antiques JULY - NOVEMBER 2013
IN QUEENSLAND
art and
MOUNT TAMBORINE / CITY / BOWEN HILLS
ART OF Peter J Hill
Black Caviar and Phar Lap
Queensland Antique Dealers Association 2013 CHRISTMAS SELLING EXHIBITION 7 and 8 December Old Qld Museum Building
Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 December 10am until 5pm Admission $6 Old Queensland Museum Building 460 Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills www.qada.com.au 07 3891 1048
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MOUNT TAMBORINE
COLLECTING EQUINE ART?
Now is the time to visit P.J. Art Gallery W inter is now upon us where the days are mainly clear with blue skies and the nights are cold and frosty. Mount Tamborine is bustling with visitors both from overseas and locally, attracting interstate sightseers. Whether here on conferences or just the holidays, people flock from down south to enjoy our northern winter. Mount Tamborine is popular in all seasons and open every day for business. People like to get rugged up with their coats, gloves and boots where they stroll down Gallery Walk from one end to the other whilst popping in and out of the many quaint shops and galleries dotted along this famous walk. Taking advantage of the cooler weather are restaurants with their inviting blazing fireplaces that do very well, as are other eateries that advertise hot soup as a speciality on their menu boards. Come on up to the mountain for a refreshing break. Only 20 minutes from the coast, with the many inviting attractions here you can shop till you drop.
BLACK CAVIAR IN THE STABLE P.J. Art Gallery and the extension called The Stable are both warm and cosy. The gallery is home to many paintings by artist Peter J Hill. A noted artist, he is highly renowned for his equine works which are appropriately housed in The Stable. Looking exactly as it sounds, this gallery has hay bales in abundance, whips, lanterns, and much horse memorabilia decorating the walls. There are no live animals around but plenty of horses feature, scattered about on the wagon wheels and the walls.
At present in The Stable you will find another Peter J Hill first, a work dedicated to Australian horse racing icons Black Caviar and Phar Lap. This famous duo is gaining much interest as the two horses together make for a striking piece of art as only Peter could execute. A smaller portrait of Black Caviar has also just been completed. With this painting the jockey has been excluded so it makes for a stunning free-at-ease portrait of the horse. Another horse subject for which Peter is deservedly famous is his Clydesdale paintings. Collectors of equine art are welladvised to take the opportunity to purchase one of these at the earliest opportunity. In fact, some years ago there was a ram raid theft at the gallery and a number of his famous horse paintings were stolen, now believed to have been sold on the overseas black market. Though heart breaking, it was viewed as an appreciation of Peter’s reputation as a highly respected and sought-after artist. ‘I have learnt to live with the robbery. I did take it as a compliment as the thieves picked nine of my best paintings at the time,’ Peter observes.
We would like to thank all our clients for their patronage and look forward to hearing from you all as well as the many friends we have made over the years.
ARTIST PROFILE Born in 1937, Peter is a self-taught artist having started to paint as a hobby when he was 19 years old. Turning professional in the 1970s, Peter’s art works now hang in corporate boardrooms, hotels, clubs and in private collections both in Australia and around the world. Nearly every continent can claim to have at least one of his oil paintings on its walls.
Peter lived in Melbourne in the 1970s where he owned and operated his own gallery at Olinda in the Dandenongs. When he moved later to Canberra, the Australian government purchased examples of his art for presentation to visiting heads of state. During a television interview a journalist asked Peter how he would describe his art. Peter answered, ‘When I paint a horse it looks like a horse; when I paint cattle they look like cattle. So I guess you would call me a traditional artist. I paint my paintings the way I see them, which is why so many people can relate to the places and scenes that I paint.’ Judy M Hill – Gallery Director P.J. ART GALLERY 07 5545 0089 / 07 5527 3107 Judyandpeter09@bigpond.com.au www.pjart.com.au
“ P. J.”ART GALLERY Owned and operated by internationally known artist Peter J Hill and his wife Judy
FORWARD PLANS Peter has decided on a change of pace and is seriously thinking about retiring some time in 2014. This year I would suggest that art collectors take the opportunity to purchase one of Peter’s horse paintings or one of many Australian landscapes hanging in the P.J. Art Gallery. We won’t be having any sales as such but will be encouraging purchasers to negotiate and ask for a good deal. Everyone seems to like to do that these days.
Peter’s paintings suit all budgets and can be packed and freighted throughout Australia and overseas Open 7 days 10 am - 4 pm
136 Long Road ‘Gallery Walk’ Eagle Heights Qld 4272 Ph: 07 5545 0089 Mob: 0428 259 014 Email: judyandpeter07@bigpond.com • judyandpeter09@bigpond.com Web: www.pjart.com.au Antiques and
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Dion Park, The Breach. Photo: Daniel Michaud
Pat Hoffie & Stefan Purcell, War Ears. Photo: Terence Kearns
SWELL SCULPTURE FESTIVAL
at Currumbin 13-22 September ometimes, paradise is reinvented. When director Natasha Edwards pioneered this annual festival, the idea was to enhance Currumbin’s beautiful coastal environment, strengthen the community, position sculpture centre stage, value art makers and make art accessible. The beach is central to Currumbin’s identity and an ideal setting for an open-air sculptural display. Come September, the 55 sculptures set along the beach between Currumbin’s two iconic headlands, Elephant and Currumbin Rocks, will include a whimsical flying pig, a looking glass brimming with kaleidoscopic images, an oversized timber horse joined solely with dowel and a giant origami blue wren.
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GETTING ART OUT THERE! Swell’s mission is to strengthen community, celebrate art in public spaces, add a cultural
dimension to beach culture, cement the Gold Coast’s core values and continually evolve cultural capacity. It’s a tall order, yet this already successful festival continues to gather support and evolve fresh enriching activities in its goal of ‘getting art out there’. Each year, Swell drives new initiatives. Erica Gray, whose works have been selected for inclusion over the last four years, says: ‘It’s very exciting. For the first time this year the $15,000 prize money is not acquisitive. When it was, people were deterred. Sculpture had to be constructed out of everlasting materials like stone and this is seriously expensive. My stuff is made out of soft sculptured fabrics. Now, anyone can win, whatever materials they’ve used.’
FRESH INNOVATION: SMALL WORKS ON DISPLAY In another innovation, Swell Smalls Gallery will show modestly proportioned works by exhibiting artists. Forty vibrant original pieces or maquettes, scaled down versions of the beachside sculptures, will be shown at The Way of Design Gallery on Pacific Parade, Currumbin. Curated by The Way of Design’s Richard Plumb, these miniatures are fashioned in a variety of media: copper pipe, natural fibres, bronze and steel. Exhibited within this admired coastal gallery, visitors can enjoy sculptures in compact proportions and perhaps purchase a favourite object at an affordable price.
MORE TO SEE AND DO
Erica Gray, Love Cats. Photo: Rowly Emmett
This is the eleventh year of the festival and, in the early days, the event attracted about 6000 viewers. Now more than 195,000 people come along. Activities organised around the exhibition means there is plenty to draw the crowds quite apart from the exhibition. There are children’s sculpture workshops, master classes and live music. For the first time, a
Shelly Kelly, A house for a river. Photo: Terence Kearns
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Beachfront Hub presents artist talks, formal and informal creative discussion. Heading into the evening, the sculptures take on a new vivacity with video projection and lighting.
INTERNATIONAL & LOCAL WORKS Swell is appealing for artists because their works are exposed to massive crowds and, in this informal, outdoor exhibition, the artists can mingle with the public. As well as national and local artists’ works, those of international artists are included, such as Georges Cuvillier’s bamboo construction, Daniel Clemmett’s recycled car bonnet undercarriage and Leonie Rhode’s small sculpture of Jack Charles. Swell also fuels valuable networking opportunities as artists mostly work in isolation. The 10-day festival is an invaluable opportunity for artists to discuss their own work and that of their peers.
ERICA GRAY AND CHRIS BENNIE REFLECT ON THE EXHIBITION ‘Swell is a local show. Lots of fun and it’s great to talk to those who come along.’ Gray observes. ‘Last year, my exhibit was of three enormous red cats sitting on a fence. People said they felt the cats’ eyes followed them whenever they walked past. This year I’ve submitted I’m Waiting For You, a sculptured bike and dog made out of white poly-blend fabric. Connecting with the viewer and making emotive artwork is important to me. We’ve all walked past a dog tied up outside a shop for example. Seen how it yearns for its owner. Sometimes, just evoking on a couple of levels, can make those points stand out more, so keeping the sculpture plain white is a design factor.’ Chris Bennie, also selected, sent in an entry
Chris Bennie, The Kissing Swans (from the flood-affected caravans project). Photo: Chris Bennie
because he is keenly interested in looking at ways of getting video art out into the public. ‘The three-dimensional parameter made me think of putting video into an abandoned caravan. It was serendipity. I’d put out the call I needed a caravan and my contact in Bundaberg found one. If an object goes into a gallery, the conundrum is about its relationship to that space. This found object will be transformed and put back in the world with no demarcation of its context. Badly damaged in the Bundaberg Caravan Park which flooded in 2011, it has a history, a profound resonance with trauma. The work will be cathartic, poetic, playful. Some peers and I have orchestrated dances with pots and pans interjected with watery scenes. Caravans have an aura of humility, domesticity and freedom. Having a dishevelled one, with its associations of trailer parks, holidays and getaways sitting on the foreshore on the beach, without any of the formality of a gallery, is bound to pique curiosity.’
EDUCATIONAL & VIBRANT OUTDOOR GALLERY There’s also a strong educational dimension to the festival. Swell is now integrated within the schools’ curriculum and students make sculpture to echo some of the exhibited works or create originals. Every year, this visually spectacular, inclusive happening, which so successfully and enjoyably champions threedimensional art, is eagerly awaited. Swell Sculpture Festival is Queensland’s largest outdoor visual arts exhibition, in scale and attendance, transforming Currumbin Beach into a vibrant outdoor gallery. For more information: SWELL SCULPTURE FESTIVAL www.swellsculpture.com.au
Mariana Martin, Journey Music. Photo: Rowly Emmett
front cover Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown, The Golden Nugget Gambling Hall night time Freemont Street Las Vegas, 1968 © Venturi and Scott Brown Architects. Courtesy the Museum Im Bellpark Kriens Architects Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown took their students from Yale University to Las Vegas in 1968 to make a complete architectural study of the signage and urban systems of this new type of urban phenomenon of the Strip City. They argued that such signs were a kind of art form and should not be dismissed as trivial. They published their findings as Learning From Las Vegas in 1972 , a manifesto which has gone on to become one of the most influential texts in world architecture. Gold Coast City Gallery presents The Las Vegas Studio Images from the archives of Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown alongside a companion exhibition John Gollings: Learning from Surfers Paradise A rephotography Project 1973 – 2013 which was originally inspired by their work. See page 11
Editorial Content 03 04 06 07 08 10 11 12 13 14 15 17 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 30 35 36 38 39 40 41 42 43 45
Collecting equine art? – Judy M Hill Swell Sculpture festival at Currumbin Antiques on the West Side Celebrating Australian botany: The legacy of David & Dorothy Gordon – Kathryn & Derek Nicholls Winter – Spring shows at the Marks & Gardner Gallery The Gold Coast Antique Centre a sanctuary for (mechanical) animals & automatons – Jennyy Thomas Gold Coast City Gallery: Visualising architecture Gold Coast City Gallery’s Winter program Summer shows at the Gold Coast City Gallery Spirit of Australia Gallery – home to authentic Australian-made products Showcase of Aboriginal work Runaway Bay Antique and Arts Centre opens Grace Galleries relocates to Runaway Bay Antique and Arts Centre Three great men who showed the world – Kathryn & Derek Nicholls The thrill of the chase at the Brisbane Antique Centre Exhibitions at Petrie Terrace Gallery Hot spot for investment art Engaging with Asia, China’s rising interest in western jewels and antiques – Ken Penfold Gatsby fever fuels further interest in art deco jewellery – Moira Drexler Identifying genuine ivory, examples from The Antique Guild – Chris Hughes For the diary: QADA’s Christmas selling exhibition The beauty of organics – Suzy Baines La petite révolution at Unique France: Contemporary interpretations of French tradition The Canadian experience – Eilisha Little Necessity before invention – Kathryn & Derek Nicholls Doll collecting Never a dull moment at Commercial Road Antiques – Ian Thomson Cross country launches of a significant indigenous art collection publication Pack & Send: art and antique specialists – Stephen & Janet McCartney Restoring a violin Model trains – a moving collectable – Jason Bridge Art can be key to selling real estate – Kym James A postcard from Bayside Antique & Collectables Centre – Rob & Di Metcalfe Beautiful rugs deserve the best care – Stephen Muncey
antiques &art
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Advertising a small business over the past 100 years Closing down sale at Kilkivan Fine Art & Antiques Antiques: Value in timeless quality Salt’s Antiques & TJ Salt relocates to Hampton Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery’s winter – spring exhibition highlights Lancaster’s Toowoomba Antique Centre – 18 years old and going strong Restoring yesterday’s bedsteads for generations of tomorrow – Mark & Lynne Bennett Are you sitting on hidden treasures? Karuna’s Art & Jewellery Market for a special cause At the National Gallery of Australia – Tate’s Turners: an unrivalled collection – Christine Dixon Using Howard Products a Victorian lady gets a 60 minute makeover – David Foster Conserving Australia’s heritage: The Thompsons of Paddington, Sydney – Susanne Gervay Art Gilding Academy Oriental Antique Gallery welcomes collectors and purveyors of fine furniture to their new Brisbane store – Phillip Guan
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at GENUINE WHOLESALE PRICES 64 RIVERSDALE ROAD OXENFORD GOLD COAST HINTERLAND (Easy access from the M1, exit 57, off Mt Tambourine Rd. Can’t get there? We’ll bring it to you without obligation.)
OPEN FRIDAYS to SUNDAYS 10am – 4pm and by appointment Full stock listing on the net at
www.twiceuponatime.com.au 0412 764 699 & 0414 240 281 email twiceuponatime@bigpond.com We are always pleased to undertake restorations of antique furniture; valuations for insurance, sale and family division The Oxenford outlet is a warehouse at our residence creating a country atmosphere similar to that of an English antique dealer’s premises
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GOLD COAST/MOUNT TAMBORINE
s& k r Ma rdner Ga llery Ga
ANTIQUES
on the West Side A visit to North Tamborine is a memorable day trip from Brisbane or the Gold Coast. Take in the breathtaking views to the west while visiting Witches Falls National Park – the first National Park in Queensland – and be sure to spend time at the picnic areas, local shops, antiques and art galleries and cafés. It is rumoured that the name Witches Falls stuck after residents west of Tamborine Mountain saw lights on the side of the mountain many years ago and attributed them to the ‘Mountain Witches.’ Visitors with an interest in the arts and antiques find this village a perfect destination. Here they are able to explore the high-quality shops on the Main Western Road in North
Tamborine in addition to enjoying the wonderful surrounding natural views. Witches Falls Gift House at 98 Main Western Road is next to Witches Falls National Park – the oldest National Park in Queensland. Come and meet Noelina and Phil in what appears to be a small shop but is in reality a well-stocked gift store. Search through the vast array of old and collectable objects including Shelley, Royal Doulton, Crown Derby, Wedgwood, Royal Dux, Lladro and other fine names. They have old and estate jewellery, antiques, curios and beautiful furniture in mahogany, walnut, oak and other rare and exotic timbers. Phil combines his furniture making skills
with a flair for bringing old pieces back to life. Furniture repair and restoration is his preference, while Noelina is a skilled artisan with her sewing machine. Further along at 69 Main Western Road is Marks and Gardner Gallery. Here Janene and Mary will tempt you with their art gallery showing contemporary works, or their delightful Secret Garden bookshop. If tired from wandering through the plethora of shops, sit for a while at their verandah café and let it all soak in.
Phil & Noelina Jackson 98 Main Western Rd Mt Tamborine QLD 4272 P: 07 5545 0885 F: 07 5545 0076 M: 0418 647 452 E: gifthouse@winshop.com.au
www.witches-falls-antiques-and-gifts.com.au OPENING HOURS Wed, Fri, Sat & Sun 10 am - 5 pm inc. Public Holidays Closed Christmas Day and Good Friday Open Anzac Day 12 - 5 pm Other times by appointment
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s all F es ti ch iques se W nt A t Hou if &G
CELEBRATING AUSTRALIAN BOTANY
the legacy of David & Dorothy Gordon O Top left: Dorothy Gordon, Australian Pararchidendron
Top right: Dorothy Gordon, Australian Acacia
ver the years, many talented artists have gained recognition for their representation of Australia's flora. Even though they are rarely seen today, the intricate detail and flamboyant compositions by Ferdinand Bauer (1760-1826) and Ellis Rowan (1848-1922) are easily recognisable. The circa 1888 Australian orchid lithographs of R.D. Fitzgerald (1830-1892) and the fine lithographs of circa 1900 by Fred Elliott (1864-1949) for F.M. Bailey’s The Queensland Flora, 1899-1902, are, by comparison, a stark contrast of style. Representations of flora vary considerably between artists, providing us with a great choice when we are looking for Australian botanical art to hang on our walls. Dorothy Gordon (1930-1985) shared a love of Australian flora with her husband David, who encouraged her to paint the wildflowers from one of Australia’s oldest collections – the sanctuary for Australian native plants at Myall Park, Glenmorgan, on the Darling Downs. Her charming watercolours were scientifically accurate, and high quality prints from these watercolours are now available.
Grand old man of flora Above: Dorothy Gordon, Australian Grevillea Right: Dorothy Gordon, Australian Eucalypt
David Gordon (1899-2001), known as ‘the grand old man of Australian flora’, was awarded the Order of Australia in 1984 for his services to horticulture and conservation. Beginning in 1941 with 20 hectares adjacent to their home on a sheep property, David Gordon cultivated rare and endangered native plants from around Australia. Recognition of his work became more widely known in the 1960s after he planted a group of grevilleas together, and named their hybrids after his three daughters. The best known of these hybrids is Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’ which flowers almost continuously throughout the year. Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’ and Grevillea ‘Sandra Gordon’ have both been declared ‘best-selling Australia shrub’ on a number of occasions. The third Grevillea hybrid David Gordon named ‘Merinda Gordon’, after his youngest daughter. Endeavouring to increase the preservation and utilisation of Australian flora in private
gardens and public parks, David Gordon provided free cuttings of these Grevillea hybrids to nurserymen. It was not until 1973 that Grevillea ‘Robyn Gordon’ was formally registered as an Australian cultivar.
Myall Park Botanic Garden In 1984 Myall Park was recognised as a botanic garden. It comprised 90 hectares planted with thousands of native plants, a herbarium of over 7,000 pressed plant specimens and seeds, comprehensive propagation records, and David Gordon’s important botanical library. In 1988 David Gordon established a non-profit company, Myall Park Botanic Garden Pty Ltd, to own and administer the garden. Today Myall Park Botanic Garden covers more than 130 hectares with walking trails among arid and semi-arid Australian trees and shrubs. It is maintained by a committee of volunteers, with the aim of preserving Australian flora, promoting conservation, education, research and development, and fostering the arts. Near Dalby, west of Toowoomba on the Darling Downs, Myall Park Botanic Garden is a natural bush garden, open 20 January to 20 December each year. It is a perfect destination for botanists, gardeners, bird watchers, photographers, artists and bush walkers – and now includes accommodation. It is a great place to visit. Join Friends of MPBG online. The annual Spring Open Day at Myall Park Botanic Garden, this year on 24 August, is a wonderful spectacle with many other attractions. Details at www.myallparkbotanicgarden.org.au/ visit/special-spring-day. Myall Park Botanic Garden Art Gallery houses a permanent exhibition of Dorothy Gordon’s watercolours of Australia’s exquisite native flora. Prints and cards (with envelopes) reproduced from these watercolours can be purchased securely online at www.heritage-editions.com.au. Kathryn & Derek Nicholls ANTIQUE PRINT CLUB 07 5525 1363 / 0412 442 283 sales@antiqueprintclub.com www.antiqueprintclub.com
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MOUNT TAMBORINE
Stephen Nothling, The Queensland Maritime Museum Flooded, mixed media on board
Bruce Buchanan, Valley Mist, watercolour
Bruce Buchanan, Water Gate, Venice, watercolour
at the Marks and GardnerGallery
tops and images printed on rubbish just found on the street and then collaged these into paintings. I’ve also painted elements of the artworks to look as if they have been stuck on. I’ve attempted to portray an acceptance and celebration of the everyday and the possibility of a little bit of poetry in the ordinary.
Stephen Nothling: Hammering Stars into Unforgetting Skies
BRUCE BUCHANAN – WATERCOLOURS
WINTER – SPRING SHOWS
Until 21 July tephen Nothling is back with an overwhelming punch. In a noticeable departure from his previous works, Stephen focuses on aspects of collage bringing vibrancy and brilliance to his paintings that has never been seen before. Stephen has had over 30 solo exhibitions both nationally and internationally over the past 20 years. He is represented all over Australia, his work featuring in the Parliament House collection, Canberra, Redcliffe City Gallery, Macquarie University, Queensland University of Technology, Crown Casino, Melbourne and BHP Billiton. He has been a finalist in several prestigious shows including the Archibald Prize in 2002, the Dobell Prize for Drawing and the Gold Coast City Art Prize in 2008. During the past 18 months his work has been included in the Salon Des Refuses – the alternative Archibald and Wynne Prize, the
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ANL National Maritime Art Prize where he was highly commended, and as a finalist for the second time in the Gallipoli Art Prize. Fundamentally Australian and yet not blatantly nor stereotypically so, Stephen’s latest collection illustrates various aspects of Australian life and recent history combined with his love of flora and fauna. His work demonstrates his love for Australia in its brightly coloured oils and mixed media. Artist’s statement In this new collection of paintings the imagery has been sourced by what has been at hand. For the landscape elements I haven’t ventured far – just the garden, the neighbourhood, a favoured beach. These are domestic works. If they venture into grander themes it is only because in the isolation of artistic practice I tend to contemplate the ever increasing absurdities involving my life and the concerns of the world. To reflect these feelings I have fallen into a kind of absurdist aesthetic using the detritus of the everyday, like food packaging, bottle
26 July – 25 August Former architect now full-time artist, Bruce Buchanan will once again be bringing his soft landscapes and urbanscapes to the Scenic Rim. Hailing from Brisbane, Bruce has always felt strong affiliations with both his home country as well as the streets and rolling hills of Europe. He established his own architectural practice specialising in historic building conservation, and lectured part time at the Queensland University of Technology Architectural Department. As an architect, Bruce found it difficult to dedicate as much time as he wanted to painting. The growing interest from the public, as well as his own passion to pursue his art further, prompted him to undertake painting full time. Travel is an integral part of the creative process for Bruce. In particular, he draws his inspiration from rural landscapes in Tasmania and South Australia, as well as in Italy and the UK. He also has a distinct loyalty to more locally sourced settings: he is drawn to coastal and rural landscapes, as well as Brisbane’s unique urban culture. Bruce has a distinctive style which challenges the conventional pre-conceptions of traditional watercolour. His technique allows him to improvise with the subject’s mood and configuration. He has received many awards, commissions and acquisitions and was this year’s winner of Brisbane’s Rotary Art Spectacular for his watercolour, Wind and rain Willochra. Inspired by his travels to Tasmania, New England and Italy for research, Bruce’s fascination with both landscape and architecture are obvious in his latest exhibition. Artist’s statement Paintings in this exhibition include studio works based on rough sketches and notes from recent painting trips in Australia and Italy. There are works from rural Tasmania and the New England region. In most, the notion of specific place is unimportant and some are contemplative tree studies, but these are places I visit frequently and it is how I remember them. No artist can resist the urge to paint Venice with its extraordinary water gates and canals lined with crusty colourwashed buildings. Each of these works explores the changing light and texture of centuries-old buildings and are intended to evoke the mystery and intrigue of the place.
Elizabeth Poole, BirdiView, DVA mesh birds, cotton string webs. Installation, Floating Lands exhibition, Noosa Regional Gallery, 2013
Shafts of light in the narrow streets of russet brick and limestone mediaeval hill towns of Italy create indelible memories for those who have been there, therefore some of these are included.
DAVID HINCHLIFFE – NEW PAINTINGS 30 August – 29 September After successful exhibitions in London and New York this year, David Hinchliffe will be returning to Australia with his annual exhibition at Marks and Gardner. Former Deputy Mayor of Brisbane and longtime Councillor, David’s work has exploded onto the art scene since his retirement in 2012. Known for his beautiful oil images reminiscent of the impressionist style, David’s work will demonstrate the broadening of his horizons accredited to his recent travel.
Gabriele & Elizabeth Poole: Souls At Play 4 October – 3 November Souls at Play is an exhibition quite unusual in its concept. Husband and wife team Gabriel and Elizabeth Poole have joined forces to showcase concepts important to them both, albeit in quite different mediums – sculpture and architecture. Elizabeth Poole is well known as an installation artist, with works included in numerous exhibitions including the Floating Land Art Festival at Noosa in 2013. Her works in this exhibition will portray the manifestations of souls at play in and around a natural and built environment. It will include both 3D and 2D multi-media sculpture representations. There will be an element of fantasy, light and joy, relating to the natural world and the visible and invisible aspects of our landscape and inhabitants. For iconic Australian architect Gabriel Poole, his personal beliefs that the way our population lives and behaves is not sustainable has been used as the basis for this exhibition .Gabriel’s exhibits will encompass the process from first client briefing through to 3D model stage. The project will illustrate his philosophy on a multi generational housing complex, with displays of correspondence, sketches and a scale model of his multi age sustainable housing project. Venerated in multiple journals and coffee tables books as one of Australia’s most influential architects, this exhibition allows a personal insight into the architect’s journey. MARKS & GARDNER GALLERY SECRET GARDEN 07 5545 4992 art@marksandgardner.com www.marksandgardner.com
Stephen Nothling, There is sunshine (old soldiers never die), mixed media on board
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GOLD COAST
Brasac enterprises
One of a set of five framed photographs selected by Max Dupain from amongst his favourites, for sets of limited edition prints published for the Royal Blind Society in the late 1980s. Set of five framed $2,500. Individual $600 each.
Moonflower, 1982
Sunbaker, 1937
Interior Elizabeth Bay House, 1978
At Toowoon Bay, 1985
Blue Gum Forest, c. 1940
Girard-Perregaux 9 ct white gold stainless steel case back 17 jewel $2750
International Watch Company 18 ct gold, c. 1970, $3950
24 Jewel VGOC 31198614 case 168018, 18 ct gold Omega Constellation c. 1971 $3800
Of the three nine piece sterling silver tea sets made by Garrard & Co London in honour of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, this is the only known surviving example. Hallmarked Garrard & Co London 1953/54, weight approximately 11 kilos
Omega Seamaster 14 ct c. 1960s $1895
Longines Admiral 10k gold filled, c. 1965 $2295
GOLD COAST ANTIQUE CENTRE 2076 GOLD COAST HIGHWAY, MIAMI QUEENSLAND P: 07 5572 0522 M: 0412 229 117
Girard-Perregaux gyromatic, original band, c. 1960 $1295
Gold diamond and jade stick pin $3750
CAMPERDOWN MEWS 212-220 PARRAMATTA ROAD CAMPERDOWN NSW P: 02 9550 5554 M: 0412 229 117
BOTH OPEN 7 DAYS
A selection of English hallmarked sterling silver frames and antique silver available
Antiques and
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THE GOLD COAST ANTIQUE CENTRE
A sanctuary for (mechanical) animals & automatons T he next best thing to having a live bird or animal to entertain you is to have a mechanical one that imitates the actions of their real live counterparts. As well as being feats of engineering they are highly collectable and will appreciate in value. For centuries, craftsmen from all over the globe have produced some of the most intriguing and ingenious mechanical toys and devices ever made. From some of the first mechanical toys created, such as a mechanical flying pigeon developed by ancient Greek general, mathematician and philosopher Archytas of Tarentum in 400 BCE, to a mechanical lion specially crafted by Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) to entertain King Louis XII, the variations in function and design of mechanical toys have always been fascinating.
A VARIETY OF MECHANISMS Different mechanisms have been utilised by a wide variety of craftsmen, making each toy unique. These include: rotary, that is a circular motion; linear, more or less moving in a straight line; deviating or reciprocating – rocking or moving backwards and forwards or up and down continuously in a straight line; and lastly oscillating – moving in an arc. Some mechanisms used mechanical cams and gears, which enabled more complex motions. Metal springs were commonly used
in wind-up toys as were gears, particularly used in toys that walked. Pulleys, which had similar movements to gears, were another mechanism used. Additionally, these mechanisms would be used to power music box motors and create automatons such as singing birds.
CHARMING AND ENTERTAINING AUTOMATONS TO SEE AT THE CENTRE Imagine an earlier time without television where the automaton was a major form of amusement and entertainment, and a world without radio where a variety of music mechanisms reigned supreme. Pieces showcased in the Gold Coast Antique Centre are fine examples of these old and brilliantly created mechanical toys. These include a 1950s electric automaton store pantomime elf displayed sitting on a chair turning his head from left to right when he is switched on; and an amusing pair of walking, wind-up grizzly bears made in Japan, c. 1940s. These bears stop, growl and roar, then look around before continuing forward again. Very different is the most realistic melody as well as movement delivered by a pair of wind-up singing birds sitting on a branch in a brass dome shape cage. It was made by Karl Griesbaum, a highly noted quality manufacturer of singing birds in his time. This automaton is clearly marked on the base with three identifying marks: the Karl Griesbaum ‘KG’ mark with a bird in the middle; ‘Made In Germany’; and ‘KD’ set in a diamond.
COLLECTING VINTAGE BOXES Boxes of all types are also very collectable. Showcased in the centre is a 1930s singing bird box automaton also made by Griesbaum. This box features the special and typical Griesbaum filigree decorations on top. By pushing the start button, the ornate lid springs open and an highly crafted miniature feathered bird appears to sing a tune, turning from left to right moving its beak and wings. When finished, it quickly disappears back into the box and the lid automatically closes, to be repeated again on demand until the mechanism runs out. Collecting old money boxes is increasing in popularity. On display is a vintage Americana example made of cast iron still with its original bright coloured paintwork. The lever action moving parts include an arm, tongue and eyes that roll as the hand holding a coin delivers it up into the mouth to be swallowed and then returns to be repeated once more. There are many examples in the centre of these money boxes or ‘banks’ as they are known in the USA, including a very valuable Uncle Sam. Collectors need to be aware that
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most Uncle Sam models these days are fakes which are often made in China. For the serious toy collector we have a rare tin JEP seaplane made in France around the 1930s. Painted in bright red with extensive graphics, the model is clockwork driven and includes a seated composition pilot, large scale pontoons and large aluminium single prop with a good action.
ABOUT THE GOLD COAST ANTIQUE CENTRE Offering a wide assortment of wonderful and occasionally quirky pieces, the Gold Coast Antique Centre’s enormous range caters for all collecting interests including Art Nouveau, Art Deco, 19th century regional French antiques including garden statuary, glass from the Victorian era to popular 1950s Murano glass and ‘60s retro. Explore the array of antique and vintage designer jewellery, or add colour to your home with a genuine movie poster. For those who love surfing memorabilia there is plenty to browse – ranging from collectable surfboards to magazines from the ‘60s. An all time favourite for most is listening to the old 78 records on one of the many Edison gramophones in the centre, some of which date to 1910. With rare and interesting antiques and more collectables arriving daily, the centre is an exciting place to visit. Come to the centre and chat with the many friendly dealers and staff who are very passionate about antiques.
DIRECTIONS Open seven days, on Monday to Saturday 10 am – 5 pm and Sunday 10 am – 4 pm, the Gold Coast Antique Centre is conveniently located at 2076 Gold Coast Highway in the centre of Miami, halfway between the Coolangatta Airport and the heart of Surfers Paradise, and one hour south of Brisbane. Look out for the black and white building. Jenny Thomas GOLD COAST ANTIQUE CENTRE 07 5572 0522 / 0414 338 363 www.goldcoastantiquecentre.com.au
GOLD COAST
Fremont Street neon signs, Las Vegas, 1968 © Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, Inc., Philadelphia. Courtesy Museum im Bellpark Kriens
Kenji Uranishi, Sanctuary, installation. Courtesy the artist
GOLD COAST CITY GALLERY
VISUALISING ARCHITECTURE Gold Coast City Gallery presents four architecturally themed exhibitions LAS VEGAS STUDIO:
JOHN GOLLINGS:
IMAGES FROM THE ARCHIVES OF ROBERT VENTURI & DENISE SCOTT BROWN
LEARNING FROM SURFERS PARADISE – A REPHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT 1973-2013
Until 11 August he city of Las Vegas holds an unrivalled place in the popular imagination as a city of escapist dreams, spectacular night time illumination and pop culture entertainment on a grand scale. Architecture did not feature in this equation until 1972 when architects Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown published Learning from Las Vegas. Their provocative book was based on an extensive research trip they undertook with their colleague Steven Izenour and architecture students of Yale University in 1968. They completed mapping surveys, took hundreds of photographs and filmed the urban landscape from a moving car and helicopter – all the time experimenting with new ways to render and explain contemporary American urban experience. Their study of the strip city became one of the most influential and controversial books in 20th century architecture. Its legacy continues to both inspire and challenge today. The luscious colour photographs taken on the trip were not a major feature of the original or subsequent publications. Now retrieved from the archive of Venturi and Scott Brown in Philadelphia, they capture the Las Vegas of exuberant sculptural signage, of large cruising Chevrolets, and the incongruous meeting of the sparse desert landscape with the intensity of the bustling strip city. Developed by the Museum im Bellpark Kriens in Switzerland, this exhibition of photographic prints and films has been presented to great acclaim in Europe and America, and now finds new audiences in the Australian city that shares some of the same mythology and form. A special Morning Tea will be held in conjunction with this exhibition on Wednesday, 31 July at 11 am.
Until 4 August Inspired by Learning from Las Vegas, in 1973, far away in Melbourne, then recent architectural graduates John Gollings and Tony Styant-Browne, planner Mal Horner and graphic designer Julie Jame, decided to come to the Gold Coast to make an Australian response to Venturi and Scott Brown’s provocative work. They arrived at the time of the storm events of Christmas 1973/74 and, using a range of cameras and lenses, Gollings extensively documented the ‘non’ architecture of hotels, commercial buildings – the signs and symbols of leisure of this holiday town that, unbeknownst to them all, was on the cusp of a wave of high-rise development. He too experimented with image making and, in reference to LA artist Ed Ruscha’s Every Building on the Sunset Strip, created an extraordinary sequence of images representing and entitled Every building on Surfers Paradise Blvd. A new eight-metre long print of this work is presented in the exhibition alongside his own copy of Ruscha’s famous work. Now regarded as Australia’s foremost architectural photographer, Gollings has returned over the past three years and worked with curator Virginia Rigney to find, with considerable difficulty, these exact same sites and complete the largest ever rephotographic study of its type in the world. The contrasts between then and now are startling; revealing the extraordinary rate of change on the Gold Coast and the city as a place where nature is reconstructed and paradise is lost and reinvented.
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ED RUSCHA: SIGNS AND STREETS BOOKS Time magazine’s annual survey of the 100 most influential people in the world this year featured the American artist Ed Ruscha. After graduating from high school in 1956, he drove from Oklahoma City where he grew up to the bright lights of Los Angeles and established his career documenting the seemingly undescriptive streetscapes. Ruscha self published his photographs in several artist’s books including Twentysix Gasoline Stations (1962) and Every Building on the Sunset Strip (1966) which made an impact on Australian architect, John Gollings. Gollings reflected: ‘In 1976, while shooting architecture in Los Angeles, I was taken by a friend, Barry Sloane, to a small book store where he encouraged me to buy a set of the Ruscha books. They have proved to be a source of inspiration and courage to follow my intuition.’ Ruscha’s influential artist books will be on display in the foyer space at the same time as Gollings’ Rephotography Project exhibition.
architecture and nature, and how people interact with both,’ observed Uranishi. From his small 45 cm square kiln, porcelain structures reminiscent of the built environment are created using slip casting and slab techniques. His work fuses great craftsmanship and Japanese sensibility with a fascination for his surrounding environment. Uranishi studied ceramics for four years at the Nara College of Fine Arts (Japan) and juggled several jobs after graduating in 1996, including digging on an archaeological site in Nara to save enough money to buy a kiln. The year he settled in Australia, Gold Coast City Gallery acquired Unit from the 2006 Gold Coast International Ceramic Art Award.
GOLD COAST CITY GALLERY 07 5581 6567 gallery@theartscentregc.com.au www.theartscentregc.com.au
John Gollings, …anyhow* have a Winfield, Ski, The Pink Elephant Bar and Bistro, Chevron Paradise Hotel, Ice Cream Parlour/ Chevron Renaissance Shopping Arcade S P Blvd between Cavill and Elkorn Ave, 1974- 2013. Courtesy the artist
Las Vegas Studio Images from the Archives of Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown
29 June – 11 August 2013
Exhibition organised and managed by Museum im Bellpark, Kriens Denise Scott Brown The strip seen from the desert with Robert Venturi’s silhouette 1966 Robert Venturi The strip seen from the desert with Denise Scott Brown in the foreground 1966 © Venturi Scott Brown and Associates Courtesy Museum im Bellpark
Public Programs Exhibition Events 1 July Learning from Las Vegas 31 July Since 1973: Remembering Paradise 05 – 11 August School Partnership Project Exhibition After Dark Program 4 July 18 July 1 August
Martino Stierli Morning Tea Broadbeach Primary
Galleries stay open 5-7.30pm Talks commence at 6pm Learning from Surfers Paradise John Gollings Forgotten Women in Architecture Naomi Stead Sign City Peter Hall / Design industry
Full details of all speakers and events visit: theartscentregc.com.au/gallery
KENJI URANISHI: SANCTUARY
Denise Scott Brown, Parking lot with Roman soldier, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, 1966. Photo © Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, Inc., Philadelphia. Courtesy Museum im Bellpark Kriens
Until 4 August With two architecturally inspired exhibitions on display and following his stellar exhibition at Andrew Baker gallery late last year, Japaneseborn ceramic artist Kenji Uranishi was invited to create an installation for the intimate Dark Room space. ‘I am interested in and influenced by Antiques and
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GOLD COAST
Gold Coast City Gallery’s WINTER PROGRAM QUILTERS GUILD EXHIBITION 2013 10 August – 1 September reasured for their practicability to keep one warm in the colder months, quilts both conjure memories and evoke admiration for their craftsmanship. Showcasing the best work by members of the of Gold Coast Quilters Guild, this biennial exhibition presents both unique and traditional designs and celebrates not only the materials and techniques that form these exquisitely made works but also the narratives behind quilt-making. Many of the artisans employ techniques passed down the family line, having been taught by their mothers and grandmothers, whilst others have learned much through their membership of the guild. A quilt made by members of the Gold Coast Quilters Guild and Wattle Quilters will be raffled with funds going to the Guild and Wattle Quilters. Wattle Quilters are a group of local ladies making and distributing quilts to various charitable organisations for those in need At the exhibition we will be selling Xmas decorations and other gift items all made by members of the Gold Coast Quilters Guild and all these funds will go to the charity ‘Paradise Kids’.
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DAVE GROOM 17 August – 15 September Fourth generation resident of the Gold Coast Hinterland region, artist Dave Groom lives and works in a studio he built that borders Lamington National Park. From here he is able to observe and absorb the subtle shifts in light and colour as they pass across the bush each day and he brings this knowledge to his
artworks. In drawing inspiration from his surrounding landscape, Groom works in the manner of an old master with a modern twist. Artist’s statement The way I work these days tends to be a process of looking at the shapes, textures and atmosphere of the natural landscape and then creating drawings that combine these elements, producing images with a surreal quality. I then use these drawings as study pieces for larger oil paintings. For me it is a rewarding process because the drawings are concerned purely with line and tone, so there is great freedom in creating work with depth and atmosphere. I then have a blueprint to create paintings that are also about depth and atmosphere, but have the added presence of colour and texture. Groom’s beautifully executed drawings demonstrate strong draughtsmanship and will be exhibited alongside his brightly coloured dreamlike paintings of the Gold Coast Hinterland. Meet the Artist & Drawing Masterclass 17 August; 25 August In conjunction with the exhibition, there will be an opportunity to meet Dave Groom on Saturday 17 August at 2 pm. This is a free event. In addition, Groom is conducting a Drawing Masterclass on Sunday 25 August, from 10 am to 4 pm. The cost is $50 and places are limited. To book please phone: 07 5588 4000.
MEETING PLACE: THE ASIAN CENTURY 17 August –15 September Australia’s relationship with Asia has undergone dramatic shifts over the past generation and it is often easy to lose sight of the meaning of these
GOLD COAST
Quilters Guild Exhibition 2013
Dave Groom, Cockatoos through the forest, 2013, oil on linen. Courtesy the artist
changes at a person-to-person level. Meeting Place: The Asian Century, organised by the Australian Creative Exchange, brings together the work of artists from Australia, China, Korea, Japan, Indonesia and Taiwan who are eager to share in common dialogue of creative practice in the visual arts. The Australian Creative Exchange Inc. (ACE) was initiated on the Gold Coast in 2011 to develop creative and strategic partnerships with other international art communities, to promote art practices regionally as well as internationally, and to generate deeper and more direct people-to-people links with Asian cultures through community participation. This new exhibition brings together their latest works and a lively series of public programs and events that all aim to encourage crosscultural exchange and dialogue. The artists have each taken the idea of Meeting Place and interpreted it through a variety of ways and the ACE explores the idea of coming together, convergence and interconnection on a number of levels. Meeting sites can be sacred, secular, shared and private, and most importantly, for this Creative Exchange project, these sites are intercultural. Gold Coast based Aboriginal artist, Madeline Hodge, an original ACE participant, explains that the Bundall area, where the Gold Coast City Gallery is located, was a traditional meeting place and an historical midden site for the Aboriginal people who came together there. Exhibiting artists include Judy Anderson, Antone Bruinsma, Lainie Cooper,Tony Dowers, Madeline Hodge, Margie Huebner, Dieter Kloeckner, Michaela Kloeckner, Myrung Muir, Somchai Charoen, Xileng Cao, Xing Ruilian, Raymond Cheney, Lee Koungha and Take Uchida.
Tuscan Rose quilt made by several members of Gold Coast Quilters Guild
ENERGIES 2013 7 September – 6 October All high schools on the Gold Coast are invited
to participate in this year’s Energies exhibition by nominating the work of their most talented senior students. An important feature of this exhibition is that the works are labelled without identifying which school the student comes from. Similarly, there are no prizes awarded with the emphasis instead being on student creativity and skill. Diverse mediums are showcased from painting to installation and the subjects are broad. In the past, students have created wonderful installation pieces critiquing consumerism and commenting on the way the media often portray youth through negative stereotypes.
BORDER ART PRIZE 2013 21 September – 27 October Now in its 13th year, the Border Art Prize celebrates the diversity and abundance of artists in southeast Queensland and northeast NSW. Artwork can be in any media and the prize is open to artists from Tweed Shire, Gold Coast City and adjoining Council areas of Byron and Kyogle Shires, Lismore, Logan and Redland City and Scenic Rim Regional Council. Entry forms are now available on the website and applications close Friday, 30 August at 5 pm. The prizes to be awarded will be $3,000 to the winner, $1,500 to second place and $500 to third place.
PAMELA RAINGER STUDY STIPEND Held in conjunction with the Border Art prize, emerging artists aged between 18 and 25 years are also eligible for the Pamela Rainger Study Stipend. Sponsored by the Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Society, Gold Coast, the winner receives a $1,100 voucher from Musgrave Art. Please enclose a short statement with your application outlining how you would benefit from the study stipend. GOLD COAST CITY GALLERY 07 5581 6567 gallery@theartscentregc.com.au www.theartscentregc.com.au
Somchai Charoen, Welcome. Courtesy the artist
10 August – 1 September The Arts Centre Gold Coast 135 Bundall Road Surfers Paradise Qld
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Michaela Kloeckner, Naughty teapot. Courtesy the artist
Xing Ruilian, Incense burning performance. Courtesy the artist
GOLD COAST
SUMMER SHOWS at the Gold Coast City Gallery HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE COLLECTION 12 October – 24 November s a prelude to the exhibition of designs for a new Gold Coast Cultural Precinct that will be unveiled in November, we present some of the key works and strengths of the Gold Coast City Gallery Collection. These works have been collected over the past 40 years and are normally hidden away in storage. With close to 4,000 artworks and items of material culture, it’s a collection of great significance for the city and is one of the clearest demonstrations of the need for a new art museum building. Highlights to be presented include Michael John Taylor’s Overnight Sleeper, awarded the first Gold Coast City Art Prize in 1968 and the first work to enter the Gold Coast City Gallery’s collection. A recent gift to the collection is the radiant Desert seedling by artist John Olsen, affectionately dubbed the poet of the brush. Considered to be a master of the watercolour medium, this evocative landscape showcases Olsen’s draughtsmanship whilst beautifully capturing the Australian outback teeming with life. Similarly, the powerful and striking untitled painting by indigenous artist Nyurapayia Nampitjinpa aka Mrs Bennett poetically relays stories associated with women’s ceremony. Photography and ceramics by local and international artists will be showcased as will works of art about the Gold Coast and beach culture. This exhibition, titled Highlights from the Collection, will demonstrate the rich depth on offer for visitors to a future Gold Coast Art Museum.
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LIMINAL: QCA GOLD COAST GRADUATE EXHIBITION 2 November –1 December Characterised by the experience of a particular state of being, the 2013 Queensland College of Art Gold Coast Graduating Fine Art and Honours artists acknowledge and embrace their position on the threshold of embarking on their careers as professional artists through their exhibition, Liminal. Showcasing innovative strategies through sculpture, photography, installation and transmedia works, Liminal brings together a group of artists who share a critical approach to constructions of self and other, in order to disrupt their assumed status and meaning. The artists challenge the viewer to question their
sense of certainty in uncertain times while doing more than hinting at the eternal hope possessed by those at the very beginning of their journey. The Gold Coast campus of the Queensland College of Art at Griffith University has gained a reputation for nurturing local creative talent. It was not long ago that Victoria Reichelt, winner of this year’s Sulman Prize and Anna Carey, a finalist in the Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Photography Award 2013 with works now held in public and private collections, hung their works in this show as students. Exhibiting in 2013 are Alyson Baker, Melissa Bentley, Alexandra Condon, Jason Haggerty, Claire Hastings, Tyler Jackson, Yoko Lance, Rachel Spencer and Sonia York-Pryce.
Clockwise from top left: Garden Show, Wolfsburg, Germany by Topotek 1, Hoki Art Museum, Chiba, Japan by Nikken Sekkei Architects, Kunsthaus Art Gallery, Graz, Austria by CRAB Studio (London), Alexandra Condon, 11.08PM (detail), 2013. Courtesy the artist, Jason Haggerty, like unlike (detail), 2013. Courtesy the artist
THE REVEAL: DESIGNS FOR A NEW GOLD COAST CULTURAL PRECINCT 22 November – 15 December From a field of 75 local and international entries, an expert jury has shortlisted three design teams ARM Architecture, CRAB_VOGT_DBI and Nikken Sekkei to produce detailed concepts for a Gold Coast Cultural Precinct. Each shortlisted team was awarded $250,000 to participate in an intensive 12-week Stage Two design period. The exhibition of their resulting work presents great diversity in the designs with concepts ranging from single-roof structures to clusters of buildings and those with buildings dispersed across the site. Visitors will see their models, drawings and animations and have the opportunity to take part in a variety of public programs. The three teams have produced some of this country’s and the world’s most innovatively designed buildings. Melbourne-based national and international architectural firm ARM Architecture is responsible for many of Australia’s best-known cultural projects, including Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance Visitor Centre, the Melbourne Theatre Company, Canberra’s National Museum of Australia and Perth Arena. ARM is partnered with landscape architects Topotek 1 (Berlin). The CRAB_VOGT_DBI team creates a local and international architectural alliance between respected Gold Coast-based DBI design and global architectural firm CRAB Studio (London). Landscape architecture will be led by Zurich/London-based VOGT. CRAB (Cook Robotham Architectural Bureau), known locally for its design of the nearly completed Soheil Abedian School of Architecture at Bond University.
Japan’s largest architectural firm, Nikken.JP (Tokyo) is partnered with landscape architects Earthscape (Tokyo) and art museum managers Mori Art Museum (Japan) to form the core team. Nikken Sekkei’s many cultural projects include Japan’s Hoki Museum, Pola Museum and Hyogo Performing Arts Centre. As well as a new arts museum and a living arts centre, the teams were challenged to make a landscaped artscape integral to their designs. It is intended that these will become
the city’s natural civic gardens, connecting to the green bridge which is planned to connect to the local business and retail hub of Chevron Island and then on into Surfers Paradise. The announcement of an overall winner will be made in November when this exhibition opens. GOLD COAST CITY GALLERY 07 5581 6567 gallery@theartscentregc.com.au www.theartscentregc.com.au
The Reveal Designs for a new Gold Coast Cultural Precinct 22 November – 15 December
SEE HOW THIS PLACE CAN BE TRANSFORMED
The Arts Centre Gold Coast 135 Bundall Road Surfers Paradise Qld John Olsen, Desert seedling, 2008-2010. Gift of the artist under the Cultural Gifts Program, 2012
Michael John Taylor, Overnight Sleeper, 1968. Winner Gold Coast City Art Prize 1968. Purchased 1968
07 5581 6567 www.theartscentregc.com.au Antiques and
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GOLD COAST
SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA GALLERY
Home to authentic Australian-made products AUTHENTIC ABORIGINAL DIDGERIDOOS pirit of Australia Gallery offers the biggest variety of Eucalyptus species didgeridoos on the Gold Coast. You can find plain ones such as Eucalyptus woolybutt from one to 1.3 metres, and plain ones in bloodwood and ironbark. Hand-painted didgeridoos by Aboriginal artists such as Johnny Turnbull, Colin Wightman, Lionel Phillips, Karl Hardy, Lionie Roser and others can be found in mallee and woolybutt (85 cm – 1.4 m). These artists also paint full size (1.3 – 1.6 m) didgeridoos on bloodwood or ironbark.
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OPALS AND JEWELLERY
APPAREL
The gallery displays a large variety of Aboriginal hand-painted necklaces, bracelets, and other jewellery. An impressive collection of black, crystal and matrix opals originated from Alan Rise, Coober Pedy and other inland opal-mining centres. You can select your own loose opal stones and pendants from Boulder opals, mainly dug from the Queensland opal mines at Yowah, Koroit and Opalville.
There’s a large selection of t-shirts and lycra, hand dyed, tie dyed and printed that are Australian made and feature licensed Aboriginal designs. The gallery offers a wide range of other distinctively Australian products: - Canvas paintings, boomerangs, emu callers and eggs, pottery, wooden carvings - Crocodile and kangaroo leather accessories (belts, wallets, necklaces, bracelets, bags etc) - Australian-made toys - Sheepskin footwear (slippers and Uggs) - Ties, scarves, nappery, novelties and gifts - Harley Davidson official licensed merchandise
OILSKINS, JACKETS AND HATS Traditional oilskin jackets and leather bush hats for the harsh environment of the Australian outback are also available.
Spirit of Australia
G A L L E R Y Specialists in Authentic Aboriginal Fine Arts and Artefacts
Shop No. 5, 3171 Surfers Paradise Boulevard Surfers Paradise Qld 4217 Phone: 07 5561 0330 • Fax: 07 5561 0331 Email: info@spiritofaustraliagallery.com Website: www.spiritofaustraliagallery.com Open 7 days 9 am - 9 pm 14
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SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA GALLERY 07 5561 0330 www.spiritofaustraliagallery.com
GOLD COAST
Graham Bunjhamarra, 180 x 150 cm, $1,490
Goompi Vgerabah,100 x 100 cm, $990
Anthony Walker, 170 x 120 cm, $2,490
Anthony Walker, 3 x 90 x 60 cm (triptych), $1,900
Showcase of ABORIGINAL WORK S pirit of Australia Gallery is the only Aboriginal art gallery in Surfers Paradise. The Gallery offers a unique collection of traditional and contemporary Aboriginal paintings by Central Australia’s most famous artists such as Walangkura Napanangka, Gloria, Jeannie and Kathleen Petyarre, Abie Loy, Evelyn Pultara, Margaret Lewis Napangardi and Ronnie Tjampitjinpa. The more contemporary and modern Aboriginal art is exhibited by Yondee, Trisha Mason, Colin Wightman, Melissa Wright, Grant Paulson, Bibi Barba and others. Spirit of Australia Gallery offers the largest collection of didgeridoos on the Gold Coast. Over 200 authentic, termite-eaten didgeridoos
Goompi Vgerabah, 168 x 70 cm, $1,100
are on display. The Gallery offers free lessons on playing the didgeridoo to customers wanting to learn. You will also find a unique and wide variety of Aboriginal artefacts and souvenirs including boomerangs, apparel, pottery, crafts and gifts. Visitors to the Gold Coast should drop by the Gallery and take a photo of the largest didgeridoo that the Gallery displays at our entrance. SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA GALLERY 07 5561 0330 www.spiritofaustraliagallery.com
Aaron Cora , 171 x 91 cm, $990
John Turnbull, 120 x 90 cm, $1,390
Dorothy Napangardi, 70 x 60 cm, $2,500
Pantjiya Nungarrayi, 120 x 180 cm, $14,900
Spirit of Australia
G A L L E R Y Specialists in Authentic Aboriginal Fine Arts and Artefacts
Abie Loy Kemarre, 100 x 120 cm, $12,000
Margaret Lewis Napangardi, 164 x 90 cm, $1,100
Kuddtji, 120 x 155 cm, $5,500
Dorothy Napangardi, 120 x 60 cm, $4,500
Gracie Ward Napaltjarri, 60 x 60 cm, $1,650
Shop No. 5, 3171 Surfers Paradise Boulevard Surfers Paradise Qld 4217 Phone: 07 5561 0330 • Fax: 07 5561 0331 Email: info@spiritofaustraliagallery.com Website: www.spiritofaustraliagallery.com Open 7 days 9 am - 9 pm Antiques and
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GOLD COAST
SANCTUARY
ANTIQUES
A GALLERY OF VINTAGE & CLASSIC JEWELLERY & ANTIQUES
MASTHEAD WAY, MARINE VILLAGE, SANCTUARY COVE GOLD COAST QLD PH: 07 5514 8070 16
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RUNAWAY BAY
RUNAWAY BAY ANTIQUE AND ARTS CENTRE OPENS ith 300 square metres of selling space and unlimited free off-street and street parking, Runaway Bay Antique and Arts Centre is set to become a must-visit destination for locals and tourists.
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CATERING TO ALL COLLECTING INTERESTS Having just opened in July, Runaway Bay Antique and Arts Centre is already attracting all those with a keen interest in eclectic furniture and decorator items. Stock includes an interesting mix of antiques, collectables, decorative arts and objects, paintings and prints as well as a constantly changing range. Enquiries are also invited from dealers who are interested in being part of Runaway Bay Antique and Arts Centre.
FASHION, FILM & PHOTO SHOOTS
BE INFORMED We send out a weekly email with details of new items – if you would like to be on our mailing list, please email us at info@runawaybayantiquecentre.com.au.
EASY TO FOLLOW DIRECTIONS The centre is less than one hour’s drive from Brisbane. Take the Hope Island turn off from the M1 (we are 13km from this turnoff) and follow that road until it becomes Oxley Drive. We are on the right once you pass the roundabout at Lae Drive. If you are coming from the south, we are one kilometre on the left past Harbourtown. To find out more contact RUNAWAY BAY ANTIQUE AND ARTS CENTRE 0408 109 427 info@runawaybayantiquecentre.com.au www.runawaybayantiquecentre.com.au
Our stock is available for hire for fashion, film and photo shoots. Contact us for further details.
Grace Galleries
GRACE GALLERIES
relocates to Runaway Bay Antique and Arts Centre H aving outgrown its Southport premises, Grace Galleries has moved to the Runaway Bay Antique and Art Centre. The expanded space is ideal to display the wide range of stock that will appeal to the most discerning collector.
ONLINE FOR EASY SHOPPING To obtain an idea of this range, Grace Galleries displays this stock on its website at www.gracegalleries.net where it is conveniently listed under five major categories: 1. Ceramics and Glassware 2. Collectables and Ladies Fashion 3. Furniture and Mirrors
4. Paintings, Prints and Sculpture 5. Tableware and Decor Items.
TRANSPORT ARRANGED
Potential buyers from anywhere in the world can browse online and contact Grace Galleries by phone or email grace@gracegalleries.net to arrange shipping. If purchasing smaller items, most can be posted anywhere in Australia in a 3 kg express bag for a cost of just $25.
WEEKLY EMAIL OF NEW ITEMS A weekly email is sent out with details of all the many new items. Please email us if you would like to be added to our mailing list at grace@gracegalleries.net.
FURNITURE, DECORATIVE ARTS & COLLECTABLES 445 Oxley Drive, Runaway Bay QLD 4216 Ph 0408 109 427 OPEN DAILY 10 – 5 grace@gracegalleries.net wwwgracegalleries.net Grace Galleries have moved from Southport to Runaway Bay Antique Centre We have a huge and constantly changing range of Furniture, Decorative Arts & Collectables. Add a WOW! factor to your decorating! We ship to anywhere in the world! Film & photographic hire service available. Trade welcome!
GRACE GALLERIES 0408 109 427 grace@gracegalleries.net www.gracegalleries.net
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GOLD COAST / BRISBANE
Chica Sive, Terra Australis, Quad, c. 1600
Celestial Spheres, De l’Isle, c. 1729
THREE GREAT MEN who showed the world efore the printing press was invented in around 1440, new discoveries and theories were drawn and circulated by hand. Ptolemy (Claudius Ptolemaeus), (c. 100 – c. 170), hand wrote and drew eight volumes for his Geographia on the geography of the world. In the earliest published books, words were printed by inking a raised type-face that had been created by carving away from the image to be printed. In 1472 the first woodblock map was produced in northern Europe but in Italy a different process was developed to show the fine detail of each map. The first book of maps, comprising Ptolemy’s work, was printed in Bologna in 1477. Each map was engraved into a flat piece of copper, which was then inked, the surface wiped, and the engraved map printed from below the surface of the
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metal plate by applying considerable pressure. Engravings can be identified often by a distinctive plate mark or intaglio impression, caused by the edge of the engraved plate.
PTOLEMY: EARTH AS THE CENTRE OF THE UNIVERSE Considered the ‘father of cartography’, Ptolemy was a Greek mathematician, geographer, astronomer and astrologer who lived in Alexandria when it was the most important centre of learning in the world, and the centre of trade between east and west. Ptolemy’s theories were developed from those of the ancient Greeks. His most important works were Almagest on astronomy, presenting the theory that the universe revolved around earth; and Geographia, the first organised presentation of geography using grid structure and mathematical projections for maps, and the terms ‘latitude’ and ‘longitude’. It was Ptolemy who theorised that there
ANTIQUE PRINT COMPANY
Terrestrial Spheres, De l’Isle, c. 1729
must be a great south land to balance the weight produced by the known land masses of the northern hemisphere, to keep the earth from tipping up. His theories were maintained for over 1,500 years.
GERARDUS MERCATOR: THE EARTH VIEWED FLAT – WITH STYLE Hundreds of years later, during the most important period in the development of mapmaking, Gerardus Mercator (1512 – 1594) studied mathematics and became a cartographer and instrument and globe-maker. Mercator drew and engraved his first map (of Palestine) in 1537, but he established his fame in 1569 with an enormous eighteen-sheet world map, in book form, drawn to his new ‘Mercator Projection’ with increasing latitudes. ‘The World on Mercator’s Projection’ can be found at the top of many flat projections of the world that were published in previous centuries, and the term is still in use today. Although he was not the inventor of this type of projection, Mercator was the first to apply it to navigational charts so that compass bearings could be plotted in straight lines, greatly assisting early navigators. Brilliant in the design and construction of mathematical instruments, Mercator also greatly improved the method of land surveying. As a skilled copperplate engraver, Mercator introduced italic handwriting to embellish mapmaking. He produced globes, re-engraved as closely as possible the maps for a new edition of Ptolemy’s Geographia, and published a three part atlas which became known as the Mercator Atlas.
ORTELIUS: FIRST ATLAS OF EVEN-SIZED UP-TO-DATE MAPS
For thousands of interesting, decorative, rare antique maps & prints • Maps of early Australia and all of the world - from c1600 • Early Views: coastal, maritime, country, city, architecture • Natural History: flowers, birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, insects • People: portraits, caricatures, military, sporting, children, fashion • Entertainment: music, theatre, strange customs, craft & artefacts
Buy securely online from www.antiqueprintclub.com (continually added to & updated, so let us know your interests)
sales@antiqueprintclub.com
P. 07 5525 1363 M. 0412 442 283
& Brisbane Antique Centre on Beenleigh-Redland Bay Rd at M1 exit 30 & (Sept-Oct) Brisbane Antique Emporium, Clayfield at Sandgate-Junction Rd cnr.
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Although Mercator was the first to refer to a book of maps as an atlas (after a legendary King of Libya, a learned philosopher, mathematician and astronomer who is supposed to have constructed the first celestial globe), ‘Ortelius’ Abraham Ortel (1528 – 1598) is credited with the first formal atlas Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Atlas of the Whole World) published in 1570, because it was the first book to contain a systematic collection of maps of uniform size, compiled from contemporary knowledge and not relying on the theories of Ptolemy. Ortelius travelled widely through Europe and used his cartographer contacts to gather maps which he drew and Frans Hogenberg engraved. His Theatrum appeared in numerous editions in different languages with updates incorporating the latest knowledge and discoveries. The final edition was published in 1612. Ortelius worked in Antwerp, one of the world’s great commercial centres, and shared knowledge of the latest discoveries with Mercator who encouraged and advised him. Ortelius also adapted Mercator’s maps for his own publications. He was more commercially minded than Mercator who was more interested in science.
in variation of the clarity of the printed lines during a print run. The quality of individual antique prints further varies as a result of different exposure and handling. The number of antique maps or prints published varied in accordance with economics and demand. All prints from each state of an engraved plate are considered to be original if they were printed at the time of that plate’s original publication. Modern prints that have been taken from an original print, rather than from the actual printing plate, are known as reproductions. These are equally decorative, but are of less value. These are available as ‘Heritage Editions’.
ENGRAVING OF ILLUSTRATIONS Engraving for the printing of images was painstaking and highly skilled work. The engraving was made more difficult by having to be done in reverse as a mirror image, so that the image was the right way round when printed for publication. Paper was an expensive product and was hand-made from the 15th century until the 18th century. Illustrating books with images made them extremely expensive to produce. Just as papermaking methods have varied over the years, so has the printing process – sometimes to adapt to the skill of the creator, but also to accommodate the development of the production process which more often than not has been governed by economics.
AFFORDABILITY… AND MAP POX While engravings of maps from the 16th century and earlier are rarely seen today, a wide range of 17th, 18th and 19th century antique maps are still readily available. As with antique prints of other subjects, rarity, quality, condition and demand will all affect the value of antique maps. You can buy an original map over 100 years old for as little as $50 or for more than $5,000. Cost does not determine the amount of fascination they can provide – from the kind of paper and printing method in their production (and the wonder of their survival) to the variation of information shown on them. The inaccuracies of earlier coastlines now entertain us, but as centuries have changed political boundaries, the varying names and borders of regions and countries also provide a graphic reminder of the past. The more you study them the more you’ll be hooked – an affliction that is sometimes referred to as ‘map pox’! Kathryn & Derek Nicholls ANTIQUE PRINT CLUB 07 5525 1363 / 0412 442 283 sales@antiqueprintclub.com www.antiqueprintclub.com
VARIATION IN ANTIQUE MAPS To incorporate new discoveries, sections of copperplates could be beaten flat and reengraved with corrected information. The relative softness of a copperplate and re-inking of a plate during the printing process resulted
Tallis, Mercator Projection of the World, c. 1850
BRISBANE
The thrill of the chase AT THE BRISBANE ANTIQUE CENTRE E very collector dreams of finding their
elusive ‘Holy Grail’ to fill that precious gap on the shelf in their collection. We spend hundreds of hours in passionate pursuit of our collectable delights, going from garage sales to antique fairs to auctions to antique shops to clearing sales – and the list rolls on. Sometimes when we least expect it, that rare species jumps out in front of us in the most peculiar of places. Regardless of whether you collect whatzits or thingamajigs, every single obsessive compulsive collector will be able to instantly relate to this desire to seek and find. For this very same reason we will wallow in mud, put our hands into dark places that could easily have venomous repercussions, leave home at very early or late hours of the day and night, and pull finances from all sorts of places just to bag our prey. The staff and many dealers at the Brisbane Antique Centre have all been involved in these pursuits to varying degrees for over two centuries collectively. We understand that desire to search and preserve, let alone the thrill of ownership for years to come.
WISH LIST SERVICE Through the wealth of experience we have on board with our many treasured (and treasure hunting) dealers, you will find a virtual Pandora’s box of collectable items for sale at the centre. Should you not find it on the day, we will gladly add you to our wish list for customers after particular items of interest. We have already been able to fulfil the wishes of many happy customers who appreciate the level of service we offer.
MONTHLY AUCTIONS
Should you not be able to find what you are looking for at Brisbane Antique Centre, please remember we also hold monthly antique, vintage and collectable auctions on the first Sunday of the month. Our next auction on Sunday, 4 August, will float the boat of many collectors. We have anything and everything consigned to auction. Auctions commence at 10 am, with viewing on the morning of the auction itself and on the immediate Saturday before. Make sure you check out the auction link on our website as we come closer to the auction date. We welcome confidential absentee bidding if you cannot make it on the day. We are already very excited by the interesting items coming through the doors!
DIRECTIONS TO BAC As you continue your chase for those special collectable morsels, please remember to include regular visits to Brisbane Antique Centre just off the Motorway (M1) at Loganholme. It is as simple as taking Exit 30 and you are there. Our entrance is through Café Eiffel at the front corner of our very large complex and we can all but guarantee that you will be amazed by the sheer size of the place when you walk in. No need to pack a lunch as our French themed cafe manned by friendly baristas offers excellent service and food. Happy hunting! BRISBANE ANTIQUE CENTRE 07 3806 0118 admin@brisbaneantiquecentre.com.au www.brisbaneantiquecentre.com.au
4014 Pacific Highway Loganholme QLD 4129
NOW OPEN
◊ 2300+ sq m one level antique super centre ◊ Dedicated antique auction centre (1st auction Sunday 3 Feb 2013 ◊ French themed Café Eiffel as our entrance ◊ 140+ dedicated off-street car parking ◊ 24 hour on-site security ◊ Great Motorway (M1) visibility and very easy access immediately off EXIT 30
admin@brisbaneantiquecentre.com.au
07 3806 0118
www.brisbaneantiquecentre.com.au Antiques and
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BRISBANE
Exhibitions at PETRIE TERRACE GALLERY THE HALF DOZEN GROUP 1 – 6 October For over 70 years the Half Dozen Group of Artists has provided facilities for the promotion of the visual arts, mainly through drawing and painting. It is an incorporated, not-for-profit organisation whose main aims are to provide opportunities for self Penelope Gilbert-Ng, Catch of the Day
education to artists at all stages of their development, who in turn are encouraged to share their skills and knowledge with fellow artists and, on occasions, with the community. The group runs regular workshops for members and non members and its popular Annual Exhibition is held in the first week of October. www.hdg-artists.com Sue Victorsen, Commuting Aswan
Milling crowds at last year’s opening of the Half Dozen Group of Artists’ Annual Exhibition
GRAINS OF SAND
PHIL BAZZO
8 – 19 October The modest title belies the evident quality of these collectable artists. Penelope GilbertNg, president of the Pastel Society of Australia, past president of Royal Queensland Art Society (RQAS), renowned artist and educator and Sue Victorsen – active and long-standing member of the Half Dozen Group and RQAS, share their travels with the viewer in this exciting exhibition. Both are proficient in a range of mediums and are highly regarded by their peers – their work speaks volumes.
5 – 16 November An experienced artist, Phil Bazzo will hold his tenth solo exhibition at the Petrie Terrace Gallery in early November. This exhibition focuses on his travels and includes the work London Elephants. He shows a high degree of imagination and individuality. A Phil Bazzo painting is a parallel universe where things you know are surprisingly different: colours are heightened and shapes are strange. Have the laws of nature changed? – the space inside is self consistent – entirely convincing really. Quite magical! Further information can be found at philbazzo.com.
Above: Phil Bazzo, London Elephants Right: Lyn Mason, Blue
THE IMAGE MAKERS 21 November – 5 December Four Ipswich artists who rubbed shoulders at art events have collaborated in showing their mettle in Brisbane. The variety makes this show as interesting as it is diverse. Tom Mason is an artist, sculptor and photographer as well as a painter of a wide range of subjects, both figurative and abstract. To this eclectic mix, Lyn Mason adds spectacular photography as well as abstract painting, mixed media and clay sculptures. Charming works are executed by Andrea Baumert-Howard who explores aesthetic/stylistic concepts in minimalist line work and pointillism. This dedicated artist had recent success in the 2013 Ipswich Art Awards and Ipswich’s Spotlight Gallery. The Artist in Residence at Ipswich’s Old Court House, Glen Smith, is a prolific painter with a fresh approach to objects near and dear, such as animals and still life. Glen fits painting in while co-running an antique store and has previously conducted art events in Ipswich. The official opening of The Image Makers is at 7 for 7.30 pm on Friday, 22 November. Do come along!
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Exhibitions of featured artists are held at the Royal Queensland Art Society’s Petrie Terrace Gallery. For more information PETRIE TERRACE GALLERY 07 3367 1977 www.rgas.com.au
BRISBANE
HOT SPOT for investment art T he Royal Queensland Art Society (Brisbane Branch) Inc entered a new era 18 months ago when purchasing new premises in Petrie Terrace, Brisbane. Its new gallery provides a showcase for members’ work with exhibitions and competitions. The gallery is also available for hire to other talented artists, and workshops are held in the spacious studio upstairs. It’s a coming of age – a natural progression for a prestigious, long-established and wellrespected society. Its patron is the Governor of Queensland, Ms Penelope Wensley AC.
HOME TO TALENT The Society has been home and a spawning ground to many exceptional and successful artists over the years, such as Godfrey Rivers, JJ Hilder, Lloyd Rees, Len Shillam, Rubery Bennett, Margaret Olley, Vida Lahey and Betty Churcher. Some of today’s members will soon be added to that list, for the society embraces an amazing pool of talent − a fountainhead of awardwinning artists and future winners. For instance, there are two young artists at the beginning of brilliant careers who have won the highly acclaimed $50,000 AME Bale Scholarship. They work and show side by side with other very experienced award-winning practitioners as well as hobbyists and beginners. Art investors who support this vibrant new generation will be the first to reap rewards in the future. Many members are trained in Old Masters’ methodologies, with solid drawing and painting skills as a foundation. They draw on these skills to create expressive, thoughtprovoking, light-filled works. They may be contemporary and innovative in composition, yet so skilfully rendered that they stir appreciation and waken the artist in all of us.
Organisations interested in taking part are invited to contact the secretary.
WORKSHOPS & CLASSES
A 60 square-metre, light-filled studio above the gallery is used for workshops by high calibre artists and tutors. In a recent workshop by the notable portrait artist Robert Hannaford, demand exceeded available places. A series of similar workshops is planned for the future. The studio also hosts several regular weekly life-drawing sessions. A lending library of some 3,000 art books attracts new members of all ages: degree graduates, art collectors, emerging artists, practising professionals, beginners and hobbyists in all genres and mediums. Members are buoyed by the opportunity to grow, develop, learn, build supportive networks, market and exhibit their work, all under one roof.
EXCITING PROGRAM The annual exhibition at Petrie Terrace Gallery in August provides a cross section of members’ work and offers buyers a chance to get in on the ground floor. On show are up to 200 works giving ample opportunity for discerning collectors to view their favourite genre and purchase a work by their preferred artist. Many of the artists will be there at the opening. The gallery changes exhibitions every two or three weeks, so people are advised to join the mailing list, check the website, and visit often to see what’s on.
WINTER – SUMMER EXHIBITION SCHEDULE The Petrie Terrace Gallery is featuring 11 exciting shows between 1 July and Christmas 8 – 18 July SOROPTIMIST SOCIETY 19 July – 3 August BRIAN DEAGON 6 – 30 August RQAS ANNUAL EXHIBITION 31 August – 15 September RQAS FELLOWS EXHIBITION 16 – 29 September NICOLE DARLINGTON 30 September – 6 October HALF DOZEN GROUP
Glen Gillard, Near Isurava (detail)
7 – 20 October GRAINS OF SAND (Penelope Gilbert Ng and Sue Victorsen)
HISTORY OF SUPPORTING ARTISTS
21 October – 3 November THE ANIMATORS 4 – 16 November PHIL BAZZO 21 November – 5 December THE IMAGE MAKERS 9 – 23 December ATELIER STUDIO
The Royal Queensland Art Society (Brisbane) Inc continues to support artists young and old, by offering facilities, incentives and an appropriate environment – a tradition it has maintained since 1887. THE ROYAL QUEENSLAND ART SOCIETY (BRISBANE BRANCH) INC 07 3367 1977 secretary@rqas.com.au www.rqas.com.au
ADVANTAGES FOR MEMBERS Members can exhibit several times a year in group shows and competitions, or can hire gallery space at a discount. The RQAS also sponsors open competitions – the Richardson Drawing Award ($1,000), Diversity in Print ($1,000) and the Pastel Competition ($1,000). There are also plans underway to establish a major art prize and scholarship. The Society is proactive in seeking corporate sponsorship.
Laura Phillips, Position, Position, Position
Kay Kane, Rushing Waters
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ENGAGING WITH ASIA China’s rising interest in western jewels & antiques ntil recently the Chinese have not been all that interested in western antiques and jewellery, but this seems to be changing. Most antique dealers have some sort of a story to tell about a dealer from China who walked in and tried to buy everything not bolted down for unrealistically low prices. Where there have been these experiences there are also stories of dealers achieving good sales. One such experience occurred some years ago in Brisbane. A Taiwanese national went around town buying as many
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clocks as he could get – large and small, old and very old. He came into my shop and purchased $22,000 worth and I know of another dealer who sold him timepieces to the value of $80,000. Just recently we had an arts dealer from mainland China looking for old English and European paintings. The criteria were they had to be pre 1920, preferably works in oil and must be signed. The artist had to be listed and, even better still, if there was a clear provenance with the work. The paintings acquired by this dealer were mainly
Penfold Jewellers
Reg. No. 26
FOR ALL INSURANCE VALUATIONS ON JEWELLERY, GEMS, SILVERWARE INSURANCE • PROBATE • MATRIMONIAL
of themes and execution not popular with local taste, which proved to be a boon for local galleries who were finding it difficult to market these works.
A NUMBERS GAME These types of stories are not all that common, but my next one is. It went worldwide and significantly, affected the world diamond market for a period of time. Last year in China there was a sharp rise in young couples becoming engaged, which led to a huge demand for 0.85 ct diamonds. Why was this stone size important? Because 8 and 5 are both regarded to be lucky numbers in Chinese culture, while 4 and 6 are held to be unlucky. It is a numbers game and very few people can grasp the numbers as they appear to be getting out of control. The population of China is about 1.3 billion, so let’s assume that 5% of this number are affluent – that is 65,000,000 – and then assume that 5% of this economic group decide to marry and buy an 0.85 ct diamond. Or, alternately, not buying a precious stone but a piece of porcelain such as a Lladró statue or a fine antique gold pocket watch – it does not matter what is acquired as this is an all-out numbers game that works. So now we have 3.25 million people looking for that diamond, artwork, or fine antique item.
DEMAND EXCEEDS SUPPLY With the 0.85 carat diamond, the situation became quite dire when diamonds of a specific colour, clarity and cut were required. The international diamond market went into meltdown and was not able to meet the demand. Worse was yet to come – the huge cutting factories in general ignored the western market and sold direct to the larger Chinese conglomerates who paid higher prices and COD. We are now seeing the same thing happen with large coloured stones such as the sapphire, emerald and, in particular, the ruby. This trend is very worrying as there is not an abundance of supply in the first place and the Chinese, in general, are paying very high prices. Friends in England tell me that the Chinese are also quite active in purchasing high end antiques. The numbers that I have quoted here I believe are very conservative but, whichever way we look at it, it’s a mind boggling situation! Ken Penfold PENFOLD JEWELLERS 07 3221 7516 penfoldjewellers@tpg.com.au
Brisbane’s Antique Specialists P: 07 3221 7516 F: 07 3221 7206 M: 0400 322 175 Shop 5 Anzac Square 206 Adelaide Street Brisbane QLD 4000 Australia penfoldjewellers@tpg.com.au
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BRISBANE
GATSBY FEVER FUELS FURTHER INTEREST
in art deco jewellery
ust about everyone knows the term ‘Art Deco’ but how did it come about? The name derived from an exhibition that was held in 1925 in Paris – the Exposition des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes. The style is easy to identify because the curvilinear lines and pastel colours of the previous art nouveau style were out. Art deco lines favoured geometric forms, and the colours were bright. Remember the saying, ‘Blue and green should never be seen?’ Well that idea flew out of the window in the art deco period, especially with French jewellery house Cartier setting deep green emeralds with lapis lazuli and sapphires. Such bright colours were a big change from the art nouveau period.
Everything that was used in the home from lamps to cutlery, advertising art, glass and mirrors, perfume bottles – the simple lines and bright colours meant this chic, elegant style was perfectly adaptable to most objects including the everyday. It was obviously well received and welcomed after the World War I years, but the most amazing thing to me is that art deco never declined in popularity. Sure styles come and go, but when I first started working in the antique trade in Melbourne, art deco was still on everyone’s lips. Since its birth in Paris, I believe, it has never really left us. The new Gatsby film is influencing trends in jewellery of the art deco period and popularising it even further.
CHIC STYLE
Looking at just the jewellery of the art deco period, it could be easily categorised into two: the precious and expensive and the imitation or costume jewellery that was affordable. For precious jewels, platinum was used with primarily diamonds, emeralds, sapphires and rubies. French fashion designers were working without boundaries because luxurious looks were in. Fashion had matching jewels, with matching interiors and exteriors. Paris was leading the world in fashion and taste so that is why firms such as Cartier and Boucheron, just to name a couple, became lavish in designing matching jewels. Now such original art deco pieces are not only art pieces, they are investments. But what about the imitation jewellery of the ’20s and ’30s? Of course, in a time where people were hoping that their appearances would have them accepted into high society, there were many who were not able to afford the precious jewels of Cartier for example. This is what I love about the art deco period, its costume jewellery design is also beautiful, sleek and collectable. Instead of precious materials, the jewellery was set with jade, enamels, marcasite, plastic, etc. And Coco Chanel was the one who set the costume jewellery idea in motion. These pieces are now sought after, which is just wonderful. I love the original deco costume jewellery as well as the original precious pieces, both types of which are stocked at Kellies.
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We often hear about the roaring ’20s, and they were. F Scott Fitzgerald’s book‚ The Great Gatsby and its latest film version describe how these times were really roaring. Cocktail parties galore and party, party, party. It was a time of social change; there was a lot of new wealth and many Americans were travelling to Paris and taking back the new style to America and they did this incredibly well – look at the art deco architecture of New York, for example. Art deco became a style for everything: buildings, furniture, jewellery, clothes, art.
purchased an old building from the 1920s to expand their jewellery business. After the purchase, thousands of original art deco jewellery forms were discovered in the building’s attic so the family decided to use these original forms and moulds to reproduce deco jewellery. It is beautifully made and hand finished, and this lovely quality range is also sold at Kellies Antiques. So history is repeating itself. Art deco jewellery still comprises two categories – and Kellies is still stocking those amazing original precious and costume versions but included in the latter we also have this wonderful new range of art deco style pieces. Now a new generation is again falling for those sleek, elegant designs. Come visit Kellies Antiques upstairs in the Brisbane Arcade. Moira Drexler KELLIES ANTIQUES 07 3221 4825 www.kellies-antiques.com Blog: kelliesantiques.wordpress.com
ART PIECES & INVESTMENTS
ALWAYS FASHIONABLE The style for me, has never really gone out of fashion.Art deco jewellery was always ‘in’. As well as always stocking original art deco pieces, I also carry a range of art deco style jewellery that is affordable.This reproduction art deco jewellery is hand crafted in Pforzheim – Germany’s jewellery capital and a city renowned for manufacturing such since the Middle Ages. Years ago I met a family who had
ORIGINAL ART DECO DIAMOND RING
Kellies Antiques Gallery Level (Upstairs) BRISBANE ARCADE Shop 16, 160 Queen Street Brisbane Ph: 07 3221 4825 www.kellies-antiques.com Antiques and
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IDENTIFYING GENUINE IVORY
Examples from The Antique Guild Colour, weight, and temperature are all important factors when it comes to deciding its authenticity. Real ivory will build up a patina over time, often yellowing with age. However, this is not indicative of all ivory, as it depends on how it has been handled and how well it has been preserved. Fraudulent traders have been known to darken real and imitation ivory, in order to replicate an antique patina. Another obvious and immediate telltale sign of imitation ivory is cast lines. Many tourist trade items of carved tusk may appear genuine at first, however a closer look will reveal areas where the item has been composed of two halves pulled from a mould. These pieces may be priced too good to be true and given an ‘antique’ appearance, but again, a rudimentary inspection will usually make its true nature clear. Bone is also a very common substitute for genuine ivory and has the organic feel that comes with ivory. While it may have been treated to have an ivory look, the easiest way to see that it isn’t ivory is its porous nature.
CLUES IN COLOUR, WEIGHT & TEMPERATURE
he fine grain, smooth texture and creamy colour of ivory have resulted in its demand as a luxury item. Its carving into sculptures, ornaments, and decorative or utilitarian objects was extremely popular in medieval Europe. The main source of ivory was the African Savannah elephant. Sadly, this craving for the exotic and rare led to the eventual declaration of the African elephant as endangered. From 1970 to 1985, the total elephant population of Africa had decreased by half resulting in a CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife Fauna and Flora) meeting in 1989, wherein 115 countries banned the import and export of ivory and the ivory trade was declared illegal. However, today while mammoth ivory is still legal – as it is exhumed from an extinct species and given some fanfare for its ancient nature, there exists an irreplaceable fascination with original elephant ivory in the carving of ecclesiastical pieces to ornaments for personal use such as jewellery. As it becomes more and more difficult to find, due to its restricted trade and import, its value has also risen, with some pieces fetching very high prices. The trouble is, how can one tell if an object is indeed genuine ivory or one of the many imitations and substitutes?
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HOW TO PICK SUBSTITUTES Because of its desirability as a material, ivory supply has not always met demand. Due to the limited amount of ivory export, manufacturers had to turn to alternate sources in order to compensate. Imitation ivory has been an alternate source of ivory since the 19th century, with cases recorded of piano makers selling pianos with faux ivory keys despite labelling them otherwise. Early ivory alternatives include vegetable ivory, celluloid, bone, and even powdered ivory resins. With the development of plastics in the early 20th century, imitation ivory became a common and affordable ivory substitute. When it comes to identifying antique ivory, it is important to first determine whether it is real or not. All of the identification techniques suggested here are guides in order to help a buyer more closely distinguish real versus fake ivory. The only way to authenticate ivory with 100% accuracy is to have it inspected by a trained scientist. Many people suggest the ‘hot needle test’, which is not only ineffective but can often lead to damaging otherwise valuable pieces. The most reliable method of identifying ivory is by handling it, and ruling out what it is not.
As the majority of ivory pieces are sourced from the cementum (the thin, hard, bony tissue covering the root of a tooth) and dentine parts (located below the cementum and enamel and denser than bone, forming the major portion of a tooth) of elephants’ tusks, ivory will often prove to be a weighty and cold material. When compared to bone or plastic, it will feel heavy, solid, and cool to touch. Plastic reacts to heat faster than ivory, and will often maintain warmth after being held. A great way to test this is to hold a piece of plastic and ivory in your hand for a short while, and then test the temperature of each against your wrist or cheek. Genuine ivory should still feel cool, whilst most plastics will have retained some body heat. By observing colour, weight, and temperature, you can find signs that are indicative of the validity of your ivory. However, one of the more reliable methods of authenticating your ivory is through the inspection of its pearlescent Schreger pattern (as can be observed in the Buddha’s belly, pictured). Depending on which part of the tusk an ivory piece was carved from, the Schreger lines will appear as cross-hatching, stacked chevrons, or even long ghostly streaks. Many synthetic ivories try to replicate the Schreger pattern, yet frequently have trouble duplicating the cross-hatching effect. Plastic ivory that tries to reproduce the Schreger lines will often appear too uniform, and processed. The Schreger pattern is also a great discerning
indication between elephant and mammoth ivory. This is important to determine because, as stated earlier, the trade of mammoth ivory is still legal. As a general rule, if the angle of the cross-hatching is greater than 110 degrees, it will be elephant ivory. If the angle of the lines is less than 90 degrees, it indicates that the ivory is from a mammoth. For a selection of fine and interesting examples of genuine ivory articles, pay a visit to The Guild’s premises in Brisbane’s Stamford Plaza Hotel. For more information about what is in stock contact Chris Hughes THE ANTIQUE GUILD 07 3221 3112 chris@theantiqueguild.com.au www.theantiqueguild.com.au Further reading www.cites.org/eng/resources/pub/E-Ivoryguide.pdf
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For the diary: QADA’S CHRISTMAS SELLING EXHIBITION 7 – 8 DECEMBER he Queensland Antique Dealers Association (QADA) will be holding a Christmas selling exhibition at the Old Queensland Museum building on 7 and 8 December 2013 and will open from 10 am until 5 pm on both days. Entry to the exhibition will be only $6 per person.
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BOUTIQUE EVENT SHOWCASING QUALITY ANTIQUES This boutique event will provide you with an ideal opportunity to acquire quality antiques for your collection, or to find ideal Christmas gifts for friends and loved ones. Among the wonderful pieces on offer will be fine furniture, silver, jewellery, porcelain and pottery, rare books, glass, works of art and mirrors.
HISTORIC VENUE Originally known as the Exhibition Building, the Old Museum was built in 1891 for the Queensland National Agricultural and Industrial Association – today’s RNA (Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland). Designed by prominent Brisbane architect G.H.M. Addison, it is now on the Queensland Heritage Register.
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From 1899 until 1986 the building was home to the Queensland Museum and, during that time, other parts of the building were used as a concert hall and an art gallery. As the building was occupied by the Queensland Museum for such a long period, it is now known as the Old Museum.
SHOP & RELAX AT STUDIO 1 QADA is very pleased that it can hold its Christmas selling exhibition at the Old Museum’s ‘Studio 1’. This wonderful venue will provide a congenial setting for the fine antiques on offer and create an intimate and relaxed atmosphere. Fresh food and drinks will also be available inside our venue.
DIRECTIONS TO THE OLD MUSEUM The Old Museum is located on Gregory Terrace at Bowen Hills, right next to the RNA Showgrounds, and only a short five to 10 minute walk from the Fortitude Valley Railway station on Brunswick Street. Bus stop 7 is located outside the Old Museum Building on Bowen Bridge Road and buses 370, 375 and 321 stop there. There is ample street parking and paid parking is usually available next door at the RNA Showgrounds.
PLANS FOR 2014 Next year QADA is planning to hold two events. Mid-year we will again be staging our large, and 42nd, Annual Antiques Fair at a venue yet to be announced, while the Christmas selling exhibition in December will become a permanent fixture on Brisbane’s antiques calendar.
For more information contact QUEENSLAND ANTIQUE DEALERS ASSOCIATION 07 3891 1048 www.qada.com.au
PADDINGTON
THE BEAUTY OF ORGANICS HORN
hat type of material is beautiful, showcases wonderful workmanship and is no longer available – making it the perfect collectable? Organic material. This includes tortoiseshell, ivory, horn, amber, jet, bone, shell, pearl and coral, making it a diverse as well as interesting avenue for collectors. All were used to express quality, design and craftsmanship.
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FAVOURED & FAKE MATERIALS The use of such organic materials has a long history. Carvings in ivory, bone and horn date back to the Paleolithic period. Material used included mammoth ivory and reindeer horn. In Ancient Egypt elephant tusks from the Sahara and the teeth of hippopotamuses were worked. My favourites are horn, tortoiseshell and ivory. While still readily available today, horn tends to be used for utilitarian purposes while, due to strict international trade bans, tortoiseshell and ivory are now rarely worked at all. All three have been imitated; indeed at one stage horn was an effective substitute for tortoiseshell. In many cases, imitation products – such as Bakelite and Lucite – have become collectable in their own right. For the collector it is a matter of knowing exactly what you are getting and paying an appropriate price.
SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS Tortoiseshell and horn are both natural thermoplastics, meaning that they can be heated then moulded into various forms. The form is then retained on cooling, making it ideal for creating ornaments and jewellery. Ivory, however, cannot be moulded. It is also worth noting that all the organic materials are best recognised by sight rather than formal testing methods, as such testing is likely to cause damage. On this issue, because they are organic matter, each of these materials is naturally prone to damage and disintegration. They will readily dry out and are usually affected by hot water, detergents and chemicals. In addition, ivory is prone to cracking, yellows with age, and darkens if not exposed to light. Other factors which darken the material are the acid in human perspiration and the natural oils on human skin. Horn also deteriorates with age while tortoiseshell is prone to being nibbled by weevils and cockroaches.
A relatively inexpensive material that has been prized for centuries, horn has been used in buckles, brooches, buttons, combs and hair ornaments, and walking stick handles. During the art nouveau period, horn jewellery was perhaps the finest expression of this material with pieces made by the likes of René Lalique and Georges Pierre. It was used more than tortoiseshell and combined with enamel, gold, ivory, pearls and precious stones to produce magnificent pieces. Colours range from almost colourless to deep rich browns and it can be bleached to a pale opaqueness – as seen in art nouveau jewellery. Horn also takes a dye well and can be painted, for example when imitating tortoiseshell. Other characteristics of this material are its low density, light weight and being able to be carved as well as formed once heated. As supply is rather plentiful and it is relatively inexpensive, there have been few simulants of horn. However, it is not cheap to work so the final product can still be considered a luxury item. Of course today, the ubiquitous plastic imitates horn, as it does so many other organics.
IVORY Ivory is the most durable of all the organics and enjoyed a status never bestowed on any of the other organic materials. All mammal teeth or tusks are ivory. This includes walrus, hippopotamus, marine whales and dolphin as well as wild boar and warthogs. However, most people associate ivory with elephant tusks. It has also been the most popular as it was the best and most versatile with which to work. Due to its size and solidity, it could be used for applications that other ivories could not. Today while there is a ban on the trade of fresh elephant ivory, some countries allow the trade of stockpiled ivory or that collected from dead animals. Mammoth ivory is not covered by trade bans and is still being uncovered in parts of the world from South Africa to Siberia as well as Alaska. Ivory can be carved and turned on a lathe and is usually polished after being worked. Ivories other than hippo ivory can be stained. It can also be painted and inlaid with materials such as mother-of-pearl, coral, tortoiseshell or ebony. It can be inscribed or etched such as in scrimshaw. Ivory darkens when exposed to light. Like pearls it benefits from human contact, gaining a beautiful polish when handled. As ivory is a poor conductor of heat it has often been used to make the handles on silver tea and coffee pots.
TORTOISESHELL Tortoiseshell has long been prized for its ability to take a high polish and its beautiful coloration. It consists of random blotchy mottling of translucent amber tones with darker tints of reddish brown. There is also a version that is a uniform colour that can vary from dark brown to deep amber to pale yellow. The lighter colours are rarer. The name is misleading as it in fact comes from the sea turtle, most notably the hawksbill. Rather than being shell-like it is more a horn like substance from the horny plates that cover the turtles’ shells. As well as being a thermoplastic, it is also possible to embed precious materials such as gold, silver and mother-of-pearl into the heated surface where the pieces will adhere without gluing. This is called pique work. It can also be engraved and carved. Turtle shell has always been considered a luxury product; and was often imitated by lesser products, a practice that continues today. Horn was the most common early imitative material used prior to the invention of synthetics such as celluloid. So if you feel like going organic, come to PAC for that finely worked special piece to add to or start your collection.
VINTAGE PORTRAITURE PAC is pleased to announce the opening of Vintage Art Portraiture and Wedding Photography within the centre. This is a unique opportunity for customers to have portraits taken in vintage costume in
complementary surroundings. Our on-site photographers specialise in children’s portraits, family portraits and wedding photography at competitive prices. For further information or to book a sitting, please call the centre.
JEWELLERY
@ PAC
We are delighted to welcome jewellery dealers Nola Buckingham, Michael Moyle, and Marius and Maree Peens to PAC. Each of these dealers, along with our existing jewellery dealers, offers our customers something different and complementary to ensure that Paddington is able to provide a comprehensive shopping experience for those looking to purchase estate, vintage, secondhand, and reproduction watches and jewellery. To keep up with what’s happening at Paddington, follow us on Facebook or check out our website. Suzy Baines PADDINGTON ANTIQUE CENTRE 07 3369 8088 info@paddingtonantiquecentre.com www.paddingtonantiquecentre.com
Something old for something new Be seen to be green and adopt something old to become your something new
Antique
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English, Australian, French & Asian furniture • collectable costume and estate jewellery • vintage and retro clothing and accessories • Australian pottery • clocks & watches • china, glass, silver • linen • military • rustic European • arts & crafts • art nouveau • art deco • glamshackle • nana chic
MORE THAN 50 DEALERS
Phone 07 3369 8088 167 Latrobe Tce Paddington Brisbane 4064 www.paddingtonantiquecentre.com info@paddingtonantiquecentre.com
Trading 7 days a week, 10 am to 5 pm In-house coffee shop specialising in delicious treats prepared & baked on the premises Antiques and
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LA PETITE RÉVOLUTION AT UNIQUE FRANCE
contemporary interpretations of French tradition I n the shade of Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley, lies an elegant little gem of a boutique known as Unique France. Step inside a shop clothed in subtle tones of wood and elegant colours, shapes and material, to discover the sophisticated world of French decoration. Designed to be more of a home than a shop, the boutique features several rooms comfortably decorated to welcome clients received as guests. The concept developed at Unique France is to present the work of the best of today’s design surrounded by pieces made by classical masters in cabinetmaking, painting, sculpture and ceramics.
NEW GENERATION DESIGNERS Be among the first to discover the exquisite collection which has arrived in our most recent container, featuring a variety of furniture, art and lighting from the most famous French designers. Our new display includes creations by Céline Wright, Drugeot Labo, Le Deun lighting, Ombre Portée and a team of designers who work under the label La Chance. We present a cosmopolitan selection of the best designers of the new generation to give a contemporary interpretation of the French ornamental and decorative furniture traditions. Our products share a sophisticated, rich and distinctive design able to electrify interiors which are often too safe. It is a return to a warm and uninhibited luxury, breaking away from cold and conceptual design.
REHABILITATING HAND-MADE CREATIONS ‘Hand-made work is the only non-polluting human energy,’ says lighting designer Celine Wright. Thus all her objects are made by hand, combining refined ancestral techniques with natural and non-polluting materials. This has allowed the designer to create a network of producers who work from their homes along the lines of the English ‘cottage industry’ system; it is a huge manufacturing success.
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Every light is unique and their fabrication can require different types of intense procedures as each is shaped and structured by hand. A shell from the Cocon range, for example, may be created from over 1600 small strips of paper, individually glued to a mould and its production can take up to seven hours of work.
A NEW APPROACH: THE DRUGEOT LABO VENTURE Unique France now features the inventive lines of furniture produced by Drugeot Labo. ‘We had covered all corners of the traditional occasional furniture in solid oak and cherry wood. We wanted to do something else; to be more original and quirky, without being over-the-top but with a new approach,’ explains Drugeot Labo brand designer Pierre Rochepeau. Rochepeau initially graduated from business school and worked in marketing, he later obtained a degree in cabinetmaking and took over the family business with one of his brothers. They substantially grew the company which is now well known amongst professionals and distributed in many countries. Besides originality, the strength of the brand lies in the great quality with products made of solid oak, certified under the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), that is, sustainable forest managed as certified by the world’s largest forest certification organisation. In 2011, Ateliers du Drugeot were approved as Ateliers d’Art de France which guarantees the employment of traditional techniques and items being wholly made in France.
THE LIGHTS OF LE DEUN After looking for the best light while working as a photographer for famous interior design
magazines, Jean-Luc Le Deun decided to create his own lighting collections. His creations are now found hanging in renowned hotels and museums as well as a few exclusive private homes. Le Deun’s first creations were made for the American market when he was living in SanFrancisco. They were huge, made mostly for large spaces. His first best seller was discovered very quickly and brought him back to Paris where today Le Deun’s company continues to be a growing success. You should see Le Deun’s workshop: it reflects a certain way of working – immaculate! – definitely inspired by Jean-Luc’s training in the kitchen of his father who was a famous French chef. When Le Deun and Unique France principal Denis Geoffray met they immediately realised that mixing classical French furniture with Jean-Luc’s contemporary lighting would create a fantastic contrast and Denis strongly believes that JeanLuc's creations will add flair and style to Australian homes. If you’re looking for the best French savoir faire from yesterday, today and tomorrow, don’t miss visiting the Unique France store. UNIQUE FRANCE 07 3254 0404 www.uniquefrance.com.au
BRISBANE
THE CANADIAN EXPERIENCE ur Alaska trip ended too quickly. There was just too much to explore as well as the whole atmosphere being totally different to all the other places we’d visited. It had this old world charm that evoked memories of a bygone era, its only trend to modernity being all the diamond displays. Every town the ship stopped at showcased these old-fashioned jewellery shops containing the most exquisite diamond displays that seemed so incongruous compared to its surroundings. When we arrived back in Vancouver and boarded the plane for Toronto, it was like entering the New World. Also it was a great thrill for me because I was going to meet my first cousin and her family whom I had not seen for over 40 years. She had immigrated to Canada before I left for Australia; needless to say the reunion at the airport was emotional. She had been my bridesmaid and also a close friend and somehow we lost contact through our travels from one side of the world to the other.
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A SPECIAL TREAT IN TORONTO They took us on a whirlwind tour of Toronto. Our first trip was to a street carnival which had many local stalls, dancers, comedy acts and magicians, but most memorable for us was all the different food stalls that just challenged the imagination. One especially stands out, called Bloomin Onions. Now I have to admit I don’t like onions, especially raw, so what happens is this. They get a large onion, cut the top off and it opens out like petals, they then dip it in batter and then into hot oil to cook. It emerges like a fried flower on the plate with its petals opening out and it’s delicious. We just sat down on the edge of the footpath and enjoyed every petal. The whole street was packed to capacity with people and altogether it was a happy day.
impression that each shop competed with each other as to who had the best display of colour, originality and arrangement. I visited a few antique shops but could not find anything of great interest.
CULTURAL EXPERIENCES They also took us on a hop-on and hop-off bus and boat cruise with tickets valid for three days, which suited me well because I could hop off at the places I chose, such as the Royal Ontario Museum – which is Canada’s largest – and with six million artefacts and a fabulous crystal display, was well worth the visit. Next was the Vancouver Art Gallery with works by Picasso, Van Gogh and Rembrandt. Another stop was the CN Tower, which boasts the Western Hemisphere’s tallest free-standing structure, and with super-fast elevators and a glass floor outdoor observation deck – the list goes on, too numerous to be able to mention everything. By this time my companions had lost enthusiasm for visiting cultural venues, so we went on the boat cruise and visited all the surrounding islands with their canals and lagoons. The Canadians are very friendly and when they heard we were from Australia were keen to engage us in conversation and laugh about all our differences. Too soon our visit to Toronto and thus Canada came to an end. All round it had been a memorable trip and well worth the effort.We saw those mighty mountains, walked on glaciers, visited Alaska and ate Bloomin Onions.
The sad part was saying goodbye to my cousin and her family who had a farewell party for us all, promising to meet again soon – somewhere in the world.
Eilisha Little EILISHA’S SHOPPE 07 3358 1448 / 0423 830 515
Member of QADA Proprietor: Eilisha Little
Antiques, Objets d’Art, Furniture, Porcelain, Sterling Silver, Old Jewellery, Collectables & Linen Experienced Hand French Polisher, Insurance Work Undertaken Open: Tuesday to Friday 10 am - 4 pm Saturday 10 am - 2 pm Sunday 11 am - 4 pm
MUST-SEE NIAGARA FALLS Of course we had to visit Niagara Falls and that was awesome. There was something majestic about the way it thundered along, ignoring whatever obstacles it encountered. We even stood in a long queue to go in a boat under the falls so as to feel the spray from its mighty foam. After that we had lunch at a nearby restaurant overlooking this whole spectacle, which was amazing, and made it all so special. On the way back we stopped at this little town where every shop had the most wonderful floral displays. One had the
109 James Street New Farm Qld 4005
Phone 07 3358 1448 AH 07 3844 3619 Mobile 0423 830 515 Eilisha and Annie Oakley
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Endeavour aground for repairs, Moore’s Voyages, London, c. 1790
NECESSITY before invention undreds of years ago, before the invention of the camera, a view, a nature study, or portrait had to be drawn by hand. In order to be able to produce more than one image for circulation, a sketch had to be transposed either by carving away from an image that had been copied onto a woodblock, carving the image into a woodblock or metal plate (in reverse from a mirror reflection), or by drawing it onto a very smooth stone. An image base was then available for inking, to produce a number of prints onto paper. In the case of the recordings of geographical and maritime exploration, these prints are today known as maps or charts.
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PRINTS & MAPS AS ARTWORK Early prints and maps are still enjoyed, hundreds of years after they were made. It is amazing that these pieces of paper have survived! While some prints were created for presentation – perhaps to a benefactor or patron – the majority were printed for publication in grand books and magazines, journals and newspapers. From the outset, more people appreciated the artwork than the books. In many cases the engravings came adrift from the books as the stitches and glue used in the spines became brittle, often from years of frequent poor handling. Hundreds of years ago, as well as framing fine engravings and lithographs, grand houses had a print room where coveted engravings were displayed – sometimes not even framed, closely arranged and pinned to cover the walls. Using prints to decorate walls was not confined to the wealthy. Engraved pictures in newspapers were cut out, then hand-coloured and pinned to the walls of even poor homes. Perhaps the skill in the creation of this early artwork was not recognised, but the limitless choice of subjects provided enjoyment for everyone.
ANTIQUE PRINT SELECTION Antique prints and maps can be large or small, expensive or not. They all tell a story whether conventional or strange, old or surprisingly modern-looking despite their being over 100 years old (and possibly 400 years old). Despite this – or because of this – they continue to have many admirers. Mostly they are selected for their decorativeness when framed and hung on the wall; they are also sought for their individual qualities – whether for the method of creation or their subject matter.
COLLECTING THEMES Sometimes it is a particular subject that appeals. A group of a certain flower or bird that has been drawn, engraved or lithographed by different artists at different periods, can make quite an entertaining presentation. An antique map surrounded by prints of different
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‘Beaufortia’, Paxton, London, c. 1838
‘Hibbertia’, Pancrace Bessa, Brussels, c. 1828
subjects published at the same date, or from the same region, is an interesting group. An admired artist’s work might not be affordable as an individual oil or watercolour – if such could even be found today – but might be available as an antique print. Many famous artists did engravings to gain a wider circulation of their work, for greater prominence and recognition in the art world. Artists who were under contract sometimes engraved under other names, for personal enjoyment or to supplement their income.
AUSTRALIANA EXHIBITION From September, Antique Print Club’s collection of antique prints and antique maps will be available in Clayfield from the Brisbane Antique Emporium at the corner of Sandgate and Junction Roads. The special opening exhibition – Antique Prints and Maps of Australiana – will be one for all the family. As well as early European maps with their incorrect coastlines for Australia, Australiana will include a rare pair of Australian Baxter oil-printed scenes, as well as aquatints and lithographs of Australian native plants and flowers and grand hand-coloured lithographs of John Gould birds and mammals. Scientific recordings were done by naturalists on early expeditions around the world. Engravings were made from these paintings and from specimens sent to Europe during those voyages and the following early years of Australian settlement. They provide beautiful original artwork for us to enjoy today. Superb French hand-coloured stipple engravings of circa 1800 are among the most beautiful early portraits of Australia’s indigenous people from New Holland, as Australia was known at the time of the publications.
‘Glider – Flying Opossum’, Phillip’s Voyages, London, c. 1789
‘Life in Queensland’, Harper’s Weekly, New York, c. 1883
FRAMING FOR DISPLAY
To protect your artwork from fading in excessive light, ultraviolet-protecting U/V glass should be used. Conservation framing is a little more expensive but it will preserve your precious artwork. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. Kathryn & Derek Nicholls
Although selecting antique maps and prints is of highest importance, how they are displayed will determine whether they provide ongoing appreciation. The skilled and painstaking work recorded in the creation of antique prints should be conserved by using conservationstandard framing. Paper-based antique prints should be framed by supporting front and back with materials that are free of damaging chemicals. These matt boards are often referred to as acid-free.
www.antiqueprintclub.com for
BRISBANE ANTIQUE EMPORIUM AT CLAYFIELD 07 3862 1600 www.brisbaneantiqueemporium.com.au
EARLY INTERPRETATIONS ARE FASCINATING RECORDS Early views of Australia are fascinating to people of all ages. A selection of views of colonial Brisbane challenge current ideas of architecture, but views of regional towns and country topography are even more surprising because of the lack of development when they were engraved. Probably the best known early Australian view is the 18th century engraving from a sketch done near Cooktown in 1770 for the journal of Captain Cook described as ‘A View of the Endeavour River, on the coast of New Holland, where the ship was laid on shore, in order to repair the damage which she received on the rock.’ The Endeavour is shown at the riverbank after having been nursed a few hours north to a safe area for repair of the damage to the hull when it struck coral on one of the Hope Islands on the Great Barrier Reef.
‘Nouvelle-Hollande, female’, Baudin’s Voyage, Paris, c. 1804
‘Nouvelle-Hollande male’, Baudin’s Voyage, Paris, c. 1804
CLAYFIELD
BRISBANE ANTIQUE EMPORIUM at Discovery Junction Cnr Sandgate & Junction Road Clayfield Qld 4011
07 3862 1600 info@brisbaneantiqueemporium.com.au es s continu k c S a l e o Y l o L f c r e a re antiqu JU C o m T p S rehens e do ll display and sale AUGU iv EMBER & OCTOBER - Exhibition & sale of SEPT a n t i q u e Australian maps & prints NOV EMBER - Kerose ne lamps displa y and sale
Edison Standard E model cylinder phonograph, c. 1980-9 with original horn
English silver-plate candelabra, c. 1910
Brooch/pendant in 9 ct gold set with central amethyst and pearls
Moorcroft biscuit barrel and cover decorated in the pomegranate pattern
A selection of diamond, ruby and sapphire dress rings available in the centre
Finely crafted necklace in 15 ct gold c. 1890, set with coral
* Valuations * Restorations * Off street parking * Air conditioned * Coffee * Personalised Service * Friendly Atmosphere * Knowledgeable Staff
Rare jet necklace, c. 1890
OPEN 7 DAYS 10 AM – 5 PM Discovery Junction incorporates Buy Design Clayfield & Atomic Martini Vintage
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GOLD COAST
The Gold Coast Antique Centre is an exciting gallery in Miami with over 25 dealers displaying an ever changing range of rare antiques and collectables. It’s an Aladdin’s cave of treasures including the finest glassware, antique furniture, jewellery, clocks, toys, movie memorabilia and much more.
The Gold Coast Antique Centre is a must see venue located at
2076 Gold Coast Highway, Miami • Phone 07 5572 0522 • Mobile: 0414 338 363 More than a website – shop online @ www.goldcoastantiquecentre.com.au OPEN 7 DAYS 10 - 5 Sun 10 - 4 Antiques and
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CLAYFIELD
Discovery Corner Established in 1976 and proudly run by the Phillips Family Trading from Brisbane Antique Emporium Member of Queensland Antique Dealers Association
Figure of a child clambering up a chair, c. 1900 modelled in bronze, signed ‘Gory’ to base, h: 18 cm. $1450 Art Deco dancing lady figurines made by Beschutz (Vienna, Austria), c. 1920, cold painted bronze, h: 11 cm each
Pair spelter American boxers modelled by Arthur Waagen (German/French 1833-1898), set on ebonised bases, h: 70 cm each. This rare pair inscribed 'World Heavyweight Championship 1892 John L. Sullivan and James Corbet,' signed 'Waagen' to base. Fine condition. $2950 the pair
Desk set made Birmingham 1911, comprising sterling silver inkwell with original 8-day clock. $1950
Royal Doulton miniature jug All Black Team series ware, c. 1906-30, h: 6 cm, transfer printed image titled 'The Boss'. An unrecorded shape. $1850
We specialise in furniture, silver, porcelain, glassware, statuary and Rosentengel furniture ALWAYS WANTING TO BUY Quality, rarity and presentation are of prime importance
Discovery Corner @ Discovery Junction 794 Sandgate Road, Clayfield. Telephone: 07 3862 2155. Email: discoverycnr@bigpond.com 34
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Two wax dolls made 1830-40s with glass bead eyes
Right: Japanese Samurai doll
Left: Group of English celluloid dolls made 1930s, ‘Happy’ doll in front
DOLL COLLECTING H ow does one become a doll collector? You may not realise it, but to be classified as one, all you need to have in your possession are 10 dolls. This is a hobby not defined by age or gender, even Queen Elizabeth has a collection of dolls, including a group of wooden dolls dressed by Queen Victoria when in her youth.
WHAT CONSTITUTES A COLLECTION Dolls collected can be antique – or something kept from childhood. Some collectors acquire new dolls purchased from a toyshop; and dolls are made from all kinds of materials, making the collection even more interesting. Included in the set could be souvenir dolls, reminders of a trip you or a friend or relative had overseas. As long as there are more than 10 in the group, including dolls that may have stashed away in a cupboard, you are still classified as a doll collector. When looking at any collection of dolls, one should look beyond what is in front of you, as such a display is an opportunity to glimpse into the past, as these figures are the product of technology, art through sculpture, fashion and culture and social history. Dolls have been a plaything for children for thousands of years, a practice that continues today. Regardless of era, whether a doll was made of the most simple of things, such as a piece of wood wrapped in a piece of rag, or an expensive doll of bisque china bought from a specialist shop in Paris in the late 1800s, it was still loved by its young owner.
DOLLS AND TECHNOLOGY
French bisque head doll, china head doll, china baby doll
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the majority are today. Early wax dolls made in Europe and Asia, or jointed wooden dolls would have been made by hand. The various white china head dolls of the 1800s made in Germany would have been made using kilns. These doll’s heads were often a sideline of a factory making domestic china. The process of attaching the heads to a cloth bodies was part of an extensive cottage industry that was also used when manufacturing bisque china heads from the later part of the 1800s through to the 1930s. Exquisite bisque head fashion dolls produced in France are an insight into the fashions worn by women and teenage girls of the era 1860s to 1890s. Elaborate costumed dolls made of composition from Japan give an insight into the country’s traditional costumes. Many other materials have been used to make or manufacture dolls. Papier-mâché was used in Germany, France and the USA in the 1800s. Celluloid (an early form of plastic) dolls were mainly mass produced in Germany, France and Japan from the early 1900s to the 1950s when manufacture ceased due to these toys being declared a fire hazard. The information about plastics and other materials learned during WW II was applied to the toy industry after the war’s end and so the days of time-consuming manufacture of many composition dolls came to an end. From the late 1940s there was an ever-increasing range and supply of mass produced hard plastic dolls. In the 1960s these dolls were replaced with soft plastic or vinyl dolls, and later by the more rigid vinyl dolls that are still being produced today.
In 1959 a new era of doll collecting began, that of the modern fashion doll with the launch in the United States of ‘Barbie’ followed by ‘Ken’, and later, the spin-offs. A look at a collection of Barbie dolls tracing the early models through to those made today is a study of how fashions and vocational trends have changed over the last 50 or so years. Another recent movement that continues to grow and attract new collectors is the area of television and movie character dolls, together with their accessories and associated paraphernalia.
RETURN TO TRADITION Once more the wheel is turning with a growing number of doll artists using a variety of mediums such as cloth, bisque china and plastic, hand making limited numbers of dolls for specialist doll collectors worldwide. However, it is important to remember that doll collecting can be as cheap or as expensive as you wish. It is up to you to decide on the direction your collection will take. But most of all, regardless if they are old, antique or more recent models, you are their custodian. So look after these beautiful creations, preserving them for a future generation of doll collectors.
Group of hard plastic dolls
SELLING EXHIBITION: RARE ANTIQUE DOLLS During the month of August the Brisbane Antique Emporium, situated at the corner of Sandgate and Junction Roads, Clayfield, is hosting a display and sale of rare antique dolls. For more information contact DISCOVERY CORNER 07 3862 2155 discoverycnr@bigpond.com www.antiquesbrisbane.com.au
A doll reflects the technology of the time in which it was made. There are surviving examples made by hand, or mass produced as
German china head doll
Composition ‘Topsy’ dolls made 1930s
Selection of German bisque head dolls
German composition doll ‘Diddums’ made 1930s, jointed at waist and arms
Action figure dolls from Star Trek television series
Star Wars character figures Antiques and
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TENERIFFE
Never a dull moment at COMMERCIAL ROAD ANTIQUES
EVENTS AT THE CENTRE ince designating Teneriffe as a suburb in 2010, a Chamber of Commerce has been formed and has actively supported the Teneriffe Festival. The festival, now in its fourth year, took to the water in addition to the running of the rams and other popular features on Saturday, 6 July. • Australian film company Matchbox Pictures is shooting a series on the Gold Coast and Commercial Road Antiques is one of the places from which they are sourcing props. • In May we hosted another new bride and groom for photographs in the centre. The bride, Leonie, then browsed around and bought stock for a Japanese restaurant she is decorating. A previous wedding couple, whose photograph featured on our page in the Antiques & Art July-November 2012 issue, delighted us with another visit – with their first child. • Unsubstantiated whispers persist that the centre has been sold! However, I feel that I
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must state clearly that I have not received an offer. In the meantime, I will continue to work for the benefit of all customers and dealers in the best and ever improving centre in Brisbane. • So many of our business customers contributed prizes to a charitable raffle held over June and July. They are invaluable to networking for the success of us all. The draw took place at our ‘Christmas in July’ where the Brisbane Pride Choir sang carols and other songs. Grateful thanks to everyone who participated and we wish the choir much success in England and Wales. • One of our dealers has been listed on CINOA. This is indeed a great honour and is well deserved. Peter Martin of Lynzay Antiques is already a member of AAADA and we are proud of the part he plays in the centre.
ADDED PROFILE ON THE AIRWAVES 4MBS Classic FM continues to support us. Our sponsorship of the weather has certainly increased awareness of our extensive
dealerships. The station features our ad on their new digital station, light classics, jazz and show tunes, with great success. Ian was also a guest on 4MBS’ Howard Ainsworth’s Music Lovers Choice with 90 minutes of his favourite music and a chat.
GROWING POPULARITY Our Facebook page has also had a great deal of favourable comment. We have received five out of five stars on several sites and our friendly staff continue to welcome all comers. There is frequently a turnover of dealers, more so these days than ever before, which keeps our centre a place of interest for all. There is no question that we have all been facing difficult times. However, for astute buyers, there has probably not been a better time to buy. We appreciate the efforts of all our dealers, and so will you. Really, prices have never been so attractive.
TENERIFFE ADVANTAGES With a crisis of parking in Brisbane, no business seems exempt from the problem. We here in Commercial Road, Teneriffe are fortunate to have excellent public transport so close. The new City Cat terminal, the wonderful Glider service and other bus lines make getting here so much easier. We welcome your comments and look forward to a long and happy association. Ian Thomson COMMERCIAL ROAD ANTIQUES AND DECORATIVE ARTS 07 3852 2352 www.commercialroadantiques.com/
Lynzay Antiques
“THE BEST CENTRE IN BRISBANE” IS ALSO A HAPPY, HAPPENING PLACE
Exciting new showplace with fine furniture, antique & estate jewellery, silverware, ceramics and glass
Commercial Road Antiques & Decorative Arts
85 Commercial Road Teneriffe QLD 4005
PETER MARTIN • 0412 599 299 AT COMMERCIAL ROAD ANTIQUES • 07 3852 2352 36
Antiques and
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Open 7 Days 10 am – 5 pm 07 3852 2352 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
www.commercialroadantiques.com
BRISBANE
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CROSS COUNTRY LAUNCHES OF A SIGNIFICANT INDIGENOUS ART COLLECTION PUBLICATION QLD Before his reinstatement as Prime minister, Kevin Rudd 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.
Kevin Rudd launches Power+Colour
Jane Raffan, Adam Knight and Pat Corrigan at Bond University launch
Kevin Rudd and Pat Corrigan
Pat Corrigan and Jane Raffan
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, Peter Beiers and Suzanne O’Connell Pat Corrigan and Avril Quail Better Read Than Dead 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 in-depth reference material on the 76 represented artists.
L to r: Roger McIlroy, D’lan Davidson (Sotheby’s), Chris Deutscher (Deutscher & Hackett), Tom Lowenstein, front
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Pat Corrigan and Bill Nuttal (Niagara Galleries)
Pat Corrigan, Jane Raffan (Artifacts), NGV Director Tony Ellwood
BRISBANE
PACK & SEND
art and antique specialists A 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 ask us to take care of the entire logistical process – from pick-up to packaging to 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, dealers 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. 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.
antique item. Protection against loss and 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 Albion is open 5 days a week, from 8.30 am to 5.00 pm Monday to Friday. The team at Pack & Send look forward to the opportunity to offer their services in solving any packaging or freight problem you might have. Stephen & Janet McCartney PACK & SEND 07 3262 9742 albion@packsend.com.au www.packsend.com.au Packing for The Antique Guild, Stamford Plaza Brisbane
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 cover even the most fragile art or
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WOOLLOONGABBA
RESTORING A VIOLIN
ethical considerations W hen an old violin is brought in for restoration, I examine it to determine if it is an original or a copy and whether it has an authentic label. All violins should carry a label on the inside of the back plate. It can be read by peering through the left f-hole and awkwardly tilting the instrument back and forth. Usually these labels show the year the violin was made, where it was made and the name of the maker. There is a long history of incorrect or fake labels being placed onto violin copies. Some of these copies can be quite valuable, depending on the fame of the maker. Throughout history, violin copyists have
consistently fallen into three main types: the mass producer who just wants to export and sell; the dealer who may incorrectly label a violin; and the master violinmaker who undertakes extensive research to achieve a copy that is as exact as possible. The intent is not to make a fake, but to demonstrate admiration for the work of an old master, and perhaps, to test the copyist’s own skill. The label on these violins should say ‘copy of …’ Where there is no label, many of these copied violins are ascribed as originals. In addition to authenticating the label, I also examine the instrument for previous repairs and modifications.
Front and back plates of German Strad copy opened for restoration
In Australia, there are many damaged violins. This is not surprising, given that historically, most Australian violins would have been maintained by their owners, or perhaps the town carpenter, keeping the violin playable, but not necessarily preserving the original workmanship. At the time, the violins would have been regarded as instruments to be used, rather than as future antiques. Even today there are few specialised violinmakers in Australia, and very little training is available. We depend on overseas training and the absence of a formal violinmaking apprenticeship prevents the craft from growing in Australia. I see a lot of good violins ruined by amateur repairs. The most common mistakes include replacing parts instead of restoring old ones, removing the varnish and revarnishing with a permanent varnish, and using glues other than dissolvable hide glue. A violin’s set-up and parts such as the fingerboard, pegs, tailpiece and bridge are not necessarily considered as original parts. Like the tyres on a car, they need to be replaced. However, the original intention or style of the maker is just as important as the violin’s body and varnish. There are three main rules of violin restoration. These rules may also apply to the restoration of any antique: 1. Remove as little of the original as possible 2. Carry out the restoration in a way that can be removed or modified without damaging the instrument 3. Ensure the instrument is fit to perform to modern standards Antique violins not only have to be beautiful, they also have to be functioning instruments, able to meet the performance requirements of the 21st century. They are expected to perform eight hours a day in concert halls. They must be able to withstand the pressure of modern steel and
nylon strings, rather than gut strings. Antique violins were made for a totally different setting, with a lower angle in the neck and lower tension in the strings. Adapting antique violins to contemporary requirements is not easy. I bear all of this in mind when considering how to restore an old violin. Everything I do to the violin is intended to strike a balance between making the instrument playable and preserving the original. However, do not despair if your antique violin shows signs of modifications. Unmodified instruments are so rare they would be classified as museum pieces, having more historic value than functionality. Ilja Grawert Violinmaker Freecall: 1800 882 468
Tuesday~Friday Tuesday~Friday 10 10 am~5 am~5 pm pm Saturday Saturday 10 10 am~2.30 am~2.30 pm pm
Label inside a German violin Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis Faciebat Anno 1735. Actually made between 1850-1920
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WOOLLOONGABBA
MODEL TRAINS
a moving collectable ail transport dates back as early as ancient Greece with wheeled vehicles pulled by men and animals which ran on tracks or guides made of stone or wood. From about 1500-1800 CE, ‘wagonways’ or tramways were quite common in Europe, typically found in mining sites where primitive wooden rails were used. Mechanised rail transport started to be developed in the late 18th century in Britain. In 1769 the first patent of Scottish inventor and mechanical engineer James Watt (1736-1819) saw an important improvement for the steam engine, enabling it to power a wheel thus making it possible for wagons to be moved along the rails by steam traction. However, it was English mechanical engineer and inventor Richard Trevithick (1771-1833) who built the first steam engine locomotive. On 22 February 1804, the locomotive hauled a load of 10 tons of iron, 70 men and five extra wagons nine miles (14.5 km), taking about two hours. It was not until 1825 though that famous English engineer and inventor George Stephenson (1781-1848) designed a steam locomotive that was used on the first public railway system. The world’s first steam railway was opened between Stockton and Darlington in north-east England that year. Four years later Stephenson joined in the Rainhill Trials, a competition to find the best locomotive to transport passengers over long distances, winning with his ‘Rocket’, which reached the then incredible speed of 24 mph (39 km/h) while transporting 30 passengers. During the remainder of the century, the railway was extended throughout Britain and also in continental Europe. Mechanical innovation saw engines updated to four cylinders, geared wheels for industrial use, and between 1930s and 1950s trains slowly transitioned to the new kinds of power sources – diesel and electric engines. The steam locomotive played a critical part in the Industrial Revolution and in the development
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of export economies across the world. Today, significantly, trains remain the primary form of land transport for most of the world.
FROM FULL SIZE TO MINIATURE Soon after the first railways were opened in continental Europe they became the subject of artistic output. The train was regarded as something of a wonder in its early years and various artists saw commercial possibilities in this. Tinsmiths also saw an opportunity and soon brought out three dimensional and flat pewter representations of the train. Soon afterwards toy makers started to produce the first toy trains. At first they were made of wood with rails considered unnecessary. The train and wagons made excellent toys for children to pull around. The wooden toy train was the equivalent of today’s model railway. The toy industry became more deeply involved with trains and began to make trains of tinplate that ran along the floor. They were powered by steam or a flywheel, with clockwork motors being added later. By 1870 there were manufacturers making complete train sets. Some of these featured rails that were pressed from a single piece of tinplate, but most quickly made separate rails soldered to tinplate sleepers.
them caused both companies to produce a number of different systems. Bing developed what became the Nuremberg style which was mass produced and kept prices low. Märklin chose a different route with hand-crafted pieces becoming very important to the company which made their prices quite high.
MECCANO MOTORS Another well-known maker to jump onto the scene in the early 1900s was Frank Hornby (1863-1936). Hornby patented an invention in 1901 which he started production under the name of ‘Mechanics Made Easy’. The name Meccano Ltd was established in 1907. The industry could not have imagined how
Hornby’s designs would influence the model railway hobby we know today. Meccano factories very quickly grew in size and number and toy trains were introduced in 1920. They were powered by a clockwork motor made of metal pressings and were held together with Meccano nuts and bolts. During the 1920s and 1930s Meccano Ltd was the biggest toy manufacturer in Britain. In 1925 Hornby introduced the company’s first electric train which operated from mains 100-250 volts. By 1929 Hornby had a much safer six volt DC source in place. Hornby continued up to the 1960s when it was acquired by the Tri-ang group, which brought out various models for many years still using the Hornby name. A great hobby for all ages, model locomotives are extremely desirable collectors’ objects and will always be a sought-after toy to own. Jason Bridge COLONIAL COLLECTABLES 0431 403 897 colonialcollectables@msn.com
TRACKS TO MATCH The first model railways had a track width of 48 mm which was named 1 gauge. When people began to make wind-up and steam locomotives with a narrower track width it was called 0 gauge. However the 0 gauge proved to still be too wide and led the way to the creation of half 0 or HO in the 20th century (00 in Britain and the Commonwealth). The German firm of Märklin (founded in 1859 in Göppingen), offered trains, rails and crossovers and points in various track widths at the 1891 Leipzig fair. Other leading names include Bassett-Lowke (founded 1898/99 in Northampton, England), Bing (founded in 1863 in Nuremberg), Karl Bub (founded in 1851 in Nuremberg), Schoener (1875), Cerette (1866) and Kibri (founded in 1895 in Boblingen near Stuttgart), specialising in plastic moulds of model railway accessories.
INTEREST IN ACCESSORISING Besides making locomotives and rails, firms quickly started to make all manner of accessories related to railways such as stations, level crossings, lamps, signals and model people. British model railways were quite close to scale from the beginning of the hobby while the concept of scale seemed quite unheard of in continental Europe. After the start of the 20th century, the two most important makers of model train railways were the German firms of Märklin and Bing. The competition between
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COLONIAL COLLECTABLES
ANTIQUES • JEWELLERY • OLD WARES BOUGHT & SOLD
9 Logan Rd Woolloongabba 4102 M: 0431 403 897 email: colonialcollectables@msn.com Antiques and
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WOOLLOONGABBA
ART CAN BE KEY TO SELLING REAL ESTATE ne of the newer developments in the art of selling real estate is the display of photographs of the premises for sale which often includes photos of the house’s interior. Many of these interior shots have an impersonal commercial look, not only the kitchen but also living areas and bedrooms appear stark and hard edged. Pictures on walls are few and far between. Personal touches are often restricted to a couple of photographs of family members on the buffet – this is minimalist at its meanest. The minimalist style works best when furniture and fittings are carefully chosen and, as in every form of buying, it is important to get hold of the best items that are on offer, even when this strains the budget. If one or two pictures are going to be placed in this setting, they ought to be good because they might invite considerable interest, especially if there is no fabulous view outside. So, in whatever form of decorating appeals, there is room for pictures. Those who clutter are at the opposite end of the spectrum from the minimalists and often go in for big displays.
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BUYING ARTWORKS: WHAT YOU SHOULD CONSIDER So what should the prospective buyer look for? There are in fact a variety of relevant factors. Subject matter is one of these. Do you like portraits or flower subjects, landscapes, city views or beach scenes? Are you interested
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in abstract or semi abstract work? Do you like art photos? Do you like old masters or moderns, such as French Impressionists? The range is endless – as wide as life itself. Two of the factors that are important are time and opportunity. Do you have the time to go looking for pictures such as visiting art sellers or antique galleries? Do you have time to develop your acquaintance with this enormous topic? Can you get to the auction rooms? Can you look things up on your computer? Also, everyone has to budget. Even the rich have to take price into account because they may be competing for very costly works. May I offer one or two hints? Don’t despise reproductions. If you favour Renaissance art there is nothing wrong with a good copy of Raphael’s Madonna & Child, c. 1505. Lovers of early Australian landscapes may well consider an art gallery shop reproduction of one of Hans Heysen’s South Australian gumtrees. This is the age of remarkable scientific advances in colour photography. The big coffee table art books, especially by Thames & Hudson, Rizzoli, Taschen, etc provide excellent examples of these. I have a friend who bought a fine copy of a scene by Venetian Renaissance artist Vittore Carpaccio (c. 1450-1525) from the Accademia Gallery’s shop in Venice. Strategically positioned on the wall it adds a look of sophistication and style to her living room.
SMART BUYING Auctions are without doubt one of the best ways to acquire pictures. Watercolours, oils, acrylics, engravings, etchings, pencil drawings, pastels, pen and ink, aquatints, mezzotints – anything can and does turn up. The smart thing is to buy unfashionable items, such as etchings and engravings. Australia produced world-class etchers, wood-cut artists and engravers in the early 20th century and now is the time to be on the lookout for them. They often provide strong graphic interest and a marked topical flavour. Watercolours are also desirable, but as they are works on paper they need to be kept out of direct light and are often found to have faded when offered for sale. You have to consider the position your picture is going to occupy on your walls before you go ahead and make a purchase.
EMBRACE COLOUR Colour is glorious. If you have an all white interior, you often still need to think about colours. Colour in upholstery, cushions, bench tops and, of course, the utilitarian items. Paintings present a great opportunity here and they give people a glimpse of what your interests and tastes are. People still talk about good and bad taste in this regard. Sentimentality is still criticised and feeble work is despised by the strong hearted. By and large most pictures can be used effectively if
they are displayed properly. Black and white graphics suit monochrome interiors.
HARMONIOUS ARRANGEMENT Artworks do need to be arranged carefully on the wall – either singly or in groups. Watercolours and oils may be placed together and different subject matter and sizes may be used in the same scheme. However, it is most important to hang the works well. Symmetry, harmony with surroundings, spacing and an overall feeling that what you have decided on is right, are some of the points to bear in mind. Abstract artworks are the challenge, but they may provide real excitement and a sense of engagement with the here and now. They need to be presented well – good framing (they may be frameless though) – consider proper positioning and lighting, the right scale and colours. There is probably just as much to learn about the quality and history of abstracts as there is about any other genre.
SOMETHING WORTHWHILE TO SAY A good artist who has mastered the techniques of his/her trade and who has something worthwhile to say, may help the understanding of our environment, society and even of our personal feelings. Tom Roberts and Arthur Streeton explored the character of our landscape. Iso Rae gave interest and human warmth to her depictions of Étaples army base camp in France in World War I. What a long list we could all make of artists who have had something to say for us and to us. Then there is the question of personal preference. We may like a painting for a multitude of reasons. It is beautiful, interesting, exciting or shocking, or topical, whimsical, sexy, or humorous. Of course not everything worthwhile can be classed as beautiful, but all good work must be well presented and meaningful. Commercial stereotypes are best avoided as they are not value for money. This brings us back to the real estate blurb – the room with no art. Have the owners cleared out their personal effects before the sale photos were taken? For educated, strongly visual people like ourselves, there should always be room for artworks on our walls. Kym James JAMES & BELL ANTIQUES 07 3891 5233 / 0438 677 788 www.jamesandbell.com.au
CLEVELAND
A POSTCARD FROM
Bayside Antique & Collectables Centre M ost of us at one time or another have sent a postcard to family and friends. Now it is perhaps a dying art in this electronic age of emails, blogs, Facebook, Twitter and the like, where everything happens instantly. There was a time when the postcard was a regular means of communication, especially on holidays and travelling as a way to keep in touch. It could be done simply and quickly, a scenic picture on the front to illustrate where the traveller was, a quick message on the back and no need for an envelope. The longest part was probably choosing the most appealing postcard and the time taken in the post. Perhaps the postcard is not as important now but it still has a place today, as is evidenced by the postcard stands in newsagencies, tourist outlets and the like. Some choose to post home cards with stories of their travels, some simply purchase them as another form of memory of their holidays.
It appears that picture postcards emerged in different countries at varying stages of the 1800s, although research also indicates that, rather than being invented, they may have evolved from other sorts of cards. For example, in 18th century Europe, playing cards and tarot cards were used as visiting cards; the front having a picture and space for a name with the back occasionally used for messages. The earliest ones were known as ‘undivided back’ postcards, that is, addressee's details and a postage stamp were on one side with the message written on the picture side. The postcard as we know it today derives from the ‘divided back’, introduced by Great Britain in 1902, which has the picture on one side and a divided space on the other side for both the addressee's details and the message. The change from undivided to divided back took several years as postal authorities around the world gradually moved to this style.
EFFECTIVE FORMS OF COMMUNICATION
There are several eras in the evolvement of the postcard but the Golden Age is generally believed to have commenced in 1902 with the introduction of the divided back. As well as the improved printing methods, cards produced during this time proved to be one of the most popular and lasted until 1914, the start of World War I. The current era, known as ‘Chrome’ began in 1939, peaked around 1950, and features postcards generally based on coloured photographs with a glossy finish.
Postcards have served many other purposes through the years. They were used as greetings cards to family and friends for Christmas and birthday wishes, simply to keep in touch or to relay important family news. They proved popular during World War I for soldiers to send back from the Western Front to loved ones. These were beautifully produced with embroidery on silk screen mounted onto the card, referred to as ‘silks’ and were keepsakes for families, in many cases from troops who did not return home. They also had a place in campaigns for enlistment purposes and propaganda. Following on from that, postcards were used for various forms of advertising. They were often included with a product to encourage further purchases and complete a set. Theatres would leave them on patrons’ seats to promote future performances. The introduction of picture postcards was well received and keenly embraced as a means of communication. It was cheaper to post than a normal letter, no envelope was required and there was only room for a short message. People of modest means continued to use this method of communication long after telephones ceased to be a novelty. However, it did cause some legal issues as many were sent across country borders and a picture considered appropriate in one country may not have been proper or legal in either the destination country or those it passed through.
ORIGINS The official name for postcard collecting is deltiology, and it seems that some form of cards with messages had been sporadically created and posted by individuals since the creation of postal services. It is believed that the earliest known picture postcard was a hand-painted design on card, posted in London to the writer, playwright and novelist Theodore Hook in 1840. It is thought he probably created and posted the card to himself as a practical joke on the postal service, since the image is a caricature of workers in the post office and he was noted at the time for his ‘wit and drollery’. The card – with a Penny Black stamp, both of which were authenticated by the British Philatelic Association – sold in 2002 at a London auction for a record sum of £31,750. The first known printed picture postcard, with an image on one side, was thought to have been created in France in 1870 by Léon Besnardeau however there was no space for stamps and no evidence that they were ever posted without envelopes.
EARLY 1900S – THE GOLDEN AGE
STYLES AND DESIGNS There are numerous styles and designs of postcards such as appliqué, linen, mechanical, miniature, novelty, comic, saucy, printed photos, real photos, scenic. Greeting postcards sending well wishes for special events often displayed pictures of people, animals and floral displays in beautiful bright colours.
GETTING THERE Located in scenic Redlands, Bayside is just a 30-minute drive from Brisbane City, a short flat walk from Cleveland Railway Station, and the bus stops right at the door. There is ample parking, both onsite and on the street. We are open every day, 10 am to 5 pm.
NEWS AT BAYSIDE Bayside is a stockist for the very popular Howard Products for wood care and furniture maintenance, such as Restor-A-Finish, Feed'N'Wax, Orange Oil, Wax sticks, and #0000 steel wool. Check out our website for a glimpse of what the centre has to offer. Remember to Like Us on Facebook to keep up to date with fresh stock and news.
Rob & Di Metcalfe Bayside Antique & Collectables Centre 07 3821 0936 / 0419 671 279 baysideantique@optusnet.com.au www.baysideantiqueandcollectablescentre.com Further reading www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/ Postcard.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1862284.stm
MYRIAD OF AFFORDABLE COLLECTING OPTIONS As with most collections, postcard collections can take many forms and people may choose to collect by the type of card or by a particular theme, such as those already mentioned. Some choose to collect based on the artist or company that produced the postcard, while others are more generic and collect across a range of themes. An added appeal of collecting postcards is reading the messages as well as appreciating the stylish writing from the past. This is only a snapshot of postcards and their role in our past and present but, if this has sparked your interest, there are numerous websites and reference books for researching detailed information. In addition, apart from some rarer ones, postcards are relatively inexpensive to acquire, the choices in themes so varied, and often so beautifully illustrated, it would certainly be a very rewarding collection to have.
Over 30 shop spaces catering for a wide range of antiques, collectables and old wares, including furniture, ceramics, glass, silver, decorative arts, jewellery, books, coins, medals, ephemera, art, toys, photographics, militaria, tools and much more. Includes a mezzanine floor dedicated to vintage, retro, pre-loved and labels fashions and accessories.
BAYSIDE – ONE VISIT AND YOU LL BE HOOKED! Combining many years of experience, our staff aims to assist wherever possible as well as provide a relaxing and friendly atmosphere for our customers. With over 30 shop spaces, our dealers bring together a wonderful array of antiques, collectables and old wares and, with stock constantly changing, there is always a great selection and something new to collect. The centre’s spacious layout ensures access for wheelchairs, motorised scooters, walkers and prams. Relax and enjoy a complimentary cuppa. Well-behaved pets are also welcome to visit with their owners.
BAYSIDE ANTIQUE & COLLECTABLES CENTRE 162 Bloomfield Street, Cleveland Queensland 4163 (UBD map 185 p.18) Open 7 days 10 am - 5 pm • Ph: 07 3821 0936 • Mobile: 0419 671 279 • Like us on Facebook • Email: baysideantique@optusnet.com.au • www.baysideantiqueandcollectablescentre.com • On-site and street parking • Approx. 30 mins from Brisbane CBD • Complimentary tea and coffee • Easy access for wheelchairs, mobility scooters, prams • Dealer enquiries welcome re spaces and cabinets
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Paddington Antique Centre
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Offering Professional Service On Site or in Rooms Antiques • Art • Furniture • Silver • Ceramics • Glass • Jewellery • Collectables • Clocks • Old Toys • Militaria • Speciality Items Complete estates or single items through AUCTION or on CONSIGNMENT Quality and interesting items bought and sold For an independent Licensed Auctioneer with many years of specialised experience in the Antique and Collectable Trade contact Mark Nott 0419 703 886 mgnott@optusnet.com.au
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ANTIQUES 184 Mooloolaba Road Buderim QLD 4556
07 5445 4033
DAZE
MANSON FRAMERS MFG PTY LTD
• RESTORATION OF OILS, PAPER ART AND FRAMES • CONSERVATION FRAMING • TAPESTRY AND ART SUPPLIES • CUSTOM MADE STRETCHERS • SPECIALISED MATT CUTTING
Mon-Fri 8.30 am - 5 pm • Sat. 8.30 am - 12 pm
ANDREW & RONALD STS WYNNUM QLD 4178
07 3396 4251
Cnr Junction and Sandgate Rds, Clayfield Open 7 days, 10 am to 5 pm P: 07 3862 1600
Woolloongabba Antique Centre 22 Wellington Road, Woolloongabba (Cnr Nile St) Tues to Sat 9 am to 5 pm, Sun 10 am to 5 pm P: 07 3392 1114 F: 07 3392 1116
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Bayside Antique & Collectables Centre
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Nudgee Road Antiques & Design Centre
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Ipswich Antique Centre
162 Bloomfield Street, Cleveland Open 7 days 10 am to 5 pm P: 07 3821 0936 277 Nudgee Road, Hendra Mon to Fri 9 am to 5 pm, Sat 10 am to 4 pm P: 07 3268 2869 86 East Street, Ipswich Central Thurs to Mon 10 am to 5 pm (closed Tues & Wed) P: 07 3281 2330
Brisbane Antique Centre 4014 Pacific Highway (crn Beenleigh-Redland Bay Road, Exit 30 off the M1), Loganholme Open 7 days 9 am to 5 pm P: 07 3806 0118
26 Nudgee Road (cnr Stevenson) Hamilton, Brisbane Antique and estate jewellery, porcelain, linen, silver, silver plate, glass, crystal, collectables and furniture bought and sold Shipments of sterling silver constantly arriving
Phone 07 3268 6778 Member of QADA
Australis of Montville Antiques
OF GYMPIE
2 MINUTES OFF THE BRUCE HIGHWAY, 15 CALEDONIAN HILL GYMPIE 07 5482 4571 Open Wed - Sun 9 am - 4 pm www.dazegoneby.com.au
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Brisbane Antique Emporium
CHAMBERS & CROSTHWAITE ANTIQUES
GONE BY
Our stock is constantly changing see our website www.dazegoneby.com.au for small selection or better still pay us a visit in the real world!
Antiques and
85 Commercial Road, Newstead Open 7 days 10 am to 5 pm P: 07 3852 2352
Commercial Road Antiques & Decorative Arts
A few of our latest arrivals include 2 magnificent mahogany cylinder desks, maple 32 drawer filing cabinet, impressive mahogany hallstand, Hipwell galvanised 2.74 m (9 ft) windmill, oak longcase clock with Westminster chimes and a French carriage clock in its original case.
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KIMBELL
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Independent Auction Service
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167 Latrobe Tce (Cnr Collingwood St), Paddington Open 7 days 10 am to 5 pm P: 07 3369 8088
We buy & sell quality antiques & collectables including a large range of • jewellery • fine china • silver • pottery • furniture • investment pieces
The largest range on the sunshine coast 162 Main St, Montville, Qld 4560 Ph: 07 5442 9400 shireantiques@bigpond.com Days of business: OPEN 6 DAYS • CLOSED TUESDAYS
RICHLANDS
BEAUTIFUL RUGS
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As not all rugs are
deserve the best care C areful maintenance of your rugs is essential. At RugWash we are experienced in this work and encourage discussion to reach a clear understanding of what can be expected to keep your rugs in the best possible condition.
CHOOSING A RUG CLEANER ISN’T EASY Whether you bought a rug, kilim or carpet for decorative, practical or investment purposes, cleaning begins with finding the right rug cleaning company. At RugWash we all share a common love for the pieces of woven art that clients bring through our doors. Weavers have spent months and sometimes years to weave that rug that you have placed in your home, so we continually hone our skills and knowledge to ensure that we provide the very best services to protect these textiles. We are regarded nationally as one of the premier rug cleaning and repairing facilities in the country. At RugWash, cleaning a hand-woven rug is a multi-step process from vacuuming, to washing and drying. Care is taken in every step to ensure your investment is maintained and your rug is brought back to its original beauty. As not all rugs are woven identically, different weaves and dyes require custom cleaning techniques – but sadly, not all rug cleaners know these important differences. We recommend having your rugs professionally cleaned by an experienced rug cleaner.
KEEP IT CLEAN! The best way to keep a rug clean is to keep it from getting dirty in the first place. If everyone removes outdoor shoes when entering the house, as people do in most rugweaving countries, it will save your rugs from most dirt, provided this practice accords with your lifestyle. Bare-foot or sock-foot traffic is much gentler to a rug than a hard outdoorshoe sole or spiked heels. Have your rug cleaned only when really necessary. Rugs in main areas may need a yearly cleaning. Rugs in other areas can wait several years for professional cleaning. To judge how dirty a rug is, pick up a corner and while holding it, kick the back of the rug sharply. If a cloud of dirt flies out of the pile, the rug is dirty and is begging for a good cleaning. Take heart, some loose dust and wool fibres are normal.
woven identically, different weaves and
RugWash offers a pickup and delivery service throughout the Brisbane metropolitan area. We are open every Saturday morning from 8:30 to 11:30 am for convenient drop off and pick up of your rugs.
dyes require custom cleaning techniques
REPAIRS AND RESTORATION Rugs often lead a very tough life. Pets, insects, flower pots and the wear of daily use all take their toll. There are always times when something has to be done to maintain your rugs. Many different stabilisation, repair and restoration techniques are available to treat these weavings done by hand. Likewise it requires skill, experience and the right materials to repair and restore your rugs. • Holes and damage can be rewoven with nearly undetectable results, or simply sewn to prevent further loss • Fringe repair and edge repair is one of our frequent minor repairs • Worn areas can be restored, though extensive overall wear can be cost-prohibitive to treat. Good results require materials with the closest match of colour, fibre, and spin. We dye the majority of our materials ourselves, using both synthetic and natural dyes. Yarns are spun, or re-spun to provide the best match.
STORAGE TIPS The first and most important piece of storage advice is to always store rugs clean. Have them washed properly and then prepared for storage. We highly recommend applying our moth-repelling agent which makes the wool less appetising by changing the taste of the wool. Otherwise there’s a chance you’ll wrap hungry little rug-snacking insects in with your rug in a nice protected environment, and a year or more later when you open it up again you could be in for an ugly and expensive surprise. It is so important that each rug be wrapped in material that allows air to pass through, but nothing else. Cotton or linen is recommended. Avoid plastic at all costs. With changes in the weather, moisture must not be allowed to become trapped inside air-tight plastic wrapping. The results will be a mould problem, that will likely next become dry-rot and finally, you may find irreversible damage to your rug. It is important that the integrity of the package is intact. Avoid storing wrapped rugs directly on a floor. Always keep them elevated, at least on a very low shelf or rack to allow better access to air circulation. Should there be a flood or unnoticed leak, this elevation will keep your rug sitting above a puddle, avoiding the risks of slowly absorbing water.
Finally, it is wise to open your wrapped rugs once a year or so, just to enjoy a look and to run a vacuum over them. Check both the front and back sides. You don’t need to have them re-washed.
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Stephen Muncey RUGWASH QUEENSLAND 07 3375 9896 stephen@rugwashqueensland.com.au www.rugwashqueensland.com.au
Est. 1957
• Immaculate traditional rug washing • Expert repairs • Restoration • Conservation • Custom cut non-slip underlay • Moth repellent
Unit 24-315 Archerfield Road, Richlands Qld 4077
Phone: 07 3375 9896 Email: stephen@rugwashqueensland.com.au www.rugwashqueensland.com.au
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BIRKDALE
ADVERTISING A SMALL BUSINESS
over the past 100 Years T he allocation of advertising budgets for a small business provides much debate, with many competing mediums and a myriad of ways to spend money. In looking through the archives of F.J. Mole - Silversmiths it became obvious that this is not a new phenomenon, indeed it appears to have been an issue throughout the existence of the company. When Frederick Mole arrived in Brisbane, having left his metal spinning business in England, he commenced work as a general silversmith. In the early 1920s Archbishop Duhig approached Mr Mole to make brass, silver and gold items for the Church, commencing a tradition of manufacturing that continues to this day. Many of the Mole designs were based on traditional English
styles, with frequent requests for copies of items which had been brought out to Australia. As a new arrival, and with a growing business as the result of the requests for church ware manufacture, it was important the F.J. Mole brand establish itself and become known.
ARCHIVAL FINDS Some of the earliest advertising materials we have are original photographs that were sent to potential customers. These were stamped on the reverse ‘To be Returned to F.J. Mole’. It is reflective of the times that these were sent back to us, recognised as being on loan only for the purposes of making a decision. In order to provide customers with an indication of the range of items being produced, a catalogue with pictures and sketches of items was developed. These catalogues were mailed out in response to requests. When necessary full-size sketches were also sent out. Due to the high costs of printing these catalogues in the 1930s and ’40s it was decided to produce individual cards for the items in the catalogues. This meant that someone enquiring after a standard chalice could be sent one or two appropriate cards, rather than the expensive catalogue that showed the entire range. These cards continued to be used through to the 1970s, and we still occasionally send out one.
ESTABLISHING AN IDENTITY: HALLMARKS The branding of F.J. Mole was an important part of the advertising of the company. By
flow of work. Pictures of items were sent to prospective customers, in many instances these were Polaroid pictures taken by Kevin for the specific purpose of advertising. calling the building in Stanley Street Chalice House, Mole reinforced the association with ecclesiastical silversmithing and the company. All items were also marked. Sterling silver items were marked with a capital M for Mole, a Maltese Cross for Queensland, an emu for Australia and then ‘StgSil’ or similar for the metal. These soon became recognised as a sign of well-made items, in effect a de-facto system of hallmarking. Church brass items were also marked with the Mole mark, with several different marks used. The most common ones were ‘F.J.Mole – Brisbane’ and ‘Mole-Brisbane’. This stamping of church brass continues to work as advertising today as many people return the items to us for refurbishment.
DIVERSITY IN MARKETING
F.J.MOLE – SILVERSMITHS EST. 1913
Also trading as Silversmiths and Platers F.J.Mole Silversmiths celebrating 100 years of silversmithing in Brisbane in 2013. Manufacturers and Restorers of Silverware, Trophies and Churchware SPECIALIST RESTORERS OF ANTIQUE METALWARE Sterling Silver items • Brass and Copper Wares Pewter • Bronze and Spelter figures • Silverplated items BRASS AND IRON BEDS RESTORED AND FOR SALE
Free Pickup and Delivery throughout Brisbane and the Gold Coast region or make an appointment to visit our Birkdale workshop
Please see www.silversmithsandplaters.com.au for details Phone 07 3822 8563 • Mobile 0419 700 069 sales@silversmithsandplaters.com.au Mail Orders welcome to PO Box 3320, Birkdale QLD 4159
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Kevin Eager was heard on the radio during the 1970s talking about items we were working on and about silver in general. At the same time, as manufacturers of a number of prestigious trophies such as the Doomben Cup and the Winfield Cup Rugby League Trophy, our work was frequently in the paper and this provided additional advertising for us. In 1974 an official souvenir book was produced by the Brisbane City Council to commemorate the sesquicentenary of Queensland. F.J. Mole, now under the ownership of Kevin Eager and Mr and Mrs Best, took out a full page advertisement celebrating the achievements of the company. Illustrated is the picture of F.J. Mole taken from that advertisement, which also featured pictures of the Doomben Cup, a sterling silver chalice and a silver-plated altar candlestick set. The article also mentioned the jewel studded gold monstrance made by Frederick Mole for Archbishop Duhig. In the 1970s and 80s F.J.Mole - Silversmiths produced a number of advertising items for other companies. One example was a series of letter openers made for one of the Brisbane based stationers. This was in the days before the free pens and embossed caps and so silver letter openers was one way a company could reward special clients and visitors. Key rings, bottle openers and bookmarks were other items produced for these customers. Through the 1970s and into the 1990s the burgeoning antiques trade in Brisbane kept F.J. Mole busy, taking up the slack that had been created with the decline in church ware manufacture. Most advertising was done in the Yellow Pages, with the branding that had taken place in the early days ensuring a continued
KEEPING UP WITH TECHNOLOGY With the rise of the internet in the 21st century we have seen the demise of the catalogue and the need to mail photographs. Customers email us pictures of items they want restored, or with their enquiries for items to be made. We can respond with pictures of our own, as well as quotes. It has also opened up new markets as customers in other regions, and outside Australia, see our capability and can quickly access us.
THE PERSONAL TOUCH For the past 15 years we have exhibited at various antique fairs, selling interesting pieces we have restored as well as marketing our services. Together with our advertising in Antiques & Art in Queensland, this provides us with exposure to our target market – those people who appreciate antiques. On reflection, it is really only the method of delivery of the advertising message that has changed over the past 100 years, rather than the message itself. Those early photographs, originals printed in a studio in Brisbane and then mailed to customers, have been replaced by digital shots produced at no cost and then emailed. The branding of F.J. Mole on manufactured wares has outlived Mr Mole, seen the demolition of Chalice House to make way for extensions to the Mater Hospital, and continues to provide advertising for the company. F.J. MOLE - SILVERSMITHS 07 3822 8563 sales@silversmithsandplaters.com.au www.silversmithsandplaters.com.au
KILKIVAN
CLOSING DOWN SALE 30% OFF ALL STOCK Regrettably Kilkivan Fine Arts and Antiques is closing down. All stock must be sold so come along and purchase a bargain
| FURNITURE | PAINTINGS | JEWELLERY | CHINA AND COLLECTABLES There are many pieces of Royal Worcester, Royal Albert, Moorcroft, Mary Gregory, Royal Doulton and others
OPEN THURSDAY TO SUNDAY FROM 10AM TO 5PM
PRESENT THIS COUPON IN STORE AND RECEIVE A FURTHER 10% OFF THE DISCOUNTED PRICE
✄
OCK T S L L OFF A % 0 3 N SALE W O D NG CLOSI
OPEN Thursday to Sunday 10 am to 5 pm 6 Bligh Street, Kilkivan, Queensland 4600 Ph: 07 5484 1602 Fax: 07 5484 1603 Email: info@kfaa.com.au Website: www.kfaa.com.au Antiques and
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ANTIQUES
Value in timeless quality o you have a modern house? Or perhaps an old colonial? It doesn’t matter – whatever your abode, it’s the way that you choose to furnish it. Nothing delights me more than quality and, if you are like me, you will also appreciate old-world craftsmanship, timeless elegance and the functionality that can be found in antique furnishings. As I relax, recumbent in my favourite Edwardian spindle back tub chair, I not only feel that the chair I have bought will not decay in the manner numerous new ones will – ending up as landfill – but that the chair will retain its value and purpose in life. The benefits don’t stop there, it also adds a gentle ambience to the corner of the room. I can compound this effect by also mentioning that my cup of tea – no, it’s not in a china tea cup, but rather a nice English stoneware mug – is resting on a super little oak George IV pad foot wine table next to my Belgian marble-topped, Arts and Crafts, mirror back sideboard.
D
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I am hoping to project an image in your mind that creates delight in old-world pleasure. No, it wasn’t expensive, antiques are now better value than they have been for many years. When I am out buying, I also get a great kick out of finding that quirky piece or needful thing antiquing around shops and fairs, which I know you could also draw pleasure from. To summarise: quality, elegance and good value – need I say more?
WHAT’S IN STORE AT SALT’S AT CROWS NEST Salt’s at Crows Nest features a 12,000 sq ft showroom, housed by a most impressive Edwardian building whose image is synonymous with generations of antique buyers – and the façade is the biggest and best in town. Step inside and you’ll come upon row upon row of antique furniture, from Art Deco and simple Edwardian to decadent Victorian and country Georgian. These pieces number over
600, including over 20 good quality Victorian and Edwardian hallstands; Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian bureaux – over 40 in a choice of walnut, mahogany or oak; 50-plus pretty china cabinets from the 1880s to the 1930s; and large Victorian chests of drawers – at least 20. Fancy a dining table? There are over 30 to choose from and plenty of sets of chairs to go with them. The sideboards number 80 or more of all sizes, ages and timbers, both in mirror back and low. While fitting out your home, don’t forget the blanket boxes, tea trolleys, washstands, dressing tables, roll top desks, corner units, gate leg tables, hall chairs and every other manner of furniture you can imagine. There is also plenty of glass and china, brass and copper, knick-knacks, bric-à-brac, and all manner of smalls and sundries you would hope to find in such a well-stocked store. We also import and have in stock good quality, cast iron, reproduction garden furnishings, which have proven to be very popular. With new stock always arriving maybe it’s time for you to visit or revisit. Please note this is not a little shop, it is an antiques warehouse where you can always find great value. I love nothing better than to close deals and turn over stock, so you will find it can be your one
stop emporium. We are always approachable, deliver free locally, and beyond at very reasonable prices (Brisbane, Gold and Sunshine Coasts $99).
OPENING HOURS The store is open Wednesday – Sunday 9 am – 4 pm, but I advise those who are travelling from a distance to ring ahead first to avoid any disappointment, in case the shop’s operating hours have been amended due to any unforeseen circumstances. For more information please contact ROGER SALT’S AT CROWS NEST 07 4698 1266 / 0438 469 812 rogersalt@bigpond.com
CROWS NEST
RO G E R S A LT A N T I Q U E F U R N I T U R E S P E C I A L I S T I N T E R N AT I O N A L I M P O R T E R Wed to Sun 9am – 4pm Please ring first 1 Thallon St Crows Nest QLD 4355
Phone 07 4698 1266 Mobile 0438 469 812 E rogersalt@bigpond.com
S TILL THE BIGGES T AND BES T ON THE DOWNS
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HAMPTON
SALTS ANTIQUES & T.J. SALT HAVE RELOCATED We are now trading from Hampton - a short drive from Toowoomba on the New England Highway WE HAVE AN INTERESTING RANGE OF STOCK & COLLECTABLES INCLUDING grandfather clocks • wall clocks • mantle clocks • barometers • polyphons • live steam • Royal Doulton • Kevin Francis • dolls • bibles • Shelly china • silver plate • carnival glass • spelter figures • kero lamps • lustre overlays • epergnes • fine figurines plus a selection of retro sci-fi collectable toys, vinyl records and models
OPEN WED - SUN 10am - 4pm Ring first to avoid disappointment if travelling from afar CUSTOMER PARKING AVAILABLE
Salts Antiques 0408 989 032 Valerie Salt T.J. Salt 0439 024 559 Jane Salt
SALT’S ANTIQUES & T.J. SALT
relocates to Hampton T he end of an era … and the beginning of another; yes, Salt’s Antiques and TJ Salt have relocated – we’re back! As Jane and I had to leave Crows Nest in the middle of February this year, we placed our stock in storage and expected to have to do the fairs – which would have been hard. However at the beginning of March we received a phone call from an old customer who wanted to purchase an HMV exhibition gramophone. As per his suggestion we met him in Hampton and, after selling him the gramophone. On the way we happened to pass the former antique shop there which had a ‘For rent’ sign displayed; so we made the call and managed to secure the building. We got the shop on 1 April – oddly enough – and began to move once again. We had to get the windows meshed, shelving up, counters in place and then move the stock again. Hard work, with few breakages fortunately, considering how many boxes we had to unpack. Now the shop is finally coming together and it’s bigger than our last one and much better.
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There is also a beautiful wood-burning stove in the store – ideal for the cold months ahead. I am still closing down but there is a good selection of clocks, china, model steam, glass, Royal Doulton, kerosene lamps, dolls, etc in stock for those looking for that special item in those lines.
JANE S FABULOUS RETRO FINDS Now for the first time, Jane has a shop from which to sell retro and display her fabulous finds. These include a large collection of vinyl 33" records, some rare picture discs – for example The Jacksons – a good selection of coloured vinyl and a large range of movie posters from 1990 onwards. Included in the collection is an original and very rare framed poster for the 1965 James Bond movie Thunderball. Another special piece is a framed Harrison Ford Blade Runner poster. There’s also a rare Scream banner – only 200 of which were made for Australia. Over the years Jane has also amassed a lot of
early memorabilia, such as Star Wars – some boxed but all very interesting as well as Star Trek, Thunderbirds, Buck Rogers, Austin Powers’ figurines with sound effects, Batman figures, Lord of the Rings – all boxed, ET stuffed toys, and The Simpsons. There is also a Snoopy telephone in working order, a Spiderman telephone, some Elvis collectables and a Madonna sex book with metal cover. In addition there are Coca-Cola items and a number of nice model planes including a Japanese Zero, British Spitfire, Biplane, US model planes, a Goodyear Blimp and much more.
HOW TO FIND US
Hampton is a lovely little village in which to stop and have a break or enjoy a meal and have a look round our shop. Customer parking is available and we're open from Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm but it’s advisable to call ahead first if coming from a distance. Keep a look out for the red flags which makes it easy to find us – hopefully you will see that something you can’t live without.
Our new premises are located on the New England Highway at Hampton – on the Esk turnoff, a short drive from Toowoomba and a pleasant drive from Brisbane and the coast.
SALT S ANTIQUES & T.J. SALT Valerie Salt 0408 989 032 Jane Salt 0439 024 559
TOOWOOMBA
TOOWOOMBA REGIONAL ART GALLERY’S
winter-spring exhibition highlights A n eclectic range of exhibitions will be displayed at Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery across winter and spring this year. As well as supporting local emerging artists with month-long exhibitions, the Gallery will present a number of enticing exhibitions featuring prints, sculpture, film, wood engravings and flower arrangements. Displays will range from a selection of late 19th and early 20th century lithographs by enigmatic artist Charles Conder to the latest designs in Australian contemporary jewellery.
Toowoomba Ikebana Group, Ikebana display 2012
IKEBANA DISPLAY
FAMILIAR UNFAMILIAR Until 28 July Curated by notable printmaker Rona Green, this is an exhibition of prints by 45 Australian artists celebrating the 45th anniversary of the Print Council of Australia. Works in the exhibition have been formulated around each artist’s idiosyncratic response to the familiar in their environment which remains continually unfamiliar. This project is supported by the Victorian Government through Arts Victoria.
LIONEL LINDSAY: RECENT ACQUISITIONS Until 11 August This display includes a selection of prints by Australian artist and master printmaker Sir Lionel Lindsay (1874-1961) that were recently acquired for the Toowoomba City Collection. In addition, Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery holds two presses that belonged to Lindsay. The Albion Press used by him to make original prints in the early 1900s was conserved in 2012 and is now on permanent display in a new exhibition space.
HOLY SMOKE: LIONEL LINDSAY’S ART OF PIPE SMOKING Until 11 August This exhibition showcases selected holdings of the Lionel Lindsay Gallery and Library Collection and looks at ‘a pipe of baccy’ as a fetish object in Sir Lionel Lindsay’s art.
Brenton Langsford (New South Wales), Heavy pondering, 2011, necklace: anodised aluminium, nickel-plated brass, stainless steel cap screws, steel cable and rare earth magnets. Toowoomba City Collection 1797
through the theme of transplantation. Each artist examines their individual cultural identity through their own personal and family experience. Curated by Professor Norman Cherry in conjunction with The National Centre for Craft & Design and the University of Lincoln, UK.
CHARLES CONDER: THE LITHOGRAPHS 17 August – 13 October The work of enigmatic English-born artist Charles Conder (1868-1909) is widely collected and held in national collections around the world. Conder migrated to Australia in 1884 as a 17 year old and went on to learn the art of lithography in Sydney in 1887 where he became a lithographic apprentice to Gibbs, Shallard & Co. From April to October 1887 his signed drawings appeared weekly in the Illustrated Sydney News which was published by the firm. The collection spans the period from 1899 to 1906 and includes a range of works and invitation cards as well as a collection of books, catalogues, exhibition invitations and research material. This exhibition also includes a series of lithographic prints created by Conder and are considered to be some of his finest works. The subjects have been drawn from idealised memories, Balzac and the bohemian tales of Henri Merger. Conder embraced the bohemian lifestyle and these lithographs reflect his personal panache and showcase his imaginative style. The Balzac set of six lithographs remains a high point of graphic art of his period. Maitland Regional Art Gallery is pleased to share Charles Conder: the Lithographs with Toowoomba.
Australian and New Zealand jewellers. Contemporary Wearables is proudly presented as the Gallery’s ongoing commitment to supporting and promoting this dynamic and thriving ‘decorative’ art form, and Toowoomba Gallery Society Inc. is once again providing the Student Prize to encourage and support the next generation of jewellery artisans. The exhibition will reveal an array of unique, desirable and individual designs that would be equally impressive in a gallery display or as an eye-catching accessory in a high fashion wardrobe. Curated by the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery and touring to other galleries during 2014.
21 September – 30 September Also held in conjunction with the Carnival of Flowers festival is the display of Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement, now an accepted art form around the world. This art form has progressed from exclusively naturalistic arrangements to include flowing sculptural forms expressing great power while still retaining the intrinsic artistry of its ancient heritage. Modern Ikebana uses not only living plant material, but also incorporates wood, inorganic objects and dried plants, thus becoming boldly experimental. This modern Ikebana display reflects the many years of study by Toowoomba Ikebana Group members to achieve advanced levels of proficiency, and exhibits high levels of skill and imagination. For more details about the programs contact TOOWOOMBA REGIONAL ART GALLERY 07 4688 6652 art@toowoombaRC.qld.gov.au
COSTUMES AND MASKS 17 August – 13 October To complement the travelling exhibition Charles Conder: The Lithographs, works selected from across the Gallery’s collections depicting pageantry, play acting and dress-up fantasy will also be on display.
CONTEMPORARY WEARABLES ’13
Lionel Lindsay (1874-1961), Put your sack down mate and I’ll show you how to roll a swag, 1958, pen and pencil on paper, 26.7 x 17.6 cm. Lionel Lindsay Gallery and Library Collection 395 © National Library of Australia
TRANSPLANTATION 3 August – 8 September This exhibition of contemporary narrative jewellery was created by a group of 12 artists based in either the UK or Australia. The pieces explore a sense of place and cultural identity
14 September – 27 October Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery’s showcase award exhibition, Contemporary Wearables, is held biennially in September, as a highlight of Toowoomba’s famous Carnival of Flowers festival. This year marks the Gallery’s 13th biennial award exhibition of contemporary jewellery which has attracted entries from both prominent and emerging jewellery artists from across Australia and New Zealand. From its humble beginnings in 1989, the importance, size, presentation, reputation and prestige of this award exhibition has increased dramatically. It now is established as an important event on the calendar of leading Antiques and
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TOOWOOMBA
LANCASTER’S TOOWOOMBA ANTIQUE CENTRE
18 years old and going strong L ancaster’s Toowoomba Antique Centre is now celebrating its 18th anniversary. Located in Queensland’s garden city, nestled on the Great Dividing Range, Toowoomba is one of Australia’s leading centres for antiques and is home to more than a dozen antique shops. Lancaster’s Antique Centre is a must see when visiting the Darling Downs. After 18 years of trading from their Railway Street address, Lancaster’s has never been more progressive. The Christison family have owned and operated the antique centre since June 2002 when Jan and Barrie purchased the business from Graham and Gary Lancaster, the original owners who traded for the first five years. Since then, Jan and Barrie’s daughter, Sharon, and her team have successfully managed and orchestrated the workings of this bustling centre.
Located opposite the historic Toowoomba Railway Station, it is easily reached from Brisbane or the Gold Coast, both less than an hour and a half away. Lancaster’s has certainly come of age and is regarded as one of the leading Australian antique centres with 14 dealers displaying their wares; a showcase for the best of what southeast Queensland has to offer. Toowoomba, the gateway to the golden west, has always boasted a relatively large and wealthy population. This is reflected in the quality antiques and collectables this city continually yields. Whether you are looking for Australian furniture, cedar, pine or silky oak, or even that one-off piece in English oak or mahogany – Lancaster’s always has an excellent range to choose from. But the real ‘jewel in the crown’
of this centre is the myriad of showcases and cabinets housing thousands of small antiques and collectables. There is fine china, quality glassware, jewellery, sewing paraphernalia, blokey stuff, metal ware, coins, medals, militaria, books, ephemera, toys, dolls, teddies, pottery, the list goes on. Whether you are an established collector, a beginner or just a browser, you are sure to enjoy the enormous range. There is a definite leaning to Australian and locally found pieces, a trend that has emerged and replaced the shiploads of antiques imported in the 1980s and 1990s. Lancaster’s is always buying and paying top prices for antiques and collectables. Whether you are a local or a visitor to Toowoomba, appraisals and valuations are most welcome.
Lancaster’s is open seven days a week, 10 am to 5 pm. Come and enjoy the huge range and fantastic display. LANCASTER’S TOOWOOMBA ANTIQUE CENTRE 07 4632 1830
Lancaster’s
TO OWO O M B A
ANTIQUE
CENTRE
Australiana, Books, Collectables, Dolls, Ephemera, Furniture, Glassware, Hatpins, Inkwells, Jewellery, Kitchenalia, Linen, Metalware, Noritake, Oriental, Pears prints, Qld pottery, Royalty ware, Shelley, Toys, Unique pieces, Venetian glass, Wembley Ware, Xylonite,Yo-yos and Zithers
L
With 14 specialist dealers under one roof, we carry a full range, from A–Z, of antique and collectables, with fresh stock arriving daily. Drop in for a browse, or chat with our friendly staff.
OPEN 7 DAYS 10 am - 5 pm
3 Railway St,Toowoomba Queensland 4350 Phone: 07 4632 1830 Mob: 0403 372 054
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TOOWOOMBA
RESTORING YESTERDAY’S BEDSTEADS
for generations of tomorrow A s most people spend up to a third of their lives sleeping, beds are important bedroom furniture and have inspired furniture designers across the centuries to produce functional yet appealing pieces, mainly using timber. However, in the early 1800s, amongst concerns of hygiene, bed bugs and the outbreak of disease, there was a new age dawning: the Industrial Revolution was well underway with the development of the steel industry, including the design and production of brass and iron beds or bedsteads. Thousands of brass and iron bedsteads were made, sold and then shipped about the world as people migrated to other countries, where other brass and iron bedstead factories were begun. The brass bedstead industry became so large the employees were able to form their own unions to represent them, such as the UK’s Bedstead Workmens Association, and Birminghams Iron and Brass Bedstead Makers. These artisans were mainly men who worked in extreme temperatures and difficult conditions. However in the early 1900s, war reshaped the steel industry again, as factories were assigned to the war effort. Any available iron – including brass – was required to aid the war effort, so these hard-wrought bedsteads were collected and melted down to be remade into whatever the war departments required. After this, bed apprenticeships were no longer offered. Never would those artisans have believed that, over 100 years later, the brass beds they produced would become the passion for a young boy.
CONTINUING AN ARTISAN TRADITION In a small Queensland country town, a 13-yearold boy was walking down the street past an old shed at the rear of the local pub when he noticed the publican was clearing everything out, and amongst the rubbish were some old iron and brass beds. Upon his enquiring as to what was happening, he was informed that the shed was going to be demolished and all the old stuff dumped. So he asked if he could take the beds and was told he could, as long as he removed them all by the next day. The boy went home, returning with his only mode of transport – his pushbike – and set about the task of removing the beds and bed pieces. Pedalling between the shed and his home, he took them home piece by piece – quite a sight in a small country town, as you can imagine – but by nightfall he had the job done. Initially under the guidance of his grandfather and then working as a weld/metalworker, now, over 30 years later, he has developed and taught himself the necessary skills of the original brass bed artisans. • Understanding how to care and work with the old cast iron framework • How to treat, hand rub and polish the brass – allowing it to shine again • How to handle and clean the fine porcelain spindles and decorative centres made of porcelain or glass
• How to source, cut and glue mother-ofpearl shell which was long gone, only leaving an outline of its original design. DEDICATION TO RESTORATION This is exactly what led a boy’s hobby to our specialised antique brass bed business – Timeless Antiques. What sets us apart is that our business is solely dedicated to antique brass bed restorations and brass bed sales. We are strongly committed to encouraging families to take the old family bed out from where it has been tucked away in the shed, back paddock, under the rafters or even being used as a poddy calf feeder (yes this is true and we have the photos to prove it!) and bring them to us so we can restore them for future generations to enjoy. So if you would like to have Grandma’s brass bed restored bring it to us or email us some photos. We also believe in old fashioned service – talking and communicating to our clients by phone and email whilst their restoration is being done. So if you are looking for quality and service, and are thinking of purchasing an antique brass bed, come and visit our showroom and website.
TIMELESS
Antiques
Mark & Lynne Bennett Specialists in Original Brass Bed Restorations
Mark and Lynne Bennett TIMELESS ANTIQUES 07 4633 1195 / 0412 017 160 timeantq@bigpond.net.au
Phone: 07 4633 1195 Mobile: 0412 071 160 117-119 McDougall St Toowoomba QLD 4350 Email: timeantq@bigpond.net.au www.timelessantiques.com.au
Taking care of furniture for generations of tomorrow Antiques and
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IPSWICH
Water jug attributed to Rogers & Co, c. 1890, press-moulded Majolica glazed earthenware. Ipswich Art Gallery. Acquired with funds donated by Mr John M Michelmore in memory of Dr Peter Foote, and Claypave, 2002
Boxed set of coffee spoons made by Dixon, c. 1940, retailed by Cribb & Foote Ipswich, silver plate. Ipswich Art Gallery. Acquired with funds donated by the Friends of the Ipswich Art Gallery, 2006
Are you sitting on HIDDEN TREASURES? L ocal residents interested to know what their antiques are worth can have them appraised by an expert panel of valuers when the Ipswich Art Gallery hosts Treasures from the Attic on Saturday, 21 September. Participating expert and manager of Lancaster’s Antiques Centre in Toowoomba, Sharon Christison, said past Treasures from the Attic events had proven to be very popular. ‘One year we had to go a few hours past the time limit due to the overwhelming response and turnout from the local folk,’ Ms Christison said. ‘I love Treasures from the Attic because I get to meet lots of interesting local people with their treasures and they all have a story plus you never know what item is going to come through the door.’ Some antiques valued at previous Treasures from the Attic events have never left the gallery. Items such as early photographs and prints of Ipswich as well as early examples of local pottery proved so valuable they were acquired for the City of Ipswich Collection. Ms Christison has worked in the antiques industry for more than 20 years and said the panel of valuers assembled for the September event would be able to answer a range of questions including the age, origin and worth of objects. ‘People should bring along their family heirlooms passed down through the generations; the old vase on the cupboard that belonged to a great aunt or the unusual piece of jewellery that always lived in the bottom of granny’s jewel box. You never know what you've got!’
LOCAL ITEMS IN DEMAND The current trend in the antiques market Ms Christison observed is ‘anything Georgian’
and good quality colonial pieces are always in popular demand. ‘Ipswich is rich in antique treasures today because of the town’s vast population and wealth which existed at the turn of last century,’ she said. ‘Anything made in the south-east Queensland area is popular including pottery, furniture, artworks and ephemera. Bottles or advertising pieces from the many local stores that existed from the late 1870s to 1960s are always of interest too.’
ANTIQUES APPRAISED There was a growing awareness and appreciation of antique items Ms Christison advised, which in the past could have been mistakenly dumped or given away to charity. ‘Always get an old item checked out before you do anything with it,’ she recommended. ‘The worst any antique dealer can say is “sorry, it is not worth anything”.’ Treasures from the Attic will be held at the Ipswich Art Gallery from 10 am until 1 pm on Saturday, 21 September. Appraisals will be conducted on a gold coin donation basis and there is a limit of three items per person. Photographs will suffice for larger objects.
ABOUT THE GALLERY The Ipswich Art Gallery is located in d’Arcy Doyle Place, between Ipswich and Limestone Streets, in the Ipswich CBD. Entry to the Gallery is free. For more information please contact IPSWICH ART GALLERY 07 3810 7222 info@ipswichartgallery.qld.gov.au www.ipswichartgallery.qld.gov.au
Above: Ceremonial engraved powder horn attributed to Thomas Beverley, c. 1875, bovine horn. Ipswich Art Gallery. Acquired with funds donated by the Friends of the Ipswich Art Gallery, 2009 Left: Glass 17 oz milk bottle made by Melbourne Glass Bottle Works for The Ipswich Certified Milk Company, c. 1905. Ipswich Art Gallery. Acquired through the Ipswich Arts Foundation, 2005
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WINDSOR
KARUNA’S ART & JEWELLERY MARKET
for a special cause
A call to donate your pre-loved items and help people living with a life limiting illness be cared for at home ome along and join the Karuna family at Karuna’s Art & Jewellery Market which is celebrating its 11th year. If you haven’t been to the market before, this year on Saturday, 3 August, is the perfect opportunity to come and experience an event for everyone. Most importantly, funds raised go towards providing essential services to the community free of charge at a time when they need it most. We are also asking for additional donations of pre-loved art and jewellery from members of the antiques trade so if you have a piece that has been lurking in your store for a while, we would be more than happy to put it in our market.
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when grief takes over. It is a service that we need to provide for so many more families. These services are offered free thanks largely to the generosity of the broader community, from donations and funds raised through annual appeals and events.
THE MARKET IS A VITAL FUNDRAISER As part of the fundraising for Karuna, each year we have an art and jewellery market. Last year this event raised over $30,000. This event is really important because 40 percent of our funding comes from the community.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT The market is made possible by generous donations of art and jewellery. We have volunteers who sort, clean and price the art, jewellery and bric-à-brac beforehand, and on
the day over 100 volunteers donate their time manning the stalls. As well as supporting this vital community service, the market is a day filled with fun and entertainment for the whole family. Search through the trash and treasure, affordable jewellery, bric-à-brac, or the many books and CDs on offer. For the textile collector and lover of retro there is designer and vintage clothing, or why not visit the stand selling irresistible cupcakes? Take time out and sample the scrumptious
food or if a serious art collector, take part in the silent art auction. Held at Karuna House, 27 Cartwright Street, Windsor, this year, the market is on Saturday, 3 August, from 8 am until 3 pm. For more information contact KARUNA 07 3632 8300 www.karuna.org.au
ABOUT KARUNA Karuna is an organisation dedicated to providing palliative care to people in the community diagnosed with a life-limiting illness. The wonderful team are involved with people of all ages and circumstances. Illness can strike anyone at any age, from the very young to the elderly, single or with partners, perhaps with a young family, or someone’s sibling or parent – all are dealing with a terminal illness. When confronted with the diagnosis and not sure where to go, families contact Karuna.
KARUNA’S SERVICES: FREE TO THE COMMUNITY Karuna provides nursing services, information, counselling and spiritual support for the whole family. Karuna also steps in
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J.M.W. Turner, Regulus, 1828, reworked 1837. Photo © Tate, 2013
J.M.W. Turner, The Fall of an Avalanche in the Grisons, exhibited 1810. Photo © Tate, 2013
J.M.W. Turner, Waves Breaking on a Lee Shore at Margate (Study for Rockets and Blue Lights), c. 1840. Photo © Tate, 2013
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.
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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
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.
J.M.W. Turner, Venice, the Bridge of Sighs, exhibited 1840. Photo © Tate, 2013
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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
J.M.W. Turner, Peace – Burial at Sea, exhibited 1842. Photo © Tate, 2013
Engraved by W. Holl, Portrait of Turner, published 1859-61. Photo © Tate, 2013
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
J.M.W. Turner, A Disaster at Sea, c. 1835. Photo © Tate, 2013
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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USING HOWARD PRODUCTS
a Victorian lady gets a 60 minute makeover O n one of our rare attempts at having a holiday just recently, we were invited by old friends to stay in their beautiful house perched on a hill in the Noosa hinterland with beautiful views from every angle, beaches nearby and a great swimming pool in the forecourt. What a dream! I’ve known these people a long time and they have always collected all kinds of antique bits and pieces. This most recent house of theirs was no different. A large containment area underneath the house was found to be chock full of old chairs, tables and cupboards waiting to be re-finished one day. That came later. The first thing I saw when we opened the door into the entrance foyer was an imposing Victorian sideboard of huge proportions featuring ornate carvings all coated in very
From this
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dark and very battered shellac which was in desperate need of urgent attention. Here I was dreaming about the pool and the beach but I just knew that I would not be able to relax until that grand old sideboard was given a bit of attention. Just as well I always travel with my Howard Products demo box. The photos you see in this story were taken by Sally on her iPhone while I worked. They are not the greatest quality but they illustrate what I was faced with and how I went about quickly giving that dear old sideboard some nourishment and repair. Some of the surfaces were so worn that I really didn’t know whether my trusty Restor-AFinish would be able to handle it but as you will see it did, well maybe not perfectly, however that’s the point really – Restor-A-Finish was
designed to retain patination and deliver a ‘cared for over many years’ look to battered antiques. This sideboard was just one of many items we restored while having what really was a great break at Noosa. The thing is you can work so quickly with Restor-A-Finish that the sideboard only took an hour or so. On that day we were so keen to get to the beach and see the sights that it wasn't until we got home from our holiday some time later and were checking the photos we'd taken, when we realised that although there were
plenty of action shots, we hadn't taken a before and after photo of that lovely sideboard. It's a pity because the difference after the Restor-AFinish treatment was amazing. We'll leave you to imagine just how elegant that old Victorian lady looked when we waved her goodbye. David Foster – Director HOWARD PRODUCTS (AUST) 1800 672 646 advice@howardproducts.com.au www.howardproducts.com.au
NEW SOUTH WALES Jack Thompson actor
Conserving Australia’s heritage:
L to r: Stephan Wellink (Producer, I Am Jack), Susanne Gervay, Jack Thompson, Gabrielle Upton MP (NSW), David Whealy (Executive Producer, I Am Jack)
THE THOMPSONS OF PADDINGTON, SYDNEY poet, feature writer and ABC producer, John Thompson (1907-1968) was the first president of the Paddington Society in 1965. A historian, writer and heritage activist, his wife Patricia (Pat) Thompson (1912-1987) would lead a campaign to save the heritage of Paddington and West Woollahra. Their home at 66 Goodhope Street, Paddington, which they moved into in 1951, became the ‘salon’ of Paddington-West Woollahra with writers, artists and thinkers debating the great issues of the time. Their son Peter Thompson, film critic, film producer, script writer, author, and their adopted son Jack Thompson OA, the iconic Australian actor and producer, grew up in this dynamic, creative activist community. Their campaign to conserve the heritage of Paddington and West Woollahra would spearhead the conservation of historic areas in Sydney.
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PROTESTING & PRESERVING PADDINGTON Pat Thompson’s campaigns of political lobbying and activism lasted decades, ultimately leading to Paddington and West Woollahra being declared a conservation area under the National Trust (NSW). Her celebrated campaign with local identity, writer and festival director Leo Schofield OAM, attracted thousands of protestors to Paddington-West Woollahra. Pat Thompson and Leo Schofield distributed hundreds of rolls of black crepe paper for people to encase their houses, symbolising mourning, to preserve Jersey Road, Woollahra. The Paddington Society is regarded as the first resident action group in Australia. This was augmented by the Queen Street and West Woollahra Association in 1972 which was established to preserve the character of Queen Street and its surrounding district. After the death of John Thompson, Pat continued her work in advocacy for the preservation of Paddington-West Woollahra and the arts. She became the president of the Paddington Society in 1972. She wrote The Story of Paddington in 1968, Paddington an area of special architectural interest in 1969, Paddington sketchbook in 1971 and Paddington sketchbook in 1975. They are the first publications devoted to the history of the suburb. Pat Thompson’s love of the arts was reflected in her book Twelve Australian Craftsmen which she produced in 1973. She
served on the editorial board of Craft Australia; and as president of the Society of Women Writers.
TRADITION OF CREATIVITY The Pat Thompson Park in Holdsworth Street was dedicated to her on 17 November 2007 supported by her sons Peter and Jack Thompson who have both continued in their parents’ tradition as creators and activists. Jack Thompson was honoured with a Member of the Order of Australia in 1986 for his service to the film industry. An environmental and indigenous advocate, he has also been Australia’s Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. In 1994, Jack Thompson was awarded the Raymond Longford award by the Australian Film Institute for his outstanding contribution to Australian cinema, and in 2009 was awarded the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) Lifetime Achievement Award for services to Australian Film and Television. Jack was adopted by the Thompsons as a young boy. He remembers being at a boarding crèche with his brother and his mother visiting on weekends while his father was at war. After his mother died from an illness, Jack and his brother David were taken to a school at Narrabeen, called Lake House. It was here that he met a boy called Peter Thompson and ended up being adopted by the Thompson family. In recognition of his adoptive background, Jack Thompson became an Ambassador for National Adoption Awareness Week connecting with another Woollahra personality DeborraLee Furness who is the founder and patron of National Adoption Awareness Week in Australia. She is an internationally acclaimed actress, a World Vision Ambassador, patron of International Adoption Families of Queensland and of The Fight Cancer Foundation.
movies including Blade Runner, and other filmmakers from Chapman University California to The Hughenden on Queen Street. Jack Thompson has been involved in the development of ‘I Am Jack’ too. Like Jack Thompson, Deborra-Lee Furness is a frequent patron of the area and more so recently. She will be an actor in the feature film in development, I Am Jack (written by Susanne Gervay). The original illustration by Cathy Wilcox of the cover of the book, I Am
Jack, is exhibited in the illustrators’ gallery in the Reading Room of The Hughenden. The Thompsons are integral to the heritage and arts of Paddington-West Woollahra, one of Australia’s significant urban conservation areas. Susanne Gervay THE HUGHENDEN 02 9363 4863 reservations@thehughenden.com.au www.thehughenden.com.au
ARTISTIC LEGACY Paddington-West Woollahra is the natural home of writers with poet Banjo Paterson, Australia’s first philosopher Barzillai Quaife, and opera singer Dame Joan Sutherland all having lived there. More recently film makers have joined the creative life of the area with the Australian Film and Television School (AFTS) located at the Entertainment Quarter. Jack Thompson is a frequent visitor to the area and recently welcomed Professor Harry Ufland, renowned producer and film agent for many well-known Antiques and
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NEW SOUTH WALES
ART GILDING ACADEMY German Master Gilder reveals the secrets of this ancient craft Learn professional gilding in a 9 day hands-on course
Brigitte with the weekend class project
WEEKEND CLASSES
Gilded French clock
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 46 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.
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Master Gilding class 2012
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 than they could in a three-year apprenticeship. We provide a relaxed and fun atmosphere and attendees are always like-minded people.
Golden Opportunity Learn gilding the easy way No prior knowledge nessary
MASTER GILDING CLASS Professional course over 9 days straight GOLDEN WEEKEND Sat & Sun 10 am – 4 pm
Only 6 places per class For friendly advice and to check availability Call Brigitte on 02 9310 3007
Art Gilding Academy 99-101 Buckingham St Surry Hills NSW 2010 (5 minute walk to Central Station)
Watch the gilding video on our website
www.artgilding.com.au
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SMALL CLASSES For the benefit of students classes, are restricted to a maximum of six students, guaranteeing personal attention. 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.
HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS Master Class students are invited to join the Art Gilding team on our many outside commissions. Translating theory to practice under the watchful eyes of experts is a valuable learning experience for students as they apply their newly learned skills to practical situations. This is a win/win situation for everybody.
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 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.
Sydney: Sat/Sun 10 am – 4 pm 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. The weekend class is very reasonably priced at $795. This includes the project – an Egyptian plaque (value $345), flat boards and a canvas – and all tuition and materials. Students are able to purchase materials on completion of the class. 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. Art Gilding is based in Sydney and today’s readily available cheap air fares create a ‘golden’ opportunity to combine a weekend away or holiday with learning the art of gilding. We can recommend quality accommodation close by from $35 per night. For students wanting to stay longer, I have arranged a special low rate in a lodge nearby, two minutes walk from the academy.
Please check our homepage for the video on gilding a plaque and details about our 2013 class schedule. For more information contact Brigitte at ART GILDING ACADEMY 02 9310 3007 artgilding@artgilding.com.au www.artgilding.com.au
VICTORIA
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ORIENTAL ANTIQUE GALLERY WELCOMES collectors and purveyors of fine furniture to their new Brisbane store riental Antique Gallery, a family business, was established in 1997 and is a specialist importer of Chinese furniture. The first store was in Armadale, Victoria, and from there the business grew, opening showrooms in New South Wales and Queensland. Our exclusive antiques are sourced from all parts of China including major cities such as Shanghai and Beijing, and outer provinces such as Ningbo, Shanxi, Mongolia and Tibet. Each piece is hand selected with particular attention to its design, character and quality. Our stores carry a wide range of Chinese furniture, from antique and restored pieces to custom designed items with new shipments coming from China every eight to ten weeks.
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TRADITIONAL DESIGNS ADAPT WELL TO CONTEMPORARY SETTINGS Qing period (1644-1912) furniture is a popular choice for enhancing homes, offices and public buildings. The designs – including lacquered, natural finish, carved and painted exterior scenes – are easily adapted to a multitude of uses. They come in a range of forms from wardrobes to trunks, chairs, tables and desks. If looking for entertainment units, bedside tables, coffee tables, etc, we carry modern solid timber pieces specifically designed to meet these functions. To complete a room’s design there are ceramics, carved wood, stone and bronzes – wonderful accessories for that decorative element.
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REVITALISING THE FAMILY BUSINESS From 2005 to 2009 Oriental Antique Gallery ran a very successful store in Newstead. After the shop’s closure Queensland customers patronised the NSW and Victorian shops for their oriental antiques and furniture. This continued support has led to Phillip Guan, brother-in-law of founder Wen Qing Li to re-open a showroom in Queensland, choosing a Brisbane location – 41 Brookes Street in Bowen Hill. The celebratory opening event attracted many registered customers to the store. We invite you to visit our Brisbane showroom and browse through our extensive range of traditional Chinese furniture. Here you will find furniture that evokes the timelessness of fine antiques combined with contemporary convenience, creating the perfect blend of East meets West.
For more details contact Phillip Guan ORIENTAL ANTIQUE GALLERY phillip_kwan@hotmail.com 07 3257 3889
Oriental Antique Gallery Fine Chinese Antique Furniture Porcelain and Bronze Pieces, Chinese Jade through the ages, Temple Statues, Decorative Objects
41 BROOKES STREET, BOWEN HILLS QLD T 07 3257 3889 F 07 3252 1889 SHOP 1, 479 PACIFIC HIGHWAY, CROWS NEST NSW T 02 9906 8588 F 02 9906 1788
OPEN: 10am – 5pm 7 DAYS email: phillip_kwan@hotmail.com www.orientalantiquegallery.com.au