

CITY

FREDMAN SVW F O R M E R LY S Y D N E Y V I N TAG E WAT C H E S We also purchase: Patek Philippe Cartier Vacheron & Constantin Le Coultre Audermars Piguet Universal International (IWC) Movado Ulysse Nardin Omega Chronographs Military Watches

Reminiscent of the French jewellery salons of the 19th century and located in the historic Strand Arcade, Victoria & Albert Antiques is a treasure trove filled with interesting and unusual antique, vintage and quality reproduction pieces. With decades of experience, our knowledgeable staff will help you find the perfect gift, or special treat for yourself.

Dealer in Vintage Timepieces CONSTANT INTEREST IN BUYING ALL KINDS OF ROLEX WATCHES Visit us at

Shop 28, Ground Floor, Strand Arcade 193 Pitt Street Mall, Sydney PHONE: 02 9221 3373 MOBILE: 0407 676 838 MONDAY to SATURDAY

We are strong buyers of all men’s and ladies’ wristwatches in any condition

WE BUY & SELL

Antique, vintage and selected new buttons Shop 25 Nurses Walk, The Rocks (enter through Surgeon’s Court off George St, opposite Museum of Contemporary Art)

Victoria & Albert Antiques Shop 17, The Strand Arcade, 412 - 414 George St, Sydney NSW 2000 Ph: 02 9221 7198 Fax: 02 9221 7214 Monday - Friday 9.30 am–5.30 pm Thursday 9.30 am–7 pm Saturday 9.30 am–5 pm Sunday 11 am–4 pm

Shop Online Now We Buy & Sell Antiques & Collectables, Arts & Crafts, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, fossicking? .... absolutely!

Ph: 02 9252 0833

Open 7 days

Email: dd@buttonsbuttons.net

Shop 30A Ground Floor The Strand Arcade, 412 George St, Sydney Ph: 02 9222 1848

OPEN 7 DAYS 10am - 5.30pm

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Spinning the bowl

Annealing Roger Federer with perpetual trophy

Warwick vase at Burrell Collection, Glasgow, Scotland

Cutting the silver sheet

The making of the AUSTRALIAN MEN’S OPEN TROPHY THE STORY BEGINS part from New Year’s resolutions, January is a time for the tennis. In the sweltering heat of the Australian summertime, this sport is played at an elite level and watched by live audiences of hundreds of thousands and by television audiences around the world. Tennis Australia stages the Australian Open championship at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. It is the first round of the four tennis Grand Slam events held each year – the others being held in France, UK and USA. The world tennis focus is on Australia. National and international elite tennis players descend on Melbourne to battle for the glory of being named champions of the Australian Open, be it for the Men’s Singles, the Women’s Singles or the Doubles Championships. The Australian Open began as the Australasian Championships in 1905 under the auspices of the Australasian Lawn Tennis Association (later to be renamed the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia [LTAA]). It became known as the Australian Championships in 1927 and was renamed the Australian Open in 1969. The successor to the LTAA is known as Tennis Australia. Between 1905 and 1926, various different trophies were presented to the winners. In 1926 it was decided that a new elaborate trophy should become the future perpetual trophy for the winner of the Men’s Singles prestigious championship. Accordingly, a trophy was commissioned through the Australian jewellery business Hardy Brothers. The magnificent perpetual trophy is named after Australian tennis legend Sir Norman Brookes (1877-1968), a former Australian and international tennis champion and a former president of the LTAA. Since 1927, the winner of the Men’s Singles title has not only achieved fame and glory but has also experienced the pinnacle moment of holding aloft the perpetual trophy, known as the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup. Who can forget the images over the years of Djokovic, Federer, Nadal, Newcombe, Rosewall and Laver, to name just a few, smiling radiantly with the mighty silver trophy cup held on high and with hundreds of cameras clicking to capture it for world-wide circulation? In recent years the winners have not only walked away with record prize money, they have also been given, as part of the prize, a full size sterling silver replica of the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup. These magnificent replica trophy cups are made by a team of talented silversmiths working at W.J. Sanders in Sydney.

THE PERPETUAL TROPHY The impressive perpetual trophy is made of sterling silver and silver gilt, is hallmarked for London 1926 and carries the sponsor’s mark of Hardy Bros. Its design is based on the Warwick Vase, an enormous and elaborate

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ancient marble vase from the second century AD, found near Rome in the late 1770s in the grounds of Villa Adriana, the palatial villa of the Roman Emperor Hadrian. It came into the possession of George Greville, second Earl of Warwick who built a special greenhouse for it in the grounds of Warwick Castle. The vase has been a source of design inspiration since its transportation to England in the late 18th century, and today the original is housed in the Burrell Collection, Glasgow, Scotland. Three full size replicas were made, one of which is on show at Warwick Castle. The trophy of our interest, the Norman Brookes Championship Cup, is on public display throughout the year in the vestibule of the offices of Tennis Australia in Melbourne. When Tennis Australia decided that it would annually provide a sterling silver equivalent of the perpetual trophy for the Men’s Singles champion, it took on the responsibility of funding the project and of finding a suitable manufacturer. W.J. Sanders, a Sydney silversmithing manufacturing business now in its second century of continuous operation, was able to accept the commission and the mighty challenge began for its craftsmen.

THE MAKING OF THE TROPHY Initially a mock-up was made in brass and bronze to iron out the many difficulties of producing such a piece. Only when the replica was perfected could the decision be made to proceed with the first silver trophy. There were many stages. The first involved creating a bowl which needed to be spun to a diameter of 297 mm and height of 277 mm. Precise calculations needed to be made to assess the thickness and dimension of the sheet of Australian silver that had to be specially milled for the purpose. The spinning process required a series of wooden chucks to be made that were the shape of the required bowl. Over the chuck the spinner could work to shape the silver sheet – cut beforehand to a circular shape assessed to be exactly the right size. No wastage. A spinning project of this magnitude required nearly 30 interludes for the spinner to anneal the silver – a process whereby heat is applied to enable the silver to take the shaping required. If not done carefully or frequently enough, the silver would crack or melt. The spinner also spun a base and a stem for the bowl to be attached to. A further square base was fabricated to enable the whole trophy to be put upon its square-topped timber pedestal. Polishing the newly-spun bowl, stem and base came next – another specialised skill. Such a task involves three different finenesses of polishing compounds to bring the surface to the desired mirror-finish.

DECORATIVE ELEMENTS The decorative elements that needed to be chased on to the outer surface of the bowl were then sketched onto the bowl in their

Polishing outside bowl

Chasing lower leaves

Chased lower leaves

Cast satyrs heads and staffs

Cast vine leaves

Trophy made by W.J. Sanders

exact positions. With specialised skill, the chaser set to work, hammer in one hand, chasing tool in other, following the marked lines and gently bringing a third dimension to the decoration. Approximately 80 hours were involved in her first mock-up on the base metal trophy. From the experience of the trial, she was able to complete the same task on the silver bowl in about 45 hours. The main chased elements are ornate Acanthus leaves rising up from the base of the bowl, embracing the lower body of the bowl as it enlarges. Around the central bowl, on each side, is an elaborate chased depiction of the skin of a panther showing its head, legs and claws. Of the cast decorations, the handles were the most difficult. The ribbed handles, depicting interwoven grape vines, include leaf decorations and elaborate curvaceous ends which are soldered onto the bowl. Spreading around the upper margin of the bowl from the branches on the handles are cast clusters of grapes, vine leaves, stems and tendrils. Other cast surface decorations include classical Bacchanalian masks in the form of heads of satyrs and associated adornments such as pine cone tipped staffs. The finished bowl was then fitted to its stem, which in turn was attached to a square silver base. The gilding of the inner surface of the bowl was the last process. The bowl was filled with a gold solution and a current passed through the solution. Correct timing of the gilding process was vital. The 4.64 kg trophy and its square silver base were then fitted to the square top of the timber pedestal. The full height of the trophy upon its pedestal is 430 mm. Then came the engraved plaque – with a steady hand and accurate spacing, the engraver copied the exact inscription on the original plaque onto a silver

Engraved front plate

plaque for application to the timber base. With warranted pride, the W.J. Sanders craftspeople gathered around the completed trophy. This team effort of 800 man hours saw each member making a vital contribution with his or her specialist skill. Tennis Australia is understandably very happy with their achievement.

GAME, SET AND MATCH Tennis Australia is to be congratulated for taking the initiative of upgrading the excellence of the trophy given to the Men’s Singles winner of the Australian Open and for supporting Australian industry by commissioning an Australian company to make this trophy – a superb example of the skill and craftsmanship that can still be found within Australia. Dennis de Muth and his team of highly skilled craftspeople at W.J. Sanders took on this challenge with a certain amount of cautious wisdom. With over 100 years of experience between them, each step along the way was approached with considered thinking and was successful in delivering the final product as per the original brief. There is no doubt that this highly skilled team will be able to provide this annually – at least for the next few years. Christine Erratt for W.J. SANDERS & CO 02 9557 0134 www.wjsanders.com.au

MARRICKVILLE

Our services include: Authentic and quality restoration of antique metalware Restoration and replating of gold and silverware Restoration, repair and engraving of trophies Specialists in the complete restoration of brass and copper Restoration of all church metalware

Quotations by appointment

Communion Set

Gumnut Salver

A replication of an 1870s Scottish made sterling silver communion set. Made by W.J. Sanders in 2009

This beautiful Australiana inspired salver is made from sterling silver with hand crafted gum leaf edging and hand engraved patterns

World Youth Day Holy Vessels Custom manufactured Sacred Vessels for celebration of Mass held by Pope Benedict XVI for the Sydney World Youth Day, 2008

W.J. Sanders is Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last premier manufacturing gold and silversmiths. Our craftsmen continue to use traditional skills to professionally design and manufacture beautiful pieces in gold, sterling silver, brass and other precious metals

Australian 18 Footers Championship Trophy

The Sterling Silver Lakes Cup

The Sydney Flying Squadron commissioned this new trophy to represent the history of winning skippers since 1906. It features a sterling silver replica of an 18 Footer and was made from the remnants of the Mark Foy Challenge Cup which was destroyed by a fire in 1958

The Lakes Golf Club came to WJS with the hexagonal base of this trophy only. The wooden base and hand chased bowl had both been lost. WJS recreated them from two images and restored the existing bottom of the trophy

Ostrich Egg Tankard

Australian Tennis Open Trophy

This copy of a Steiner tankard was made for a charity auction in 2004. Beautiful silver inlays are set around an authentic ostrich egg with a 22ct hard gold interior

This yearly trophy commissioned by Tennis Australia is a full sized replica of the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup. The trophy comprises over 800 hours labour, hand chased bowl, custom moulded handles and a 22ct hard gold interior

Phone: 02 9557 0134 Fax: 02 9557 0086

Address: Unit 36F Fitzroy Street MARRICKVILLE NSW 2204 Postal address: PO Box 43 ST PETERS NSW 2044

The Spada Shield This shield was made for the Royal Australian Navy in 2008. It features sterling silver shields and plates, all stamped accordingly and mounted on a Australian kauri pine shield. The central feature is a hand chased image of the HMAS Sydney 11

www.wjsanders.com.au wjsanders@optusnet.com.au Antiques and

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Popeye and Olive Oyl dolls

I yam what I yam The collectable world of

POPEYE THE SAILOR MAN I

Metal lunch boxes showing Popeye in action

love the iconic Popeye the Sailor man and so I have collected everything I can get my hands on for about ten years. I hope that you will love the rascal too once you read about his endearing character and history. Popeye the Sailor man is a fictional hero from comic strips and later animation. His creator, Elzie Crisler Segar commenced the comic strip Thimble Theater for the New York Journal of the King Features Syndicate on 19 December 1919. The lead characters for the first nine years are Olive Oyl (Popeye’s future girlfriend), her brother Castor Oyl and Ham Gravy. Popeye first appears on 17 January 1929, when Castor Oyl picks up an old sailor named Popeye to navigate his ship to find the rare (fictitious) whiffle hen.

COMIC STRIP CHARACTER The Popeye character quickly became the focus of Thimble Theater, that became one of the most popular comics during the 1930s. Following the 1938 death of Elzie Segar, several cartoonists kept Popeye’s adventures going, including Segar’s assistant, Forrest ‘Bud’ Sagendorf. Bobby London wrote and drew the syndicated daily Popeye comic strip from 1986 to 1992. Today drawn by Hy Eisman, who also draws the Katzenjammer Kids strip,

Popeye banner

Popeye No. 5 comic book, c. 1930s. Stamped ‘a family approved comic book’

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Popeye and Olive Oyl dolls

Popeye continues to appear in first-run strips in Sunday papers. There are a number of Popeye comic books produced by at least five publishing houses. One year after Popeye debuted, the Great Depression inflicted financial pain for millions of households worldwide. People turned to low-cost entertainment for distraction from their present predicaments, creating a USA market for cheap comic books reproducing newspaper comic strips. Children really enjoy reading comic books and often the plots reflect their everyday lives during the Depression.

BIG SCREEN HERO In 1933, Max and Dave Fleischer adapted the Thimble Theater characters into a series of Popeye the Sailor theatrical short cartoons for Paramount Pictures. These were so popular in the 1930s, that Popeye rivalled Mickey Mouse. The original voice-over for Olive Oyl in the cartoons was Mae Questel who was also the voice for Betty Boop, another very popular cartoon show. The best-known voice of Popeye was by Jack Mercer, creating the mumbling and the great Popeye laugh. During World War II, Questel voiced Popeye for about six cartoons. In 1942, Paramount took over the Fleischer Studios, continuing the Popeye series until 1957. King Features produced Popeye

television cartoons from 1960 to 1962, followed by Hanna-Barbera Productions from 1978 to 1982 and 1987 to 1988. In 1980, Robin Williams played Popeye in a live action film.

MULTI-MEDIA POPEYE There was a popular Popeye radio program from 1935 to 1938. He was one of the first fictional characters to appear in the toy and novelty industries in the 1930s. Popeye also appeared in arcade and video games and hundreds of advertisements and commercial merchandise.

HOW TO DESCRIBE POPEYE? He is a middle-aged independent sailor with thinning red hair. He is feisty and endearing. He has an unusual body shape, with exaggerated muscular forearms sporting anchor tattoos. His ever-present corncob pipe juts from the corner of his mouth; when he ‘toots’ the pipe it sounds like the whistle of a steamship. Whether it was the pipe or a lingering speech problem, Popeye had problems enunciating a final ‘t’ in a word, replacing it with the ‘k’ sound, hence fist sounds like fisk. Taking into consideration his only one good eye, one wonders if Popeye sympathetically portrays a person who has had a stroke?

KOGARAH

Southern Antique Centre 30 SHOPS UNDER ONE ROOF

ANTIQUES • COLLECTABLES • BRIC-À-BRAC

245 Princes Hwy, Kogarah

We Buy - Sell & Hire

(near St George Leagues)

20 minutes south of the City

www.southernantiques.com.au

Open 7 Days from 10am

southernantiques@bigpond.com

BETIES CAFÉ

P 02 9553 7843 M 0410 436 933

02 9553 9667 Popeye was actually a good-hearted character, chivalrous and always believed in justice and fair play. Perhaps you would think that he was angry and cantankerous because he would fight for the underdogs, but only when pushed to his breaking point. Adventures take Popeye all over the world and he is often in conflict with other characters. He lives in a Sweet Haven, his father’s name is Poopdeck Pappy and Popeye is the adoptive father of Sweet Pea. His best friend is Wimpy who has a passion for hamburgers. His sweetheart is Olive Oyl, portrayed as a coy flapper who was extremely thin with black hair rolled into a neat bun and very big feet. Popeye has superhuman strength, initially explained in the comic strip as coming from rubbing the head of the rare whiffle hen. That hen is the objective for which Castor Oyl engages Popeye on 17 January 1929. From 1933, Max and Dave Fleischer’s cartoons attribute his strength to eating spinach, his act credited with popularising spinach among children for decades. Popeye’s favourite sayings are: ‘I yam what I yam!, I’ve had all I can stand, I can’t stand no more!’ In today’s fascination with high tech devices and activities such as computer, video games and mobile phones, the collectables of yesteryear are still sought-after. Parents of that era would be astonished to learn that the wind-up toys, puzzles, plush dolls and other Popeye merchandise that cost very little money then would appreciate in such value over the past 75 years. The 1930s Popeye memorabilia is in demand more so than the modern Popeye merchandise still produced. Often the condition is not mint if children have played with or read the item. It is quite ironic that the muscular spinach-

eating pipe-smoking chivalrous Popeye, initially only to make a brief appearance in an already established comic, would become one of the most loved and recognisable comic characters. So the next time you find some Popeye memorabilia when browsing around an antique store or fossicking through an attic, you will have greater appreciation of this great icon of the 1930s. The USA National Cartoonist Society created the Elzie Segar Award in honour of the creator of Popeye. This annual award is for an individual who has made a unique and outstanding contribution to the profession of cartooning. Kim Hughes SOUTHERN ANTIQUE CENTRE 02 9553 7843 www.southernantiques.net.au

Fan painted with Popeye’s face with eyes glued on

Popeye piloting a plane, metal

Figure of Bluto in original packaging

Olive Oyl’s toy car with Popeye and Brutus aboard and a small boat mounted at rear Antiques and

art

A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE TO COLLECTING ANTIQUE MAPS AND PRINTS

Looking for inaccuracies and imperfections VISIT ANTIQUE PRINT CLUB AT BRISBANE ANTIQUE CENTRE

a ‘plate’ for printing and circulation. Inaccuracies in an engraving or lithograph are often dismissed as artistic licence. While this is generally acceptable in the case of scenery or purely artistic creations, when the antique print is of a nature study, the peculiarities of some early images make them unacceptable to the science student – but more collectable to others because of their imperfections.

Next time you head north, you will find Brisbane’s newest antique centre at Exit 30, Beenleigh-Redland Bay turn-off from the Pacific Highway. There’s a Montgolfier hot-air balloon at the top of the sign outside the centre, but there’s no hot air inside, as the centre and its café are airconditioned. Well, that’s not quite right, according to Derek Nicholls, referring to his better-half’s enthusiastic descriptions of the finer points of antique maps and prints in the Antique Print Club’s gallery there. Fortunately enthusiasm is usually contagious. It’s always nice to be able to share one’s pleasures with others. Antique prints were created from an artist’s or scientist’s drawing by transposing this onto

AN ERROR OF JUDGMENT On early voyages, at least one crew member was officially appointed as the artist to record any discoveries. Sometimes, of course, an able body seaman who showed any talent at sketching was ‘drafted’ into the job, but usually the artist was chosen for his artistic skill before the voyage set sail. Fairly accurate

Antique Maps and Antique Prints now available from the new

Brisbane Antique Centre at Pacific Highway Exit 30 (on Beenleigh-Redland Bay Road) Open daily (except public holidays) 07 3806 0118

www.brisbaneantiquecentre.com.au

Antique Print Club sales@antiqueprintclub.com

Phone 07 5525 1363 – 0412 442 283

www.antiqueprintclub.com Original Antique Maps Original Antique Prints 100 to 400 years old Early maps of most countries Early prints of most subjects

Fine French Fashion circa 1912 – 1925

Rare original hand-coloured pochoir & French maps, architecture & design 42

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drawings were usually made during voyages; sometimes despite time constraints when fauna did not stay still. However, despite the efforts of the intrepid travelling artist, they were still at the mercy of the engraver back home. When transposing a drawing into an engraving, if the drawing was thought to be unrealistic, the engraver would sometimes creatively adapt it to what might be more acceptable to the home audience who were completely unfamiliar with, for example, the ‘kangooroo’ that had been seen. The rat-like features of early English and French engravings of the kangaroo are among the more interesting of the early natural history engravings of Australia’s fauna – although other unfamiliar marsupials and birds are also spectacular for their idiosyncrasies.

THE FAULT OF INACCURATE SUPPOSITION? In much the same way, antique maps and charts are always more popular when they are incorrect. Does that suggest we like to be reminded that others make mistakes, or is it just that we like to relate to the history and beliefs of our ancestors? Only 50 years before the First Fleet settlement arrived in 1788, maps showed Australia without an east coast – or in maps circa 1750 by Bellin, Buache and other French cartographers, with widely varying outlines. Probably the best known strangely formed Australian map is when Nicolas Bellin actually showed a dotted line up his fanciful east coast of Australia, and printed along this dotted line in French: ‘I suppose Van Diemen’s Land could join to Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea but without proof’. Europeans presumed the existence of Australia’s east coast many years before James Cook finally discovered and charted it in 1770. Have you ever looked at an early chart that shows the route of Cook’s Endeavour across the Pacific in his quest for the east coast of New Holland as directed by the Admiralty in England? Such a little ship and such a large ocean! Cook’s discovery of the east coast of Australia should be declared the most important discovery of the 18th century – definitely from the point of view of anyone living here, anyway. Landing at Botany Bay, Cook claimed the east coast for Britain and named it New South Wales. A skilled mathematician, astronomer and cartographer, his charts of the east coast of Australia were used in navigation for over 100 years.

SAN ANDREAS FAULT – OR UNSUCCESSFUL NETWORKING? Across the other side of the Pacific, the most recently charted coastline was north-west America, but the most collected maps of America are not the maps progressively showing the charting of this coastline. Some of the most popular maps worldwide are those showing California as an island. This brings us to another

interesting point with early maps. Despite being aware that previous charting had been proven wrong, some mapmakers went ahead and published the wrong information. One argument for knowingly reproducing inaccuracies is that these map makers could have their own personal view. Another perspective could be that perhaps it was just too difficult or too expensive to re-engrave the map. Jesuit priests were great travellers and in many parts of the world were highly influential. With their early networking, they were usually aware of the latest information from around the world. A case in point is Jesuit cartographer Heinrich Scherer who showed California as an island in his maps of 1710. This was years after Eusebio Francisco Kino, a Jesuit missionary in Mexico and Arizona, proved otherwise when he led an expedition overland to the Pacific Ocean. Scherer’s maps have great artistic appeal, with strong engraved detail and interesting cartouches that are often geographically incorrect. In his map of America, Scherer includes African wild animals as well as strange birds. Even when antique prints and maps are faithful representations of the subject, they are often interesting for the information shown as they draw a picture of the period when they were made. Geographical information might describe as well as show the terrain, or even an explorer’s experience in a locality, while a topographical view shows a location that was quite different from that to be found today. The stunning maps by French geographer Victor Levasseur are surrounded by a superbly engraved narrative that not only included detailed statistics of the period, circa 1850, but also illustrated produce, commerce, industry, local landmarks, peasants in regional costume and historically important people from the region. So, whatever your interest, there is sure to be an antique map, or antique print to enjoy. Kathryn & Derek Nicholls ANTIQUE PRINT CLUB 07 5525 1363 / 0412 442 283 sales@antiqueprintclub.com www.antiqueprintclub.com

CARLTON

Baker & Houghton ANTIQUES Experienced dealers in a new, exciting showroom and 400 sq m warehouse packed with furniture, collectables and objets d’art

Specialists in FRENCH, ENGLISH AND AUSTRALIAN FURNITURE DIRECT IMPORTERS 20TH CENTURY PORCELAIN & GLASS ANTIQUITIES

We buy and sell. Come to us, or we’ll come to you Visit our great new location with onsite parking

66 Planthurst Rd, Carlton NSW 2218 Open 6 Days 10am – 5pm, closed Tuesdays P: 02 9547 3698 E: baker.houghton@bigpond.com Formerly trading as Brae-Mar Antiques and Janda Antiques

BAKER & HOUGHTON ANTIQUES adds a warm touch of flair for winter U pdating your home is never easy, but adding a touch of flair can work wonders for your décor and be uplifting for yourself and all who share your home. When buying furniture, pick a style you like that will blend well with the pieces already in your collection. Choose the things that you love – I mean, really love. This takes time but is well worth the rewards. While searching for items to furnish a room remember to keep your eye out for works of art and objects to complement your selection. If you are a collector of certain decorative items – such as boxes, treen or silver – they can look wonderful arranged on a table with a lamp, books and flowers. Your walls can be covered with original artworks, prints and tapestries. Collectors of masks or perhaps beaded bags may consider treating them as artworks that can be hung on walls, which can also look lovely. Another charming look is place miniatures and smaller items in wall hung small cabinets.

CHANGE OF DÉCOR FOR CHANGE OF SEASON The change of season is a terrific time to rearrange. There’s a lot to be said for sprucing up your home in spring but winter, wonderful winter – especially in Australia – is great for nesting. This is a wonderful opportunity to seek interesting things from times past to adorn your home, creating inviting comfortable rooms for a cosy night in.

At Baker & Houghton we can help you create rooms with that warm and comfortable feeling. Setting up a cosy corner is easy with a comfy chair, table for your books and a lamp to read by. What better way to spend your evening than with a warm drink and your favourite book, and don’t forget the candles as they create a lovely glow in a room. Beds are important too. The ambiance of a French bed and your favourite mattress to sink into – piled with pillows for extra comfort – bedside tables, a lamp and your favourite pictures or paintings on the walls. Light some candles and lamps for extra soft lighting then settle in for a night of relaxation and comfort to recharge yourself for the next adventurefilled day. Kitchens and eating areas need the warmth of cooking and comfy tables and chairs; a place for family and friends to share. Add extra cushions to your chairs and create an autumn glow by using winter flowers and fruits. Use gilt mirrors and more candles, turn down the lights and partake of ‘good-for-thesoul food and drink’.

d’art, or for the collectables enthusiast. Like us, our traditional customer base prefers to hold and examine their item of interest prior to purchase. They want to be enthused by a large range and tempted by quality items at excellent prices. They want to know they can find genuine pieces, many of which are simply no longer available through contemporary retail outlets. So create warmth and love in your home with good food, atmosphere and comfort. Let us, at Baker & Houghton, help make your own special place by adding that ‘touch of flair’.

A TRADITIONAL ANTIQUE SHOP So many of our customers comment on how nice it is to come into a traditional antique shop where the focus is on high quality customer service, and the sourcing and display of genuine antiques for the lover of fine furniture, ceramics, glass and objets

BAKER AND HOUGHTON ANTIQUES 02 9547 3698 baker.houghton@bigpond.com www.bakerhoughtonantiques.com.au Antiques and

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Fig. 1: Colonial cedar chest of drawers, c. 1850

Investing in

Fig. 2: Colonial Huon pine and cedar chest of drawers, c. 1870; origin: Tasmania

Fig 3: Mahogany 19th century secretaire desk set on chest of drawers Fig. 4: Chest on chest, c. 1830

ANTIQUE CHESTS OF DRAWERS good antique chest of drawers can at once be highly decorative and very functional, providing elegance and individuality to enhance surroundings, whether modern or traditional. The humble chest of drawers dates back to the 17th century. Developing from a chest with drawers in the base, around 1650 in England the first true chest of drawers emerged – with a narrow drawer at the top, then a single drawer, and three long drawers at the bottom. Chests of drawers introduced into Italian houses in the 17th century came into more widespread use during the 18th century. At first they were made on very simple lines but gradually developed into exuberantly decorative though no less useful objects. From these early times it was considered essential that some form of locking mechanism was employed. One doesn’t always consider how important security was as society has developed. Today we use a chest of drawers mainly for keeping clothes off the floor and they don’t come with locks. However, up to the 18th century, chests of drawers were pretty much confined to the upper classes; clothes were valuable then and so needed to be kept under lock and key. Locks to every drawer were not only integral but frequently the most expensive component of the chest. The security factor also defined the structure of the piece as it had to be robust enough to withstand tampering. The design, including dovetails, dust shelves, mortise and tenon joints, wasn’t successfully developed until furniture makers evolved from joiners in the 17th century and cabinetmaking became a specialist craft. Actually the early chests of drawers developed an appeal that was universal and,

Fig. 5: Victorian travelling chest of drawers, c. 1890s

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aside from superficial changes, mainly demanded by fashion, they have maintained a form and structure unchanged in almost 400 years. Such was the demand they became an important cog of the Industrial Revolution. The chests illustrated have special merit and each has its own story.

COLONIAL FAVOURITE FIGURE 1 The colonial cedar chest is a personal favourite. Circa 1850, it is a simple Georgian style chest of five drawers made in Sydney. This configuration was popular amongst the gentry and aspiring middle classes. There are a few of these around, which are great value at the moment. They are an unrecognised part of our early history but when the realisation hits, watch the price soar. As restoration can be expensive, ensure they are made from full cedar and are in good repair. A piece like this is a handsome addition in any setting. FIGURE 2 Following on from the previous example, this is again a handsome chest but of eight drawers, rarer in Huon pine and cedar, made by a very good maker circa 1870 and embellished with corbels and columns in the fashion of the day. It bears a maker’s label, which is fairly rare and adds to its value and interest. Huon pine from Tasmania has a big following and is collectable in its own right. FIGURE 3 The simple 19th century mahogany desk on a chest of drawers is Georgian in style and in the manner of a gentleman’s chest. These secretaire drawers became popular in the first quarter of the 19th century and were frequently incorporated within bookcases. I have included it because the desk top, gives the piece an extra design dimension that makes it a very useful piece.

Fig. 6: Late 19th century mahogany press on chest

CHEST ON CHEST

PRESS ON CHEST

FIGURE 4 Known as a chest on chest, such pieces generally belong to the 18th century as the fashion was to fold, rather than hang, clothes; so that the shallower drawers proved most convenient. This chest, because of the secretaire drawer, probably dates from the first quarter of the 19th century. While these chest on chests seem appealing, in terms of their capacity, getting to the top drawers may have posed a problem.

FIGURE 6 What is known as a press on chest features open-faced drawers to the top, behind doors. Sometimes these are referred to simply as a press or gentleman’s press. This one featured is in solid mahogany and, with the tulip capped octagonal chamfered columns and the architectural facade in that simple, restrained, Pugin Gothic manner, its design elements are very much William IV.

CAMPAIGN FURNITURE

FIGURE 7 The bombe chest is a function of the French Rococo movement. In fact, by 1743 most of the fashionable houses in Paris probably had a bombe chest. Influenced by the Italian Baroque, the Rococo period was florid and graceful. Rococo is derived from the French word ‘rocaille’ meaning shell, and many pieces of Rococo furniture are characterised by ornate curves and decoration with shell-like shapes and scrolls evoking the continuous movement of waves. This two drawer chest exhibits wonderful craftsmanship with inlays of flowers and foliage while the curved shape, bulbous and earthy, is embellished by the ormolu and marble top. Overall it is quite an impressive piece. These chests evoke the opulence of the Louis XV court and the creativity and style of that era. FIGURE 8 Another interesting and stylish chest of drawers is the French mid 19th century piece with a Louis-Philippe marble top. The lines are clean and elegant, the feet and carcass seem moulded. There are no handles, only keys and escutcheons but there is quality, sophistication and charm. The selection and quality of timbers and their working is of a high order. As with the bombe chest, this piece has an element of the organic.

The development of furniture is of course a reflection of society and historical events and it’s interesting to note that some rather practical pieces of furniture were made for travel throughout the British Empire in the 18th and 19th centuries. The gentlemanofficer class required elegant furniture that reflected their status. The first requirement was portability. These ingeniously designed pieces ranged from simple chairs and butlers’ trays to beds, tables, chests of drawers and anything else to make life more civilised. Field officers (majors and above) especially would have their batmen laden down with these comforts. FIGURE 5 Such was the regard for this furniture that it became very popular in civilian life, especially in the second and third quarters of the 19th century. These pieces are known as campaign (or travelling) furniture. The piece illustrated is a fine example. It is in fact three pieces that sit on top of one another. The handles on the side are for carrying, the brass bindings are for protection against damage and the top section is a little salute to fashion. It’s unlikely that this piece has seen much action as it dates from the late 19th century when a lot of the decorators were seeking this look. Although a bit on the heavy side to be lugging across country, it is at least functional.

Fig. 7: French bombe chest with marble top and ormolu mounts

BOMBE CHEST

Garry Auton GLEBE ANTIQUE CENTRE 02 9550 3199 www.glebeantiques.com.au

Fig. 8: French chest of drawers, c. 1850s

CAMPERDOWN

GLEBE ANTIQUE CENTRE

French 19th century walnut chest of drawers with Carrara marble top $3850

English 19th century mahogany five drawer chest c. 1850 $3,650

Early Victorian bow fronted mahogany five drawer chest set on turned feet, with original handles $3,850

Scandinavian 19th century pine marble top chest of drawers $2,450

Bow fronted Georgian walnut five drawer chest set on French feet c. 1820 $3,650

Edwardian pine chest of drawers with original handles $1,250

Victorian figured mahogany six drawer chest in very good condition $3,250

Fine mahogany seven drawer chest $4,500

George IV period chest of drawers designed with quarter column corners, original mother-ofpearl escutcheons and handles $4,850

William IV walnut five drawer chest c. 1840 $3,850

Australian cedar chest of drawers c. 1850, sympathetically restored $4,500 Victorian mahogany five drawer chest designed with a deep bottom drawer $4,500

William IV style mahogany chest of drawers in good original condition $3,950 George III mahogany chest of drawers fitted with replacement brasses $3,850 Victorian breakfront cedar eight drawer chest $4,850

Coachwood chest of four c. 1930, fitted with graduating drawers retailed by Beard Watson $1,250

William IV mahogany press on chest fitted with hanging space on top $3,850

Small cedar four drawer chest fitted with tooled leather top c. 1930, retailed by Beard Watson $585

Victorian mahogany seven drawer press on chest c. 1870 $4,500

Australian cedar chest of drawers, c. 1870 $3,500

88-90 Parramatta Road, Camperdown NSW 2050 www.glebeantiques.com.au â&#x20AC;˘ www.desksofdistinction.com.au â&#x20AC;˘ Email : sales@glebeantiques.com.au Open 7 days - 10 am to 6 pm. Phone +61 2 9550 3199 Antiques and

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THE ART OF GLASS a perfect modernist medium RECENT GROWTH IN INTEREST ollecting blown glass from the postwar period is an area of increasing popularity in Australia; an interest boosted by both the growth of Australia’s studio glass movement over the last three decades and a growing appreciation of the artistry and techniques involved. Internationally, with the exception of some Swedish pieces, auction prices for glass have tended to remain strong despite the recent financial difficulties of the global financial crisis repercussions. In December 2012 in Denmark, one of the original run of 50 of Tapio Wirkkala’s Kantarelli vases for Iittala achieved more than 50,000 Euros (around AUD$63,500). Similarly, auction houses such as Quittenbaum in Munich and Wright in Chicago continue to break price records for Italian glass.

POST-WAR DEVELOPMENTS In postwar Europe, blown glass proved a perfect medium for Modernist expression. Its tactile fluidity, which lent itself to organic biomorphic forms, along with the range of colours and refractive qualities, made glass a perfect form for abstract designs. In Finland three giants of 20th century design – Tapio Wirkkala (1915-1985), Timo Sarpaneva (1926-2006) and Kaj Franck (1911-1989) – started their careers with Iittala designing glass. In Sweden, several iconic 1950s designs were made in glass, such as the ‘Apple’ vase for Orrefors created by Ingeborg Lundin (1921-1992), the company’s first

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female designer and the ‘Trees in the Mist’ vase for Kosta by Vicke Lindstrand (19041983). However, it was Murano in Italy that fuelled the explosion of postwar glass.

MURANO’S CONTEMPORARY GLASS ARTISTS OF NOTE The historical centre for glass making for many centuries, Murano, was shaken up when one of its glassware manufacturers, Paolo Venini (18951959) who was also a designer, dismantled the traditional artisan-based design system by involving external designers. Workshops started using artists from differing backgrounds, leading to a wide variety of styles and the crossfertilisation of ideas and techniques. Fulvio Bianconi (1915-1996) of Venini glassworks was a graphic artist/cartoonist. Carlo Scarpa (1906-1978) and Gio Ponti (1891-1979), both at Venini were architects. Dino Martens (1894-1970) at Avem trained as an oil painter while Antonio Da Ros (b. 1936) at Cenedese and Luciano Gaspari (1913-2007) working at Salviati were originally watercolourists. Flavio Poli (1900-1984) for Seguso started out as a ceramic designer. During the 1940s and ’50s, Murano glass artists pushed the boundaries of the medium. Expressive colours and forms were developed with a sculptural emphasis, even ‘vases’ relied on their transparent three-dimensional appearance to showcase a ‘kinetic energy’ as one moves around them. Additionally, old techniques were revived and modernised – the fazzoletto (handkerchief)

vase is a perfect example. Bianconi and Venini jointly conceived this whimsical design that resembles a fluttering, falling handkerchief. Originally designed in 1948, ‘fazzoletto’ vases were produced in a variety of different techniques after 1949. Bianconi’s argument that form should represent the liquid medium of glass was a sensation when first produced. One of the first handkerchief vases made can be found in MOMA in New York.

IDENTIFYING REPRODUCTIONS Buying glass from this period can be fraught with some difficulty – especially with respect to Italian glass and reproductions. The closure of some old dynastic Murano glass factories led to others reproducing some of the older famous designs. In addition, Murano glass from the 1940s and ’50s was generally not signed, only marked with a sticker. Later versions made by the same factories tended to be signed. Scandinavian glass from this period is somewhat easier to identify as most are signed and numbered and original catalogues have been republished in many cases. For those collecting post-war glass, advice from our art glass specialist Warren Harveys is to read about and handle as much authentic glass from this period as possible. Avoid the commonly found, coloured, heavy glass free form bowls, which are what most people think of when they hear the words Murano glass. These were manufactured in many countries and are still being produced in large numbers in China and Bohemia, and require little

technical skill. Rather, Harveys advises those who are interested to look for artistic intent and technique and the successful melding of the two.

THE INTENT OF ART GLASS During Harveys many years of selling glass he has found that many people misunderstand the intent of art glass. The idea of a vase being a piece of art is still lost to many. To gain a better understanding of the intention of the artist working in glass he cites Timo Sarpaneva:1 ‘In the early years of my career… glass was not yet accepted as sculptural material; it had to be made into “utility” objects”. If the artist or designer could not say what the “use” of his glass piece was, others would do it for him. It is only in recent years that many of my works from my early career have finally achieved their original meaning. Kajakki (Kayak, 1953) was never a serving dish, nor were Lansetti II (Lancet II, 1952) and Orkidea (Orchid, 1953) vases for flowers. They are works of sculpture in glass made for the gaze, light and journeys of the mind.’ SYDNEY ANTIQUE CENTRE 02 9361 3244 info@sydantcent.com.au www.sydantcent.com.au NOTE 1. Design of form – Design of colour, exhibition catalogue, Museum Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf, 2002

WOOLLAHRA / QUEENSLAND

FELLIA MELAS

GALLERY DEL KATHRYN BARTON “GIRL 12”

2004 Mixed media on canvas 120 x 86 cm

FELLIA MELAS GALLERY Woollahra Times Art Gallery

2 Moncur St WOOLLAHRA

02 9363 5616 OPEN 7 DAYS Email: art@fmelasgallery.com.au

www.fmelasgallery.com.au

Antique Print & Map Company Antique Maps & Antique Prints from c1600: Antique Maps of all countries Antique Prints on all subjects

Heritage Editions Reproduced from antique maps & prints Limited Edition reproductions of important Australian maps

Antique Print Club (previously at Milton)

Antique Prints & Antique Maps now at the

Brisbane Antique Centre Open daily (except public holidays) at Pacific Highway Exit 30 (on Beenleigh-Redland Bay Road) & at the Antique Print Club-house

Neranwood (by appointment only)

sales@antiqueprintclub.com

07 5525 1363 0412 442 283

www.antiqueprintclub.com 48

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PADDINGTON

Chinese and Japanese Quality antique and reproduction furniture and artefacts

ESTABLISHED 1989

336 South Dowling Street, Paddington

www.specialpieces.net.au | 02 9360 7104 Monday to Saturday 10 am to 5 pm - Sunday by appointment

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CITY

Kalmar Antiques where you can hold a piece of history in your hand Specialising in antiques, fine jewellery, watches and objets de vertu

Shop 45, Level 1 Queen Victoria Building, Sydney 2000

Phone 02 9264 3663 Email kalmar@ozemail.com.au You can also visit our website at www.kalmarantiques.com.au

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ALEXANDRIA

Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm Sunday 10.30am to 4pm

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G N I S O CL N W O D ! ! E L SA

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Porcelain, Glass, Lighting, Metalworks, Prints, Victorian, Edwardian & French Furniture, Ephemera, Watches, Statuary

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LET’S TALK A DEAL! NO REASONABLE OFFER REFUSED

1 Lovely French terracotta figure, signed T. Bess, 27 x 26 cm $1,500 2 Royal Worcester figurines ‘Water Carriers’, modelled by James Hadley, c. 1898, Female H:23 cm Male H:25 cm $4,950 pair 3 French Louis XV style carved armchairs set on cabriole legs $1,800 pair 4 Noel Jack Counihan (1913-1986), Untitled (nude study), charcoal on paper, 26.4 x 29.5 cm $1,495 5 Fine French 19th century walnut keyhole desk set on carved cabriole legs fitted with four drawers and brass ormolu escutcheons, H:76 cm L:150 cm D:86 cm $15,000 6 Fine set of five French Louis XV oak chairs with caned backs and seats $3,250 7 French Louis XV style night stand, rouge marble top fitted with one drawer and unusual curved marble interior cupboard, H:85 cm W:43 cm D:37 cm $2,495 8 French Brittany style oak hall bench with storage, H:99 cm W:106 cm $2,500 9 French Louis XV style two tier floral marquetry pedestal table with brass mounts, H:75 cm W:50 cm $1,295 10 Tufted back easy chair in rosewood, newly upholstered $3,500 11 Superb 19th century light from France with wrought iron frame, leadlight shades, brass reservoirs and Hinks patent duplex oil burners, c. 1887 $42,000 12 Set of six French Louis XV style beech framed ladder back chairs with rush seats $3,900 13 French antique ladder back carvers with rush seats $2,495 pair 14 French oak oval extension table, superb detailed carving on a four footed central pedestal, H:72 cm L:127 cm W:108 cm $4,950 15 Antique French buffet in rosewood on oak with rouge marble top, H:95.6 cm W:122 cm D:60 cm $7,950 16 Stunning French Louis XVI style buffet, white and grey marble top, inlaid walnut and burr walnut with bevelled back mirror and brass ormolu mounts, H:208 cm W:149 cm D:55 cm $7,950 17 Large French walnut Louis XV style bookcase bevelled glass to doors with adjustable shelves, H:185 cm W:132 cm $5,600

Silver, Ceramics, Advertising, Clocks, Kitchenalia, Bakelite, Perfume Bottles, Oriental, Costume Jewellery, Cruet Sets

LIMITED FLOOR SPACE / CABINETS AVAILABLE. CONTACT DENISE 02 9550 5554 212–220 Parramatta Rd, Camperdown NSW 2050 Phone 61 2 9550 5554 Fax 61 2 9550 4990 www.camperdownmewsantiques.com Open 7 days 10 am–6 pm Off-street parking

WE BUY, SELL, HIRE AND TRADE

CITY / WENTWORTH FALLS

ROTATE INTERIORS

Greg Davies Manager

expect

something

different

www.rotateinteriors.com 1/3 STATION STREET WENTWORTH FALLS NSW 2782 P: 02 4757 4775

Brasac enterprises

Of the three nine piece sterling silver tea sets made by Garrard & Co London in honour of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II,

Victoria & Albert Antiques Shop 17, The Strand Arcade, 412 - 414 George St, Sydney NSW 2000 Ph: 02 9221 7198 Fax: 02 9221 7214 www.antiquesinsydney.com.au

this is the only known surviving example. Hallmarked Garrard & Co London 1953/54, weight approximately 11 kilos

GOLD COAST ANTIQUE CENTRE

CAMPERDOWN MEWS

2076 GOLD COAST HIGHWAY, MIAMI QLD P: 61 7 5572 0522 M: 0412 229 117

212-220 PARRAMATTA ROAD CAMPERDOWN NSW P: 61 2 9550 5554 M: 0412 229 117

BOTH OPEN 7 DAYS

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CAMPERDOWN

Contemporary buttoned back leather upholstered executive chair $1,450

Late 19th century French Henri II style fine carved gilt pillow mirror $2,500 Heavily carved Chinese camphorwood trunk, c. 1930

Manhattan range pendant and flush $410

Late 19th century European walnut semi pedestal desk fitted with five drawers and tooled leather top $1,950

Winifred Jensen, Not far from the Maddening Crowd, watercolour $465

Art Nouveau kauri pine fire surround and grate in excellent condition $2,750 Antique Victorian sewing stand or work table set on trumpet base, embroidery lined interior $3,000

Jon O'Hanlon, Balmain & the Working Harbour, 2002, acrylic on paper set in gilt frame $485 Antique walnut grandfather armchair set on casters and upholstered in diamond pattern studded fabric $750

Chinese camphorwood chest with decorative incised carving, c. 1930s $650

William IV mahogany dumb waiter c. 1840 $3,250

Pair of French walnut marble topped nightstands $1,950 pair

Glebe Antique Centre Phone: +61 2 9550 3199 Fax: +61 2 9550 3833

88-90 Parramatta Road, Camperdown NSW 2050 Two levels of quality furniture, lighting, jewellery, glass, porcelain and general collectables

Open 7 days 10am to 6pm

Art Deco French queen size bed head and foot featuring walnut parquetry with gilt bronze ormolu mounts, includes specially made new pillow top biddell spring quality mattress $3,950

Email: sales@glebeantiques.com.au Check out our up-to-date websites Edwardian kauri pine dressing table fitted with bevelled swing mirrors, four drawers $2,250

American 19th century black timber striking mantle clock $600

www.glebeantiques.com.au www.desksofdistinction.com.au

Waterford external wall bracket $295

The largest collection of genuine antique furniture in Sydney

French Louis Philippe style walnut chest of drawers, c. 1860 $3,650 Edwardian cedar double pedestal desk with tooled leather top, fielded panels, cupboards to rear, brushing slides and eight drawers including two large filing drawers $3,950

William IV mahogany chest of drawers in good original condition $3,950

Edwardian kauri pine kitchen dresser featuring six sliding doors, three drawers $3,250

Fine quality 19th century French mahogany bookcases fitted with drawers to the base $6,850 each

Edwardian kauri pine bookcase, c. 1900 $1,650

Mahogany display cabinets fitted with bevelled glass and mirror backs $795 each Australian three door wardrobe with central mirror made in Richmond River cedar, c. 1860 $4,500

Antiques and

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RANDWICK

Antiques and

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VICTORIA

Valentine’s Antique Gallery IMPORTERS OF FINE QUALITY ANTIQUES ESTABLISHED 1947

Impressive French rosewood Louis XV style queen size bed, c.1880, with ornate rococo scrolls, professionally extended for new mattress

Rare 19th century satinwood double bed made by Alex Mackenzie (Glasgow UK), c.1880, with cartouche initials ‘R.D.’ to foot; fine ebonised inlays, newly upholstered head & foot

Fine quality French mahogany Louis XVI style queen size bed, c.1890, with parquetry inlaid panels and quality floral ormolu mounts

Rare Victorian burr walnut arched top queen size bed made by Wylie & Lochhead (Glasgow UK), c.1870, with turned columns to head, bow ends to bracket foot

For weekly updates of new stock “LIKE” us on facebook

Please refer to our website: www.valentinesantiques.com.au for a full listing of new stock

Valentine’s Antique Gallery 369 Hargreaves Street, Bendigo, Victoria 3550 Phone: 03 5443 7279 Mobile: 0418 511 626 Fax: 03 5442 9718 Email: peter@valentinesantiques.com.au www.valentinesantiques.com.au

Au s t ra l i an An t i q u e a n d Art Deal e rs A s s oc iat i on

Antiques and

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MATCHAM

GOWRIE GALLERIES AUSTRALIA’S FINEST COLLECTION OF RARE AND IMPORTANT ANTIQUE MAPS

Bunting's famous 1583 map showing what appears to be a pre-Dutch Australia

PRINTED WORLD V Beyond Settlement A catalogue of rare world, Australian, Southeast Asian and Pacific maps from 1493 to 1847 featuring a fine selection of 17th-century Dutch sea charts of Australia

For orders 02 4365 6399

OUR STOCK INCLUDES 15th – 18th century world maps Australian maps from the 17th century onwards Maps of Southeast Asia and the Pacific

❖ ❖ ❖

Expert advice on all aspects of map collecting Full research, evaluation, restoration and framing service Collections and individual items always considered for purchase Extensive range of decorative antique engravings

Please note new contact details for Gowrie Galleries PO BOX 276 TERRIGAL NSW 2260 Matcham studio: Phone: 02 4365 6399 Mobile: 0417 040 902 Fax: 02 4365 6096 EMAIL: maps@sydney.net • WEBSITE: www.gowrie-galleries.com.au

Antiques and

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Alexandre Descubes, Mauritius, plan of the districts of Moka and Port-Louis, 1879, cartographic material, compiled from the government triangulation estate plans & from many other sources. Courtesy National Library of Australia

Alexandre Descubes, Acacia glaucescens, pencil and watercolour, 43 x 26 cm

Detail: Signature of Alexandre Descubes inscribed on Mauritius, plan of the districts of Moka and Port-Louis, 1879. Courtesy National Library of Australia

Alexandre Descubes, Eucalyptus saligna, pencil and watercolour, with signature detail, 43 x 26 cm

The mysterious Monsieur Descubes: A Botanical Thriller owrie Galleries have in stock a set of ten large original botanical studies, in pencil and watercolour, of acacias – Australian wattle – and eucalypts. They are meticulous in their detail, showing each part of the different plants, drawn with loving expertise, painted in accurate and soft tones, and with extensive information hand written in pencil on each page. These notes include not only the botanical information, but also publications referred to, and the various vernacular names of the plants, when known, whether English, Australian and in some cases, Australian Aboriginal. The elegant signature in ink on each page reads À. Descubes. Two maps of Mauritius by Descubes are held in the map collection of the National Library of Australia. The library of the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Virginia, USA, has 2,500 botanical watercolours of plants of the Indian sub-continent in its special collections. There is a mystery attached to the life of the author of these works, botanist and cartographer, Alexandre Descubes, who lived and worked in Mauritius and India in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. No one knows for sure the exact place or year of his birth, nor is there any record whatsoever of how, where and when he died. After his prodigious compiling over twenty years of what is surely one of the world’s most extensive botanical studies by one man, our hero vanished. There is a discrepancy in the official records of his birth date: the records in Mauritius1 tell us that Descubes was born there in July 1850. However, they also point out that those of the Indian Surveyor General’s Office record his birth date as 17 July 1854. To help the plot thicken, if not be solved, when the watercolours were offered to Gowrie Galleries, it was through a French-Canadian contact who believed the artist to be from Canada, although without concrete evidence. The Librarian at the Lora M. Robins Library at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden,

Maggie Southwick, has been researching the life of Descubes for eight years and has provided much of the information that we now have. Yet even she finds missing pieces after eight years on this puzzle and that certain crucial aspects of the life and death of the artist remain enigmas. In her address2 on Descubes her conclusion consisted of questions yet to be answered. How did Descubes reach Mauritius? Was he a descendant of French colonists? After suggesting that there may have been up to 5,000 botanical drawings, she asks where are the rest? Oddly, there is no discussion regarding the donor of the Descubes collection, Lora M. Robins, after whom the Library at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden was named. Even Descubes’ meagre entry in Tooley’s Dictionary of Mapmakers casts no further light. The one line entry simply reads ‘Descubes, A. Map of the Island of Mauritius, 1880.’ We know that from 1872 to 1877 Descubes worked as a surveyor in Mauritius and was appointed draughtsman in the Public Works Department in 1874. He began his cartographic career in 1877, publishing the maps of Moka and Port-Louis (1879) and of Mauritius (1880), the same as those maps held in the collection of the National Library of Australia.3 In 1885 he resigned from the post with Public Works. From 1887 he worked in the Forestry department of the Indian SurveyorGeneral’s Department, becoming Superintendent in 1904 and in 1905 publishing a map of government controlled forests of India. There are two plans dated in pencil 1912 and 1913, and the latest work is dated 1919. Those botanical watercolours in the Lewis Ginter collection, which are dated, have a range from 1875 to 1919, and nine are stamped on the verso ‘Imperial Institute Library.’ The Lewis Ginter Library notes4 give no indication as to who commissioned Descubes to fulfil this enormous undertaking. The following is the description of their items:

‘Along with the individual painting, each sheet also has extensive botanical information including family, genus, species name; full botanical description of the plant; a list of countries and/or habitats in which the plant is found; a list of plant names in the vernaculars of each of these areas or countries; and a list of literature references to the plant. The plants depicted are mostly natives of, or cultivated on, the Indian subcontinent. Each of these sheets has a unique identifying number.’ The watercolours held at Gowrie Galleries match this description exactly – with an extraordinary exception: they are of Australian flora. Who commissioned these studies? Why are the Australian plants included in the brief? Is it possible that it is true that, according to the French-Canadian connection, Descubes was commissioned by the Indian Government? Yet, after the vast task was completed, Descubes was not paid, so did he proceed to sue? Was he destitute and unable to pay the legal fees, so he handed the collection over to his lawyers? The final sentence in the biographical notes from the Dictionary of Mauritian Biography is chilling in its pathos, telling us no more than mere guesswork about the ending of the story of this man, Alexandre Descubes. ‘The date and place of Descubes’ death remain unknown but it may be surmised that he disappeared during the influenza epidemic that struck India in 1919-1920.’ The terrible irony of our lack of exact knowledge about him surely would not be lost upon this artist whose fastidious and loving attention to detail, to both botanical and cartographic fact, was remarkable. Perhaps he will remain forever, the marvellous, mysterious Monsieur Descubes. GOWRIE GALLERIES PTY LTD 02 4365 6399 maps@sydney.net www.gowrie-galleries.com.au

Notes 1. Dictionary of Mauritian Biography from The Lewis Ginter Special Collection 2. ‘Demystifying A. Descubes: Researching a little known botanical artist of the 19th century, or, CBHL Meets CSI and the Power of Serendipity.’ Presented by Maggie Southwick, Librarian, Lora M. Robins Library Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Richmond Virginia USA to the Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries, Annual Meeting, June 2007. 3. National Library of Australia, Alexandre Descubes, Map of the island of Mauritius [cartographic material] compiled from the Government triangulation estate plans, title deeds, & from many other sources by A. Descubes, Public Works Department, Mauritius, 1880 (NLA Ref RM540). National Library of Australia, Alexandre Descubes, Mauritius, plan of the districts of Moka and Port-Louis [cartographic material]. Compiled from the government triangulation estate plans, etc, etc. by A. Descubes, draughtman, Surveyor General Dept., N. Connal, Surveyor General, T. Dardenne lith., William Crook, lith., 1879 (NLA Ref RM1902). 4. The Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Library Special Collection notes on the Descubes collection www.lewisginter.org/library/Descubes.

Alexandre Descubes, Acacia harpophylla, pencil and watercolour, 43 x 26 cm Antiques and

art

ANNANDALE

ADIEU TO ANNANDALE means bargains for astute collectors

SPECIAL FRENCH PIECES

riginally, Eliza Jane Antiques opened in Haberfield some 20 or so years ago, relocating to Annandale where the business has operated for seven and half years. Now the time has come to bid adieu to the wonderful and expansive premises here in Annandale. It will be difficult to leave the magnificent sandstone cliff face that provides the dramatic backdrop to the huge leafy and tranquil undercover courtyard that the whole interior opens onto. Many a day it has provided a wonderful retreat. This will now come to an end as the building is currently on the market for sale.

For example, we have a superb quality Art Deco rosewood four door display and bookcase. This fine piece features finely cast brass ‘Pan’ motif panels to the two glazed doors and brass serpentine inlay to the rosewood flanking doors. Also in stock are many small, functional but exquisite side tables, cupboards and gaming tables as well as the always popular revolving and stacking bookcases.

KEEPING UP WITH TRENDS There have been many changes within the industry and also a quiet evolution within Eliza Jane’s. Trends and fashions come and go, and one of the advantages of travelling through Europe, looking for stock, is that you have a wonderful preview of the latest in design and of the trends, as they emerge. Many find this surprising, little realising that this industry is very much affected by vogue and fashions.

ARTWORKS OF NOTE The walls are lined with both large and small artwork from around the world and by noted Australian artists in many styles and mediums. A large collection of original Norman Lindsay pencil and ink drawings are available.

INTERIOR DESIGN ACCENTS Choose from unusual gilt and bevelled mirrors large enough to fill a wall or small enough to sit elegantly on a table top. A brief mention of the many objets d’art is all that is possible; they are wonderful, highly decorative and interesting – something for all interiors.

Eliza Jane Antiques

JEWELLERY TO TEMPT Moving away from interiors to personal adornments, we have a marvellous range of jewellery. From precious to semi precious, antique to contemporary, the diverse range caters to all tastes and budgets.

ON I T A C LO E R / NG I ON S W O L O C N SALE

In anticipation of the move, we are having a genuine SALE. Up to 50% on all items. NO EXCEPTIONS. To remain relevant, two principles are always adhered to: all pieces must be of a high standard in quality and also possess a uniqueness of design which reflects current interiors.

STOCK TO MOVE

* SPECIALISTS IN GENUINE ANTIQUE LIGHTING * Large showroom with an extensive collection complemented by quality furniture, timepieces and decorative & collectable items.

Phone 02 9518 6168 34C TAYLOR ST ANNANDALE NSW 2038 BUYING & SELLING Full restoration service for lighting and metal polishing

www.elizajaneantiques.com.au 60

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Moving premises is a decision not lightly made. The sheer volume of stock within nearly 300 square metres is extraordinary, with every surface fully utilised. The ceilings are a jewelled and sparkling canopy of hundreds of lights. Crystal and rich multi coloured glass, polished brass, gilt and chrome are just a few of the finishes. The selection is vast and varied. Ceiling pendants, table lamps, wall brackets and standard lamps – all spanning the decades, original to the various periods, and special.

ELIZA JANE’S – SYNONYMOUS WITH THE BEST IN ANTIQUE LIGHTING The lights crown a fabulous collection of furniture and objets d’art, most sourced in Europe and personally selected, always for their quality and often for their quirkiness. Many of the pieces are from France and many periods of design are covered.

To find out more contact Jane Rush ELIZA JANE ANTIQUES 02 9518 6168/ 0416 167 151 Jane.Rush@elizajaneantiques.com.au www.elizajaneantiques.com.au

LEICHHARDT

Antiques and

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BALMAIN

A new look at TRADITIONAL EUROPEAN FLOORING ucked away in the back streets of Balmain but not too hard to find, century-old walls hold up a warehouse, wherein toils a modern day Michelangelo of French provincial and traditional European wood flooring. Walking through the doors of the warehouse is a journey – back to a time when artisans of wood created floors that lasted centuries, and aged with dignity and grace –

the way I want to grow old. First, one steps into the showroom – like no other – a series of custom-made rooms with individually handcrafted floorboards and unique parquet – a themed library, snooker room, piano room, wine cellar, library, lounge area – each theme to assist you to step in and envision how this might look in your humble abode. If you want a bold statement inside the entry to your home, your senses will be

enlivened by owner John Fredriksson’s unique combinations of timber, stone and steel.

WOOD FLOORING EVOLUTION There is now an evolution in the wonderful world of wood flooring whereby such true artisans can create subtle variations in hue by double smoking the boards prior to sealing with oil finishes tinted with pigments, not stains, from Belgium. Most flooring contractors barely know of the existence of wide boards of the size available at Antique Floors, let alone the recycled railway sleepers complete with bolt heads and inlays to inspire. In this showroom you can see, touch, smell and feel the depth and warmth in each floor. On one wall there are oak floorboards finished in no less than six hues of grey, showcasing the ability to create a patina and colour scheme that will please the eye and link with the fittings and furniture your architect or interior designer has chosen. John’s masterpieces emanate in part or in full from the workshop below – with pride and joy, he cuts, sands and oils his timber, each piece being encouraged to bring forth its own distinctive identity and character. Here he shows me the knots in the wood and describes how, in recent years, these imperfections were shunned. To some they were, and still are, treasured marks of the history of that tree; it grew, it had branches, the growth rings tell the story of time and the saw millers‘ choice of cut. The natural beauty these boards reveal will always be recognised. As I walk out of that old building the sun is warm and I enjoy the feeling deep down which tells me I just met a true craftsman who loves to design and create beautiful works in wood. He leaves a little piece of history in my heart and in my home. Steve Krsticevic for ANTIQUE FLOORS 02 9810 8838 www.antiquefloors.com.au

Antique Floors invite you to visit our large showroom designed to show the floors in many different settings, with an extensive range of parquetry and wide board European oak. We also offer a range of architectural elements including antiques, custom made tables, libraries and wine cellars.

Showroom: 73 Beattie Street, Balmain NSW 2041 Ph: 02 9810 8838 E: info@antiquefloors.com.au www@antiquefloors.com.au

Antiques and

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BALMAIN

Even more to see in BALMAIN’S ‘WINDOWS TO WATCH’ W e have had some wonderful furniture and decorative pieces adorn the shop in 2012, and you and your friends have been quick to snap them up. Many thanks for your constant interest. Many of you know that Marion Malcolm Antiques in Balmain is a tiny shop: just two rooms. It can’t survive without the backup of a storage barn. Marion has been an antique dealer for more than 40 years, not only in the Balmain area, but for decades around Windsor as well. In the grounds of her historic home is what is fondly referred to as ‘The Barn’. It is a large, historic building, a storage and workshop area filled with furniture and decorative pieces sourced from country and city areas and even overseas. ‘I regularly drag something out that has been stored since the Windsor days to clean and refresh. I often get a surprise too, because I rediscover a treasure, long forgotten,’ says Marion.

FROM THE BARN TO BALMAIN Recently, Marion brought into her Balmain shop from The Barn an exciting selection of pieces, from lights to practical furniture: a classic 1940s light, a fabulous chandelier, a marble topped work bench, a Kauri pine chest of drawers, Baltic pine blanket boxes, a Baltic

pine bookcase, a mahogany Georgian era chest on chest, two tables (pine and cedar), wardrobes, bookcases and inlaid slatted beds and chairs. ‘They seem to breed in my barn,’ Marion laughs. Fashions in furniture and furnishings have changed dramatically and to cater for everyone’s fancy she gives herself a degree of leeway. Antique dealers have to be versatile and flexible. ‘Lots of antique dealers don’t live the antique and collectable life, they just work it. I live it, live with it, live the dream and work it. My home is a huge extension of my shop. If you ever see in a field a chandelier hanging from the bough of a Peppercorn tree, don’t panic, it’s just me washing it.’ You can’t visit The Barn, nor can you probe Marion about what’s actually in her treasure trove. It is her home after all. She will pull out pieces for her unique shop to suit the times and her customers. She will clean, polish, do some basic restoration if necessary and one day the prize pieces will be showcased in the Balmain windows. Malcolm Antiques is exactly halfway between Balmain and Rozelle, at 450 Darling Street opposite the famous Cat & Fiddle Hotel. We wish everyone a joy filled Christmas season and great happiness in 2013. Malcolm

Antiques will be closed for three weeks over the holidays and after that expect the curious, the quirky, the historic and the fabulous to once more delight you and your friends. MALCOLM ANTIQUES 02 9810 9333

An unusual collection of porcelain, furniture, glassware, paintings and collectables ~WE BUY & SELL~

450 Darling Street Balmain NSW 2041 Ph: 02 9810 9333 AH: 02 9629 1302 Mob: 0409 037 651 Tues, Wed, Thur, Fri, Sat 12pm - 6.30pm, Sun 12pm - 5.30pm - Closed Monday

Antiques and

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TURRAMURRA

www.aada.org.au

Abbott’s Antiques

Member

The Established Name for Quality Antiques since 1931

Pair of George III mahogany carvers with reeded crest rails and arms, c.1820

Two fine Royal Crown Derby floral painted, enamelled and gilt decorated vases by Desire Leroy, dated 1900 and 1904

Fine George IV mahogany sideboard with 3 beaded concave centre drawers, c.1830 – attributed to Gillows

George III sterling silver crested and embossed coffee pot, London 1761 by Fuller White

19th century mahogany 8 day hour striking bracket clock with twin fusee movement, c.1850

George IV Sheffield Plate crested and scrolled edge soup tureen, c.1825

Pair of Swansea specimen plates with painted floral sprays & moulded borders, c.1814 – 17

19th century patinated bronze Dutch weaver and companion figures signed Geo. Maxim, c.1890

Pair of Grainger Worcester reticulated mask head vases, c.1880 – 89

Max Dupain, Surf Race Start, 1940s, silver gelatin photograph

Fine George III mahogany longcase clock with rosewood cross banding and painted dial with moon phase & calendar by George Monks, Prescot, c. 1810

Max Dupain, Nina Raievska in Thamar, 1937, vintage silver gelatin photograph, signed & dated lower right

Specialising in Fine English 18th & 19th century Furniture, Sterling Silver, Porcelain, Jewellery, Sheffield Plate, 18th century Drinking and Table Glass, Bronzes, Paintings, Art Nouveau and Art Deco

14 Eastern Road, Turramurra NSW 2074 • Tel 02 9449 8889 Visit www.abbottsantiques.com.au for a further selection of current stock 64

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DURAL

Dural Antiques Well Worth the Drive… 857 Old Northern Road, Dural NSW 2158 Phone: 02 9651 2113 • Mobile: 0411 116 084 Trading hours: Open 5 days (closed Mon & Tues), 10:00am – 5:00pm, Sunday 10:00am – 4:00pm www.duralantiques.com

The largest range of antiques in the Hills District A large 4000 sq foot showroom, plenty of parking, air-conditioned comfort

VESTA BOXES: an illuminating collectable o understand the creation of the vesta box we must first look at the invention of the match. It is believed that phosphorous matches ignitable by friction were made as early as 1805 in Paris however, the honour of inventing the first phosphorous friction matches (that is matches that did not require a bottle or other apparatus to ignite the splint) is usually granted to François Derosne of Paris (1816). The invention of the friction match is considered a landmark in the history of illumination. Economic conditions of the time favoured the manufacture of matches as an industrial proposition and in 1827, John Walker (17811859), a chemist in an English town, became one of the first friction match suppliers. Where Walker led, others followed, and within a few years the world had a cheap and easy method of obtaining an immediate flame after centuries of tedious tinder-box manipulation and a few decades of cumbersome and costly ‘instantaneous light’ contrivances.

STRIKING DEVELOPMENTS Today we take the match very much for granted, but let us consider the difficulties by our not too distant ancestors. In the early morning, before dawn, the first sounds heard in a small house were the click, click, click, of the kitchen maid, striking flint and steel over the tinder in the box. When the tinder was ignited, the maid blew upon it till it glowed sufficiently to enable her to kindle a match made of a bit of stick dipped in brimstone. The operations were not however, always successful; the tinder or the match might be damp, the flint blunt, and the steel worn; or, if a very cold morning, the operator would often

strike her knuckles instead of the steel; the constant blowing would in turn cause the inhalation of sulphurous acid gas. All in all, a very unpleasant way to start the day! It is therefore not surprising that English sociologist, philosopher and early advocate of the theory of evolution Herbert Spencer (18201903), should have referred to the friction match as ‘the greatest boon and blessing that had come to mankind in the 19th century’. Calling them ‘friction lights’, John Walker initially sold them from his pharmacy in Stockton, recording his first sale on 12 April 1827. The matches were sold with a cylinder to house them and a sheet of sand-paper in order to strike the match. Unfortunately, the gifted chemist failed to take out a patent on his invention and was therefore limited to sale mostly from local customers. More serious production was undertaken by Samuel Jones, also a chemist, of London who called them ‘Lucifers’. Soon competitors began to appear both locally and abroad. In France in 1831, Charles Sauria (18121895) invented a match in which, for the first time, white phosphorus was the main ingredient in the composition of the head, making the matches stable and easy to ignite (hence the name ‘strike-anywhere matches’). Sauria was just 19 and a student in chemistry at the Collège de L’Arc. By 1832 the Germans, Austrians and Hungarians entered into the manufacture of matches and by 1836 the USA was also making phosphorus matches. The vesta (named after the Roman Goddess of the Hearth) was first made by a gentleman by the name of Richard Bell (b. 1782), in about 1833. The stems of these matches consisted of a number of cotton threads encased in wax.

This type of match managed to co-exist quite happily with the safety match; the latter following the discovery in 1845 by Anton von Schrotter of red phosphorous which is non toxic and not subject to spontaneous combustion. By 1856 safety matches were being manufactured in several European countries.

DECORATIVE CONTAINERS From the beginning, match manufacturers sold their goods in branded boxes, much as they do today. The production of the small portable decorative match containers was started sometime in the mid 19th century and appears to have reached its peak during the 1880 – 1914 period, as smoking became increasingly fashionable. In making them, the craftsmen involved let their imaginations run riot regarding ornament, shape and choice of materials. A match was commonly known as a vesta up until the 20th century when the word ‘match’ became the favoured term. Thus the containers were known as vesta boxes except in America where they were referred to as match safes. Vestas needed to be kept in a case as they were highly flammable and prone to ignite, even spontaneously. To prevent them from combusting prematurely, vesta cases had closely fitting lids. Adapted from snuffboxes, many were fitted with a small ring that attached to a watch chain that spanned the Victorian and Edwardian male waistcoat. When this was not fitted, the vesta was simply carried in the fob pocket and would sometimes have a concave back to fit the waist more comfortably. All vestas consist of a striker side or base which is a recessed plate that is grooved or serrated in order to strike the match against to

ignite it. During the late 1850s a new kind of lid came into use and this was to become the dominant form until the end of the vesta era. The lid was placed at the top of the container and hinged. Vesta boxes were made from many metals and materials and also novelty shapes. Novelty forms were common from the late 19th century – some of the most desirable are in the shape of birds or animals, or sporting equipment, such as golf balls. But we must not forget that they were simply used to house the match. The production of vesta cases ceased after World War I when vestas were made superfluous by the introduction of the more durable and functional pocket petrol lighter; soldiers had found the petrol lighter lasted longer and was easy to refill. DURAL ANTIQUES 02 9651 2113 mp.duralantiques@bigpond.com www.duralantiques.com Further reading Roger Fresco-Corbu, ‘Vesta Boxes (Antique Pocket Guides)’, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1969 www.millersantiquesguide.com/articles/vesta-cases Antiques and

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BEROWRA

THE LIONS CLUB OF BEROWRA’S 3rd Northern Sydney Antiques and Collectables Fair 30 August – 1 September he Lions Club of Berowra extends a warm welcome to all to attend the much anticipated third Northern Sydney Antiques and Collectables Fair which it is hosting in the Berowra Community Centre. Being held over the last weekend of August and 1 September, the official opening is on the Friday evening, 30 August, to allow visitors an opportunity to have first choice of the items for

sale. Wine and light refreshments are included in the admission price of $15 and the evening will conclude at 9.30 pm. Fair opening hours are: 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday 31 August; and 10 am to 4 pm on Sunday 1 September. Admission on these days is only $5 per person.

FATHER’S DAY CLASSIC CAR SHOW On Sunday we will also be presenting the Father’s Day Classic Car Show in the car-park

THE LIONS CLUB OF BEROWRA IS HOSTING

at the venue. Admission is free and will feature some wonderful old marques from yesteryear.

VARIETY OF WARES The fair will feature a wide range of stalls displaying and selling a large variety of antiques and collectables attended by dealers from all over New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania and Victoria. They will be offering for sale English and Australian furniture, Royal Doulton series ware, Beswick, Moorcroft, quality English china, glassware, cutlery, silver, jewellery, military medals and badges, ceramics, a variety of bric-à-brac and books, just to mention a few.

VALUATION SERVICE While browsing the many stalls, why not get an expert opinion of your own piece of family treasure and an estimate of its value? Valuations will be on a ‘first in, best dressed’ basis each day, for a small charge. Look for the valuation registration desk at the top of the stairs. We recommend only small items as access may be an issue for larger pieces.

CAFÉ OR A PICNIC

Where Berowra Community Center, Berowra When Friday 30, Saturday 31 August & Sunday 1 September 2013 Times Friday 30 August, 6.30 pm to 9.30 pm Official opening – 7:30 pm $15 admission includes light refreshments and a glass of wine. Saturday 31, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm Admission $5 each Sunday 1, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm Admission $5 each A free shuttle bus service will run between Berowra Railway Station and the venue on Saturday and Sunday. The fair features over twenty stalls displaying a large range of antiques and collectables for sale. Dealers from all over NSW, South Australia and Victoria will be in attendance, providing a not to be missed trove of treasures, for view and purchase. On Sunday we will also be presenting the Father’s Day Classic Car Show in the car park at the venue. Admission is free and will feature some wonderful old marques.

Come browse at the Northern Sydney Antiques and Collectables Fair A fun day for all the family! For further information call 0424 023 220 or info@nsacfair.com.au 66

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There will be a café serving light teas, coffee, soft drinks, water etc. This will be in an adjoining room where you can enjoy sitting and discussing items you have purchased or are thinking of buying. Should you wish to bring a picnic and enjoy the Berowra bush, there are pleasant grounds around the Centre which are available.

FINDING THE CENTRE The Berowra Community Centre is located in The Gully Road, Berowra and is easy to locate. It can be accessed from the Pacific Highway by turning left at the traffic lights into Berowra Waters Road if coming from the south, or turning right if coming from the north. Take the second exit at the roundabout and the Centre is down on the left. There will be adequate signage to assist. Alternatively Berowra railway station is only a five minute walk from the Centre and again there will be signage to guide you.

FREE SHUTTLE BUS TO & FROM STATION On both Saturday and Sunday, a free shuttle bus service will run between Berowra railway station and the venue for the convenience of visitors to the fair.

A FUN FAIR FOR A CHARITABLE CAUSE Members of Berowra Lions will be on hand at the fair to assist you however we can – we can be easily identified by our Lions T-shirts and name badges. After running costs are deducted, all proceeds from the fair will be donated to the Hornsby PCYC. So do come and browse at the North Sydney Antiques and Collectables Fair – it will be a fun day for all the family. THE LIONS CLUB OF BEROWRA 0424 023 220 info@nsacfair.com.au www.berowralions.org.au

CENTRAL COAST

A guide to ANTIQUES & COLLECTABLES DEALERS ON THE CENTRAL COAST 1. AVOCA BEACH ANTIQUES Now incorporating the Beecroft Treasure House Specialising in antique jewellery with the largest range on the coast and an exceptional range of silver and extensive selection of fine porcelain Clarice Cliff hand painted plate, $110 and rare collectables. Open 7 days 173 Avoca Drive, Avoca Beach Vintage shell cameo 02 4382 1149 or 02 4381 0288 ring, c. 1960, set in avocabeach.antiques@bigpond.com 14 ct yellow gold, $1290

2. ACCENT ANTIQUES

Napoleon hat pin holder, French c. 1860, $690

Accent Antiques have been at the Crowne Plaza Terrigal for 23 years. We specialise in antique and estate jewellery and have a wonderful selection of oddities. Many of our stunning pieces are purchased in France. Within sight and sound of the beach, enjoy a stunning view while you search out a treasure. We are open seven days a week 10-5 pm. Shop 16, Crowne Plaza, Terrigal 02 4385 1997 ldecarne@gmail.com adecarne@gmail.com

COLLECTORS’ COTTAGE ANTIQUES No longer trading from the Central Coast. Please ring 02 4389 1922 for any enquiries or requests. Otherwise please visit our shop in Newcastle: Shop 7A & 7B Centenary Antique Centre 29 Centenary Road, Newcastle (100 metres north of Civic Station) also: www.antiquesplus.com.au search for Collectors’ Cottage to see hundreds of items for sale.

Vintage diamond cluster ring set with a total of 1.60 ct diamonds in 18 ct white gold, $11,800

Australian cedar chiffonier featuring shield shaped doors and barley twist supports, c. 1890, $1295

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NEWCASTLE

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Come and browse through our 2000 sq ft showroom where you will find a dazzling range of furniture, china and collectables. We stock an extensive range from Victorian through to retro, including some stunning pieces from the art deco period. Recent additions to our collection include an inspiring range of decorator items, antique and art deco style wall mirrors that complement modern or traditional decors. When travelling to Newcastle and the Hunter Valley please pay us a visit, you will be glad you did.

• TRADING FOR 20 YEARS • FREIGHT CAN BE ARRANGED AUSTRALIA WIDE • • LARGE RANGE OF ROYAL DOULTON CHINA •

105-111 MAITLAND ROAD, ISLINGTON, NEWCASTLE Ph: 02 4961 0533 • Rod: 0414 610 533 • Tim: 0415 495 967 Open Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday 10 am - 5 pm • 3 km from the City centre

ISLINGTON ANTIQUES

in Newcastle since 1990 W elcome to over 2000 square feet of antiques and collectables and furniture from Victorian through to retro. At Islington Antiques we have a special emphasis on quality Art Deco furniture at affordable prices, most lovingly restored by our skilled craftsman. If you want a special piece restored, we will do it in our own workshop. Stripping, polishing, lock repairs and mirror resilvering are a few of the services we offer. We restore old brass beds, including converting a double to a queen size bed. Royal Doulton is one of our specialties, in a showroom housing an enormous range of

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quality china and porcelain. We have 1500 Royal Doulton pieces in stock including dinner service pieces, Series Ware, Bunnykins and Flambé. We also sell and stock a selected range of new Royal Doulton.

MIRRORS FOR EVERY ROOM In our mirror showroom is a selection of modern, traditional and Art Deco mirrors displayed in all their different shapes and sizes. If you are renovating, redecorating or building we have a mirror for every room in your home – from lounge and dining to bedrooms and bathrooms. Decorator pieces are another enhancement to

now available as an online edition

www.worldaa.com find in our store. Hand-selected from importers from all around Australia, you can decide on lamps, figurines, paintings, prints and new furniture, any and all of which will complement both traditional and modern decors. Our second store – Our Style Furniture and Decor opened seven years ago and is dedicated to handcrafted solid timber furniture which we import directly. The stock includes traditional English styles in mahogany and cedar, French provincial dining suites, Louisstyle chairs and sofas in fruitwoods and creampainted furniture. Newcastle, the gateway to the Hunter Valley, is a leisurely two-hour drive from Sydney. Please visit us on your next trip. We can arrange freight Australia-wide. ISLINGTON ANTIQUES 02 4961 0533

NEWCASTLE

DRIVEN TO COLLECT DIANA WARES The impetus to collect had its seeds in fond childhood memories lthough I didn’t know it at the time, my ‘love affair’ (for want of a better phrase) with Diana Pottery of Sydney began in the late 1950s when I was a young boy of about five. Diana Pottery operated in the Sydney suburb of Marrickville between the early 1940s and 1975. Initially it produced wares under contract with the Department of Defence to assist the war effort; the range included cups and mugs for Navy and munitions canteens. After the war ended the company diversified into domestic pottery. Through the 1950s and ’60s, Diana was the largest and most prolific pottery in New South Wales. My father worked there from 1948 to 1967; this period included the years of my youth. His domain, as such, was in the office section of Diana. I well recall a number of visits when I was young – getting the train into Sydney after school on a Friday with my mother and brother and walking to Diana. Entering the building from street level, we would walk up the narrow staircase (with wooden banisters) to the office section where about a dozen people worked. The clickettyclack of typewriters and the now antiquated view of 1950s adding machines (pre calculator) is still a clear memory!

THE 1950S POTTERY: AN INSIDER’S VIEW Overall about 120 people worked at Diana. Here – especially in the factory section – was my introduction to ‘multicultural’ Australia, although it’s doubtful that this term was in common usage in the 1950s and 1960s. (This term was in fact coined in Canada in 1965 – Ed.) An influx of post World War II migrants meant that places such as Diana were enriched with employees from across Europe. This could be seen, for example, in a Coca-Cola machine that stood near the entrance to the work area. Not one of the modern upright cupboard types, this machine’s lid had to be lifted up and your selection moved along to the release gate which operated only after the obligatory one or two shilling pieces was dropped into the pay slot. A notice was taped to the wall next to the machine – I recall it still, written as it was in English, Italian and Greek, explaining how the machine operated. My efforts at trying to match up the English with Italian words, for example, weren’t too successful. On one visit to the factory section I vividly recall standing near one of the kilns during a firing – the heat resistant glass at the front didn’t disguise the bright flames in the kiln – the heat was all too evident! In another section, racks of Diana pieces – dozens and dozens in all shapes and sizes – were stacked on shelves

either ready for firing or already fired. Still another section finds me in a work place area, with perhaps ten or so ladies at work benches. In front of each is an array of fine paint brushes and paints of various colours. They are working on the white savoury platters, ash trays and the like, adding ‘Australian’ type outback scenes: Ayer’s Rock, gum trees and the like. A lady looks up and smiles at this young boy being taken through on a visit – he politely smiles back of course.

VARIETY OF HOME WARES Diana pottery was noted for the vast variety of its output designed for the home. Vases, wall vases and flower troughs comprised one early range after 1945. The flying wall birds and distinctive bookends were popular, as were the ashtrays, baskets and crouching panther and dog series. If one takes even a cursory glance of Diana’s advertising leaflets of the day, the extensive range becomes all too evident. Over the life of the pottery, it is estimated that over 200 different shapes were produced.

So what of this ‘love affair’ mentioned early in the article? Coming full circle, in recent years I have been more than happy to strengthen my childhood memories of Diana by purchasing items and thus creating a diverse collection. Such is this affair that I have pieces in excess of requirements and now need to consider culling the collection – though, of course, the elite pieces I won’t part with!

21 marks used during the pottery’s lifetime. Sadly, it was the influx of cheaper yet similar products from Asia which led to Diana’s demise in 1975. But for some 30 glorious years, the staff and workers of Diana were able to produce a wonderful array of products for many householders as well as providing wonderful memories, resulting in a wonderful collection for this one Australian.

DIVERSITY & QUALITY Most people would be aware of Diana ware but the variety will remain for me a learning curve – it wasn’t until I started collecting that I appreciated the diversity and quality of the company’s products. Of note, there were also

Richard Snedden for CENTENARY ANTIQUE CENTRE 02 4926 4547 centenaryantiques@hunterlink.net.au www.centenarycentre.com.au

POLKA DOTS SERIES HIGHLY COLLECTABLE From the 1950s, too, their array of kitchenware was popular as evidenced by the mixing bowls, for example, in such colours as yellow and blue with white spots. I recall mother using an extra large bowl at Christmas time to make the festive puddings and cakes. This variety of polka dotted vessels has now become highly collectable. In the 1960s the range was further diversified into decorated oven and kitchen ware, hand painted with maple, poinsettia, cornflower, blackberry, wattle and flannel flower designs. For elsewhere in the house, platters and plates of various sizes and shapes would be used at social gatherings or the (nowadays politically incorrect) ashtrays might be seen. Ornate vases of various sizes could be purchased at the ‘higher end’ of the price scale. Also in the early 1960s, tiles were made which could be utilised as a top for a coffee table – as evidenced by the very same table still in the family. Whisky decanters were produced and other sporting items of similar ilk have become quite collectable in recent years.

WALTZING MATILDA A FAVOURITE Then, of course, there’s the once very popular Waltzing Matilda jugs. Relatively scarce are the ones that come with a music box mechanism that played the Waltzing Matilda tune when wound up. In summer time, we young’uns on school holiday were entertained when a cooling drink was provided in such a jug.

Five new dealers – bigger and better than ever Open 7 Days - 10 am to 5 pm Visit our Old Grocery Store Museum

29 CENTENARY ROAD, NEWCASTLE 2300 Phone: 02 4926 4547 centenaryantiques@hunterlink.net.au

www.centenarycentre.com.au Antiques and

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HAMILTON

PROVENANCE things that turn up in the Hunter Valley C ustomers are always interested in the story behind a piece of furniture or its provenance. It’s nice to know where a piece spent its life, and if possible who owned it – especially if it was a famous person. Even though our colonial furniture dates to the 1800s, it is still very hard to trace the origins of pieces made 130 to 180 years ago. Recently, we have had a few pieces of furniture turn up in the Hunter Valley. We

know some of the history, but how they got to where we found them is a mystery. The Huon pine chest of drawers is a quality piece, beautifully made with choice veneers. It has all original hardware, the original finish and was probably made in Melbourne or South Australia. Yet it turns up in the Hunter Valley in an old house with hardly any other antique furniture.

Rare Find Country Antiques A selection of our quality and rare Australian chests of drawers

The Hunter’s largest selection of genuine Australian antique cedar furniture, most of our stock is pictured on the website: www.rarefindantiques.com.au Opening hours: Saturdays 10 am - 4 pm or by appointment. We are there most of the time as we live on-site. Chiffonier made by John Osborne of Singleton in 1863

38 Denison St, Hamilton Ph 02 4969 3801 Mobile 0418 684 724 70

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The Huon pine apprentice chest follows a similar path. It was on a farm near Cessnock for the past 90 years, but before that who knows. The chest dating to circa 1880, has secondary timbers of red pine, common in South Australian furniture and is beautifully made. How it came to Cessnock is another story. Another mystery piece is a timber axe. The head is of musk wood with a Huon pine handle. Both the head and handle are the most amazing figured timber and it has been superbly crafted – possibly as a trophy of some sort. From the timbers one would guess Tasmanian but it turned up in a Hunter home with a little story. The cedar two drawer desk is an early piece, circa 1840, or possibly earlier. It has fabulous timber throughout and the legs are finely splayed and tapered. The cedar has been prepared with an adze and all joints are mortice and tenon. It spent the last 80 years in Maitland and before that an early property owned by the family in Morpeth. Some of the other early pieces from this property were sent to the cabinet makers in the 1950s to be turned into ‘more useful’ coffee tables, occasional tables and nests of tables, so it was very lucky to survive. The Huon pine dresser, circa 1860, found in an old dairy in the Hunter, has been traced to a Hobart bakery. As it turns out, this dresser followed a family member from Hobart to an historic Maitland property many years ago. It was sold, taken out of the district and ended

up sitting on bricks in a dairy. It is now fully conserved and ready for another 150 years of service. Last is the cedar miner’s couch which came from Anthony Hordern and Sons’ shoe department. One of the employees from the shoe section purchased it when the store was being renovated. It was then passed onto her son and from there to us. It is circa 1885, has nice wear, good original finish, and a good provenance. Obviously people and their furniture moved around quite a bit and it is hard to know the full story, but if something is good it shouldn’t matter where it came from or where we found it. We often find outstanding pieces of furniture in the most unlikely places, indicating that these finds would have originally been for impressive homes. It would be wonderful to have the history, but often we can only guess. Many years ago when I purchased one of my first pieces of cedar from an old dealer I asked if it had a story. The reply was ‘No, but I can make one up for you if you want.’

Michael Lee RARE FIND COUNTRY ANTIQUES 02 4969 3801 / 0418 684 724 rarefind@bigpond.et.au www.rarefindantiques.com.au

NEWCASTLE / HUNTER VALLEY

NEWCASTLE & HUNTER VALLEY ANTIQUES TRAIL

featuring bed & breakfast accommodation and art galleries 1

The Centenary Antique Centre

UNIQUE ANTIQUE ECLECTIC 29 Centenary Road, Newcastle Ph: 02 4926 4547 OPEN 7 days, 10 am – 5 pm 28 shops under the one roof: Newcastle’s largest antique centre and home to the Old Grocery Store Museum.

Memory Lane Antiques & Decor 82 Elder Street, Lambton (opposite Lambton Park) Ph: 02 4957 8233

OPEN Monday to Friday 10 am – 4.30 pm Saturday 9 am – 3.30 pm. Closed Sunday Affordable antiques – interesting china, jewellery, lamps and clocks. A range of items to suit the discerning buyer.

Antiques & Collectables on Darby 2

Boutique splendour. WINNER of Hunter Small Business Awards 2011 Antiques and Gifts

1/158 Darby Street, Newcastle Ph: 02 4926 3003 OPEN 7 days, 10 am – 5 pm 15 dealers: collectables, china, glass, jewellery, furniture and smalls.

Heartland Antiques & Arts

321 High Street, Maitland

Ph: 02 4933 9923

Brunker Road Antiques

OPEN Six days 10 am – 4 pm. Closed Tuesday Most unusual mix of decorator pieces and

35 Brunker Road, Broadmeadow Mob: 0437 417 512 OPEN Friday – Sunday 10 am – 5 pm The place to come when you want something different.

traditional antique furniture along with old pine and period styles, china, chintz, pottery, paintings, posters and prints. All things suitable for furnishing a country house, a farmhouse, a weekender or the odd ranch with both flair and decorum.

Coliseum Antiques Steptoes

118 Maitland Road, Mayfield Ph: 02 4967 2088 OPEN 7 days 10 am – 5 pm A large centre within a heritage building. Buying and selling: furniture and collectables, huge selection. Coffee shop and art sales Georgian – Victorian – Retro.

105 Lang Street, Kurri Kurri Ph: 02 4936 1511 OPEN Monday – Friday 9 am – 5 pm Saturday 9 am – 3 pm Sunday 10.30 am – 3 pm The largest antique and second-hand furniture warehouse in the Hunter.

Ambleside Antiques Cottage

Furniture is our forte.

108 Maitland Road, Islington Ph: 02 4962 1532 Enquiries: gayleandy@bigpond.com OPEN 10 am – 5 pm. Closed Tuesday Attractive decorator pieces to enhance your home or that wanted item to add to your collection. Large affordable range: linen, tools, glass, china, furniture, jewellery, sewing items. Ample free street parking nearby. Air-conditioned.

Rare Find Country Antiques

38 Denison Street, Hamilton Ph: 02 4969 3801, Mobile: 0418 684 724 Open by appointment only Specialists in Australian antiques, specialising in cedar.

11 6

Islington Antiques 105–111 Maitland Road, Islington, Newcastle Ph: 02 4961 0533 OPEN Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday 10 am – 5 pm Trading in Newcastle for 20 years. We stock a large and varied range of quality furniture, china and collectables in our 2000 sq ft showroom.

Antique Toy Collectables

655 Hunter Street, Newcastle West Ph: John 0412 296 420 OPEN Mon – Fri by appointment (readily available) Sat 10 am – 4 pm Sun 11 am – 3 pm 100's of vintage toys, dolls, teddies, trains

TO ADVERTISE ON THIS PAGE PLEASE PHONE 02 9389 2919

* In the interests of better service for our customers, if you enjoy the convenience of this map, please tell the shops you visit. Thank you.

(Hornby O) plus pedal cars and doll prams. Largest range in Australia. *** JUST OPENED ***

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Darren & Lucille, Guy Stuff Gifts and Collectables

Megan Wood, The Bank Bazaar

The Junkyard

WINDSOR & THE HAWKESBURY

Antiques & Collectables Trail indsor and the Hawkesbury is reestablishing itself as a great destination for antiques, collectables and old wares. Windsor is a comfortable drive north west of Sydney in the picturesque Hawkesbury Valley. It is a popular short break, weekender and day trippers’ location. It is also a popular stopover point for city folk heading to the Blue Mountains, Hunter Valley and Central West as well as the North and South Coasts. Windsor boasts some magnificent historic buildings, its own paddle wheeler and horse drawn restaurant with the region being home to great national parks and the picturesque Hawkesbury River. Windsor and the Hawkesbury is also home to 19 unique antiques, collectables and old wares shops within a short drive of each other. On Sundays, you can enjoy the Windsor Craft Market in the mall from 9 am – 4 pm. If visiting on a Saturday you must fit in a visit between 10 am and 2 pm to Empire Beds. Phil and Peter Jurd’s workshop is good fun for blokes and fascinating for iron and brass bed enthusiasts. Phil has been ‘in beds’ for over 25 years and this is Sydney’s one-stop brass bed shop for made-to-order, restoration and extensions from double to queen. In the middle of town in the pedestrian mall at 149 George St, stands Guy Stuff Gifts and Collectables, a blokey paradise. Featuring over 5000 collectables for sale, almost all of which are male-oriented, this mega store of over 400 square metres offers a vast array from which to choose. This includes limited edition die cast model cars and aircraft, Royal Australian Mint coins, collector pins, aviation and Ned Kelly memorabilia, retro robots, NRL merchandise and more. Walking down George Street to New Street

Peter and Phil Jurd, Empire Beds

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you will see Maureen’s delightful dusky pink rendered store, Thompson’s Country Collectables. Maureen has an elegant range of antiques and collectables from 1750 to 1950, but specialises in Victorian furniture, silver, jewellery, china and glass. Around the corner from Maureen’s is Windsor Restoration Supplies. Arguably the Hawkesbury’s most comprehensive supplier for the restorer including brass and period lighting, cabinet fittings and handles, traditional timber finishes and period home restoration supplies, they also have an elegant range of outdoor furniture. Jump in the car and head out to The Junkyard at Londonderry. Sue and Gary have five acres of recycled farmyard and building materials, bric-àbrac from antiques to op shop stored in a variety of sheds, old bus and train carcases. The astute collector can find real bargains here – its nickname is ‘the five acre garage sale’ and you should allow some serious scrounging time here. One the boys will love for sure. Take Windsor Street and continue to The Bank Bazaar, a haven of mysterious and stunning antiques, furniture, artworks, designer jewellery and so much more. Situated in the historic town of Richmond, The Bank Bazaar is housed in the old 1880s bank that has been lovingly restored, and complementing the antiques are one-off pieces of furniture and a refreshing mix of contemporary decorator items for the home. The pieces range from pianos and marble mantelpieces to tea cups and model planes. Customers are welcome to sit amidst the wares and enjoy a cappuccino from the coffee shop with a piece of cake and a good book, or relax with friends for lunch under the shade of a giant elm in the tea garden. John and Anne Koster, of Kostercraft, further on in North Richmond can help you out when

John Koster, Kostercraft

you have found that special piece, but it is need of some TLC. They specialise in preservation and restoration of antique and modern furniture and art. They can also repair and restore distressed ceramics. Further along the trail, Kurrajong Antique Centre has a very large range of antiques and collectables. Brian has several large rooms, an upstairs and a downstairs filled with English china, glassware, art, furniture, toys – there’s probably very little he hasn’t got. Brian’s is the kind of large rambling antiques emporium you remember from the old days and has a wonderful yesteryear feel. We all look forward to seeing you on our trail one day soon.

Windsor Restoration Supplies

Kurrajong Antique Centre

Maureen Partridge, Thompson’s Country Collectables

WINDSOR & THE HAWKESBURY

WINDSOR & THE HAWKESBURY antiques & collectables trail 1

5 8 7

2 3

To advertise on this page please phone

02 9389 2919 Email: info@worldaa.com

3. WINDSOR RESTORATION SUPPLIES, WINDSOR Proprietor: Dave Crawshaw Phone: 02 4577 4853 Opening Days & Times: Mon to Fri 9 am to 4.30 pm Sat 10 am to 2 pm Public Holidays: Closed Address: 268 George Street, Windsor

1. EMPIRE BEDS, WILBERFORCE Proprietors: Phil Jurd & Peter Jurd Phone: 02 4575 1223 Website: www.empirebeds.com.au Email: jurdp1@optusnet.com.au Opening Days & Times: Mon to Fri 9 am to 5 pm Sat 10 am to 2 pm Public Holidays: Closed Address: 2/11 Ti-Tree Place, Wilberforce

2. THOMPSONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S COUNTRY COLLECTABLES, WINDSOR

4. THE JUNKYARD, LONDONDERRY Proprietors: Gary & Sue Evans Phone: 02 4572 5211 Opening Days & Times: 7 days 10 am to 4 pm (weather permitting) Public Holidays: Closed Address: 11 Bennett Road, Londonderry (Just a 10 minute drive from the centre of Windsor)

5. KOSTERCRAFT, NORTH RICHMOND Proprietors: John and Anne Koster Phone: 02 4571 1320 Mobile: 0412 571132 Email: kostercraft@hotmail.com Website: www.kostercraft.com.au Opening Days & Times: Mon to Fri 9 am to 6 pm Sat, Sun: Available for enquiries and drop offs Public Holidays: Available for enquiries and drop offs Address: 27 Elizabeth Street, North Richmond

6. KURRAJONG ANTIQUE CENTRE, KURRAJONG Proprietor: Brian Briggs Phone: 02 4573 1683 Opening Days & Times: 7 days 10 am to 5 pm Public Holidays: 10 am to 5 pm Address: 101 Old Bells Line of Road, Kurrajong

7. THE BANK BAZAAR Proprietor: Megan Wood Phone: 02 4588 6951 Opening Days & Times: Weekdays 9 am to 5 pm, Saturday 9 am to 4 pm, Sunday closed Address: 290 Windsor Street Richmond NSW 2753 www.bankbazaar.com.au

8. GUY STUFF, WINDSOR Phone: 02 4577 2797 Email: Windsor@GuyStuff.com.au Website: www.GuyStuff.com.au Opening Days & Times: Open 7 days 9 am to 6 pm (9pm Thursday Nights) Address:149 George Street Windsor

Proprietor: Maureen Partridge Phone: 02 4577 2381 Opening Days & Times: 7 days 10 am to 5 pm Public Holidays: 10 am to 5 pm Address: 11 New Street, Windsor

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WINDSOR

QANTAS Airbus A380

1993 ATCC Winner EB Falcon Dick Johnson

ESPECIALLY FOR THE GUYS at historic Windsor VISITING WINDSOR he 200 year old Windsor township is set on the magnificent Hawkesbury River and steadfastly celebrates its history and country village atmosphere. A complete escape for the Sydney-sider and only 40 minutes down the M2, you can enjoy the charms of shopping, browsing, historic buildings, entertainment, alfresco dining, people-watching and great coffee. Shopping and browsing opportunities abound for all ages and stages. The Windsor

Craft Markets are every Sunday and offer great locally grown food and handmade crafts. An eclectic selection of discount stores and specialty shops means in Windsor you can buy a leather purse, English humbug confections, a ukulele, hand-beaten Peruvian silver jewellery, a poncho and scented candles. There can also be found hand-beaded necklaces, handmade soaps, shoes, designer dresses, Bali or French-inspired home wares and footy team collectables.

GUY STUFF GIFTS AND COLLECTABLES In the middle of this historic township is a collectorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dream come true. Guy Stuff Gifts and Collectables, located in the middle of the pedestrian mall at 149 George Street, is a 400 square metre retail store with over 5,000 different collectables on sale. Ninety-nine per cent of the items in this mega store are male orientated. Some of the vast array of collectables at Guy Stuff include thousands of collector pins, limited edition die cast model cars, die cast model aircraft, Royal Australian Mint coins, tin toys and signs, retro robots, NRL merchandise, Ned Kelly, Coca-Cola, Aviation, Ford and Holden memorabilia, movie collectables and more.

1996 Peter Brock 850 Volvo

EH Holden Mitta Green

GUY STUFF PRODUCT FEATURE: MODEL CAR AND AIRCRAFT COLLECTING Guy Stuff is an authorised Biante, Classic Carlectables and APEX Replicas dealer. Model cars make great collectables as well as often being great investments with some model doubling or tripling in value quite quickly. As well as being great collectables and investments model cars are a great way to bring back memories or previous cars you may have owned or great motor racing events you may have attended, like Bathurst, Oran Park or Sandown races. For the convenience of visitors to Windsor, Guy Stuff is open every day from 9 am to 6 pm, staying open until 9 pm on Thursday.

www.GuyStuff.com.au A unique retail concept offering a large range of gifts and collectables for men GUY STUFF BAULKHAM HILLS Shop 9, Stockland Mall Shopping Centre 375 Windsor Road Baulkham Hills NSW 2153 P: 02 9688 6388 E: BaulkhamHills@GuyStuff.com.au Open 7 Days 9am to 6pm (9pm Thursday Nights) GUY STUFF NARELLAN Shop 2, Narellan Town Centre 326 Camden Valley Way Narellan NSW 2567 P: 02 4648 1606 E: Narellan@GuyStuff.com.au Open 7 Days 9am to 6pm (9pm Thursday Nights)

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GUY STUFF WINDSOR 149 George Street Windsor NSW 2756 P: 02 4577 2797 E: Windsor@GuyStuff.com.au Open 7 Days 9am to 6pm (9pm Thursday Nights)

Authorised Dealer

1978 XC Cobra "Option 96"

2011 Bathurst Winner VE Commodore Garth Tander & Nick Percat

For more details contact GUY STUFF WINDSOR 02 4577 2797 windsor@GuyStuff.com.au www.GuyStuff.com.au Holden XU-1 Torana

1974 Bathurst Winner XA Falcon John Goss & Kevin Bartlett

KURRAJONG

KURRAJONG ANTIQUE CENTRE spanning 740 sq metres (8,000 sq ft)

Antiques and Collectables LOTS OF NEW STOCK Come up and visit our centre now with an increase to over 50 fully stocked display cabinets with china, glass, silver, silver plate, jewellery, crystal, porcelain and bric-à-brac. We have a large range of original art (oils, watercolours, etchings and lithographs), brass, as well as Victorian and Edwardian furniture (cedar, mahogany, pine and oak). All in a lovely old Art Deco Cinema/Theatre

UP TO 30% OFF ON VARIOUS CABINETS

101 OLD BELLS LINE OF ROAD, KURRAJONG • PHONE 02 4573 1683 OPEN 7 DAYS 10 am - 5 pm

THE SCENIC HUNTER VALLEY perfect for antique hunters F rom small shops specialising in music collectables or toys to the larger centres, the Hunter Valley caters for all tastes. You will find everything from buttons and linen and stunning art deco pieces to exquisite Georgian furniture, tools and old farm rustics to delightfully kitsch ’50s and ’60s home-wares and charming country pine furniture. Just a two-hour drive north of Sydney, you could be enjoying the many delights of the Hunter Valley this weekend.

galleries and museums, just a few of the delights Newcastle has to offer. Of course, another delight is hunting through Newcastle’s many antique shops and centres. A fabulous city to explore, stay awhile and enjoy the comfort and history that Newcastle’s bed and breakfast homes can offer you. Australia’s sixth largest city and the capital of the Hunter region, Newcastle has much to offer the visitor here on a short break or an extended stay. Newcastle is a beachside city boasting a spectacular coastline with some of Australia’s best surfing beaches. Newcastle has a large working harbour, its entrance guarded by Nobby’s breakwater and lighthouse, probably the most famous Newcastle icon.

famous Hunter Valley vineyards and acclaimed wilderness areas. Just minutes from Maitland you will discover the most delightful villages and towns. East Maitland: The original city site, this is an architecturally heritage-rich town with many beautiful buildings to appreciate including churches, the old Maitland Gaol and great antique hunting opportunities. Rutherford: A few minutes on the other side of Maitland is Rutherford, home to the historic Annanbah House, where the Australian movie 15 Amore (2000) was filmed, with still more antique hunting to enjoy. Lorn: Located just over the bridge from Maitland is Lorn. Fine examples of Federation houses, together with wonderfully preserved late Victorian homes set in magnificent gardens, make this place a true delight. Enjoy the Heritage Walk or just indulge in more antique hunting. Bolwarra: Just a few minutes along the road is Bolwarra with even more charming historic homes and gardens and even more antique hunting. This lovely town sits on the edge of some of the most beautiful, gentle farmland in the region.

THE MAITLAND REGION

DUNGOG

Maitland is a lovely heritage city in the heart of the Hunter Valley, a short drive from the

With the first European settlement of the township occurring in the 1820s and 1830s,

NEWCASTLE Founded in 1804 as a penal colony, Newcastle is a city rich in history. Discover Newcastle’s convict past and the birthplace of Australian industry; visit Victorian mansions and villas; marvel at the grand cathedral; or learn about the area’s colourful maritime history and how Fort Scratchley was built to protect the city from possible Russian invasion. Newcastle Tourism’s visitor information centre on Hunter Street will supply you with details on heritage walks through the city, art

historic Dungog has much to offer visitors. There are quality antiques to discover in Dowling Street and a B&B set in magical rural surrounds in which to soak up the country atmosphere. The Visitor Information Centre on the corner of Brown and Dowling Streets (02 4992 2212) can supply you with maps and details on the many historic buildings in this beautiful township. Dungog is the perfect base for exploring the nearby Barrington Tops National Park. This unspoiled World Heritage listed area offers so much to experience, from cascading rivers and primeval wilderness to rare and endangered species of plants and animals. The many walking trails in the park cater to all, ranging from 20 minutes to the 22 km Link Trail Walk. Newcastle and Hunter Valley Antiques Trail 02 4974 2999 www.newcastletourism.com

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BLUE MOUNTAINS

Moorcroft vase decorated in Tasmanian blue gum pattern designed by Sally Tuffin, c. 1993 h: 43.2 cm. Limited edition no. 29/50

Samuel Clarke fairy lamp model Burmese ware epergne manufactured by Thomas Webb & Sons, c. 1884

Etling Art Deco opalescent vase by Georges Beal, c. 1925-30

Art Nouveau WMF Moser glass and pewter claret jug, c. 1890s

FAULCONBRIDGE ANTIQUES

Kauri pine & Queensland maple hallstand, c. 1900s, carved decoration includes kookaburras, tree stumps, grapes and grape vines

the destination for quality in the Blue Mountains VILLAGE HISTORY aulconbridge was settled in the 1870s after the railway line opened up the whole mountain area. One of the earliest residents of Faulconbridge was the ‘Father of Australian Federation’, Sir Henry Parkes who moved to the area in 1877 and is buried in Faulconbridge Cemetery. The village was in fact named after his home, Faulconbridge House, which was, in turn, named in memory of his mother’s maiden name.

FOR INVESTORS, COLLECTORS & HOME DECORATORS Faulconbridge Antiques is the very first building on the left hand side when you come into Faulconbridge. The black and white mural on the side of the building of ‘Greto Garbo’ poised on a chaise longue is a hint that this shop is quite special. When entering the store you can see why. This shop is in direct contrast to the perception that antique shops, like those of the past, are dark and dusty. The flow of natural light and superb presentation

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showcases the large range of quality porcelain, glass and fine furniture which amazes all those entering. The owners of Faulconbridge Antiques, Garry and Kevin, have sourced special items from the Victorian period through to the present from all over Australia and overseas. This adds to the delight of home decorators looking for that special decorative item through to the serious collector looking for that rare item to add to their collection.

FURNITURE GEMS The earliest piece of furniture in the store is a burr walnut chest on stand, c. 1740s (unrestored) that was brought to Australia by the descendants of W.H. Grindley of the UK firm Grindley China. Some of the other burr walnut items on show include a beautiful lady’s davenport, c. 1860s, a musical cabinet c. 1880s and an extendable dining table with deep, elaborately carved legs. Some of the mahogany pieces include a beautiful parlour cabinet of c.1870s in superb condition, a late Victorian 12-14 seater extendable dining table, also in excellent condition, as well as various pedestal sideboards. For those seeking early Australian pieces of furniture, there is an 1870s cedar chaise longue recently recovered in quality Warwick cream embossed fabric. Or, even rarer, an elaborately carved Kauri pine and Queensland maple hallstand dated c. 1905 featuring kookaburras, grapes and grape vines. This hallstand could be a one-off piece.

LARGE GLASS RANGE With one of the largest range of glass epergnes in the Blue Mountains dating from the 1860s to the 1900s, the jewel in the crown would have to be the rare Samuel Clarke and Thomas Webb Queens Burmese fairy lamp epergne, c. 1884. Lovers of Art Deco glass will be impressed with the Rene Lalique Grimperaux vase of c. 1926, not forgetting the tall Etling opalescent vase by Georges Beal made c. 1925-30. The large range of art glass on offer includes cranberry, ruby, opalescent, citrine/uranium, satin and carnival glass.

VARIETY OF POTTERY & PORCELAIN PIECES

448A GREAT WESTERN HIGHWAY FAULCONBRIDGE, NSW. 2776

02 4751 7627 or 0458 524 752

faulconbridgeantiques.com OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 9.30 am – 5.00 pm or by Appointment

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The incredible selection of Moorcroft pieces stocked starts with the earliest vase – a William Moorcroft Florian Poppy vase made for James Macintyre, up to the rare and highly soughtafter, tall, 43 cm (approximately) Tasmanian blue gum baluster vase signed and dated December 1993 in a limited edition of 50 worldwide. Incidentally, this is not the tallest Moorcroft vase in the store; this prize goes to the stunning Kyoto vase produced in 1994 by Rachel Bishop, which is approximately 61 cm high and one of a limited edition of 100 worldwide.

Carlton Ware Art Deco flower vases, c. 1930s, decorated with bell, hollyhocks & devil’s copse

Carlton Ware and Crown Devon reportedly produced their best enamel and lustre wares in the Art Deco period and some of their best examples are on show in Faulconbridge Antiques. Art Deco Shelley fine bone china is in abundance with rare and complete Queen Anne shape tea sets, as well as lots of other complete Shelley tea sets and trios from the 1920s-50s.

QUALITY PIECES FROM YESTERYEAR & TODAY Keeping in mind that quality items from the past are becoming harder to find – as they are either in museums or private collections, Faulconbridge Antiques is the sole distributor in New South Wales of Anita Harris Art Pottery, handmade in Staffordshire, England. Anita Harris spent 10 years as the head designer with Poole Pottery then went to work for Moorcroft’s sister company, Cobridge Stoneware. This is where she met designer Samantha Johnson and in 2006 they joined skills and formed Anita Harris Art Pottery. Together they have produced designs for all the leading retailers in the United Kingdom. They continue to push the boundaries of glaze effects, lustres and design, resulting in an ever-growing following of collectors in the UK and overseas.

DIRECTIONS TO THE VILLAGE The village of Faulconbridge is located in the City of the Blue Mountains, 77 km west of Sydney, New South Wales. From Sydney by car, take the M4 Freeway which then becomes the Great Western Highway at the base of the Blue Mountains. A visit to Faulconbridge Antiques is highly recommended, and being open seven days a week from 9.30 am – 5 pm for the convenience of collectors, makes this possible. FAULCONBRIDGE ANTIQUES 02 4751 7627 / 0458 524 752 faulconbridgeantiques@faulconbridgeantiques.com www.faulconbridgeantiques.com

BLUE MOUNTAINS

STEELREID STUDIO a world of art and fantasy S teelReid Studio is the working studio of the collaboration between Pennie Steel and Brian Reid. Pennie and Brian are artists with 45 years of professional practice each, including university studies and visual arts teaching. This collaboration manifests in painting, drawing and graphics, sculpture and digital photography. Visitors to the studio can expect to see a range of works currently exploring what they term the ‘neo Baroque’. Titian and Watteau as well as Rupert Bunny and Norman Lindsay are inspirations for Pennie. Her thematic interests include fabric, flowers and other objects popular in Baroque art as well as mythology, which comes out in her paintings, many of which bear titles and subjects from Greek and Roman mythology. ‘At the moment I’m interested in the idea of rebirth and spring, the natural seasonal movement and how it manifests with the (Roman goddess) Proserpine or (Greek goddess) Persephone.’

PERFORMANCE ART Pennie holds a Masters of Visual Arts and Design and has taught visual arts and art history. ‘I’m also interested in setting up in staging,’ she says. ‘In costume, wearable art and all that relates to theatre.’

Pennie and Brian work together on a lot of projects. As Brian elaborates, ‘I’ve been working with people and Pennie puts costumes onto them and she makes masks and builds sets and I make digital images from those in sequences.’ They have created such performance art work for the public; for example, for shows at casinos.

ELECTRONIC EASEL Brian is very excited by new media – by the internet, by cyberspace, by digital technologies. He has been an art teacher and university lecturer including at the City Art Institute (now COFA) and Western Sydney University as well as trained art teachers at Sydney University. For him, art happens in the computer now – ‘I call it my electronic easel. I’m manipulating my images in the computer using photoshop type effects and I’m now showing my work as DVDs; I want everyone to view my work on their television, their home theatre or in galleries via data projectors; rather than for entertainment, I want to use all kinds of new technology to look at art. I want people to be able to turn their TV into an art machine rather than simply being entertained; rather than switching it off you should have art running across it.’

OPEN STUDIO Located in Katoomba, the SteelReid Studio is set in stunning bushland and will be open for visitors on Sunday 7 July, 22 September and 1 December, and at other times by appointment. Original works, prints and DVDs are available for sale from the studio including images of the Blue Mountains. Countless pieces are showcased including over 25 works – mostly paintings – on the wall, and every month the works change. ‘When you enter our studio you enter a

world of art and fantasy,’ Brian explains. ‘When our models work with us here, we put costumes and masks on them so they create new selves so it becomes theatre, a set design and that’s where the staging comes in. So the studio changes, like our art, on a daily basis.’ Come and meet the artists and enjoy and experience the many artworks they have on display. STEELREID STUDIO 02 4782 6267 / 0414 369 696 steelreid@bigpond.com

steelreid studio PENNIE STEEL & BRIAN REID

OPEN STUDIO 2013 SUNDAY 7 JULY, 22 SEPT, 1 DEC or by appointment The Red Sari and The Apple 1

18a First Ave Katoomba NSW

02 4782 6267 or 0414 369 696

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BLUE MOUNTAINS

HERITAGE AND COLLECTING Maori artefacts and the importance of taonga Blanket box, New Zealand, carved with Ma ri motifs and designs

Carved wood decorative objects, New Zealand

s a proud expatriate New Zealander, I started collecting carved Maori artefacts as a reminder of my origins and as a connection with my homeland. To me, these pieces represent the strong independent spirit that has infused modern New Zealand culture.

INSIGHTS FROM A NEW COLLECTOR The first thing I discovered as a new collector was that collecting is not a hobby, but relentless obsession! Holidays back to New Zealand were no longer just to reconnect with places, family and friends, but became an opportunity to add new pieces from contemporary artists to my collection. So trips back to New Zealand suddenly became a lot more expensive. As with any new interest, the learning curve

was steep. I started collecting the simple teko teko (totem) carvings, replica carved paddles and boxes that make the majority of the pieces carved for tourism sales. I tried to choose pieces with carving that was more intricate and of better quality. Regretfully, there were very poorly executed pieces made for the tourist market. Given the volume of items available, I needed to learn more.

BUILDING A KNOWLEDGE BASE An important reference book I was fortunate to receive was Maori Treasures of New Zealand: Ko Tawa co-authored by Paul Tapsell. It documents 27 of the 247 taonga that make up the Gilbert Mair Collection at the Auckland War Memorial Museum – Tamaki Paenga Hira. This book is especially important to me because it introduced and clarified the concept of ‘taonga’, best explained in Tapsell’s well-researched words.

BLACKHEATH, BLUE MOUNTAINS

VICTORY THEATRE ANTIQUES & CAFE 17 Govetts Leap Road, Blackheath www.victorytheatre.com.au

‘A taonga can be any item, object or thing that represents the ancestral identity of a kin group in relation to particular lands or resources. Taonga can be tangible like a cloak, a greenstone weapon or a war canoe, or they can be intangible like the knowledge to be able to carve, recite genealogy or sing a lament. As taonga are passed between generations, they become more valuable as the number of descendants increases. They are seen as the spiritual personifications of particular ancestors either as direct images or through association.’

ETHICAL COLLECTING Learning what is associated with taonga changed the focus of my collecting. Collectors will generally seek out older or more original pieces, deeming them rarer and more desirable. This was not possible for my collecting focus. Firstly, it would mean removing someone’s family history from its country, as did collectors of the late 19th and early 20th century. I would not emulate that colonial attitude. The second reason I could not collect older pieces was that it is illegal to remove Maori items from New Zealand if they are over 60 years old, and are of national historic, artistic or cultural value (Antiquities Act, 1975). My current focus is on contemporary pieces, mainly carved in the early to mid-20th century for the tourist trade – not of historic or cultural value. In the spirit of taonga, I try to find pieces that have a special meaning or attachment to the particular time and place in which I find them, or perhaps have a historical connection to something in my life.

A SPECIAL PIECE

More than 50 dealers selling bric-à-brac, antiques & collectables Largest antique centre west of Sydney Open 7 days 10am–5pm Phone: 02 4787 6002 78

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Having learned of taonga and its lore, I believe I have taonga in my collection, in just one item that is not much older than I am. A number of years ago a local wished to dispose of a desk that he no longer needed, so I agreed to view the desk and subsequently purchased it. While at his home, he noticed my slight New Zealand accent and told me that his wife was from New Zealand. He showed me a large blanket box belonging to her; it was intricately carved with Maori motifs. He mentioned that when I picked up the desk, his wife would be home and would be happy to tell me the box’s origins. Upon my return, the lady of the house and I chatted for a good hour over coffee before she told me the box’s history. Her father had made it for her mother; he decided to carve the Maori motifs and designs that she loved into the box’s surface. The original drawings for the box that her mother had made on the family business letterhead were still inside the box. Although I knew that there was little

hope, I said that if ever she planned to sell the box, I would be very interested in buying it. In that very direct New Zealand way she fixed me with a glare and asked me, what would I do with the box if I got it? I told her that it would form the basis of my collection, which was just starting at that time. She then asked if I would ever sell my collection. I laughed and said that if I ever tried, my daughter would protect it as she already viewed the collection she loved as hers. The lady next told me that she would never be able to sell something that had been made by her parents. Her next words floored me: ‘I want you to have it. I want you to have it for your daughter. I have no kids – I’m giving it to you.’ Sadly, I have lost contact with this wonderful woman. However, she will always be remembered in my family for generations to come, through this taonga, this beautiful blanket box with Maori motifs and designs.

TIES THAT BIND: PROVENANCE Does the concept of taonga have any parallels in non-Maori or ‘pakeha’ culture? The answer is yes, although in lesser forms. The Cambridge Dictionary defines a keepsake as ‘a small present, usually not expensive, that is given to you by someone so that you will remember that person.’ In the antiques industry, it is very desirable to know the provenance of any piece: who made it, for whom, who purchased it and where has it lived since. Such information is very important for many people, especially about pieces that have been in the family for generations, to provide a connection with the past. Unfortunately, for others, it is just a way to improve an antique’s value. I encourage visitors and clients who mention something left to them by family members to record its details. For example, write down when, where and from whom the piece came, with a history of the people connected and then keep the record with the piece. Even if you already know where the piece came from, will later generations know? Applying the lessons of taonga will enhance the collecting experience, whether beginning, adding, or exploring new directions. Roger Garner VICTORY THEATRE ANTIQUE CENTRE 02 4787 6002 victorytheatre@bigpond.com www.victorytheatre.com.au

Further reading Paul Tapsell, Krzysztof Pfeiffer, Ron Crosby, Maori Treasures of New Zealand: Ko Tawa, Auckland War Memorial Museum, 2006

BATHURST

KING’S ANTIQUES at CRAGO MILL opens in Bathurst showcasing ‘fresh’ English antiques & collectables n experienced English antiques auctioneer and valuer, Martin King has just embarked on a new and exciting venture with his wife Judy, a Bathurst local. After successfully running King’s Auctions in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, England for over 35 years, Martin has moved to Bathurst to start up King’s Antiques @ Crago Mill, offering antiques, collectables, vintage and decorative wares.

FROM MARKET TRADER TO MAYOR Martin was born in Birmingham and worked in the Bull Ring Markets before moving to Amersham where, as well as running an auction and house clearance business, he was a town councillor and a Chiltern District councillor, becoming Mayor of Amersham from 2007 – 2009. Judy is a sixth generation Bathurstian. After nine years working in England, firstly in teaching then becoming an auction manager, she has now returned home to family and friends. ‘We are very excited to be setting up in such a special place as Crago Mill. This beautiful building is undergoing restoration work and will surely become one of the premier heritage buildings in regional NSW. There is a lovely and lively cafe operating already and the recent addition of a winery cellar door is an added attraction,’ Judy exclaims.

ABOUT CRAGO MILL Crago Mill is an emerging Bathurst heritage icon that started life over 100 years ago as a technology leading flour mill. Stage 1 of the redevelopment has recently been nominated for a prestigious National Trust Heritage Award. Observes consultant architect Graham Johnson, from Heritage Rescue International: ‘Crago Mill is deserving of the award nomination as it is a great example of heritage preservation. Old industrial buildings should not languish – they need to be saved and used and enjoyed.’ With such outstanding heritage buildings and set in a

wonderful natural environment with stunning autumn colours, Bathurst is one of the region’s most beautiful cities. Located only a few short hours’ drive west of Sydney, this vibrant city offers a diverse range of attractions, activities and facilities.

FRESH TO MARKET ITEMS King’s Antiques @ Crago Mill is a family owned and run business selling individually selected quality items, specialising in ‘fresh to the market’ genuine English antique furniture, including Georgian, Victorian, Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau and Art Deco. ‘We import directly from estate clearances and auctions in Great Britain to provide our customers with antiques at the most competitive prices,’ Martin reports. ‘The antiques lover will be thrilled with our range of objets d’art and decorative items including mirrors, figures, bronzes, rugs and pictures.’ The store offers an extensive range of collectables including ceramics and glass, silver and silverplate, memorabilia and books. And the vintage collector has a large range of beautiful fine English china trios, cake stands and other tea wares from which to choose.

ANTIQUES ARE GREEN Judy is very keen to let people know that antiques are green. ‘Antiques provide style and value for money when compared to new items of a similar and even lesser quality but they are as green as they come. Furnishing a house with gorgeous vintage and antique pieces is about the most environmentally friendly thing you can do in your home. You’ll also have a unique decor and design.’

it. Do not lift a table from the top surface but from the lowest part of the main frame. Chairs should be picked up from under the seat.’ Martin and Judy invite you to come and browse their extensive range. ‘There truly is something for everyone, no matter what your budget or decorating style. Come and celebrate our opening in early June – we’d love to meet you!’ Please phone or email for further information regarding the grand opening celebration. KING’S ANTIQUES at CRAGO MILL 0417 785 495 martinjking8@hotmail.com

NEWLY OPENED

VINTAGE TEA WARES INTERESTING COLLECTABLES DECORATIVE ITEMS INCLUDING MIRRORS ANTIQUE ENGLISH FURNITURE SPECIALIST

TIPS FOR COLLECTORS Martin is passionate about antiques and has the following advice to help look after your special items: ‘Antique furniture should be treated with care and respect. Never tilt back on a chair, open a drawer using only one of two handles or drag furniture rather than lift

2A Piper Street (near the railway line off Havannah St)

BATHURST NSW 2795

0417 785 495 martinjking8@hotmail.com OPEN 6 DAYS 10am – 5pm Closed Sundays except by appointment

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DUBBO

THE ROTARACT CLUB OF DUBBO annual Antiques and Collectables Fair 12 – 14 July ith a regional location, the Dubbo Antique and Collectables Fair gives those in the central west an opportunity to source quality antiques in various forms, without the distances that normally need to be travelled. The event is hosted by the Rotaract Club of Dubbo City with assistance from the Rotary Club of Dubbo, and each member takes pride and consideration in ensuring each attendee’s experience is enjoyable and one that they wish to attend again.

be transformed into a wondrous sight of rich timbers and glistening wares. It’s an opportunity to don the vintage fur and your finest costume jewellery to enjoy a night filled with quality wines from Two Furlongs Winery Mudgee, canapés and entertainment. A social occasion not to be missed, attendance is increasing each year, building a reputation of class, which is not only pleasurable but gives those attending the first opportunity to purchase wares prior to the weekend. Tickets can be pre-purchased or bought at the door. The gala commences at 6 pm and runs until 9 pm.

GALA OPENING

VARIETY OF WARES

For the gala Friday night opening, the Dubbo Regional Theatre & Convention Centre will

The event continues over the weekend, with doors opening at 10 am each day. The fair

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boasts 21 dealers in attendance from as far as Melbourne and Toowoomba. There is a find for every taste, whether a new sideboard for the hallway, an addition to a Moorcroft, Royal Doulton or Shelley collection, an estate jewellery piece, or a pair of colourful Turkish boots. Patrons are certain to be delighted in the variety presented.

CATERING DELIGHTS With so much on offer you will welcome some time to relax in the cafe area, and to be served quality home-style morning and afternoon teas, along with light lunches, prepared by the wonderful ladies of the local Vision Australia group.

CHARITABLE FOCUS There are also great lucky door and raffle prizes on offer. All profits from the weekend fair are part of the Club’s annual fundraising program and used to assist local community charities. Charities supported recently include the RSPCA, Dubbo Men’s Shed, Earbus Project, and NALAG (National Association for Loss & Grief) as well as two overseas projects, Project Dignity & The School of St Jude.

QUICK FACTS Friday night gala opening from 6 pm – tickets $20. Saturday and Sunday – open from 10 am, entry $5 per day or $8 for a weekend pass.

For more information contact Carla Pittman ROTARACT CLUB OF DUBBO CITY INC 0418 294 438 www.dubborotaract.org.au

LIVERPOOL

Journey back to childhood at the annual DOLL COLLECTORS CLUB FAIR 27-28 July hy do people love to collect? Sometimes it’s because of memories of happy childhood times, or wartime, or periods of deprivation that drive a person to find and hold the things they always desired but didn’t have... and invariably after acquiring an item there is the desire to have another, until one starts a ‘collection’ which can, with passion and dedication, become all-consuming.

A COLLECTOR’S DREAM So take a journey back to your childhood at the NSW Doll Collectors Club annual fair in July. The two-day fair being held at Liverpool Catholic Club on 27-28 July is a collector’s dream. It is the largest fair of its type in the country, offering every imaginable type of doll, as well as teddy bears galore and related items of bric-à-brac and supplies. Once on the journey of doll and bear collecting, a whole new world opens up – men, women and children can enjoy the pleasure, whether on a small or large budget or with little or plenty of space. Put together doll prams, cots, dollhouses and a rocking horse and make a magic room or, with limited space, choosing wonderful dolls and teddies in miniature can make a beautiful display. A single special doll or bear placed strategically in the home can be a joy to the owner.

hide ladies’ compacts or perfume bottles. The German-made Steiffs are great bears, made in all sizes, and are in high demand. Literary bears such as Winnie-the-Pooh, Rupert and Paddington are popular, and today’s talented bear artists offer both traditional and modern bears in a large array, which are very hard to pass by.

A COLLECTOR REMINISCES A member of the Doll Collectors Club recalls the beginnings of her now extensive collection of dolls. Her mother owned a German antique AM390 doll, dressed in apple green satin and so beautiful, and very precious to the owner. The young girl damaged her mother’s doll badly, pushing in the eyes, cracking the head and breaking the teeth. Many years later as the girl passed an antique shop she saw a doll very much like her mother’s, so purchased it with the intention of giving it to her mother. But that

never happened; she kept the doll herself and from that day started to collect dolls with a vengeance and determination that swept all other things aside – she had become a doll collector.

REFLECTIONS OF HISTORY One reason dolls are fascinating to collect is because they reflect the social history of centuries past, giving us insights into other times and places. New collectors are urged to read as many books as possible that are available in book stores, libraries and via websites. It is also advisable to attend auctions to improve knowledge. Reading and exploring such craftsmanship reminds us that collecting is honouring the past and holding these creations for the future. Currently doll prices favour the buyer, dolls being much more accessible through auctions and the electronic media than they have been in past years. Attending the annual fair is a must

for seasoned collectors or beginners. There you’ll be sure to find that elusive treasure or a doll or bear to start your collection. New members are always welcomed in the NSW Doll Collectors Club where they will find many like-minded people and experience the exciting hobby of doll and bear collecting. For information on the fair contact Margaret Tomlin THE DOLL COLLECTORS CLUB OF NSW INC 02 4393 9973 dollclubnsw@gmail.com

CATERING TO SPECIAL INTERESTS The doll collector has such a wide range of treasures from which to choose their special interest – some discerning collectors have only French or German fashion dolls from the 1860s; others love the ‘dolly face’ girls of bisque and composition, while others seek out the rarer wooden and cloth dolls from earlier years. At the Doll Collectors Fair all buyers can indulge their special interest, whether it is those rare antiques, plastic and celluloid babies, porcelain half dolls, glazed China heads, celebrity and teen dolls, modern artist dolls or realistic newborns.

FIND THAT SPECIAL BEAR Teddy bear collectors love to find Australianmade bears from old family collections, at the same time the fair offers a wonderful selection of early German, English, French and American teddies from which to choose. Very popular currently are bears from the German firm Shuco, renowned for their small mechanical teddies and toys. Key-wind bears can walk and roller skate, other bears have two faces, others nod ‘yes/no’, while still others Antiques and

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Dull table

Pre-treatment with Restor-A-Finish

Maintaining the high-gloss look ON MODERN AND TRADITIONAL FURNITURE F urniture surfaces featuring a high shine have been popular down through the ages. Although a large number of people have been experimenting with matte or low-sheen finishes since the 1980s, many have found that these surfaces are very difficult to maintain as it is almost impossible to find waxes or cleaners that will work on such surfaces. The high gloss look has returned in a big way which can be seen in new-look kitchen surfaces right through to recently designed tables and chairs. When dealing with these super hard and glossy finishes, firstly clean away any dust or build-up with Howard Wood

Cleaner & Polish, which is perfect for dusting, cleaning and polishing modern surfaces. Then, using a soft T-shirt like material, apply Howard one-step Restor-A-Shine to polish the surface to an amazing high shine. It may take a little extra elbow grease and if any residue remains, it can be easily polished away with a little more Wood Cleaner & Polish. Both the Restor-A-Shine and the Wood Cleaner & Polish are non-chemical and non-toxic. In this article I describe the ‘one-step solution’ then touch on the need for combining Restor-A-Shine and Restor-AFinish when dealing with antique or retro furniture surfaces.

ONE-STEP SOLUTION Restor-A-Shine was originally designed by the technical team at Howard Products to achieve French polish-style sheen on traditionally shellacked surfaces. Originally it came in two separate containers, one called Polishing Compound and the other called Burnishing Cream. These products worked amazingly well but needing two products to get the right finish was a bit too complicated and a tad too costly for some. That situation has now changed with the introduction of One Step Restor-A-Shine Polishing Compound – and it is truly amazing!

This new one-step compound has been created for both single and two pack polyurethane surfaces. To demonstrate, I located a very dull and damaged laminated wood dining table which would have originally been presented in the 1990s with a glossy finish. See pictures at top of the page.

THE PROCESS

A new lease on life for your faded furniture

Two indispensable products for anyone owning or dealing with furniture...antique, Retro or modern. Howard Products have a focussed range of products for every aspect of furniture care

1 800 672 646 Find a stockist or buy online www.howardproducts.com.au 82

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The first step was to bring some colour back to the extremely hazy and lifeless surface by rubbing some Restor-A-Finish lightly onto the surface and going with the grain with saturated super soft steel wool as my applicator. • After wiping the surface completely dry I waited for a couple of hours before the next step. • I then applied the new one-step Restor-AShine by hard burnishing it into the finish using a soft, clean cloth. • Once this was done the shine was finessed by polishing out any residue or unevenness by using a little Wood Cleaner and Polish sprayed onto a cloth. The final result… brilliant! • By the way, it may be helpful to know that Restor-A-Shine renews the look of guitars, violins, high gloss pianos… and yes… floors. As far as I can tell, Restor-A-Shine is the only product of its kind on the market which does not contain silicone. My advice? Get some! David Foster Director HOWARD PRODUCTS (AUST) 1800 672 646 advice@howardproducts.com.au www.howardproducts.com.au

CAMDEN

CAMDEN ANTIQUE FAIR 2 – 4 August amden Civic Centre is proud to present the annual Camden Antique Fair in its 27th year as Macarthur’s largest antiques and collectables show. With an A-list of renowned and respected antique dealers, the fair promises to be another successful event, treating the people of Sydney to a fine collection of saleable items from all over the state.

VIP VIEWING Well known for bringing dealers from far and wide, the fair will be open for an exclusive VIP viewing on Friday, 2 August from 6 pm to 9 pm. Those wishing to sneak-a-peak or capture a fine piece are encouraged and welcome to come along for supper, a glass of champagne and a mix and mingle with like-minded shoppers. Entry to the VIP preview is $15 per person.

EXCELLENT VARIETY The fair promises quality jewellery, artefacts, precious gemstones, china, porcelain, literature, furniture, linen and collectables with all items for sale.

FINE CAFÉ Camden Antique fair is never just a fair – it has the added flavour of a fine café – offering a selection of lunch and High Tea options to tempt the taste buds. The café will operate on Saturday and Sunday till 3pm.

10 am and 3 pm on both Saturday and Sunday. Appraisals will be charged at a nominal fee and all proceeds will go back into the good work Quota do for our community.

SPECIAL RAFFLE PRIZE Quota will also provide one lucky visitor with the chance to win a lovely piece of antique jewellery with the purchase of a raffle ticket. Again all proceeds from the raffle will go back into the community through the generous work of the Quota ladies.

ABOUT THE VENUE The Camden Antique Fair is held within the Camden Civic Centre which is centrally located in the historic township of Camden. The venue boasts ample parking, one level access to all areas, air conditioned comfort and professional and helpful staff. The venue also boasts a 30-year history of bringing significant events to the community and an excellent reputation for quality. The Camden Antique Fair is one of the largest events of the calendar year.

AFFORDABLE ENTRY To visit the fair there is a door fee for adults of $7 per person on both Saturday and Sunday, while children can enter free of charge. Every visitor to the fair will receive a ticket in the lucky door prize.

DEALERS INVITED

VERBAL APPRAISALS AVAILABLE

Camden Civic Centre invites interest from dealers wishing to display their goods at the fair via email: camdenciviccentre@camden.nsw.gov.au

The fair supports the magnificent work of the Quota Club of Camden who give generously to many and varied causes throughout the community. Quota will be providing an opportunity for guests to have two personal items appraised by a reputed dealer between

For more information contact CAMDEN ANTIQUE FAIR 02 4655 8681 camdenciviccentre@camden.nsw.gov.au www.camdenciviccentre.com.au

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CLYBUCCA

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EDWARD MILLER BURNERS he lamp burner is often the forgotten part of a lamp as usually it is the smallest and least decorative part. Without the burner you would not have light, so really it is the most important part! Since the discovery of kerosene in 1857, inventors from around the world strove to improve the light output of burners and to adapt them for different applications. Hence the variety of designs— from the single flat wick burners, which took over from the whale and heavy oil burners to the more complex (Aladdin) incandescent mantle lamp burners of the earlier part of this century. To me the burner is the most important part of a lamp: if it is not working at its best you just have a large ornament. I have listed some of the burners produced by Edward Miller and Co. and as you will see they did not only produce centre draft burners. You will also see that some designs are very similar to other manufacturers. In some cases I don’t think we will ever know who invented which burner first. Figure 1. The 1904 E.M. Duplex—Made of heavy quality brass and fitted with an extinguisher, it used a normal size duplex chimney but used a #3 or ‘D’ size thread—the thread is larger than that for an English duplex burner. This burner was used on the better quality table and banquet lamps and was

usually supplied in polished brass but could be had in other finishes. Figure 2. The Apollo Duplex—This burner in my opinion was one of the best duplex burners produced. It was easy to light and to clean and also gave little trouble. It was available in polished brass or other finishes including rich gilt. It used a #3 or ‘D’ size thread. This burner and the 1904 burner could also be supplied with a reduction collar to fit into a standard ‘B’ thread which was found on the lower priced lamps. Figure 3. The Luna—This burner has a decorative blaze cone and was made of solid brass. It was available in #1 or ‘A’ and #2 or ‘B’ sizes. The ‘A’ uses a 7/8” thread and the ‘B’ uses a 13/16” thread. The burner was also fitted with a small gas tube, which was located up against the wick tube. In theory it was used to channel the air/gas mixture from the font, which was produced when the air in the font expanded from being warmed by the heat from the burner, to the wick where it could be burned, to prevent explosions. I am not sure if this worked, as ideally the font should not get warm at all, but many burners were fitted with them. Figure 4. The Victor—This burner was similar to the Luna without the decorative blaze cone and was available in #0 or ‘E’ size as well as ‘A’ and ‘B’. The ‘E’ burner uses

Antique, old and new Kerosene Lamps Spare parts including shades, shade holders, burners, mantles, lamp oil, specially treated wicks for better burning, custom made high quality chimneys. ● Aladdin Mantle Lamps that produce 60 watts of light with no smoke or smell, ideal for emergency lighting. ● Restoration and repairs, brass polishing, nickel plating, copper plating and antique copper finish for small items. ●

The Everburning Light 2265 Pacific Highway, Clybucca NSW 2440. Phone: 02 6565 0104 e-mail: oil-lamp@zip.com.au Website: www.zipworld.com.au/~oil-lamp/

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the same thread size, 7/8”, as the ‘A’ but is smaller in overall size and uses a smaller wick. Figure 5. The Venus—This burner was made of good quality solid brass and was considered a better burner than the Victor. It was available in ‘E’, ‘A’ and ‘B’ sizes. Figure 6. The No. 2 Solar—This burner was equipped with both ‘B’ and ‘D’ size thread eliminating the need for a separate reduction or expansion collar. It has a single 11/2“ wide wick and was used for applications where more light was required without the need for a more expensive duplex burner. Figure 7. The Excelsior Sun Hinge—An interesting invention using the hinged blaze cone where the chimney could be secured by the use of a screw, so the burner could be lit without removing the chimney entirely from the burner. The chimney had a flared fitter to prevent it slipping out. The little handle in front of the wick tube is for lifting the perforated plate out for cleaning of the burner. These burners were available in ‘E’, ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘D’ sizes. Figure 8. The Brooder, complete with chimney—This burner is similar to the Sun Hinge but instead of a glass chimney it is fitted with an iron chimney including a mica window to be used in an incubator or brooder. The brooder boxes and incubators had an extension chimney to vent the fumes to the outside. Figure 9. The Improved Favorite—This burner is similar to the above. Instead of the blaze cone flipping back for lighting, the upper part which holds the chimney was set on two rods enabling the entire unit to be lifted vertically. The hinged blaze cone was flipped back for trimming the wick. It was used in place of the normal ‘B’ burner on hanging lamps where it was easier to light by just lifting the upper part instead of having to remove the chimney entirely from the burner saving a lot of broken chimneys and shades. Figure 10. The Zenith, No Chimney—An amazing innovation for kerosene burners, it worked without a chimney – so no broken glass! This type of burner was used mainly in an enclosed box such as ships’ lamps or barn

lamps and even chicken brooders and incubators. They were available in ‘A’ and ‘B’ sizes. Figure 11. The Signal, No chimney—These burners were made of steel, brass plated, and were used in ships’ signal lamps and for railway lamps etc, wherever the lamp was in a situation where it could be bumped or if there was constant movement. If there was no chimney it could not be broken! Figure 12. The Boudoir—This is similar to the European Kosmos burners of the late 1800s. Edward Miller was, as far as I am aware, the only American manufacturer who used this type of burner. This burner fitted an ‘A’ collar so was used on smaller lamps such as hand lamps for the bedroom; these burners gave significantly more light than an ‘A’ burner. The burner folded a flat wick starting at the bottom into a round wick at the top and used the same constricted chimney as a Kosmos burner. Figure 13. The Smokeless Heater—Miller not only made lamps but also heaters. The heaters were similar in shape to the English ‘Valor’. The following is an explanation of the parts from an old advertisement: The Miller heater cannot smoke because the flame spreader B, held in place by nut A, limits the upward movement of extinguisher C and the extinguisher C limits the upward movement of wick D. The extinguisher C is separated from the flame spreader B for convenience in cleaning. It works automatically with the wick D and must be kept clean. Some of these burners were similar to the centre draft burners as used on lamps which is why the heater containers are often mistaken for lamps. Figure 14 and 15. The Incandescent Gas— Miller also produced gas burners—these were upright burners and used a glass chimney and a pre-formed mantle. The burners were fitted with a side wheel for regulating the gas flow and were finished in polished brass. Juergen Weissner THE EVERBURNING LIGHT 02 6565 0104 oil-lamp@zip.com.au

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS / WINGEN

BRAEMAR

BERRIMA

THE OLD POT FACTORY 44-54 Old Hume Highway Braemar NSW 2575 Tony Healy 0419 417 721

Specialising in architectural antiques, particularly the restoration and sale of marble fireplaces. Also deal in spectacular and monumental pieces for the garden, marble and stone statues, cast iron urns, fountains, marble and stone gazebos.

MOSS VALE

Sutton Forest

VILLAGE ANTIQUES A TOUCH OF BRASS Jellore Street, Berrima 2577 02 4877 1366

Open Wed, Thur, Fri, Sat 11am - 4pm Sun, Mon, Tues by appointment

Huge selection of antique beds in metal (fancy iron, and brass and iron) and various timbers, pine sleigh beds, mahogany halftester beds, French beds, etc. All sizes.

MITTAGONG SALLY BERESFORD/FRENCH FARMHOUSE 02 4869 3736 www.sallyberesford.com.au French farmhouse tables made to order, French provincial antiques, industrial, architectural and decorative items.

MITTAGONG ANTIQUES CENTRE

PEPPERS MT BROUGHTON A SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS GRAND COUNTRY ESTATE Kater Road, Sutton Forest 2577 02 4868 2355 Fax 02 4868 3257 The estate’s extensive facilities include an à la carte restaurant, cocktail bar, swimming, tennis, cycling, volley ball, gym and walks through the glorious old gardens. A round of golf at the adjoining Mount Broughton Golf and Country Club can be arranged.

85-87 Main Street (Hume Hwy) Mittagong 2575 02 4872 3198 Fax 02 4872 3216 Open 7 Days 10am - 5pm 650 sq metres (7,000 sq ft) with large variety of stock. Plenty of parking. Excellent loading docks. Eftpos & credit cards welcome.

VISIT THE HIGHLANDS

BestRegional Attraction*

over 45 Antique Dealers plus a coffee shop all under the one roof!

B URNING M OUNTAIN

ANTIQUES & P LOUGH I NN NEW ENGLAND HIGHWAY, WINGEN, NSW 2337 TELEPHONE: 02 6545 0235 Barry and Stephen Daniel FOR AUSTRALIANA AND COLLECTABLES

OPEN EVERY DAY 10.00AM TO 5.00PM 85-87 M AIN S TREET • M ITTAGONG T ELEPHONE 02 4872 3198 • FACSIMILE 02 4872 3216 porcelain • fine arts • furniture • silver • books • & more

* WINNER

BEST

OF THE 1999 SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS OUTSTANDING BUSINESS AWARD FOR

REGIONAL

ATTRACTION

Everything from antique furniture, jewellery, memorabilia & other paraphernalia. Housed in the Historic Old Post Office in Wingen, on the New England Highway about 20 minutes north of Scone

OPEN 7 DAYS • TELEPHONE: 02 6545 0235 Antiques and

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SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS

ARCHITECTURAL DECOR AT THE OLD POT FACTORY 6 0

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Popular stone fire surround commissioned by a leading interior designer as featured in Belle magazine

44-54 Old Hume Highway Braemar NSW 2575

Tony Healy 0419 417 721 Catherine 0410 878 139 catherine@theoldpotfactory.com

THE MANTELPIECE an important architectural accent T he fireplace has been the focal point of the home for thousands of years starting as an open fire in a cave. Then, as humans moved from a nomadic lifestyle of the hunter-gatherer existence to creating permanent domestic structures the open fire needed to be better contained as it was used for both cooking and heating, the focal point of the dwelling. Looking at the history of the fireplace is the study of the evolution of society. As society became more sophisticated, buildings were being erected with more than one room so additional fireplaces were built. The fireplace moved from functional to ornamental and in the 16th century were an area of interest to architects. The design for modern fireplaces was developed in the 18th century, and with the large-scale housing that occurred during the Industrial Revolution fireplace designs were standardised. The fireplace and the surrounding mantelpiece also evolved into expressions of status and wealth. The wealthier you were the more ornate the mantelpiece. In the televised series of Jane Austenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pride and Prejudice there is a reference to a fireplace costing 800 pounds, which at that time, approximately 200 years ago, would have purchased a house. Today, the fireplace remains the dominant architectural feature in most rooms although some architects have designed homes without chimneys, declaring that a fireplace is no longer necessary. However, most people want to have a fireplace and with the development

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of gas log fires, a realistic looking fire without actually burning wood can be achieved. For those who like the smell and sound of a log fire, efficient fireboxes are readily available. In either case the use of a decorative mantelpiece adds excitement and elegance to a room and most importantly, can increase the value and saleability of a property. Having been a dealer in mantlepieces for 38 years, I have noted a change in the style of mantelpieces that buyers now want. In the past buyers would purchase mantles in the design that was originally in the house. For example, a terrace owner would seek a Victorian mantle whether in marble, timber,

www.theoldpotfactory.com www.architecturaldecor.com.au

slate or plaster. In the 1970s terrace houses in Paddington, Sydney, underwent extensive renovation. As values rose terrace owners started to seek quality mantelpieces that would improve the appearance and value of their homes. The trend was to move away from plain mantles. More recently the French style has become increasingly popular and most buyers are looking for quality marble or stone mantelpieces. If original mantelpieces are unavailable the reproductions are now of excellent quality and are also available in pairs when required. Owners of newly built homes are able to transform a sterile area into a focal point with the addition of a mantelpiece. A classic example of the clever use of mantelpieces to enhance rooms was in the transformation of a 1989 built Georgian style townhouse in Gurner Street, Paddington, by leading interior designer Garth Barnett. Originally the townhouse had one chimney.

Barnett added chimneys to four more rooms together with four marble mantles and one stone fireplace. Architectural DĂŠcor supplied all the mantles for the project. If looking to add or renovate your mantelpiece I look forward to being of assistance with advice on style and design in marble or stone. Tony Healy ARCHITECTURAL DĂ&#x2030;COR 0419 417 721

MITTAGONG

Pendragon Antiques Always a good selection of Old Sheffield Plate

A range of horn, papier mâché & tortoiseshell snuff boxes

A good selection of Mauchline ware items

Old Sheffield Plate taper-holder ‘wax-jack’ c.1780-90 Set of 3 etchings by Boris O’Klein, Dogs of Paris, c.1940

Pair Moore Bros sweet meat dishes with cherub supports & rococo-style gilt base

Royal Worcester basket weave vase c.1885, with applied gilt decoration

Pair 19th century Cantonese vases

One of two early Victorian mahogany chest of drawers

Set of 4 French oak chairs; set of 6 also available

One of several Georgian oak corner cupboards available for purchase

Georgian mahogany fall front bureau c.1800

Pendragon Antiques 24 Bowral Road, Mittagong Open 6 days a week – Closed Tuesdays Hugh & Dianne Arthur

T 02 4872 2397 • M 0402 274 608 / 0402 274 609 Email: pendragonantique@internode.on.net

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BOWRAL

DIRTY JANE’S EMPORIUM & ANTIQUE MARKET

Find the unusual rather than the usual in Bowral W hen you hear the name Dirty Jane’s, perhaps images begin to form in your mind – some of them may be not so good! However, this new store and antique market in the heart of Bowral shows there is more to a name than first impressions. Dirty Jane’s definitely delivers when it comes to variety, quality and quantity of stock and value.

OUR NAMESAKE Dirty Jane arrived in Australia in 1840 aboard the convict ship Surrey I. She was sent to Gundagai to assist the owner of the local general store where she found her true calling: identifying items of rarity and value and purchasing them to resell for profit. She gradually took on the role of running the business when the original proprietor saw how well the business was doing under her mantle of Dirty Jane, as she was widely known. She lived for the thrill of the sale – able to sniff out a treasure in the morning and sell it by

sunset. Her career as Australia’s first female second-hand dealer spanned 40 years until she died in 1883 of old age, as the story goes. At this destination store in Bowral, you will not find any convict girls serving behind the counter! Instead, Jane Crowley and her father, Athol Salter who started The Shed in Mittagong, have combined their knowhow with the experience of their team to bring Dirty Jane’s to life.

DIRTY JANE’S EMPORIUM The Emporium on Bong Bong Street in Bowral is a vast array of beautifully presented furniture and decorative items. Many are antique and all are second-hand. The front window boasts the quote ‘the best in vintage’ and it is easy to see why. Decoy ducks from the USA and cheese boards from France are nestled amongst some of the finest examples of country style ten-seating dining tables and overstuffed couches this side of Sydney. We ship fresh stock regularly from

Europe, the UK and recently North America to keep giving you new choices.

RECYCLED RAGS

Jane began Recycled Rags within the Emporium, and ten months after opening, the clothing sales have grown to three rooms in the establishment from just one room. Twice every week new consignments of clothing, including Bally shoes and bags, Escada dresses and Jigsaw blouses, replenish the racks. ‘We price everything in the Emporium to sell quickly,’ said Jane, ‘We love the challenge and sight of new stock coming in and sold stock going out.’

THE ANTIQUE MARKET Behind the Emporium is the Antique Market in several vast sheds that originally housed the machinery for the Electricity Commission. Now they house over 20 dealers who display their wares.

The market is fresh and relaxing, reflecting the fact that it is located in a country town. French furniture, industrial and retro, English pine and Tibetan antiques all share the space. The team has been very careful to structure the antique market so that it is not too upmarket and or over-selective. Local artists show their pieces, cabinets are full of beautiful 1950s beads and jewellery; there is garden ware and many wonderful found objects. All the stallholders take enormous pride in the presentation of their stands and the market seems to stock everything from gorgeous French enamelware, Welsh pine dressers to vintage American college pennants. This ever-changing montage is a feast for the eyes and still growing! By next year another three warehouses will be open for more stallholders and variety. ‘We have a list of dealers wanting to take space in the market, we simply need to complete some building work and then we hope to have up to 50 stallholders in Bowral’s first permanent antique market,’ says Athol.

FIND US IN BOWRAL On your next visit to or through Bowral stop in and wander through Dirty Jane’s Emporium & Antique Market. If you are driving from Sydney, drive on Bong Bong Street to the south end of town where Banyette Street crosses the main street at a roundabout – we are on your left at the roundabout. There is plenty of off-street parking off Banyette Street beside our buildings. The namesake might be a vision of the past, but this shop and market bring the thrill of the find well and truly into the 21st century. Incorporating antique furniture, lighting, architectural, beautiful quality pre-loved home furnishings and our fabulous Recycled Rags, it is the one-stop shop for style on a budget. Dirty Jane’s Emporium & Antique Market is open 10 am – 5 pm daily, closed Christmas and Boxing Days (25 and 26 December) and on New Year’s Day (1 January) but open on all the public holidays. DIRTY JANE’S EMPORIUM & ANTIQUE MARKET, BOWRAL 02 4861 3231 janecrowley@crowleyandgrouch.com www.dirtyjanes.com.au

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BRAIDWOOD

Visit Braidwood for LONGBARN & ‘STRING’ T he town of Braidwood in New South Wales sits comfortably on the Kings Highway between Canberra and the coast. Being a heritage-listed town with a wide, typically Australian main street and lots of lovely original architecture, including historic Georgian buildings and beautiful old stone churches, it is a place one would expect and hope to find antique shops.

LONGBARN GEMS The Longbarn meets these expectations and is a gem being discovered and much talked about. One block west of the main street, it is signposted and identified by flags on the fence surrounding Tidmarsh, the historic stone two-storey home built in 1856. It is watched over by the griffin-like creature that is the Longbarn logo, suitably reminiscent of its Celtic traditions as Tidmarsh was built in the style of an Irish inn. The yard offers a selection of garden and architectural pieces, iron panels, pots and sculptures. Inside, the barn houses a unique collection of furniture and quirky smaller pieces, individually picked and sourced from a myriad of different places. Discover the kind of one-off finds that make a house a home – that add soul and character. For example, a well-used European carpenter’s bench complete with a patina of age and history, or an old market cart. With imagination and appreciation of their wonderful form follows function design, these pieces can sit quite comfortably in an older home or equally and stunningly in a more contemporary style environment, and could easily become the hero piece of your interior!

‘STRING’: HAVEN FOR HANDMADE

Down the road in Braidwood’s main street, ‘string’ offers another unique shopping experience. At home in the old Commercial Bank building with its open fires and ambience, ‘string’ has found a niche with its uniqueness. There is no sacrifice of antiques for mass production here! Moreover, the devotion to all things handmade, traditional in method and natural in materials has turned into a vast and evolving theme. Who’d have thought there would be so many button and string enthusiasts spreading the word? Alongside vintage, hand-carved breadboards, coloured enamel kitchenalia, coffee grinders and vintage haberdashery amongst many other things, we stock an ever increasing variety of string. Household string to tie up the roast (the tradition lives on) or the roses, sisal, jute and lovely cottons and fabric quality, wet spun linens suitable for knitting, crochet, weaving and basket making. Visitors to ‘string’ have included fishermen who make nets, fish traps, gangplank mats and tie knots as well as a rope doormat craftsman and numerous other traditional craftspeople. ‘string’ is also a haven for those who love vintage French, homespun and hand-woven hemp and linen bed sheets, exquisite handmade lace and beautiful hand done embroidery.

AUGUST RETURN

Autumn is a wonderful time to visit Braidwood with our gorgeous, colourful days, but winter draws us to the Northern Hemisphere summer for the month of July. We really need to go and hunt through those brocante markets and little shops – and sample the cheese, strawberries and duck, and drink local wine. So, although we are closed in July, look forward to

our return from France and the arrival of our container full of exciting new stock! LONGBARN 02 4842 2784 ‘string’ 0414 820 250 info@longbarn.com.au www.longbarn.com.au

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Jessie Traill, Stars in the river, 1920, aquatint, printed in brown ink with plate-tone with scratched highlights plate-mark 16.4 x 10.2 cm. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Purchased 1977 © Estate of Jessie Traill

Jessie Traill, Possum time: Harfra at night, 1921, softgroundetching with foul-biting, printed in brown ink with plate-tone and wiped highlights plate-mark 13.4 x 12.6 cm. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Purchased 1980 © Estate of Jessie Traill

Jessie Traill, Boy on bicycle, Paris, 1909, lithograph, printed in black ink, from one stone plate-mark 34.8 x 21 cm. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Purchased 1986 © Estate of Jessie Traill

STARS IN THE RIVER the prints of Jessie Traill at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra – until 23 June he three most important Australian printmakers from the early 20th century would be the traditionalist Lionel Lindsay, the premier modernist Margaret Preston and Jessie Traill, who has an ambiguous position somewhere between the former two in terms of the style of her art. Like many Australian artists, Traill spent the years of World War I in Europe, contributing to the war effort through her work as a nurse. On her return to Australia she re-engaged with printmaking. Many artists of her generation, particularly women, took up the new modern and decorative possibilities offered by the woodcut and linocut. But it was etching, a technique dominated by men at the time, with which Traill passionately identified.

INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION BUT IGNORED LOCALLY Traill’s return to Australia coincided with the popularisation of etching and the

Below: Jessie Traill, From overseas 1913 etching and aquatint, printed in sepia ink, with plate-tone and wiped highlights plate-mark 30.2 x 48.6 cm. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Purchased 2007 © Estate of Jessie Traill Below right: Jessie Traill, Evening Mallacoota, West,1924, etching and aquatint, printed in black ink with plate-tone plate-mark 15.2 x 55 cm. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Purchased 1983 © Estate of Jessie Traill

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establishment of the Australian PainterEtchers’ Society. She was a foundation member of the society in 1920 and a regular exhibitor in the group’s exhibitions, but she never entered into the machinations between the Melbourne and Sydney practitioners, nor the personal competitive animosity that existed between artists such as Lionel Lindsay and Sydney Long. In terms of her reputation, however, Traill paid for this lack of engagement with her peers involved in the Painter-Etchers’ movement. Her etched work never received the exposure it deserved in Australia. Who else had had their etchings exhibited in the Royal Academy in London, the French Salons in Paris and the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco before 1920? Traill was a far more knowledgeable, travelled, exhibited and exciting print artist than any of her Australian contemporaries. Yet her work was overlooked by the influential taste making magazine Art in Australia and the popular society magazine The Home: only seven etchings by Traill were reproduced in Art in Australia, compared to 141 by her contemporary Lionel Lindsay. Nor was her work acquired extensively by public art galleries during her lifetime. Traill’s friendships were in the arts more broadly, centring on the Arts and Craft Society of Victoria. It was a supportive group that embraced art in all its variety and frequently championed social work.

DOMINANT THEMES The two dominant themes in Traill’s etchings are nature and industry. As a practising Christian she revered nature, but she was also aware of changes wrought on it through development. The achievements of industry she regarded as equally awesome. She treated both themes with an understanding of the importance of their presence in the world and also their poetic aspects. The distinguishing feature of all Traill’s work is its inventive use of compositional structure accentuated by her outstanding grasp of the tonal possibilities of etching processes. There are large, dark, gritty images of industrial sites; delicate drypoints in the format of Japanese scrolls; a narrative triptych; expansive panoramas in broadly brushed aquatint; and other works where the aquatint is applied with a sensitivity rarely seen in printmaking. Some works verge on the abstract.

Jessie Traill, Building the Harbour Bridge VI: Nearly complete, June 1931, 1931, etching, printed in black ink with plate-tone, from one plate plate-mark, 37.6 x 14.8 cm. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Purchased 1979 © Estate of Jessie Traill

Roger Butler Senior Curator, Australian Prints and Drawings NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA 02 6240 6411 www.nga.gov.au First published in Artonview no 73 derived in part from the introduction to the monograph published in association with the exhibition Stars in the river: the prints of Jessie Traill. © National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, 2013. The exhibition and monograph is part of the National Gallery of Australia’s ongoing commitment to bring into the public domain the work of leading Australian printmakers and to explore the significance of their contributions to the visual arts and cultural life in Australia.

Jessie Traill, Beehives in the snow, 1929, etching, printed in warm black ink with platetone, from one plate plate-mark 18 x 12.9 cm. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Purchased 1986 © Estate of Jessie Traill

CANBERRA

until 23 June 2013

Jessie Trail The red light, Harbour Bridge, June 1931 1932 (detail), etching and aquatint National Gallery of Australia,Canberra

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AT THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA

Tate’s Turners: an unrivalled collection 1 JUNE – 8 SEPTEMBER oseph Mallord William Turner was born in London in 1775, during the reign of George III. He came from humble origins, his father working as a hairdresser in Covent Garden. By the end of Turner’s life – he died in Victorian times, in the year of the Great Exhibition in 1851 – he was famous, even infamous, for his transformation of the art of painting. Now he is known as one of Britain’s greatest artists, a key figure of the Romantic generation, and is celebrated as a pioneer of modern painting, his work much admired for its experimental character. This year the National Gallery of Australia is to host 40 of Turner’s oil paintings as well as 70 drawings and watercolours. Almost all are from the unrivalled collection held in trust by the Tate for the British nation. The Tate holds the largest collection of Turner’s works in the world because of his bequest to the nation. It was originally limited to finished paintings exhibited in his lifetime, many of which the artist retained or reacquired with a view to his legacy. The settlement of Turner’s will in 1856 – after the gift was contested by his family – meant these works were supplemented by the contents of his house and studio.

A PRODIGY OF THE TIME Turner from the Tate: The Making of a Master reflects the diversity of the Tate’s unique collection. It provides a comprehensive overview of Turner and his artistic development, offering extraordinary insights

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into his working life and practices. Seen as a prodigy, Turner enrolled at the Royal Academy at the age of 14 and was introduced to possible patrons and fellow artists such as the great portraitist Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792). Several of Turner’s student figure studies and sketchbooks are included in the exhibition. Also on show in Canberra are ambitious early oils such as landscapes of northern England and the Lake District, featuring hills, rocks, water and other natural elements used to convey moods and emotions. Turner was rightly renowned as a great watercolour painter, and many of his commissioned works were studies for portfolios of engravings. Scarborough, c. 1825, a preparatory sketch for Ports of England 1826–1828 watercolours, is filled with glowing light, showing his beloved English coast and people’s lives harvesting the sea’s bounty under the rocky domain of Scarborough Castle. Included in the exhibition are dramatic Romantic events such as The fall of an avalanche in the Grisons exhibited in 1810. Turner, who had visited this region of the Swiss Alps in 1802, reshaped his memories in the light of press reports of a tragic storm of 1808, in which 25 people died. Through the power of his imagining, we become witnesses to the pitiless force of nature. The avalanche smashes puny human artefacts such as the small hut surrounded by churning snow and rocks under relentless wind and rain.

THE ENGLISH CLAUDE LORRAIN Elsewhere in the exhibition are the fruits of Turner’s greatest ambition: he wanted to be regarded as heir to the European Classical landscape tradition, to become the ‘English Claude’. He was familiar with the works of Claude Lorrain (1600-1682) through private collections and aspired to travel to Italy during the long decades when Britain was mainly cut off from the Continent by the Napoleonic Wars of 1792 to 1815. He finally reached Italy in 1819, and his canvases blazed with the cerulean blue of Mediterranean skies. He essayed history paintings with heroic or poetic themes, idyllic pastorals and atmospheric, light-filled glimpses of nature’s most beautiful ephemeral effects. Turner travelled widely in Europe in the 1820s and 1830s, to France, Germany and Switzerland. Lake Lucerne was a particular favourite, and he made thousands of drawings on his journeys. He could make eight or nine pencil sketches in the time it took to make one colour study. He almost never painted in oils en plein air, and rarely in watercolour, waiting until his return to his studio to execute his paintings. Famously, his addition of layers of paint on ‘varnishing day’ at the Royal Academy was seen as a bravura attempt to outdo all the other artists. Unlike many of his landscapes, the exact location of Sun setting over a lake, c. 1840 has not been identified. It is thought to be a recollection of a sunset at Lake Lucerne. The

sun’s burning orange rays reverberate over water and sky, spreading golden yellow light into the distance. The whiteness of the clouds and land suggests snow-capped mountains, while the texture of the paint surrounds us until we almost drown in its effect of shimmering beauty. Turner’s skill, obsessions and range of subjects can be seen in this extraordinary exhibition derived from the best and most comprehensive collection of his art. It showcases his genius on paper and canvas, ranging from tiny sketches to gigantic oil paintings that demonstrate brilliantly how a master was made. Christine Dixon Senior Curator International Painting and Sculpture NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA 02 6240 6411 http://nga.gov.au First published in Artonview no 73 © National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, 2011

CANBERRA

TURNER FROM THE TATE

THE MAKING OF A MASTER

PRESENTING PARTNERS

MAJOR PARTNER

ORGANISED BY

SUPPORTING PARTNER

JMW Turner Regulus 1828 (detail), reworked 1837, Tate, London, accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest, 1856. Photograph © Tate, 2013

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CANBERRA

WELCOME TO CANBERRA’S Forrest Hotel and Apartments T he Forrest Hotel and Apartments is one of Canberra’s best value hotels with a choice of standard to executive nonsmoking rooms. The award-winning, three-anda-half star Canberra property also offers state-ofthe-art conference facilities, restaurant and function areas. Renowned for its hospitality, guests enjoy all the comforts of home complemented by outstanding service.

CLOSEST HOTEL TO PARLIAMENT HOUSE Situated in the prestigious leafy suburb of Forrest, with views to parkland and beyond to Parliament House, Forrest Hotel and Apartments is renowned for its quiet and tranquil location which is also in the Parliamentary triangle so, leave the car and follow a picturesque route to many of Canberra’s major icons. From the hotel, Parliament House is a 10 minute walk. Manuka shopping village and Manuka oval are also only 10 minute walks. If looking for more exercise, both Lake Burley Griffin shores and Old Parliament House is a 20 minute stroll and it takes approximately 30 minutes to walk to Questacon and the National Library.

Even closer by car is the Australian War Memorial which takes six minutes, and if looking to drive to the CBD for entertainment and shopping, this is no more than five minutes by car as is the National Convention Centre. Or, if not wanting to go very far then the Italo Australian Club is next door to the hotel. It is also the ideal stopover for a skiing holiday in the Snowy Mountains ski fields of Thredbo and Perisher, which are only two hours from the Forrest Hotel and Apartments.

DINE IN THE FORREST Located on the ground floor, Sherwoods Restaurant is fully licensed offering a seasonal menu of wonderful dishes, excellent boutique wines plus al fresco dining. Ideal for business and private occasions, free Wi-Fi is available during breakfast and evening meals when the restaurant is open.

CONFERENCES IN CANBERRA Forrest Hotel and Apartments is ideal for day, half day or residential meetings. Conveniently located, the Forrest Hotel ensures your delegates enjoy a calm environment, not bound by four walls or the fuss of bigger establishments. For your conference or meetings venue, book today. The Nottingham Room, overlooking the parkland, caters for up to 80 delegates and includes state-of-the-art presentation facilities. To find out more contact FORREST HOTEL AND APARTMENTS 02 6203 4300 reservations@forresthotel.com www.forresthotel.com

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JAMBEROO / CANBERRA

Nerilee

Antiques A WARM RECEPTION FOR ACT AUTUMN ANTIQUES FAIR in Canberra’s centenary year T his year is the centenary of the naming of Canberra as the nation’s capital. In that spirit, the 23 antique dealers in attendance at the annual ACT Autumn Antiques and Collectables Fair ensured that there were plenty of items a century old and more for visitors to inspect and purchase. Items for sale included a range of English, Australian and French furniture, antique and estate jewellery, maps and prints, glassware, linen, lace, bric-à-brac, silver, china and pottery – including Moorcroft pottery and Royal Doulton flambé figures. As usual, all pieces were high-quality, genuine, affordable antiques, old-world nostalgia or collectables and accurately described with no reproductions or new merchandise permitted. The authenticity of the fairs’ merchandise and their established reputation over many years ensured the confidence and interest of visitors.

EXCELLENT SALES Warm weather, open days at Government House and the Snowy Hydro SouthCare Helicopter, as well as a range of other activities in Canberra meant that visitor numbers may have been slightly down on other fairs, but for the dealers this turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

Fewer visitors meant that stall holders were able to display their wares to better advantage and spend more time with those who ventured through the doors of the historic Albert Hall, venue of the fair for the past 26 years. As a result, most were very happy with the fair and reported excellent sales. All dealers have already rebooked their stands for the August fair. The ACT Autumn and Springtime Antiques and Collectables Fairs are major fundraisers for the Rotary Club of Canberra City. Proceeds from this year’s Autumn Fair were donated to the Snowy Hydro SouthCare helicopter to enable it to continue its vital work providing emergency aero-medical and essential services to the ACT and southeastern NSW.

SPRINGTIME FAIR The Springtime Antiques and Collectables will open on Friday evening at 6 pm 16 August, running Saturday 17 August and closing Sunday 18 August at 4 pm.

antique jewellery glass ◆ porcelain ◆ silver furniture & collectables Established in 1971 - Member of AAADA

Open 10 – 5 Thursday to Monday

26 Allowrie Street Jamberoo NSW 2533 9 km from Kiama Tel: 02 4236 0389

ACT SEASONAL ANTIQUE FAIRS present

2013 SPRINGTIME

ANTIQUES AND COLLECTABLES FAIR For further information contact Les Selkirk SELKIRK ANTIQUES 02 6231-5244 / 0418 631 445

in the

ALBERT HALL COMMONWEALTH AVENUE CANBERRA FRIDAY 16 August 2013 SATURDAY 17 August 2013 SUNDAY 18 August 2013

6 pm - 9 pm 10 am - 5.30 pm 10 am - 4 pm

Presented by Rotary Club of Canberra City Admission $7 Concession $5 (children under 14 years admitted free)

The Hall Attic CANBERRA’S NEWEST ANTIQUE SHOP

Looking for that elusive item or gift? You may well find it at The Hall Attic, an eclectic range of antiques, collectables, old wares and craft. Located in the delightful village of Hall, ACT, take a browse through The Attic and then enjoy a Devonshire Tea at the local coffee shop. We are always interested in buying antiques and old wares. We also sell on consignment Tim & Glenda Bloomfield 6 Victoria St Hall ACT 2618 Tel 02 6230 9377, Mob 0418 162 830 0pen weekends and public holidays 11am - 4pm

Selkirk

ANTIQUES & RESTORATIONS Offering personalised service and sales Specialising in Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian mahogany and walnut furniture Small silver items, both sterling and plate Selkirk Antiques have selected pieces of Doulton, (including Flambé), Shelley & Moorcroft Ceramics Furniture restoration service available 29 Summerland Circuit, Kambah ACT 2902

02 6231 5244 Fax 02 6231 3656 Mobile 0418 631 445

Established Genuine Antiques and Collectables Fair Enquiries: 02 6231 5244 or 0418 631 445 R E F R E S H M E N T S AVA I L A B L E The Rotary Club of Canberra will provide financial support to enable Pegasus Riding School to fund programs allowing those with disabilities to enjoy horse riding.

Wheelchair access is available Sponsors of the Fair include WIN TV, Choice Liquor (Phillip) and CosmoreX Coffee

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MEASURING TIME

Horology 1650-1700 T he pendulum, first used around 1657 by Salomon Coster and made after the drawings of the Dutch scientist Christian Huygens, had found its way to England via John, son of Ahaseurus Fromanteel, a renowned London clockmaker. Clocks became more accurate; accurate enough for government, the law and trade to move away from temporal hours into structured 12 hour, 60 minute timeframes. The quest was established: it was to win accuracy in horology; the science of time. The wealth of talent chasing accuracy goes from Galileo of Italy, through Pascal of France, Hooke and Newton of England, Huygens of The Netherlands and Leibnitz of Germany, along with clockmakers Salomon Coster in the Hague, Isaac Thuret in Paris, to John Fromanteel and Thomas Tompion, among others, in London. Several things fell into place for London to lead the way into this golden age of horology.

HOROLOGY IN LONDON The establishment of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers in London, which achieved a royal charter in 1631, led to the control all things horological in London. It was known officially as ‘The Master, Wardens and Fellowship of the Art or Mystery of Clockmaking of the City of London’. Nobody in the kingdom was allowed from then on to make or sell in watches or clocks without approval of this body. Horology became a protected industry; this allowed potential clock and watchmakers of good work, both English and alien, to establish a united craft of clock and watchmakers with their influence spreading outward into the provinces. This development prompted English horologists both to no longer follow continental work and designs and encouraged open dialogue within their own ranks and the refinement of a

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national character within clockmaking, both in mechanism and design. They were ready and waiting for the next step in horological evolution.

CASED CLOCKS Ahaseurus Fromanteel (1607-1693) and his son John Fromanteel (1638-1680), who had studied under Salomon Coster just after their release of the pendulum, moved to London about 1658 – they advertised their first sale on 27 October 1658 – and, soon after, produced a case to hide the unsightly weights needed for the pendulum movement and so initiated the tradition of the English tall or long case clock. The description ‘grandfather clock’ is not correct and first appears around 1876. During this period cases were normally made or designed by the clockmakers themselves. This meant that the Clockmakers Company of London also influenced design and some believe that the clocks made during this period are the best designed and balanced clocks. Over the next century, as cabinetmakers began designing and manufacting cases, a marked degradation in style and quality of cases can be discerned. The first cases made by Fromanteel were architectural, tall and slender with pitched roofs, brass and silvered dials with ormolu spandrels and mounts with, in the fashion of the period, the best being made in ebony. The movements were verge with a short pendulum inside the hood. In provincial areas these cases were copied normally in oak of similar style, most likely after drawings by potential owners seeking to have made what they saw in London. Often these cases are slightly wider than the originals, but still more slender than later case styles. This modification was perhaps caused by the technology in movement design advancing faster than case design with the later long pendulum requiring a wider case as clocks became taller.

These provincial oak cases, again as with the furniture of the period, were ebonised and are mostly seen today as rich dark oak decorative furniture, produced 10 to 20 years after the fashionable London decorative styles.

ANCHOR ESCAPEMENT Around 1670 an important technical change appeared in London with the invention of the anchor escapement, the name being derived from its shape. There was no apparent single person responsible for this amazing advance although the names linked to this discovery are the scientist Dr Robert Hooke and the clockmakers William Clement and Joseph Knibb. John Smith recorded in 1694 that clockmakers were trying to solve the shortcomings of the short pendulum and that William Clement had the good fortune to give it the finishing stroke.

Thomas Tompions Greenwich regulator, c. 1676

IMPROVING PENDULUM DESIGN Part of the pendulum can be attributed to Dr Hooke for, in 1666, he demonstrated the suspension – a thin short length of spring steel supporting the pendulum – to the Royal Society; this development dramatically increased the accuracy of the existing escapement. With this escapement and suspension, the arc required for tooth release from the escape wheel was reduced and it was possible to produce a ‘Royal’, a one-second pendulum with amazing accuracy. Cases became wider but mostly still in balance to allow the swing of the longer pendulum. Along with this escapement came the ability to produce a sub-dial, normally below the 12, indicating the seconds.

LONGITUDE AND NAVIGATION Another critical development in the evolution of horology occurred in 1675 when Charles II established the Royal Observatory at Greenwich for ‘The finding out of longitude of places for perfecting navigation and astronomy’ three years after the French had completed their observatory in Paris. Earlier, Charles II had appointed a committee that included a member of the Royal Society, Dr Robert Hooke, to look into the French idea of using the heavenly bodies as an aid in navigation.

Christopher Gould, Grande Sonnerie

MALVERN

The camera stellata at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich during Flamsteed’s time as Astronomer Royal; to the left of the central door are the two Tompion regulator dials.

ASTRONOMER ROYAL John Flamsteed (1646-1719), a man of singularly exact and business-like habits, was appointed the first Astronomer Royal. Flamsteed appreciated the importance of the science of horology as an effective timer for the meridian transit of stars to determine precise location and engaged an outstanding London clockmaker, Thomas Tompion (16391713), to make a pair of observatory clocks. Unfortunately the royal purse was kept tight; the construction of the observatory and Flamsteed’s salary were dependent on the sale of spoilt gunpowder. Flamsteed’s astronomical almanac was not published until after his death. The astronomical figures determining location, as requested by Charles II, were eventually produced by the fifth Astronomer Royal, Nevil Maskelyn (1732-1811), and published around 1763.

INVENTION OF BALANCE SPRING The next notable breakthrough in horology and specifically watchmaking was the invention of the balance spring in its spiral form. The spiral spring applied pressure to the balance wheel causing a powered return to a central position, improving timekeeping. The inventor is uncertain, but Hooke was working on a balance spring before 1660, lectured on it in 1664 and demonstrated an example in 1668. It seems that, soon after this demonstration, Hooke put his work on the spring aside leaving Huygens to bring this development to a successful conclusion with the help, in absolute secrecy, of Isaac Thuret. In 1675 Huygens wrote to Oldenburg in London offering him the English rights to his pirouette watch; this Huygens-Thuret watch was eventually presented to Charles II, who nonetheless preferred Hooke and Tompion’s hastily made up and presented watch. But there were obviously some problems and to the benefit of English horology, no patent was granted.

ACCURATE WATCHES Soon after, along with inventions designed by Hooke in tooth cutting, Thomas Tompion began producing watches capable of keeping time accurate to a minute or two a day that were unsurpassed in any country. These watches were not based on the Huygens pirouette designs but on a verge balance with spiral balance (hair-) spring incorporating a specially designed regulator, a mechanism that continued in use well into the 1800s. For a short period these watches did away with the fusée as it was thought that with the isochronism advantages of the balance spring, it was not necessary. This notion was very

Joseph Knibb Bracket clock, c. 1675

soon dispelled and with this final advantage England and, more importantly, London led the way in horology.

NOTED ENGLISH CLOCKMAKERS There were many great clockmakers in late 17th century London; much of their work is still around and still able to function after over three centuries. Besides Ahaseurus and John Fromanteel there was Edward East, Joseph Knibb, William Clement, Christopher Gould, Daniel Quare and others, along with possibly the most celebrated of them all, Thomas Tompion, often referred to as the father of English horology. Moreover, there were many gifted provincial makers of note such as John Williamson from Leeds, who made a year running long case clock with strike and quarter repeat in about 1690.

EXPLAINING THE STRIKE SYSTEM From about 1330 a strike system called a locking plate or countwheel strike was available, where a wheel is moved with sequential cut outs to allow a stop lever to drop after the next series struck. This was an effective system with the simple advantage that the strike could be stopped while the time mechanism continued to run. Annoyingly, the strike could go out of sequence, that is, where the hands do not match the strike number. In about 1675, the Rev Edward Barlow invented rack striking, a mechanism that gradually superseded the countwheel system. Most rack strike systems were front plate mounted but, occasionally, internal racks are encountered despite the fact that they were more difficult to make. The rack invention was a great leap forward but there was more to this invention, for it allowed new and wonderful strike systems to be made. These included the repeat strike, the grande sonnerie (great strike) and the musical chime all available automatically or on command. The countwheel strike was still seen in the British provinces until after 1750. Continental and American horologers continued to use the countwheel system as the principal means of strike in the clock mechanism, probably from ease of manufacture in France, well into the 20th century with some exceptions: Austrian horologers began using the rack strike as their normal strike after 1800; the French in the mid 1870s; and the Germans in the 19th century for high quality productions. From being an exclusive curiosity in 1650, timekeeping had improved considerably to become an accurate necessity in government, the law and trade. By 1700, clocks were at the forefront of contemporary technology.

Michael Colman Colman Antique Clocks 03 9824 8244 www.colmanantiqueclocks.biz References F J Britten, Britten’s old clocks and watches and their makers: a history of styles in clocks and watches and their mechanisms [9th ed.], (London, Methuen, 1982) Herbert Cescinsky, English domestic clocks. (Woodbridge, Suffolk Chancery House Publishing Co. for the Antique Collectors’ Club, 1976) R W Symonds, Thomas Tompion: his life and work, (Feltham, Spring Books, 1969)

Edward East architectural wall clock, c. 1665

Colman Antique Clocks WAT C H & C L O C K R E S T O R E R S

French Louis Philippe carriage style mantel clock, c. 1840 in tortoise shell veneer with fine ivory Inlay by Barbot, 9” handle up.

French mantel clock c. 1880 in fire gilded ormolu on bronze finish with 3 hand painted Sèvres panels possibly depicting 16th century Prague with cartouche style dial

French Empire figured mantel clock, c. 1810. Bronze ormolu finish with simple automaton, signed to dial Le Cointe - Renard à Laon. Secretly signed Pons to the pendule de Paris silk thread movement striking on silvered bell Pons, Honoré Pons DePaul awarded 2 silver & 3 gold medals in French Industrial awards as ébauche maker

George II double fusee verge bracket clock, c.1760, England, signature maker’s case, mahogany, ormolu mounts by Ellicott (England: London), profusely engraved back plate with pull cord repeat, in fine original condition

French 18th century waisted Boulle bracket clock c. 1760, on original wall bracket. Original finish and fittings, brass inlay, tortoise shell veneered case. The dial made of cast and chased surround with 25 fired enamel cartouche numerals, superb hand chased blued steel hands. Thirty day movement and large proportions, 5 turned shaped pillars, shaped plates engraved with maker’s name to rear plate and fitted with recoil escapement, Sun King pendulum

English mahogany cased bracket clock, 19th century on original wall bracket made by Smith & Son’s, of Clerkenwell, London.

1421 Malvern Road Malvern, Victoria 3144 Australia Au s t ra l i an An t i q u e a n d Art Deal e rs A s s oc iat i on

Ph: 03 9824 8244 Fax: 03 9824 4230 Email: michaelcolman@optusnet.net.au Website: www.colmanantiqueclocks.biz Member of the Watch and Clock Makers of Australia (formerly HGA) and the BHI

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VICTORIA

1. 5. 6.

10.

11.

12. 13.

1. Rolex Sea-Dweller stainless steel wristwatch, c. 2003, automatic movement, ref no: 16600T, serial no: F862063, with fold over clasp. Sold $6490 2. Royal Worcester reticulated double-walled vase, 1902, gilt decoration on ivory ground, printed mark and painted gilder’s initials HH, h: 10.5 cm. Sold $1416 3. Victorian enamel and 15 ct yellow and rose gold bracelet set with four rose-cut diamonds, red paste and seed pearls. Sold $1770 4. ‘Cave de Liqueur’ in the Boulle manner, c. 1880s, ebonised, brass and tortoiseshell, lift-out tray fitted with four square decanters and eight wine glasses, all with conforming etched foliate decoration, 26 x 32.5 x 24 cm. Sold $2242 5. Mourning jewellery, rose gold panel pendant, 6.5 x 5.3 cm, inscribed ‘Will Smith, 4th Oct 1800, 52’ to reverse, under glass a small woven hair panel with deceased’s initials in seed pearls, fitted with bail. Sold $590 6. Art Nouveau silverplate table centrepiece made by Würtemburgische Machin Fabrik, Geislingen (WMF), c. 1900, marked no 452 to underside, 72 x 61 cm. Sold $2124

7. Radiant cut 1.23 ct claw set diamond ring set in platinum, flanked by four brilliant-cut claw set diamonds, total 0.60 ct. Sold $8732 8. Baluster-shaped pair of Chinese Export polychrome-decorated porcelain vases, 19th century, h: 34.5 cm. Sold $1180 9. Pair of emerald and diamond claw set cluster earrings set in 18 ct white gold, emerald 0.80 ct, ten brilliant-cut diamonds, total 1.20 ct, pierced posts and sprung clips. ATDW: 2.4 ct. Sold $5428 10. Goldscheider figure of Pierrot, c. 1910, impressed 3133/202/11, no XII/D4, h: 28 cm. Sold $1829 11. Swedish marquetry-inlaid mahogany drinks cabinet, mid-20th century, 120 x 88 x 42 cm. Sold $1652 12. Mahogany library drum table, c. 1840s, gilt-tooled leather, four drawers divided by blank sections and acanthus-carved tablets, on a turned and lappet-carved pedestal set on concave-sided quadripartite platform base with paw feet, 75 x 106 cm (diam). Sold $2950 13. Regency mahogany bow-front sideboard, c. 1810, with original fitted cellarette drawer, raised on turned supports, the front banded and string-inlaid throughout, 93 x 168 x 69 cm. Sold $2360

AUCTION SCHEDULE 2013 Accepting items for consignment:

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QUEENSLAND

A SPECIALIST FURNITURE MANUFACTURER Churchill Chesterfield made in Australia ased on Queensland’s Gold Coast, Churchill Chesterfields are leather chesterfield and bespoke furniture manufacturers. Proudly Australian made, the firm makes an extensive variety of designs. Choose from English reproduction traditional chesterfields, a range of Queen Anne wing chairs and recliner chairs. There are leather office/study swivel chairs, such as Captains, Admirals, Director’s, Gainsborough, Mountbatten’s, London swivel and larger wing swivels, also office/study or commercial compact chesterfield tub chairs, plus many more designs. All furniture is hand made by one of Britain’s most experienced craftsmen, using only the best possible resources available today to create everlasting masterpieces.

SPOILT FOR CHOICE Our many ranges are all available in leather and fabric in a wide range of colours. We use original English antique rub off leathers plus the aged, distressed, pull up aniline and waxed aniline leather which are imported from the UK exclusive to us. The leather is fire resistant and is of the finest A grade hides. Imported from the UK are five leather ranges with a choice of over 70 different colours. If preferred, choose fabric or velvet

upholstery. Perhaps you have a fabric already purchased – let us make it up in the style of your choice.

FRAMES AND MORE Match your choice of fabric or leather with our selection of timber. Our frames are made of the finest European beech hardwood timber all from renewable forest plantations, the timber is the same used by 95 per cent of UK chesterfield manufacturers. All frames come with a 10-year structural guarantee, are dowelled glued and screwed. The looks include traditional mahogany; dark, medium, golden and light oak; walnut, plus many more.

OUR SPECIAL CHESTERFIELDS The chesterfields are made with sprung seats and hand-built sprung backs units, dispelling the myth that these designs are uncomfortable. Our designs, many not seen in the country before, are soft and luxurious, designed to suit a customer’s preference. For something different, there is the Art Deco range of plain unbuttoned chesterfields with mixed contrasting leather fabric combinations.

furniture design, its origin dating back to mid 18th century. In circa 1773 the fourth Earl of Chesterfield commissioned noted furniture designer Robert Adam to design a piece of furniture that would permit a gentleman to sit with the back straight and avoid what the Earl referred to as ‘odd motions, strange postures and ungenteel carriage.’ In our opinion, we assume this to be the forerunner of the now famous chesterfield sofa. The deep-buttoned leather chesterfield is one of the most distinguished luxury products of the British Isles, renowned worldwide for the craftsmanship used in its construction and for its beauty.

A MODERN CHESTERFIELD SOFA Due to modern health and safety legislation, the old methods of producing a chesterfield sofa have changed. Our chesterfield sofas feature full flame retardant leather and foam fillings amongst many other modern refinements ensuring the safety of you and your loved ones while retaining the original character of chesterfield furniture. CHURCHILL CHESTERFIELDS 07 5530 2648 info@churchillchesterfields.com.au www.churchillchesterfields.com.au

Churchill Chesterfields Manufacturers of high quality Bespoke English Reproduction Chesterfield leather furniture

BELOW THE SURFACE The bespoke service is designed to address a customer’s special requirement. This is a personal made-to-measure tailored manufacturing facility. The foams are standard fire resistant, are of the highest quality resilience, and carry a 10-year warranty.

WHERE & WHEN THE CHESTERFIELD WAS FIRST INTRODUCED In England a chesterfield evokes an image of elegance and sophistication. This deep-buttoned sofa is synonymous with traditional English

Visit our web site www.churchillchesterfields.com.au

8 Moondance Court Opening hours 8am to 5pm Bonogin, Gold Coast Monday to Friday Queensland 4213 By Appointment Mobile: 0424 882 144 Saturday & Sunday only Telephone: 07 5530 2648 Email: info@churchillchesterfields.com.au

Antiques and

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Left: Interior designer Stuart Rattle put together a stunning display incorporating contemporary and traditional pieces

THE AUSTRALIAN ANTIQUE & ART DEALERS ASSOCIATION The premier organisation for antique dealers and commercial art galleries in Australia I t is difficult to describe the life of an antiques dealer as it involves being, or becoming, adept at a wide range of skills. Suffice to say that one needs an ability to understand people and an appreciation of history. The joy of being surrounded by many beautiful items that have historical or financial significance is also a bonus.

held each year in members’ stores and galleries, are great opportunities for both members and the public to come together to advance the understanding of antiques and art in the Australian community. If you would like to receive information about future events, join our mailing list at www.aaada.org.au or call 03 9576 2275.

ADVANCING THE UNERSTANDING OF ARTS & ANTIQUES

MELBOURNE AAADA FAIR 2013 AT THE ROYAL EXHIBITION BUILDINGS – OVER FOR ANOTHER YEAR!

Members of The Australian Antique and Art Dealers Association have a strong interest in promoting the appreciation and preservation of antiques and art in Australia. Their professional advice and expertise goes a long way to advancing the public’s perception and understanding of the value of buying and owning antiques. Events such as the upcoming lecture series

Another year over and what a wonderful fair it was! If you joined us this year you would have enjoyed the ambience of the Royal Exhibition Buildings and marvelled at the beautiful pieces that dealers from all over Australia brought to exhibit and sell. A new initiative this year was The Inaugural Tiffany & Co. ‘Object of the Fair’ award announced at the AAADA Melbourne opening night. It was won by Derek Greengrass with his extraordinary 16th century oak skeleton. Derek Greengrass’s 16th century oak skeleton, winner of Tiffany & Co. ‘Object of the Fair’

SYDNEY AAADA FAIR 2013 IS BACK AT ROYAL RANDWICK 21-25 August

The AAADA fairs are Australia’s only international quality events. These events showcase an extraordinary collection of antiques and art sourced by our members throughout Australia and from all over the world. These are the only antiques and fine arts fairs endorsed by the AAADA and are fully vetted for authenticity and backed by the reputation of Australia’s finest antique and art dealers. Visitors are able to access the most diverse range of fine art and antiques in one place, at one time. Following the redevelopment of Royal Randwick, the Sydney event promises to be bigger and better than ever in the rejuvenated venue.

SYDNEY FAIR SCHEDULE A gala preview will be held on Wednesday 21 August from 6 pm – 9 pm; tickets are $30 per person and can be purchased from the AAADA office.

THE ESSENTIAL BUYERS GUIDE 2013 HARDCOPY EDITION NOW AVAILABLE

This booklet is the definitive guide to buying, collecting, selling, valuing and restoring antiques and art with confidence, from Australia’s leading antique and fine art dealers and their approved service providers. Obtain a copy by phoning the Executive Secretary on 03 9576 2275.

NSW SPRING LECTURE SERIES Another good opportunity to learn about antiques is by taking part in the lecture series held weekly on Thursday evenings in members’ shops, galleries and showrooms. For more information please contact NSW Chapter secretary, Adrienne Wilson, T: 02 9332 3882 or E: adriennewilson@iinet.net.au

FIND US ON THE INTERNET www.aaada.org.au The Association is accessible on the World Wide Web. Peruse our site and search for charming items. Here the user friendly search tool for antiques and art makes the hunt for that special piece so much easier. Another useful feature on the site is the online version of The Essential Buyer’s Guide, a valuable resource for collectors seeking special pieces for their collections. This booklet is the definitive guide to buying, collecting, selling, valuing and restoring antiques and art with confidence, from Australia’s leading antique and fine art dealers and their approved service providers. If you would like to receive information about future events, join the mailing list at www.aaada.org.au.

FACEBOOK Join the AAADA Facebook page today for a chance to win a subscription to World of Antiques and Art magazine. AUSTRALIAN ANTIQUE AND ART DEALERS ASSODIATION 03 9576 2275 secaada@ozemail.com.au www.aaada.org.au

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Antique Schanxi coffer

Schanxi Province high back bamboo chairs

Hebei Province eight drawer walnut chest

ORIENT HOUSE – AUSTRALIA’S SOURCE for antique Chinese furniture and accessories O ur quest to remain Australia’s leading dealer in antique Chinese provincial furniture and suppliers of unique tribal art from Africa, Thailand, Burma and Indonesia, has taken us on an incredible journey. China over the past 12 years is the focus of this article. In China we used to speak to our dealers through a translator, but now dealers all speak very acceptable English. I am ashamed to say, neither our Mandarin nor Cantonese has progressed much further than greetings. The cities that we visit have grown ten-fold, with a proliferation of Western brands appearing. New superhighways and bridges appear from nowhere and branch off in all directions. Bicycles have given way to cars, simple rice dishes have been replaced by fatty food and obesity, and the blue sky is now thick smog. Originally, most items were from the more accessible southern provinces and made from elm wood. With time, ‘runners’ have to extend their search for antiques further afield. Their broadened search not only yields furniture in very different styles, but also made of the hardwoods native to the colder areas. Over the years we’ve become increasingly conscious of a change in the style of pieces we find. Our now numerous trips have enabled us to build up a good rapport with the same group of dealers and they, for the most part, understand our preferred style of furniture.

One of our biggest challenges remains being able to control the level of restoration that a piece requires. We strive to convey the understanding that beautiful, centuries-old patinas do not require ‘restoring’ to look as though the item was made just months ago. Many of the old markets have now been demolished and replaced with new ‘DisneyQing’ replicas. A large part of our time is spent in ‘go-downs’ (warehouses), combing through piles of furniture. No longer do we have the joy of scratching through piles of furniture in a couple of warehouses, to unearth treasures from a couple of suppliers. Now everything has a sameness about it. Our trips take us further and further inland to new cities in different provinces. Sadly, pickings are becoming slimmer and slimmer and our three to six hours spent in a car these days sometimes proves hardly worthwhile. The secret is still being able to find unique pieces. We expected that world economic pressures would have brought prices down, but the matter of supply and demand ensures that good pieces still attract high prices. Wealthy people from country provinces are visiting major cities like Beijing and Shanghai and buying back Ming and Qing furniture from the markets. The majority of pieces in our store date to the Qing dynasty (early mid 18th to early 20th centuries). Older pieces are rare and most

usually found in museums and private collections. With a realisation of lost treasures, the new Chinese elite are now consciously pursuing the purchase and return of Ming pieces to China.

CHINESE FURNITURE DESIGNS Most of our furniture is made from elm, the wood most commonly used in the Qing dynasty, either jumu (southern elm) or yumu (northern elm). Rarer woods, such as huanghuali and zitan, the preferred woods of the Ming dynasty, were cut to extinction and only re-forested in recent decades. Selection of woods is critical as not only are seasoned woods more durable, these mature woods acquire a desirable patina. The hardwoods of the Ming dynasty dictated a certainly austerity of design while the softer woods of Qing allowed for easier and more complicated carving, with the wide-grained woods being receptive to paint and lacquer finishes. Consequently in this later period, colour began to take on a new significance. The design of Chinese furniture evolved very slowly. One often sees a carryover from one dynasty to another. Whilst there were main centres of furniture manufacturing, regional differences are subtle and often difficult to recognise. Rural Chinese houses are marked by simplicity. Rooms tend to be sparsely furnished and most items strictly functional. The Kang, a raised platform made of brick or

Tibetan painted coffee table

stamped earth which housed a fire-pit or stove, was usually housed in a central room. This formed the social centre of the home and Kang furniture, such as low tables and stools, was specifically designed for this area. Tibetan and Mongolian furniture has more recently become desirable, although quality pieces are scarce. They have a highly decorative quality and vary from muted to brightly coloured palettes.

ACCESSORIES Perhaps more than anything else, accessories tells the story of daily life in the Qing dynasty and the unique sense of form that makes Chinese antiques so compelling and delightful. From bins, pots, baskets, jewellery boxes, to food containers, birdcages and calligraphy brushes there is a rich variety of these smaller items and they speak volumes. Red wedding baskets were taken to a bride on her wedding day and contained food or a small gift. Birdcages came in small delicate sizes so grandfathers could take their pet birds for a walk. Document boxes were designed to double as pillows, so that travellers could sleep on their valuables. Clever jewellery boxes reveal both a hidden mirror and hidden compartments. More than utility, these accessories display wonderful shapes. The wedding baskets had hourglass handles. Rice measures were shaped somewhat like a beehive. Necklace boxes were in the form of a doughnut. What makes this Chinese furniture and accessories so desirable is the ease with which they can be adapted for living in the 21st century. ORIENT HOUSE 02 9660 3895 orienthouse@orienthouse.net.au www.orienthouse.net.au

Hebei Province console table

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