antiques&art IN QUEENSLAND
MARCH - JULY 2012
ART OF Peter J Hill
GOLD COAST / MOUNT TAMBORINE ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Peter Hill painting the Australian pelican O
ur Australian pelican is a large water bird widespread on the inland and coastal waters of Australia and New Guinea, western Indonesia and occasionally in Fiji and other Pacific Islands. The Australian pelican was first described by the Dutch naturalist and ornithologist, Coenraad Jacob Temminck (1778-1858) in 1824. Medium sized by pelican standards, it is from 160 to 180 cm long, with a wingspan of 2.3 to 2.6 metres; it is one of the heaviest flying birds in the world, weighing between four kilograms up to a hefty 13 kilograms. Predominantly white with black along the primaries of the wings, its pale, pinkish bill is enormous – holding the record as the largest bill in the avian world, with a record bill measuring 50 cm long. Australian pelicans prefer large expanses of open water without too much aquatic vegetation. The surrounding environment can be forest, grassland, desert, estuarine mudflats or rivers that are able to support a sufficient supply of fish. Their breeding season varies from a winter start in tropical areas through to late spring in southern Australia, yet inland breeding commences anytime after rainfall. Nesting is communal, where breeding pelicans lay one to three chalky-white eggs measuring 93 by 57 mm. But after hatching, the largest one eats more and the smaller eventually die of starvation, leaving just one survivor each season. Chicks move quickly to a diet of fish.
OUTBACK pelicans When the normally dry inland lakes fill every few years, thanks to big rain in Queensland, they are also full of pelicans – continuously from 1974 to 1976 and the wet in 2010. Four inland pelican colonies recorded in 2010 were Lake Cawndilla (Menindee Lakes, NSW), Lake Eyre South (SA), Lake Goolangirie (Coongie Lakes, SA), and Lake Machattie (Georgina River, QLD).
However, when the inland lakes dry out the pelicans disperse once more, flocks numbering up to thousands being seen on the northern coasts. Meanwhile, only a handful of pelicans had remained around the coastal cities – we still wonder how pelicans know when inland lakes are wet! Peter’s ‘pelican painting’ comes from his time painting on location in Longreach. He was on the Thomson River where pelicans gather, the same river which eventually feeds Coopers Creek and Lake Eyre. Pelicans visit these outback rivers and towns every year. Peter just happened to be there at the right time to capture these Australian pelicans on canvas.
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.’
P. J. Art Gallery is the only gallery where the name Peter J Hill is signed on every painting that hangs on its wall. A Canadian customer once said, ‘To get to see the outback one only has to step into the gallery and take a look around. It is like stepping from the coast into the country in one step.’ Judy M Hill, Gallery Director P.J. ART GALLERY 07 5545 0089 / 07 5527 3107 Judyandpeter09@bigpond.com.au www.pjart.com.au
References en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Pelican Julian Reid, ‘Mysteries of the Australian pelican,’ Australian Geographic, 28 April 2010
“ P. J.”ART GALLERY Owned and operated by internationally known artist Peter J Hill and his wife Judy
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 3
ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Brasac enterprises Girard Perregaux 9 ct white gold stainless steel case back 17 jewel $2750
Cartier Gold on sterling silver quartz c. 1990 $1500
Longines Admiral 10k gold filled, c. 1965 $2295
A selection of English hallmarked sterling silver frames and antique silver available.
Omega Constellation 18 ct app 115 gm automatic-daydate c. 1968 $6500
Rolex ladies 18 ct Cellini 19 jewel c. 1970 $4000
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.
Max Dupain, Sunbaker, 1937
Max Dupain, Moonflower, 1982 Max Dupain, Interior Elizabeth Bay House, 1978
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 Gold diamond and jade stick pin $3750
GOLD COAST ANTIQUE CENTRE 2076 GOLD COAST HIGHWAY, MIAMI QUEENSLAND P: 61 7 5572 0522 M: 0412 229 117
CAMPERDOWN MEWS 212-220 PARRAMATTA ROAD CAMPERDOWN NSW P: 61 2 9550 5554 M: 0412 229 117
BOTH OPEN 7 DAYS 4
Omega Seamaster 14 ct c. 1960s $1895
Max Dupain, At Toowoon Bay, 1985
Max Dupain, Blue Gum Forest, c. 1940
ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
front cover
Editorial Content 03 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 32 41 41 42 43 44 45 46 47
Walnut & seaweed marquetry longcase clock by George Harrison (London) c. 1710. James Conley Antiques See page 41 Participating at the 40th Annual QADA Antique Fair See page 20
Peter Hill painting the Australian pelican – Judy Hill Antiques on the West Side Women’s fashion in the 1940s, an era marked by extremes Trash or treasure? When in doubt, never throw it out! Marks & Gardner Gallery exhibition program A specialist furniture manufacturer, Churchill Chesterfield made in Australia Gold Coast City Gallery exhibitions and program of activities Gold Coast City Gallery celebrates its 25th birthday with 25 key events At the Gold Coast City Gallery photographer and filmmaker Sue Ford More Queensland history at Voyager – Bill Jeffrey Piqué jewellery - a centuries-old art – Moira Drexler Gold: always an alluring commodity – Kathryn & Derek Nicholls Georgian and Victorian hair jewellery – Ken Penfold A sample of the fascinating decorative arts available at the Antique Guild For Derek and Kathryn Nicholls a continuing fascination with antique maps and antique prints Queensland’s leading antiques event, 40th Annual QADA Antique Fair The changing face of the dynamic Paddington Antique Centre – Suzy Baines Natural history a wonderful obsession – Giles Moon Highly collectable tinplate robot toys – Giles Moon An exciting year ahead at the Robyn Bauer Studio Gallery – Robyn Bauer A collection of half dolls – Jill Phillips Discovery in Vietnam – Eilisha Little At Unique France a design style for that special look – Nadia Aber-Griffith Twenty years’ sales and service at Commercial Road Antiques and Decorative Arts – Ian Thomson Furniture restoration classes, a conservation ethic The challenge of a handle: Taking silversmithing into new directions Mastercraftsmen legacy for future generations Trades, Artisans and Technicians Fine furniture made in Queensland Anglo-Indian furniture: The fusion of English design and Indian craftsmanship Seaweed Marquetry Longcase clock made by George Harrison East meets West, Chippendale and Chinoiserie Pack & Send art and antique specialists – Stephen & Janet McCartney The sound post, the soul of the violin – Ilja Grawert Clocks: a tribute to human ingenuity and skill – Jason Bridge Avoid the jet lag and travel to Bendigo for Grace Kelly: style icon What’s new at the WAC in 2012?
antiques &art
48 49 51 52 54 55 56 57 58 60 61 62 62 64 65 66 68 70
Annerley Glassworx Showroom a feast for the eyes – Denise Allen Noritake at Bayside Antique & Collectables Centre – Rob & Di Metcalfe Getting expert advice on framing, art and photo restoration – Stefan Aleksiev Beautiful rugs deserve the best care – Stephen Muncey What is old can be almost new again – David Foster Discover Mary Gregory Glass at Kilkivan Fine Arts and Antiques Antiques as investments? – Roger Salt Lancaster’s Toowoomba Antique Centre - 18 years old and going strong The magic and beauty of brass bed porcelains – Mark & Lynne Bennett Treasures of the Melbourne Mint RevHead revealed at Ipswich Art Gallery Ipswich Antique Centre Complex, the hub of a visionary arts and antiques precint Ipswich’s newest gallery - Naked Arts Gallery & Studio – Tom & Lyn Mason Midas touch, learn the secrets of gold leafing from a German Master Gilder The art of Ships in the Field – Moya Simmons The Madonna and Child in Renaissance art – Lucina Ward An exhibition fit for a Queen Now showing at Shari Louise Designs, sculpture – Shari Louise Wright
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ADVERTISING SALES – QUEENSLAND André Jaku 02 9389 2919 andre@worldaa.com David Phillips 0417 605 562 info@worldaa.com DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Brian Cass, Kylie Kennedy, Brigitta Campbell, Kathy O’Grady, production@worldaa.com PRINTERS CaxtonWeb 45 Huntingwood Drive Huntingwood NSW 2148 Rural Press Bells Line of Road, Nth Richmond NSW 2754 NOTICE TO DEALERS Articles for publication in Antiques & Art in Queensland should be up to 1,000 words in length, preferably typed as a word document and saved to a disk or emailed. Pictures can be supplied as prints, transparencies or digitally as jpegs either saved to a disk or sent by email. It is desirable that images be accompanied by captions. Publication of articles is conditional on an advertisement being taken. Next issue will be distributed in July 2012 Booking deadline 4 June 2012 Copy deadline 11 June 2012
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NOW ONLINE Australia’s foremost magazines on the decorative arts antiques, art & collecting vintage & retro Need to contact your local dealer but don’t have a copy of your state’s Antiques & Art? Problem solved – log on and read online. Peruse World of Antiques & Art – the most authoritative magazine on the decorative (antiques) and fine arts in Australia. A portal to national and international collecting trends, subscribe to the online edition and SAVE! Check out Collectables Trader – subscribe to the online editions and save! Australia’s only bi-monthly magazine on vintage, retro and collectables.
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GOLD COAST/MOUNT TAMBORINE ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
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. Continue opposite at 97 where you will now find The Shop Time Forgot and Kittys Vintage & Kitsch. 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.
The Time Shop Forgo t & Kittys Vi & Kit ntage sch
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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GOLD COAST/MOUNT TAMBORINE ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Women’s fashion in the 1940s an era marked by extremes
s all F es ti ch iques se W nt A t Hou if &G
I
n terms of fashion and clothing, the 1940s was a decade of extremes. From the extreme rationing and shortages experienced during WWII to the huge and frilly skirts and petticoats post-war fashions, the 1940s was the decade that saw it all. With the outbreak of WWII in 1939, the already-sombre public mood was intensified. What followed would be economic rationing, hardship, poverty, death and the height of the ‘make do and mend’ era.As increasing numbers of husbands, brothers and boyfriends went off to war, and thousands of men never returned, women were required to support the war effort in practicalities. Many women worked in factories, land armies, nursing and other auxiliary services. This newly-defined role of the working woman became enormously important and accelerated the evolving rolesof women in the 20th century. Patriotism was all; to be viewed as ‘not doing your bit’ or ‘dressed up fancy’ was in very poor taste at the time. The general austerity, serious mood, work ethic and pragmatism of the era pervaded all areas of life, including diet, fashion, hats, makeup, social life and family affairs.
NEW fashions Women working in factories were required to tie a scarf around their hair to avoid it being caught in the machinery; as a result, the image of a woman in overalls wearing a (usually) red headscarf is now an iconic image of the 40s (think of Rosie the Riveter) and remains a popular look of vintage-loving women. Although a casual style that was born of practicality, this look was only worn out of necessity rather than fun. Everyone could and did sew, so we often find sleeves, hems and seams with extra panels, later-added shoulder pads and many wonderful alterations with different features from different eras.So, how did fashions change from the 1930s to the 1940s? Everything was simplified. Practicality was paramount. Skirts were shortened to just below the knee and straightened to save fabric. Decorative features such as the huge 1930s sleeves disappeared, buttons were limited and nothing looked ‘frou-frou.’ Slim through the waist and with a basic style to the skirt, 40s dresses are most easily recognised by the detailing to the bodice and shoulders. As most women sewed at home and were often accomplished seamstresses, 40s dresses often featured intricate
pintucks, shirring, embroidering and feature pockets made from contrasting remnants. The rationing of cloth and clothing began in 1941 in the UK and 1942 in the USA, and lasted until well after war’s end. All sorts of cloth could be refashioned into clothing: pillowslips became shorts, and wedding dresses were handed down, begged, borrowed and made to fit the new wearer. Cast-off trims and laces may have been used for children’s clothing. Stockings were extremely difficult to obtain, which led women to such diversions as drawing a vertical seam line along their legs or dyeing their legs with tea bags (used first, of course) to appear as if they were wearing stockings. As an alternative, the wearing of ankle socks was re-introduced to women and strongly encouraged by the supply-controlling government, and even worn in war propagandaposters. Hair was the one area where women could be a little glamorous and express some individuality. Peroxide blonde in the style of actress Veronica Lake was popular, eclipsed by ‘Revlon red’ in the style of Rita Hayworth. Short bob hairstyles of the 1930s were gone; women typically had long side-parted styles with beautiful hairlines or curls around the face. Hair was high maintenance by 21st century standards; pin curls, sets, victory rolls and waves were a weekly necessity for most woman. Millinery supplies experienced no shortages, and as a result, 1940s hats are amongst the most showy and outrageous of the 20th century.
POST-WAR new look In 1947 Christian Dior pioneered fashion’s ‘new look,’ a reaction against everything people experienced during the war. Women wanted fun, frivolity and new fashions. There were lush, full skirts, plentiful makeup, lots of accessories, and a variety of happy colours to choose from. As rationing ceased and domestic production increased, skirts became enormous with literally yards of fabric, stockings with stretch (and so without the seams) were worn with abandon, and petticoats were full and frilly. Hair was cut short for ease of styling, matching accessory sets (compact, cigarette case and lighter or handbag, shoes and gloves) were top fashion. While the ‘new look’ was initially discouraged by the UK and US governments, it was so popular with the then trend-setting Royal Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, that in turn their designers were influenced, and the look rapidly increased in public popularity. At Kittys Vintage Kitsch & The Shop Time
Forgot, we stock a wide variety of original hats, dresses, handbags and accessories from the 1940s and 1950s. All our fashions are hand selected for their beauty, condition and wearability. Whether you’re new to wearing vintage or are a seasoned collector we take the time to dress you in head to toe vintage in a style that suits you best. KITTYS VINTAGE KITSCH THE SHOP TIME FORGOT 07 5545 4402 theshoptimeforgot@gmail.com www.KittysVintageKitch.blogspot.com
Specialising in the 1920-70s We have a great range of imported Vintage Fashion & Hats Art Deco, Retro, stunning Bakelite & Kitchenalia Something for everyone! 97 Main Western Road, North Tamborine OPEN 7 DAYS 10 AM TO 4 PM ph 07 5545 4402 theshoptimeforgot@gmail.com www.KittysVintageKitsch.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/KittysVintageKitsch Buying & Selling
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ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Trash or treasure? When in doubt, never throw it out! W “ hen the time comes in your life to clear out years of hoarding, inheriting or collecting, you must ask yourself four questions. Do I throw it out? Will I keep it? Is it junk? Or, is it valuable? Don’t start throwing absolutely everything away – be careful what you toss, donate, or sell at boot and garage sales. Too many people don’t recognise the value of their own possessions and may regret not getting accurate advice. A woman sought an appraiser to rummage through her father’s cluttered home to determine if anything that she had chosen was worth saving or selling. Checking through the apartment, the appraiser found interesting bric-a-brac worth a few hundred dollars which was not in keeping with the man’s age or the style of the apartment and asked if there was anything else. The woman replied that there
was only the rubbish that she had bagged, on the balcony. To both their surprises, the appraiser found tarnished black silver and a treasure trove of other unusual items in the garbage bags worth thousands of dollars that were ready for the tip. ‘Those old things?’ the woman replied with disbelief. The silver alone turned out to be worth $4,000. Another woman had purchased four Chinese scrolls in the 1970s. When she brought them in for appraisal, they still had $150 price tags on them from the 70s. Chinese art experts recognised them as 18th century Imperial scrolls, valued at $55,000. You may not have rare antiques or collectables worth a great deal of money, but you may find you have lots of pieces that are worth a lot more than you think and it’s incredible how the dollars add up with every piece. We hear scary stories of what people find in garage sales. A person came in with a large piece of Australian pottery purchased for $10 and was overjoyed to learn that it was actually worth $6,000. Therefore it’s wise to seek advice so you don’t make these mistakes yourself, by throwing or giving away that valuable piece without knowing its true value. Even broken pieces can be valuable. I well remember the day when a woman brought in a large rare Clarice Cliff plate in the Appliqué Lucerne pattern that had broken into seven pieces. It was bought for $25 and resold for $15,000, stuck together with sticky tape. Any collectable can be restored to an incredibly good degree if it’s valuable enough to warrant the expense.
INSTRUCTIONS on what not to throw out If you’re in doubt about how much something might be worth, find a reputable appraiser. Verbal appraisals are usually free, especially if the item is for sale. It may be an opportunity to make money or to realise the value of a family heritage item, so it is put in caring hands for the future. Carefully go through things that have been stored away, perhaps even forgotten over the decades. If stored many years ago, they and could be worth much more than you think.
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Too many people don’t recognise the value of their own possessions and may regret not getting accurate advice
”
Look for these items that are currently fashionable and selling for top dollars: broken watches, costume jewellery, broken gold or silver pieces, children’s marbles, political buttons, pieces of lace and old doilies, briar pipes, old cigarette lighters, cast iron and copper or enamel cookware, electric guitars, wind-up toys, teddy bears, bobbing head dolls, modern toys like Smurfs, Star Wars and Transformers. Other collectables are coins, medals, postcard collections, detective novels, century-old catalogues, pottery, canning jars, cigar boxes, old ginger beer bottles, matchbook covers and 1950s and 60s furniture.
BECOME knowledgeable Finally, if you can’t find an appraiser, look up a reference book or search for reliable information from the internet, such as libraries and universities and the original manufacturer’s website. If all else fails, try online searching. Make sure you check and check again on each item, and if still in doubt, keep it. If you have had any fantastic selling or collecting experiences, please email us your story.
ABOUT THE Gold Coast Antique Centre Our Centre sells authentic antiques and collectables that are correctly labelled and competitively priced. With over 20 selected dealers offering a wide assortment of wonderful and occasionally quirky pieces, your time browsing will be rewarded with a find that will give you pleasure for years. Open seven days, the Gold Coast Antique Centre is conveniently located on the 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.
GOLD COAST ANTIQUE CENTRE, MIAMI 07 5572 0522 / 0414 338 363 www.goldcoastantiquecentre.com.au
GOLD COAST / MOUNT TAMBORINE ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Dave Groom, Flowers of September, oil on canvas, 127 x 110 cm
James Lamar Peterson, Fish Head (detail), ceramic
Front cover designed by Kerry Argent for The Fabulous Finola the Fox (Penguin Books, 2012)
Bruce Buchanan, Late Afternoon, Marrickville, watercolour
MARKS & GARDNER GALLERY Exhibition Program DAVE GROOM: Mountains & Mist JAMES LAMAR PETERSON: Sculpture 23 March – 22 April Queensland artist David Groom returns to Marks and Gardner Gallery with his atmospheric landscapes. Loosely based on the surroundings of his studio near the outskirts of Lamington National Park, David exhibits pastel drawings and oil paintings of the vast fauna and flora he is immersed in everyday. David describes his works as a personal journey in observation of Australian landscapes, painting his encounters predominantly by memory. His work has been exhibited in Hobart, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, and regionally in Boonah, Stanthorpe and Tamborine Mountain. He has awards and grants, with his works held in public and private collections. Brisbane sculptor James Lamar Peterson’s whimsical ceramic and metal sculptures of native flora and fauna enchant the viewer; by comparison, his techno sculpture, pieced together from recycled computer pieces, found objects and scrap metal require the viewer to engage on a different level. Social commentary on modern society and beliefs are integral to James’ works, with humour a central element. Since 1990 he has been a full-time visual artist, previously a research psychologist and lecturer – experiences which no doubt inform his artwork. He has received a number of awards and his work is represented in public and private collections both in Australia and abroad.
KERRY ARGENT: Finola’s Fabulous Shoe Gallery 27 April– 20 May The original illustrations by Kerry Argent for The Fabulous Finola Fox (Penguin Books 2012) inspired this exhibition. Written by acclaimed writer Carmel Bird (Writing the Story of Your Life), The Fabulous Finola Fox is a story about a Melbourne suburban fox with a great fondness for shoes – any kind: sneakers, lacy high heels and thongs are all housed in her cellar den. Kerry Argent’s illustrations for other picture books are One Woolly Wombat, Sebastian Lives in a Hat
March – July 2012
by Thelma Catterwell, Derek the Dinosaur by Mary Blackwood and Wombat Divine & Giraffe in a Bath by Mem Fox. Children’s art activities with Kerry Argent and the launch of her latest book will be held during the exhibition. Gallery artists will exhibit shoe-inspired artworks. Sculpture by students of Tamborine Mountain State School will impress art lovers with the imagination of our next generation of artists.
1972. Her Australia-wide exhibits include her large sculptural installations at Noosa Regional and Stanthorpe Regional galleries, and many commissions of public sculpture. Elizabeth has an interest in domestic animals and their welfare. Her beautiful wire and Perspex sculptures on closer inspection are laced with animal rights and political activism. This exhibition will show works of a relatively smaller scale that continue to demonstrate her passion for the environment and animal rights. Elizabeth states, ‘In creating this exhibition my aim has been to look at and help raise awareness of animal
suffering – most specifically the human cruelty to those raised in factory farms to provide food and wealth for us.’
ART FOR THE BIBLIOPHILE Group exhibition 29 June – 29 July MARKS & GARDNER GALLERY @Secret Garden on Tamborine Mountain 07 5545 4992 www.marksandgardner.com
BRUCE BUCHANAN: Watercolours ELIZABETH POOLE: Sculpture 25 May – 24 June Bruce Buchanan is a realist landscape painter whose work is inspired by the natural, urban and industrial environments. In 2007 he became a full-time painter and subsequently his work has received numerous awards, acquisitions by several regional art galleries and as a finalist in the prestigious Fleurieu Biennale and Tattersall’s Landscape Art Prizes. Bruce chooses to work in watercolour considering it an exciting and capricious medium, exploitable for its translucency and opportunity for subtle gradation of tonal values. Although a realist, he rarely paints exactly what is there. From initial recognition of imagery, he seeks to go beyond the physical experience of being in a specific place. Generally avoiding celebrated landmarks, his subjects are more likely to be everyday places which simply invite further visual interpretation. There is always the potential to evoke a degree of subtle abstraction which invites the viewer into a deeper appreciation of a subject’s mood and atmosphere – into another dimension or narrative. The objective in his work is to achieve a powerful and memorable image. Elizabeth Poole marks 40 years since her first exhibition with Macquarie Galleries in
Elizabeth Poole, The Pig Eaters, wire and Perspex
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GOLD COAST ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
A SPECIALIST FURNITURE MANUFACTURER
colours. If preferred, choose fabric or velvet upholstery. Perhaps you have a fabric already purchased – let us make it up in the style of your choice.
Churchill Chesterfield made in Australia
Match your choice of fabric or leather with our selection of timber.Our frames are made of the finest European beech hardwood timber all from renewable forest plantations, the timber is the same used by 95% of UK chesterfield manufacturers. All frames come with a 10-year structural guarantee, are dowelled glued and screwed. The looks include traditional mahogany; dark, medium, golden and light oak; walnut, plus many more.
B
ased on Queensland’s Gold Coast, Churchill Chesterfields are leather chesterfield and bespoke furniture manufacturers.Proudly Australian made, the firm makes an extensive variety of designs. Choose from English reproduction traditional chesterfields, a range of Queen Anne wing chairs and recliner chairs. There are leather office/study swivel chairs, such as Captains, Admirals, Director’s, Gainsborough, Mountbatten’s, London swivel and larger wing swivels, also office/study or commercial compact chesterfield tub chairs, plus many more designs. All furniture is hand made by
one of Britain’s most experienced craftsmen, using only the best possible resources available today to create everlasting masterpieces.
SPOILT for choice Our many ranges are all available in leather and fabric in a wide range of colours. We use original English antique rub off leathers plus the aged distressed pull up aniline and waxed aniline leather which are imported from the UK exclusive to us. The leather is fire resistant and is of the finest A grade hides. Imported from the UK are five leather ranges with a choice of over 70 different
Churchill Chesterfields Manufacturers of high quality Bespoke English Reproduction Chesterfield leather furniture
Visit our web site www.churchillchesterfields.com.au
8 Moondance Court Opening hours 8am to 5pm Bonogin, Gold Coast Monday to Friday Queensland 4213 By Appointment Mobile: 0424 882 144 Saturday & Sunday only Telephone: 07 5530 2648 Email: info@churchillchesterfields.com.au
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FRAMES and more
OUR special chesterfields The chesterfields are made with sprung seats and hand-built sprung backs units, dispelling the myth that these designs are uncomfortable. Our designs, many not seen in the country before, are soft and luxurious, designed to suit a customer’s preference. For something different, there is the Art Deco range of plain unbuttoned chesterfields with mixed contrasting leather fabric combinations.
BELOW the surface The bespoke service is designed to addressa customer’s special requirement. This is a personal made to measure tailored manufacturing facility. The foams are standard fire resistant, are of the highest quality resilience, and carry a 10-year warranty.
WHERE & when the chesterfield was first introduced In England a chesterfield evokes an image of elegance and sophistication. This deep-buttoned sofa is synonymous with traditional English furniture design, its origin dating back to mid 18th century. In circa 1773 the fourth Earl of Chesterfield commissioned noted furniture designer Robert Adam to design a piece of furniture that would permit a gentleman to sit with the back straight and avoid what the Earl referred to as ‘odd motions, strange postures and ungenteel carriage.’ In our opinion, we assume this to be the forerunner of the now famous chesterfield sofa. The deep-buttoned leather chesterfield is one of the most distinguished luxury products of the British Isles, renowned worldwide for the craftsmanship used in its construction and for its beauty.
A MODERN chesterfield sofa Due to modern health and safety legislation, the old methods of producing a chesterfield sofa have changed. Our chesterfield sofas feature full flame retardant leather and foam fillings amongst many other modern refinements ensuring the safety of you and your loved ones while retaining the original character of chesterfield furniture. CHURCHILL CHESTERFIELDS 07 5530 2648 info@churchillchesterfields.com.au www.churchillchesterfields.com.au
GOLD COAST ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
GOLD COAST CITY GALLERY Exhibitions and Program of Activities
Marian Drew and Alana Hampton, Lorikeet Island, 2011. Courtesy of the artists
MARIAN DREW + ALANA HAMPTON: Lorikeet Island 24 March – 6 May The Broadwater has become the Gold Coast’s greatest maritime playground. Hidden in this natural wonderland is a little island of mangroves with no beach surrounded by sandbanks. Few venture ashore here. Artists Marian Drew and Alana Hampton have been visiting this island for over 18 months, developing and working on a video and photographic installation project that will be exhibited at Gold Coast City Gallery. They call it Lorikeet Island, for the profusion of these birds that nest in the hollows of the mangrove tree trunks that densely cover the whole island. The Lorikeet Island Project has been shaped by the visceral and physical challenges of making art work in the wet darkness, negotiating the conceptual and aesthetic choices shaped intimately by the unerring movement of tides and moon and the less predictable vagaries of weather and equipment. The immersive set of moving images and sound within the gallery does not attempt to simply replicate the sensations and experience of being on this island that is twice daily washed through by the sea. The name ‘Lorikeet Island’ may be fiction – you will not find it on any map – but in reimagining it the artists have constructed a very real new place and physically slowed us down to look harder and find new ways of seeing into this ostensibly impenetrable and once maligned mangrove environment. Marian and Alana have invited others into the project: scientist Sally Kirkpatrick, Traditional Owner and anthropologist Michael Aird, writer Alison Kubler, designer Daniel Sala, photographer and film maker Alex Chomicz and recent graduate Genevieve Reynolds, to contribute to the realisation of this installation. Their combined knowledge
work to build for the viewer a layer of meaning and associations. Catalogue contributor Michael Aird was born on the Gold Coast and has spent most of his life living in the region which is the traditional country of his ancestor’s. He commented: Even within highly developed areas there are still places that have not changed. The waterways and islands of the northern Gold Coast is one such place that has been highly modified in some areas while other places have been left untouched…I often reflect upon the connection I have through my ancestors to my country. I think of how comfortable I feel in these places and how much more so my ancestors would have been. The Lorikeet Island Project is supported by the Regional Arts Development Fund, a Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and Gold Coast City Council partnership to support local arts and culture.
varying ways that artists use photography to make sense of our world and offer the viewer an altered perspective. Several artists have focused on capturing insignificant moments in space to showcase the beauty of the everyday. John Armstrong’s No Subject concentrates on colliding tiles patterned into the image frame. Gary Cockburn chooses to focus on intersecting shadows sitting rigidly on a wall and Vestige #3 by Eugenia Raskopoulous depicts a piece of discarded luminescent wrapping paper. Louise Allerton uses her practice as a form of catharsis; her photo hauntingly ponders the events that led to the disappearance of her sister, still not found after many years. Her pain and untamed imagination is read through the text and imagery in the work. Petrina Hick’s work is a study into empathy and superficiality; The Performance features a
FREE art programs Artist Talk: Darren Sylvester 31 March, 5 pm Hear the 2011 Winner of the Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Photography Award. Please book on 07 5581 6567 or gallery@theartscentregc.com.au.
Family Art Activities 5 May, 11 - 2 Inspired by works in the Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Photography Award 2012, children aged 4 and older are welcome, with parental supervision required.
FREE art programs Children’s Art and Water Workshop Saturday 25 March
The Gold Coast City Gallery is open daily, 10 am to 5 pm from Monday to Friday and between 11 am and 5 pm on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays. Entry is free
11 am – 12 noon; 1 – 2 pm After a visit to the current exhibition Marian Drew + Alana Hampton: Lorikeet Island, children aged 7 or older can partake in an art activity inspired by mangroves and water environment.
Artist Talk: Marian Drew and Alana Hampton Saturday 31 March, 4 pm
group of beautiful teenagers who coldly and detachedly probe the wound of one of the other girls. The 2012 award is a stand out exhibition of excellent contemporary Australian photography. The winner will be announced on 31 March at 6 pm. The exhibition is proudly supported by the Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Foundation for the Arts. All works not acquired by the Gallery will be for sale.
Petrina Hicks, The performance, 2011. Courtesy of the artist and Stills Gallery, Sydney
GOLD COAST CITY GALLERY 07 5581 6567 gallery@theartscentregc.com.au www.theartscentregc.com.au/gallery
For both events book on 07 5581 6567 or gallery@theartscentregc.com.au
THE JOSEPHINE ULRICK and WIN SCHUBERT photography award 2012 31 March – 13 May From close to 350 entries, 2012 guest judge Kon Gouriotis, Director Australian Centre for Photography, selected 75 finalists for the Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Photography Award, now in its 12th year. This has a total $30,000 in prizes and acquisitions. The judge’s selection ranges from the capture of heightened dramatic moments as in the work of Chris Herzfield and Garth Knight through to minimal contemplations on form and shape, such as tonal studies by Lisa Gipton and Anna Brown. Interest in the narrative of human emotion, seen in the work of Sarah Cunningham, is countered by works of hyper energy and colour clash as in Superheroes by Chris Herzfield. In this exhibition we are reminded of the
Chris Herzfield, Superheroes 3, 2012. Courtesy of the artist.
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GOLD COAST ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
William Robinson, The Rainforest, 1990. Gold Coast City Gallery
Gold Coast City Gallery celebrates its 25th birthday with 25 key events T
he Arts Centre Gold Coast has 25 key events, activities and exhibitions this year to celebrate its 25th anniversary. So we invited 25 Gold Coasters from a variety of backgrounds to select their favourite piece of art from the City Gallery collection for an exhibition.
I Love My City Art Collection 19 May – 1 July Gallery Manager John Walsh, is looking forward to having the community involved in this exhibition: ‘This exhibition not only celebrates the city collection that has
continued to flourish and grow over the last 25 years but provides an opportunity for the community to engage with and share the collection with each other. We are opening the doors to the curatorial process for community members to bring a wide range of perspectives to the exhibition. It should be a lot of fun.’ Participants include Gold Coast sporting stars, artists, musicians, performers, volunteers, university professors, local business people, an environmentalist, a local school representative and media personalities. With over 3,000 works to choose from, the selection conveys the
Alasdair Macintyre, figures of Margaret Olley, Bill Robinson and Jeffrey Smart from Dinky-Di Series, 2011 (detail). Acquired 2011, Gold Coast City Gallery
diversity and strength of the collection and exposes some unqualified gems. This is a prime opportunity to appreciate the value and meaning of the collection for you, the city and the State. The Arts Centre 25th birthday celebrations are proudly supported by the Gold Coast City Council.
Art on Art 12 May – 24 June Artists have long looked to the work of their contemporaries and back to their predecessors for inspirations. Through a highly considered selection of art works from a number of art institutions, the Gallery explores these issues for artists who reference other artists’ works and lives. In 2011 the Gallery acquired 12 sculptures by mid-career Queensland artist Alasdair Macintyre. His works depict cheeky smallscale effigies of leading art figures in Australia, such as John Olsen AO, OBE (b. 1928) Richard Bell (b. 1953) and Rosalie Gascoigne (1917-1999). Macintyre referred to the large collection of art documentary videos which he has amassed, when discussing his motivations to create the series: ‘I have synthesised my admiration for these artists and run their likenesses through my “Macintyre filter,” so that they are almost static animated characters that have escaped from my own imaginary world of “Splatsville.” Again, I emphasise the love I have for these legends of Australian art, and how much their lives and art have influenced my own art practice. For that I am thankful.’ Other works in the exhibition are by Julie Rrap, Imants Tillers and Michael Zavros (among the artists) from the Gold Coast City Gallery collection and on loan from other institutions.
FREE Artist Talk Alasdair Macintyre 12 May, 4 pm Bookings essential 07 5581 6567 gallery@theartscentregc.com.au
Shakin’: The Contemporary Kinetic Aesthetic 30 June – 5 August Kinetic sculpture moves – artists who create it are not content to have their artwork sit quietly in a corner just waiting for someone to come and look at it. Kinetic sculpture bangs and shakes, it startles and you might even find it wandering around the gallery. Some artists love to pull apart the technology of today and remake it as if to spite the efficiency of the new age of digital ingenuity all around us. For others, our own movement and interaction with the artwork
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Sandra Landholt, Model for Zero AGL (detail). Courtesy of the artist
becomes essential to the meaning. Artists in the 20th century such as Alexander Calder and Jean Tinguely explored the creation of meaning through moving elements in a sculpture. The next generation of artists are equally intrigued by this challenge. Sandra Landholt draws from her Swiss heritage an association with fine mechanical movement as well as the anarchic spirit of Tinguely. The artist disassembles toys and found objects and creates new elements of movement that draw attention to social and environmental concerns. Arthur Wicks is the most senior artist in the exhibition and quite candidly refers to his humanoid moving sculptures as a way to capture youth and movement. John Turier makes artworks that are almost musical instruments and the exhibition features his extraordinary large scale drawing machine. Ross Manning works with light and found objects and, using sometimes humble electrical products, recasts them into otherworldly environments. Michael Candy is an emerging artist who playfully strips apart the detritus of digital age and rebuilds and remakes so that these elements take on an almost organic growing form. Lincoln Austin is perhaps the artist most likely to have inherited the quieter aesthetic of Calder with his elegant, precisely-made suspended metal sculptures whose meaning depends on the subtle movement and the catching of light and shadow. Workshops are available with exhibiting artists, so be early to book on our website from May 2012. The Gold Coast City Gallery is open daily, 10 am to 5 pm from Monday to Friday and between 11 am and 5 pm on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays. Entry is free GOLD COAST CITY GALLERY 07 5581 6567 gallery@theartscentregc.com.au www.theartscentregc.com.au/gallery
GOLD COAST ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
At the Gold Coast City Gallery Photographer and filmmaker Sue Ford Time Machine 7 July – 19 August
S
ue Ford (1943-2010) was one of Australia’s most important photographers and filmmakers. After studying photography at RMIT, in 1974 she was the first Australian photographer to have a solo exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV). Ford held solo exhibitions at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in 1982 and again at the NGV in 1988 and 1994, while Monash University Museum of Art held a survey exhibition in 1995. Ford’s Time series (1960s-70s) is one of the key moments in late modernist Australian photography. Ford passed away just over one year ago. Before her death, she was working with Monash Gallery of Art on an exhibition to feature her previously un exhibited long-term project, Self-portrait with camera (19602006). This series of 47 Polaroids, test prints, vintage prints and prints made posthumously from original negatives is a compelling selfportrait of this artist. It underscores the central role the camera played in Ford’s life and the way that the camera played a role in Ford’s own artistic persona. Indeed, Ford maintained a very distinctive artistic persona. As Helen Ennis has written, Ford’s ‘approach to art making has always been straightforward … She does not cultivate
a mysterious artistic persona.’ This was because ‘Ford’s art practice is purposeful; it is the outcome of her view of art as a political activity that is democratic, liberating and relevant to contemporary society.’ Ford’s series provides an excellent opportunity to reassess her important work, the place of photography in Australian feminism, and the self-portrait as a genre. This important series will be shown alongside a survey of Ford’s black-and-white photographs from the 1960s and 70s and examples of her most iconic work, Time series (1960s-1970s). This is supported by the Victorian Government through Arts Victoria and the Community Support Fund. The development of this exhibition was assisted through NETS Victoria’s Exhibition Development Fund, supported by the Victorian Government through Arts Victoria and the Community Support Fund. The Gold Coast City Gallery is open daily, 10 am to 5 pm from Monday to Friday and between 11 am and 5 pm on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays. Entry is free
Sue Ford, Lynne and Carol, 1962, from Portraits of women (1961-1975), selenium toned gelatin silver print, printed 2011. Courtesy Sue Ford Archive
GOLD COAST CITY GALLERY 07 5581 6567 gallery@theartscentregc.com.au www.theartscentregc.com.au/gallery
Sue Ford, Self-portrait, 1974, from the Self-portrait with camera (1960-2006), selenium toned gelatin silver print, printed 2011. Courtesy Sue Ford Archive
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BRISBANE ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Early Australian maps are always in stock
Tom Petrie’s Reminiscences of Early Queensland Dating from 1837, 1904
Bishop White’s letter of advice, 1899
Ion Llewellyn Idriess (18891979) books always in stock
More Queensland history at Voyager V
oyager offers rare and desirable books relating to the history of Queensland with an expanding and improving stock. Recently we acquired good copies of Tom Petrie’s Reminiscences of Early Queensland Dating from 1837, both first and second editions. These complement a rare 1878 Government Report by Petrie (1831-1910), attempting to establish a reserve for coastal Aboriginals on Bribie Island. Petrie ends his report concerned that: ‘The natives seem to be in a healthy condition; they still have their blankets, which in part accounts for it; and are contented enough, but as soon as they know there are some of their companions about town all this work may turn out quite useless. Could they not be compelled to leave Brisbane?’
FIRST Archbishop of Carpentaria On the shelves are a brace of books on Gilbert White (1859-1933), the first Archbishop of Carpentaria. White’s account, Thirty Years in Tropical Queensland (1924) reveals his fortitude managing the largest diocese on earth. White of Carpentaria (c. 1949) is a well-written biography by JWC Wand (then bishop of London), revealing White’s disciplined personality. We have a trove of original letters written by White (c. 1899) to a young clergyman, his advice highlighting the church’s difficulties in remote areas. ‘You may rely on me for all the help I can give... As regards money its scarcity and uncertainty is indeed a trial as I have often found. If however a few years poverty, or many, disciplines one into caution and
Voyager Rare Books Maps & Prints
wise use of what one has, it is not wasted. My experience is that one is more tempted to extravagance when one has little than when one has much.’ Wise words indeed.
PIONEERS’ writings Individual pioneering accounts are a special interest. Their ‘fair dinkum’ language is endearing and their stories reflect very different times. William Henry Corfield’s Reminiscences of Queensland 1862-1869, the Life of John Costello by Michael Costello and Christison of Lammermoor by MM Bennett (1881-1961), a teacher and advocate of Aboriginal rights, are all becoming very hard to find and are amongst our favourites.
1856 LETTER from ship’s captain – carrying gold to London Our old letters collection indicates that not only the clergy had problems. Crew problems beset Captain Charles Beharrel of the ship Euphrates, in his 1856 letter written when departing Port Fairy in western Victoria to the owners of the vessel in London. ‘Gentlemen... Today the crew stuck work but I persuaded them with a promise of more wages. I’m very glad to get out of the Bay. Edward Jones & Mr. Howard deserted, John Hale, Samuel Barber & Mr Collins left in jail for refusal to work. Harrison on board I take with me he has refused to work after 8 years servitude. I have had a very bad treat this time with the crew... I wrote you if you thought proper to insure the gold. I have with me about £500. We are going to Colombo...’
and near the top, without emptying the liquor, make a small hole, at which put in two or three drops of the patient’s urine; then tie up the upper part of the bladder, and hang it up for three days.’ We at Voyager are curious and sceptical. The Challenger Expedition (1872-1876) organised by the Royal Society was the world’s first and greatest oceanographic survey, effectively establishing this discipline. Commanded by Captain Nares, HMS Challenger circumnavigated the globe with its onboard laboratory, making deep sea observations for the first time. When the Challenger reached Raine Island on the eastern edge of the Great Barrier Reef at the end of August 1874, dredgings were taken, observations made and recorded by Lord Campbell in his Log Letters from the Challenger, of which we always have a copy. Original scientific samples still exist and Voyager has recently satisfied a near-lifetime ambition in acquiring an original microscope slide from the Challenger collection, dated 31st August 1874 – a beautiful slide of Raine Island foraminifera in still superb condition. Bill Jeffrey VOYAGER 07 3211 1231 www.voyagerbrisbane.com
GREAT scientific works
Confessions of a Beachcomber by E J Banfield (1910)
Rare Queensland Books a Speciality On the Balcony, Brisbane Arcade 160 Queens Street, Brisbane
Phone 07 3211 1231 www.voyagerbrisbane.com 14
There can be no greater force in the Scientific Revolution than the Royal Society formed in the mid-1640s in London by leading minds of the period including Robert Boyle FRS (1627-1691). In stock are a number of related items including Boyle on Air (1672) in which he proves that the soul does not have negative mass by killing a mouse in a bell jar. We also hold an early (1660) of the Philosophical Transactions with Boyle’s landmark experiment of the weight of water in water which led to the invention of the first hydrometer – and the taxing of liquor. In 1738 Peter Shaw summarised Boyle’s work and we have delightful copy of The Sceptical Chymist his dissertation on Chymical Principles Asserted (the foundation of experimental method) and his Pharmacopeia Edinburgensis, great fun and thought provoking ‘An experienced cure for the yellow – jaundice. Take the gall-bladder of a sheep,
Illustration from JWC Wand, White of Carpentaria, c. 1949
Slide of Raine Island foraminifera, Challenger Expedition (1872-1876)
BRISBANE ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
PIQUÉ JEWELLERY – A CENTURIES-OLD ART I
magine fine gold or silver strips contrasting with in tortoiseshell or ivory, creating a design and you have a picture of piqué jewellery. Part of the surface was removed and the precious materials inserted into the minute spaces. Tortoises and elephants are protected species now and so the art of making piqué jewellery has ceased. This in turn means that for an antique jewellery collector, it is becoming very difficult to find really lovely examples of piqué jewellery. Although the Italians began with this jewellery method idea in the mid-1600s, the French went on to develop the idea of inlaying not only tortoiseshell but also ivory with gold and silver decoration. The Revocation of the Edict of Nantes by Louis XIV in October 1685 banished French Huguenots who took their skills to many countries including Britain, where piqué methods adorned combs, small boxes, card cases, fans and fan sticks as well as jewellery. English silversmith Matthew Boulton mechanised the technique during the mid1760s, creating a dramatic change in the wider availability of piqué jewellery, and the types of designs that became more geometric. It was a popular decoration for outer cases of watches, especially English, in the late 17th century, applied to a tortoiseshell base. It was also used for decorating various types of boxes. Jewellers of the early 19th century adopted the techniques and it reached its zenith in popularity in Victorian times.
PIQUÉ jewellery terms The following are important terms to learn and techniques to spot as you discover the beauty and style of piqué jewellery: • Piqué points are metal pins or wires that are driven into the tortoiseshell to make a pattern • Piqué posé refers to filling in an engraved design with metal strips, threads and flakes • Piqué clout refers to larger points arranged in a pattern
• Piqué d’or refers to really tiny gold figures or ornaments that are set into the tortoiseshell. Kellies Antiques always has a good choice of Victorian piqué jewellery. We see some 1920s items, so there must have been a bit of a revival in the 1920s. Sometimes, instead of gold and silver, the tortoiseshell was inlaid with mother-of-pearl.
VICTORIAN butterfly suite Recently we acquired a very rare Victorian matching butterfly necklace and earrings suite in the original box – although I admit the box has seen better days. I am very excited about this piece. It actually belongs in a museum and in all my years experience with antique jewellery I have never seen anything like this necklace and matching earrings. Firstly, I have never seen tortoiseshell in a butterfly form. Tapered in size, the largest butterfly is to the central front with five tapering butterflies on each side forming a magnificent piqué necklace. The butterflies’ antennae are made from gold wire and the wings are set with gold and silver inlay. Gold rings link one butterfly to the next. The stunning necklace is accompanied with a pair of matching drop earrings, also tapered with the smaller at the top. The smaller butterflies with shepherd crook fitting attach to the larger butterfly with gold trace chain. The set is absolutely amazing. This suite is an outstanding example of Victorian piqué jewellery. It is for sale at Kellies Antiques in the Brisbane Arcade. We have other pieces as well, so meander up to the Gallery Level and take a look at these striking museum quality pieces!
Moira Drexler KELLIES ANTIQUES 07 3221 4825 www.kellies-antiques.com Blog: kelliesantiques.wordpress.com
Kellies Antiques
Gallery Level (Upstairs) BRISBANE ARCADE Shop 16, 160 Queen Street Brisbane Ph: 07 3221 4825 www.kellies-antiques.com 15
ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
GOLD: always an alluring commodity I
n the 1850s, the first gold rushes attracted to Australia an influx of immigrants sharing a common goal of instant wealth. The next century, the rugged, tenacious character of ‘the digger,’ exemplified by the courageously independent behaviour of the Australian Diggers in WWI would indicate how gold rushes shaped Australian history and the national character.
LIFE on the goldfields M Gaunt described in Cassell’s Picturesque Australasia (1889) that ‘A “rush” on the early goldfields was like nothing else in the world. One day the lovely gully, the wild dense bush land, untouched by the hand of man, and in less than a week a place thronged with busy life. Rushes varied in size, sometimes consisting of a few hundred men, while at others there were thousands in the field. [As] if by magic, in less than a week a large canvas-and-bark town had sprung into existence. A somewhat ramshackle and tumble-down town it was, certainly, for each man was in haste to be rich and gave little thought to his personal comfort meanwhile.’ Frugality and endurance characterised life, with typical digger’s possessions comprising mining implements, a couple of blankets, a billycan and a frying pan. Tents and huts were furnished with upturned crates. Panners and miners sacrificed comforts for the hope of gold, and their wives and children were subjected to the extremes of scorching summers and cold winters, fluctuating prosperity and a fairly squalid existence. Despite the hardships, hundreds of thousands sailed to colonial Australia – on 5 July 1851, there were 800 people on the road from Bathurst to Ophir NSW. The Illustrated London News reported that huge nuggets of gold had been found after only four days in the new colony in October 1851: ‘The yield of gold in the diggings, both of Victoria and New
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South Wales, is indeed immense. Five new gold-fields have been discovered in the two colonies, and the intelligence has been received from New Zealand of extensive gold discoveries in that province.’
SHOPPING & entertainment According to the success of their enterprises, settlers’ moods fluctuated wildly. Besides an occasional butcher shop patronised by the successful, in the middle of every camp was the inevitable grog shanty and general store where anything could be bought, from a needle to a tent anchor or a tent, and a chamois leather bag to carry gold. The sale of bad liquor at exorbitant prices was a surer road to wealth than any goldmine. Of course where there was money to be made, there was also money to be lost. Gambling was an everyday part of life on the gold diggings, from impromptu cockfights and dogfights, to boxing matches in the back alleys away from the eye of the law. Those who struck it lucky were usually obliged to share their good fortune in the local public bar and it was there that ‘shouting’ became an entrenched Australian tradition and a way of showing one’s comradeship, by buying drinks for companions.
an artist in London, in 1840 Samuel set up a studio in Adelaide and for the next ten years established his reputation as a portraitist and illustrator. Declared bankrupt in 1851, Gill left South Australia in 1852 for the Victorian goldfields. During his months at Castlemaine, Mt Alexander and Bendigo, Gill sketched life on the goldfields. His sketches of the Victorian gold rush were characterised by their spontaneity, realism and humour. He lithographed many at his Melbourne studio. In 1856 he travelled to Sydney where he lived for eight years. When Gill returned to Melbourne in 1864, it was to a very different city. He failed to recapture the success that he had achieved in the mid-1850s. In 1869 the Melbourne Public Library commissioned a set of 40 watercolours after his earliest goldfields sketches, but when he died in 1880 he was penniless. The demand in England for information on the goldfields resulted in engravings on wood
being made from Gill’s hand-coloured lithographs. These engravings reiterate the style and humour of Gill’s lithographs, published in London in 1853 for John Sherer’s The Gold-Finder in Australia - How he went, How he fared, How he made his fortune. These were published the same year as the Sydney publication of Gill’s work, with additional quotations on the engravings. They were excellent representative images and the captions add a further dimension. Today, investment in antique lithographs and engravings of such unique situations offers long-term enjoyment that should never be underestimated. Every generation relates to the hardships, challenges and humour represented in these wonderful images. They are part of the current exhibition at the Antique Print Club-House at Neranwood in the Gold Coast hinterland. Kathryn and Derek Nicholls ANTIQUE PRINT CLUB 07 5525 1363 www.antiqueprintclub.com sales@antiqueprintclub.com
S.T. GILL eminent illustrator of life Engravings and lithographs were commissioned to add ‘colour’ to newspaper and journal reports on life on the goldfields. S.T. Gill became the best known as a prolific and skilled artist of colonial Australia. He showed the gold diggers’ existence and emotional experiences – whether fortunate or not. Gill combined humour in his titles with singular observation in his sketches. His lithographs and engravings are a graphic historic summary of life on the diggings. Samuel Thomas Gill was born in Devon England in 1818 and immigrated to South Australia with his family in 1839. Trained as
S.T. Gill, Butcher’s Shamble near Adelaide Gully, Forrest Creek, c. 1853, hand-coloured lithograph depicts an opportune (self-satisfied?) well-fed butcher with his gold-rocking cradle ‘For Sale’
BRISBANE ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Georgian and Victorian A
s a valuer, from time to time I come across the odd example of Victorian and Georgian hair jewellery. Macabre as it might seem, this type of jewellery was widely worn and very popular. Hair jewellery was usually made with gold or gold lined fittings, rarely in silver, and is more common in brooches and rings but can come in chains, bracelets, earrings, pendants and bangles. The way people in the Georgian and Victorian periods in particular embraced the topic of mourning has always held a fascination for me. My research over the years has shown that the incorporation and use of human hair in jewellery must be attributed to the Norwegians. Before long it was taken up in Denmark and then Germany from where the fashion spread to other parts of Europe. It was not until the 1500s that this type of jewellery surfaced in the market place; as with many fads and fashions, this type of jewellery and its meaning were very different in design and symbolism to the Victorian and Georgian period. ‘Memento mori’ (meaning, ‘remember you must die’) was a popular style of jewellery of the day. The poor could not afford jewellery so it was restricted to the affluent and nobility. It was more of an attitude or awareness status than adornment, showing that the wearer was a well read and intelligent person with deep philosophical and religious beliefs in their attitude to life and mortality. They were ever conscious of the presence of death. ‘Memento mori’ jewellery from this period was the forerunner to the bikie jewellery of today: skulls, crossbones, coffins and just about any other macabre motif that could be imagined was used and worn. This jewellery was not worn to commemorate a loved one’s passing, but as a reminder that the grim reaper was a constant companion and knocked unannounced in life, many times sooner than expected. These were dire and frightening times of unreliable medicines, never-ending wars, limited medical skills and relentless persecutions. In time the French wove hair into the most intricate and beautiful designs but it was up to the Georgian and Victorian British to embrace it with such reverence and unparalleled passion. The American authority Jeanenne Bell best sums up the styles and classification of memorial jewellery which she places into four main categories: commemorative, memorial– mourning, love–sentimental and decorative. Often two or more themes can appear in the design and theme as it was by no means rigid.
COMMEMORATIVE This style portrayed and used momentous or historically important occasions. On a more personal scale lovers might use a lock of their hair in a pendant, say, depicting two doves and a lover’s knot and a heart, all made out of hair as keepsake.
MEMORIAL-MOURNING This incorporated the more traditional forms of mourning items. Here it was not uncommon for a socialite to make provision in their will for the distribution of a hundred or more rings at their funeral. Death was a lavish event with ramifications for social status. During the late 1700s, mourning jewellery adopted a neo-classical style in oval, rectangular and marquise shapes which became very popular. When mounted, all were oriented in a north- south direction. As its popularity grew so did the evolution of the mass production line – after all this was the time of the industrial revolution. Pressing enabled hundreds of standardised designs which just needed the inclusion of the deceased’s hair and a small inscription. Many
Hair Jewellery
of the black enamel, gold lined brooches that are still about today are products of that era.
LOVE–SENTIMENTAL and Decorative Here death and morbidity did not feature at all. Woven, braided and crochet cords made from hair replaced strands of metal. Hair was far cheaper and much more workable in items such as chains and bracelets; imagine a bracelet with say fifteen 3-mm individual strands of braided and plaited hair re-plaited and connected onto a large feature cameo to form a bracelet. Hair and bone are the only body parts that survive long after death. When woven, braided or plaited the hair is very strong and hard wearing, much harder than one would think. The art spread quickly as implements which were used by the Danes have turned up in Japan, England and America, all with small local modifications of course. By the 17th century the use of hair in jewellery was extensive – memorial rings, pins, bangles, chains , bracelets, brooches especially brooches which displayed grave or funeral scenes made from hair. The British used many different hair shades and colours (but never red) in their pieces. By the early 19th century, the profession of hair working was quite large and entered a mass production line to keep up with demand. In 1871 Alexanna Speight in England (who in spite of the name appears to have been a man) wrote a book on The Art of Working with Hair, giving full instructions and recipes for all of the necessary techniques. He sold kits of special tools and chemicals for the purpose. The kits cost a guinea or £1/1/- and contained curling wands, tweezers, steel scissors, fine gold wire paints, seed pearls, special gums and chemicals, etc. Village maidens sold their hair in 1855 for five shillings a pound. This was sorted, graded, washed and dressed before it was resold at ten shillings a pound. Then it went to a distributor who wholesaled it for between £1 to £4 (20 to 80 shillings) per pound. France’s annual production of 200,000 lb (90 tonnes) of human hair shows just how big an item hair was in the 1860s. British usage was estimated at 50 tons per year. The light-coloured German and Nordic hair was most prized as it was very popular and served as a good contrast material. In Victorian times red hair was never used in jewellery as it was considered a sign of ill repute. Women in the hair workers’ trade were called ‘spiders’ because they spun, wove and worked fine strands of hair. The system entails the classification of the hair, clamping one end and boiling it in a pan containing baking soda dissolved in water. The hair was dried and sorted into even lengths and trimmed, 20–30 strands to a tail with pack thread. The tail was held taut while a gum made from shellac and yellow wax was applied to hold the ends together. The hair was now in a manageable and pliable form to work with. On scenes where two or three strands needed to be worked and formed into fine detail – for instance the branch of a tree or a flower stem– then egg white was sometimes used as a stiffener. After Prince Albert’s death in 1861, hair mourning jewellery was the largest selling item in England. Brooches were massproduced made with a black enamel trim. Lockets in many varieties could be purchased and mounted with customer’s hair or slightly modified to suit individual desires. At the turn of the century, many US firms had catalogues of many designs that were mass produced and sold in the US market. Here the market was huge, some companies producing catalogues with 30 pages of examples for sale.
Hair jewellery can come in two basic forms, either with the hair as the prime material or as an extra with other work such as gold, glass and decorative effects. Towards the end of the Victorian period the hair was a secondary item in design. Often a rather nice fancy-worked gold brooch had a glass back locket section which contained a small woven section of hair. A revival of interest in hair working or spidering has been in vogue in the USA for some time and a dedicated band of very talented ladies have managed to reproduce all of the most complex designs thought lost. They even run workshops to keep the art alive.
Est 1964
It is very sad that most readers will never get a chance to obtain a copy of an excellent reference book on this subject, The Collectors Encyclopedia of Hair Work Jewellery, by C. Jeanenne Bell. It is such an eye opener, showing just how big an industry hair working was and how varied and extensive the designs could be.
Ken Penfold PENFOLD’S JEWELLERS 07 3221 7516 penfoldjewellers@iinet.com.au
Penfold Jewellers
Reg. No. 26
FOR ALL INSURANCE VALUATIONS ON JEWELLERY, GEMS, SILVERWARE Insurance • Probate • Matrimonial
18ct white gold sapphire and diamond cartwheel style cluster ring
18ct white gold lct diamond with surrounding sapphires
An original superb platinum art deco diamond pendant brooch
• Free cleans • 2 copies of valuation • Flat fee per item • Colour photos • Provenance established Brisbane’s Antique Specialists Silverware, collectables and gemstones Valuation ‘While You Wait’ (by appointment) FAMILY LAW • INSURANCE • PROBATE
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 17
BRISBANE ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
A sample of the fascinating decorative arts available at the Antique Guild ART Deco rings
MURANO
T
The origins of glassmaking in Venice date from the Roman Empire blended with skills learned from the Byzantine Empire and trade with the Orient, as early as the 8th century. By the late 1200s, the production of glass objects of the finest quality was the city’s major industry, confirmed by the establishment of the Glassmakers Guild. The guild served to safeguard the secrets of the trade and ensure its profitability. A 1271 law prohibited the importation of foreign glass or the employment of foreign glassworkers. Next, a 1291 law established Murano Island as a premier glass-manufacturing centre, by moving all glass furnaces from Venice to Murano for safety, and serving to isolate glass craftsmen to protect trade secrets. A subsequent law passed in 1295 forbad glassmakers from leaving the city. The Antique Guild is thrilled to be home to the spectacular Murano glass chandeliers that never fail to exude style and elegance. With the supreme craftsmanship involved they are a marvel to observe and create a unique statement of luxury to any home. Murano chandeliers are always alluring and are increasingly collected by those who appreciate the timeless tradition and art of glassmaking.
he Antique Guild houses a collection of estate jewellery reflective of different periods of design. The two pieces photographed originate from Art Deco, each with visible characteristics, strong geometrical patterns and angular shapes which were popular during this time. Art deco rings entice with their architecturally pleasing designs and also reflect a time in history when there was a spirit of luxury, freedom and hopefulness. The prominent themes that came from Art Deco were modernity, technology, luxury and leisure. Jewellery was no exception. Diamonds and platinum, despite their expense during this period of growth, were used without regard to cost. These pieces of jewellery are art forms.
EBONY & Ivory Giovanni Battista Gatti (1816-1889) is one of the most notable European cabinetmakers of the 19th century, with a specialisation in using ivory on a background of ebony. His spectacular inlaid craft distinguished Giovanni and he was an inspiration for artists and cabinetmakers to come. The Antique Guild has just received a 19th century Italian ebony-veneered and ivoryinlaid cabinet, inspired by Giovanni Battista Gatti of Milan. A model like this exudes luxury, displaying a level of craftsmanship that is nothing short of exceptional. It stands alone in terms of beauty and reflects the efforts of designers, cabinetmakers and artists from the past that laid the foundations for design in the 19th century and still today.
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To view these and other fine pieces visit us at the ANTIQUE GUILD 07 3221 3112 www.theantiquguild.com.au
NERANWOOD ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Cassini, Nuova Olanda, c. 1801
Bellin, Carte Reduite, c. 1753
Bowen, Ireland cartouche, c. 1747
For Derek and Kathryn Nicholls
a continuing fascination with antique maps and antique prints A
fter 36 years of antique shops and galleries in Brisbane, Derek and Kathryn have closed the Milton gallery. Antique maps and prints are still available in Brisbane from the Antique Guild in the old Port Office, open daily, at the Gardens end of Edward Street near the Stamford Plaza Hotel entrance. It’s been just a big trip around the block! Over 30 years ago Antiquarian Print Gallery was based at The Mansions, another historic Brisbane building in George Street, at the other end of the Botanic Gardens.
ANTIQUE print collecting For the past four years, the Antique Print Club has been based in the hills behind the Gold Coast and visitors are welcome by appointment at the Club House at Neranwood, off Springbrook Road. With many collectors overseas, more time can be spent now entering stock on the website www.antiqueprintclub.com Of course, this is restricted by gardening or sitting outside talking to the birds! On the last Sunday of each month are open days at the Antique Print Club House. These are successful and are enjoyed by all. Some even bring their friends and a picnic to have on the lawn surrounded by native plants, trees and hills.
CONFIDENCE in the market The Gold Coast Antiques Fair at the beginning of January was once again a busy event, and an indication that many people are mindful that antiques are not made any more! By their definition, antiques must be at least 100 years old – and can be several hundred years old. When you find an antique item that particularly appeals to you, the fact that it may not be seen again – ever – is an incentive to make a purchase that will give you years of
enjoyment. As with all antiques, a decision to buy should be based on the fact that it will give you pleasure. The finest pieces will of course appreciate more in value. Rarity will guarantee appreciation.
FRAME with conservation materials Antiques should be looked after to keep them in their best condition. If you need advice in this matter, any qualified and reputable dealer should be able to advise you. Just ask, as antique dealers are usually willing to share their knowledge. In the case of rare antique maps and prints, as they are paper-based and therefore more fragile than most other mediums, framing with conservation materials is extremely important. Any artwork framed in non-conservation materials may offer a few years of decorative presentation; but poor framing materials will actually damage the artwork over time. These days, most picture-framers are aware of the necessity for proper framing. Although conservation-standard materials cost a little more, they will preserve the artwork in the same condition as when you bought it, without further effort. Yes, Derek still does framing!
easy to understand why surviving antique artwork is revered today. This is particularly true in the case of the earliest antique maps charting the progressive knowledge of the world. Take a drive in the country and visit us, we can be contacted either by phone or email as listed below, although mobile reception is not always reliable among the hills. Derek & Kathryn Nicholls ANTIQUE PRINT CLUB 07 5525 1363 sales@antiqueprintclub.com www.antiqueprintclub.com
Perrot, Nievre, c. 1834
ANTIQUE map or antique print Regardless of the process by which it was made, an antique map or antique print represents a fascinating combination of history, science and art. Considerable artistic skill was used in presenting an illustration, whether it was a study of nature, view, architectural design, fashion, or any other subject. The intricacies involved in creating an image for circulation hundreds of years ago are no longer practicable. Combine these variables with a possible difficult source of information, and it is
Thousands of antique prints & antique maps. Treat yourself, family, friend or associate...
ANTIQUE PRINT CLUB
www.antiqueprintclub.com
Visit the Club House at Neranwood
Email sales@antiqueprintclub.com
Phone 07 5525 1363 • Mobile 0412 442 283 Chatelain, World, c. 1718
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ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
QUEENSLAND’S LEADING ANTIQUES EVENT 40th Annual QADA Antique Fair S
et aside the last weekend of May on your antiques calendar for the major fair of 2012 – the 40th Queensland Antique Dealers Association Fair. Following the recent successful fairs in the RNA Showgrounds on Gregory Terrace in Bowen Hills, the 2012 Fair will again be at this prime location.
OPENING NIGHT, 24 MAY Thursday 24 May is a ticketed preview event which is a social highlight of the Queensland antiques calendar. Each year astute collectors arrive early, planning to be first to find and acquire the many special pieces on offer, as QADA dealers are renowned for saving stock exclusively for this annual fair. Preview tickets are on sale at the entrance on Thursday 24 May, costing $15 including light refreshments and gypsy swing music from Mystery Pacific, with a cash bar available. The preview commences at 6.30 pm and concludes at 9.30 pm.
ENTRY 25- 27 May Entry tickets from Friday to Sunday cost $10. The lucky door prize this year will be $600. We are ready to surprise and please you at Queensland’s longest-running antiques fair. Hours of opening on Friday 25 May and Saturday 26 May are between 10 am and 8 pm, and Sunday the fair is open from 10 am until closing at 4 pm.
Gala opening Thursday 24 – Sunday 27 May
occasional pieces including side tables, wine tables, work boxes, armchairs and wall pieces, as well as furniture for gentlemen. There will again be specialist dealers offering silver, porcelain, rare books and prints, glass, metal wares, mirrors, pottery, as well as antique jewellery, clocks and watches. The variety of antiques on offer includes barometers, vintage radios and music machines, old tools, hunting and fishing equipment.
CHARMING and functional pieces
AFFORDABLE and special
The fair is an ideal opportunity to acquire items for your house or collection that are both charming and functional. When furnishing and decorating many people today want to mix and match. A new feature of this year’s fair is a select number of dealers who specialise in mid-20th century design. Among the wonderful pieces on offer will be dining tables, bookcases, sideboards, desks and sets of chairs. The fair holds many delicate
At the QADA Antique Fair you can wander through an extensive range of exhibits. Items will range from a few dollars for smalls to several thousand dollars for rare and unique pieces. There will be plenty of opportunities to acquire special items for yourself or to give as gifts to your friends and loved ones from QADA members. There are one dozen invited guest exhibitors, both local and interstate, who add
interest and diversity among the stock at the fair as their wares complement those of our members. There is simply nowhere else in Queensland you can see so much of interest in one place.
PERFECT venue The fair will again be held at the convenient RNA showgrounds in Bowen Hills. The purpose-built building has easy access for visitors, a host of amenities and inexpensive all-day parking. For the comfort of patrons there is a coffee shop where you can rest and refresh with a coffee and snack, taking the time to contemplate before making that final important decision.
PROFITS to charity Proceeds from the QADA Antique Fair go to support the Queensland Women’s Historical Association whose wonderful efforts maintain Miegunyah, the splendid historic mansion at 35 Jordan Terrace in Bowen Hills. Over the last ten years alone QADA has donated in excess of $60,000 to charity. Up to date information on Queensland Antique Dealers Association Fair is online at www.qada.com.au/antique_fair.html or talk to one of our friendly QADA dealers.
OPENING HOURS Thursday 24 May: 6.30 pm – 9.30 pm Friday 25 May: 10 am – 8 pm Saturday 26 May: 10 am – 8 pm Sunday 27 May: 10 am – 4 pm
40th Annual QADA Antique Fair QUEENSLAND ANTIQUE DEALERS ASSOCIATION www.qada.com.au
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PADDINGTON ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
THE CHANGING FACE OF THE DYNAMIC
PADDINGTON ANTIQUE CENTRE I
f I were starting a new business in this industry today, I would look for new ways to label my activities. The word ‘antiques’ has been problematic for some time. Its varying meanings confuse people and its silver-tailed air can be alienating, especially to younger acquirers. The English language is constantly reinventing itself. Words become overused, misused, and meanings muddied over time. Consequently, new words and phrases come into being. Our industry has embraced ‘retro’ and ‘vintage’ and continues to cling to ‘antique’. What do they all mean? This seems to be a particularly pertinent question given that regular retail outlets seem to be embracing these terms despite the ‘Made in China’ stickers lurking on the bottom of the goods they deem to describe. While the look and feel of antique, which I think is probably familiar to us all, is still relevant as part of a bigger picture, the word itself and the many ways in which it is used, has become passé. I believe we need new ways of expressing our business that better describe the approach people are taking to collecting, acquiring and the decorating of their spaces in the 21st century. The Paddington Antique Centre has been successfully running for almost 27 years so while the name no longer accurately describes the business activity, it has become secondary to its iconic status as a flagship business in the industry. And, while the name may stay the same, we are continually renewing our approach. Crucial to PAC’s success is its location in the fabulous old Plaza Theatre along the main drag of inner city Paddington. As a suburb Paddington has long had an immunity to the vagaries of economic ups and downs. Its strong sense of community and village-like atmosphere seem to over-ride what’s happening in the ‘real’ world. The breadth and depth of industry experience and expertise at PAC is second to none in Queensland. Collectors and curious customers come from far and wide to speak to our staff, many of whom have been dealers for many years. We have experts in china, glassware, pottery, jewellery, buttons and sewing collectables, and furniture. Members of our staff are always happy to speak to you and advise where they can. If we can’t help you we usually know who can. In recent years our enthusiasm to embrace changes within the industry and move with the times while establishing a unique Paddington presence has set us apart from the general flurry of activity. We work as a team for the good of PAC and its customers and enjoy ourselves while doing it. The constant positive feedback suggests that our customers are enjoying the benefits of our hard work.
A CHANGE of pace A Paddington tradition is the constant change in our spacious foyer area. We don’t just window dress; we do a complete scene change, just about every month. In the past, dealers have been invited to put together a display and customers have contributed from personal collections. Mostly the displays are for sale; sometimes special pieces are display-only to give our customers the opportunity to see fabulous things that they wouldn’t otherwise see. So far
this year we’ve had a wonderful mid-century display showcasing beautifully-designed Danish furniture, complimented by European glassware, ceramics, lighting, and jewellery. April will be animal month. The foyer will be home to a life-size fibreglass cow and calf and every other animal-related collectable imaginable: ceramics, taxidermy, textiles, lampshades, jewellery, buttons... We haven’t yet nailed down May so expect a surprise there. June is fashion month with our annual Frocks, Docs & Diamonds vintage fashion parade on Friday evening, 1 June. Eager beavers began asking about tickets in January so enthusiasm is simmering already. Our foyer will be devoted to the very best vintage fashion fare we have to offer for the whole of June – a riot of beautiful clothing and to-diefor accessories. Later in the year we plan displays around themes including metal, sewing, and music.
be displayed, fashion to be used or fashion to be saved, the Paddington Antique Centre is the first stop with over 50 dealers. We are open every day from 10 am to 5 pm. Bring a friend, allow a few hours, take a stroll down the aisles of a wonderful old picture theatre and enjoy the show. After you have look around you can enjoy a good coffee and freshly baked and prepared in-house treats at the Plaza Theatre Cafe. Like us on Facebook and visit online at our constantly updated website.
Suzy Baines THE PADDINGTON ANTIQUE CENTRE 07 3369 8088 info@paddingtonantiquecentre.com www.paddingtonantiquecentre.com
SPECIALIST dealers Another of the qualities that sets us apart at PAC is our unique speciality shops. We have the largest vintage button and haberdashery outlet in Queensland, if not further afield. This is a great resource to collectors, sewers, crafters and anyone who loves the whimsical quality of buttons and embellishments, and sewing tools. We have in-house lampshade makers who learned their craft from the best. Their handmade lampshades made with imported or vintage fabrics can transform a room. Combined with recycled vintage bases, these fashion statements for home give our customers the opportunity to have something unique. Vintage Wedding & Home is a specialist dealer offering great ideas for those planning a vintage-themed wedding. These are all the rage at the moment and at Paddington we have everything you need to make your day memorable from the dress to the decorations. Of course we also have the full range of expected stock including furniture, glassware, china, silver, lighting, militaria, jewellery, men’s and women’s vintage fashion and accessories.
PAC IN 2012 2012 looks like being a big year for PAC. Whether your passion is for treasure aged 100 or more years, or a recent 20 years young; whether it is fashion to be worn or fashion to
Something old for something new Be seen to be green and adopt something old to become your something new ❖ ❖
Antique
Vintage
Retro
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 21
ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Natural History
A wonderful obsession B
eginning in antiquity with names such as Aristotle and Pliny, continuing apace from the Renaissance to the Age of Enlightenment and down to the present day, human beings have always possessed a profound desire to understand, catalogue and collect specimens from the natural world around them. From the 16th century onwards, evergrowing in popularity, this passion became one of the principal pursuits of leisured society, enthralling an enormous number of the aristocratic and noble houses of Europe. Maintained within such houses were wunderkammer or cabinets of curiosities. In this sense the word cabinet refers to the area within which such collections were housed and thus may refer to a series of rooms. The natural history specimens were the most numerous and occupied pride of place, alongside antiquities, weapons, traditional artefacts and scientific instruments. Fossils, minerals, precious gems, amber, seashells, corals, skulls and skeletons sat happily alongside ancient Greek vases and fragments of marble sculptures. These cabinets of curiosities became the basis of the modern museum in all its varieties. More than at any previous time it was during the 18th and 19th centuries, via the great voyages of discovery in the Pacific that innumerable specimens from new worlds began to flood into Europe, especially England. Magnificent collections of fabulous specimens were amassed by notable British
collectors such as the Duchess of Portland and Sir Hans Sloane’s collection ultimately formed the foundation of the British Museum. A veritable cornucopia of exotic plants, seeds, flowers, seashells, corals, birds, fish, reptiles and insects arrived in the auction houses of Europe, frequently the side business of the officers aboard the exploration vessels. Among the many natural history items offered for sale, a particular penchant developed for exotic seashells whose durability in conjunction with their magnificent colours and patterns rendered them a favourite area of natural history collecting. At various times in the past, certain seashells have sold at auction for higher prices than a painting by Vermeer. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the tradition of natural history collecting was taken to its zenith when Baron Walter Rothschild amassed the largest private collection of natural history specimens yet formed, considerably decreasing the family fortune in the process. His collection contained 300,000 birds, 30,000 beetles, 200,000 eggs and an astonishing 2.25 million butterflies. Natural history auctions enjoyed ever-increasing international popularity through the second half of the 20th century, after the protracted period of relative inactivity caused by the depression sandwiched between two world wars. At the beginning of the 21st century the tradition of natural history collecting
continues to grow in interest throughout the world. The many fascinating and beautiful natural history specimens sold through major auction houses in recent years range from small mineral specimens selling for a few hundred dollars each, to an almost complete Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, sold in 1997 for $8.36 million. An ammonite from Morocco sold for $1,920 (including buyer’s premium) last December 2011. ‘Whether inspired by an appreciation of aesthetics, scientific interest or high curiosity, one of the best and most satisfying ways to become better informed about the world we inhabit is through the collection and study of natural history,’ said Jason Sprague. His passion for natural history, especially in the area of fine and rare seashells is shared with many of the world’s leading institutions and museums. A collector of natural history for more than three decades and a consultant, dealer and agent for many of the finest rare seashell collections in Australia and abroad Sprague will be assisting Leonard Joel with their natural history sales.
Highly collectable
TINPLATE ROBOT TOYS T
he Non-Stop Robot was made by Japanese manufacturer Masudaya in the 1950s – it is more commonly known as the Lavender Robot based on its colour. It was the second in a series of five battery-operated tinplate robots made by Masudaya from the late 1950s to the early 1960s. While five robots share the same skirted body and impressive height at 38 cm tall (15 inches), each differs in its colour and the actions that it performs. This group are highly sought after by toy robot collectors, nicknamed the ‘gang of five.’ Another of the
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robots, an unboxed Giant Sonic Robot or Train Robot was sold by Leonard Joel in 2010 for $5,040 (IBP). The Lavender Robot is offered in Joel’s Collectables Auction on 1 April. It is in excellent overall condition with relatively little wear, as well as has its original colourfully illustrated box which is rare and significantly increases its value. Preview from 10 am on 28 March 2012 at 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra, Melbourne, or watch the Lavender Robot on www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPDb49jipSs.
Giles Moon LEONARD JOEL 03 9826 4333 info@leonardjoel.com.au www.leonardjoel.com.au
Ammonite, Acanthoceras species, Morocco, sold for $1,920 (IBP), 8 December 2011
Giles Moon LEONARD JOEL 03 9826 4333 info@leonardjoel.com.au www.leonardjoel.com.au
In 2012 Leonard Joel inaugurates a Natural History auction category, with one major 2012 sale and several featured sections within monthly auctions. Leonard Joel is pleased to share this fascinating, eclectic and highly rewarding area of collecting with auction fans.
PADDINGTON ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Pamella Timmers
Martin Edge
John Worth
Penelope Gilbert-Ng
For visitors, artists and collectors an exciting year ahead at the
Below: Paul Best Left: Robyn Bauer
Robyn Bauer Studio Gallery M
ark your 2012 calendar for all the events planned this year at the Robyn Bauer Studio Gallery. Already the year has kicked off with a strong start with our Story Bridge show in February with ten artists.
MARCH – Pamella Timmers La Musique d’Art presents new paintings by Queensland artist Pamella Timmers. This show will celebrate music, still life and the circus. Pamella has been resident in France for the last 14 years and this is her first show since her return to Australia. Her work has a modernist edge with its use of strong colour and form. Exotic musical instruments feature prominently amongst the flowers and fruit of her still life works.
APRIL – Martin Edge Next the gallery shows in April an exciting series of whimsical and vibrant new paintings by naïve artist Martin Edge, entitled Martin and the Animals. We are proud to announce that Martin is now represented in the Australian Parliament House collection in Canberra. For his new exhibition Martin has produced works featuring birds, elephants, sharks and exotic fish.
MAY – John Worth In May we host a solo show by veteran artist John Worth entitled The Eye of the Beholder. John’s assemblages constructed from found timbers show a sophistication that comes from his practice sustained over many years. John will also show some of his sculptural pieces.
JUNE – Animal and Bird In June we have another large group show called Animal and Bird. This show will include works by Craig Amos, Phil Bazzo and Penelope Gilbert-Ng, as well as artists new to the gallery. This should be a fun show with ten different artists creating original works around the broad theme of the animal world.
JULY – Go Figure Go Figure is the name of our July exhibition. Again ten artists have been invited to produce new work inspired by this catchy phrase. Some are interpreting it in a figurative sense; others are using the suggestion of ambiguity to let their imaginations loose. Others are focusing on the figure, representing numbers. Artists will include Paul Best, Clay Smith and Annie Long.
JULY/AUGUST – Stephen Brasch In late July and through August we present a new solo show by landscape painter Stephen Brasch. Stephen has a great affection for the landscape around where he lives in Kallangur. He finds engaging subject matter between the urban and the rural. His highly original take on the semi-industrial topic has earned him several prestigious prizes including the Pine Rivers award.
SEPTEMBER – Robyn Bauer During September, Robyn Bauer will be featuring her new work continuing to investigate the kangaroo in paintings, drawings and sculpture. 2012 should be an artistically rich year for gallery visitors, artists, and collectors.
ROBYN BAUER STUDIO GALLERY AND SCULPTURE GARDENS 54 Latrobe Terrace Paddington Qld 4064 07 3511 6380
Robyn Bauer ROBYN BAUER STUDIO GALLERY & SCULPTURE GARDENS 07 3511 6380 studio@robynbauergallery.com.au www.robynbauergallery.com.au
Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10.30 am - 5 pm www.robynbauergallery.com.au www.robynbauer.com studio@robynbauergallery.com.au
Stephen Brasch
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ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
A COLLECTION OF HALF DOLLS H
alf dolls have always been much sought after, especially because of their wonderful variety. They are small and so take up little room. Another attraction is that they are reasonably priced and affordable. However, they are becoming increasingly harder to find.
HALF a doll? Half dolls are just that! Generally they are the upper half of a human figure with head and arms, but without legs. Most half dolls are between 5.1 and 30.3 cm tall, with smaller and also a few larger examples. They were produced without legs so that they could be attached to something useful, very commonly pin cushions but also whisk brooms, tea cosies and numerous things that could grace a lady’s dressing table, such as powder boxes.
Recently I had the opportunity to purchase a large collection of lovely half dolls. This is a great chance to add to your collection or perhaps start a new collection. They are available for purchase at the Brisbane Antique Emporium.
HISTORY of half dolls The vast majority were produced between 1900 and the 1920s, although some were produced earlier than that and some later. Some half dolls are still reproduced today. Most half dolls were produced in Germany, by famed firms including Dressel & Kister, FW Goebel, Ernst, Bohne & Sohne, Heubach, Hertwig and Karl Schnider. Half dolls are often found unmarked, marked Germany or Made in Germany, or with a four or five digit mould number. Only a few companies such as Dressel & Kister or Goebel would sometimes mark half dolls with a company’s distinctive mark. Japan also flooded the market with inexpensive models. Models from Japan can be marked Japan or Made in Japan.
VARIATIONS & values There are so many thousands of styles of half dolls made, yet so few good reference books available. Hence many doll collectors throw up their hands in frustration and feel that half dolls and their values are nearly impossible to decipher. With a keen eye and a few basic facts about half dolls and half doll pricing, any collector can start to understand
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this fascinating specialty in doll collecting. They are generally made of porcelain (glazed bisque, sometimes called china) although there are also models made in unglazed bisque. Half dolls have been made out of composition, wax, and many other materials. Simple, crudely painted half dolls from Japan or Germany with close arms are priced at no more than $20 to $40. A good German half doll with arms away or nice detailing and clothing can be valued from $100 to over $300; half dolls with elaborate hair and rare accessories can bring several hundred dollars; elaborate, rare Dressel & Kister or Ernst, Bohn & Sohne half dolls can cost several thousand dollars. Chocolate ladies on the market can vary from $400 to over $2000 depending on the maker.
DETERMINING value The complexity of the mould used to make the half doll is very important. The more complex the mould used, generally the more valuable the half doll. Simple half dolls with arms close to the torso (no separation of arms from the torso, made with two mould pieces) are generally the least expensive. Next are half dolls with open and returning arms which show some separation between the arms and the torso. The most desirable have arms away, which means that they have arms modelled completely away from the body of the half doll, and which generally require complex moulds. The painting of the half doll also contributes to price differences. Delicately and
precisely painted half dolls are worth more than those with crude painting. Although most crudely painted half dolls were made in Japan, many budget models were also made in Germany, so having a half doll marked Germany is no guarantee of quality. The third major factor in half doll desirability is the type and complexity of the modelled clothing and hair, and also which accessories the half doll is holding. More complex clothing (ruffles, hats and feathers) and more complex hairdos add to the value. Also, is the doll holding an accessory? A famous accessory that increases the value of half dolls greatly is a chocolate tray, with a pot of hot chocolate and a cup. Other desirable accessories can include delicate grooming items, small animals, flowers and flower baskets. Like most collectables, the variations in pricing depend on the complexity and rarity of half dolls. Owned and operated by the Phillips family, Discovery Corner Antiques has been in the antique business in Brisbane since 1976 and is a member of the Queensland Antique Dealers Association (QADA). Jill Phillips DISCOVERY CORNER 07 3862 2155 discoverycnr@bigpond.com Further reading Doll collecting on www.about.com Karen Parr-Moody, ‘Half-dolls, wholly intriguing,’ www.gaslampsantiques.com
BRISBANE ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
A Presidential reception room
Dining Area
Historical wall covering
Shelves of utensils for traditional medicines
President’s escape helicopter
Pharmacist at work in the Museum of Vietnamese Traditional Medicine
Herbal medicines
Discovery in Vietnam M
y latest travelling adventure was to Indochina. The three countries of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos created a lot of curiosity in my mind. The first port of call, the city of Ho Chi Minh, was and is still known by the name of Saigon, in the south of Vietnam. I did have an impression from my guide that a certain rivalry seemed to exist between the north and south of Vietnam. However two things impressed me. Firstly, the cheerfulness of the people in the hotels and elsewhere. Nothing was ever too much trouble. The other thing that stands out was the volume of scooters and motor cyclists that commanded the streets. They were like an advancing army controlling the streets. They just kept coming and coming, all totally serious and bent on getting to their destination. I tried crossing the road at a pedestrian crossing and was stuck in the middle of all this traffic and had to be rescued by this Aussie guy who appeared from nowhere. He grabbed my arm and said ‘Stick with me lady, I’ll get you across,’ and by dodging and weaving he managed to get us both safely to the other side. I believe the trick is to walk slowly and they will then know which way to avoid you. Don’t rush as you’ll confuse riders and they don’t know how to navigate their bikes around you and it breaks their concentration. I believe there are five million of these bikes for a population of eight million in Ho Chi Minh City. Visiting the former Presidential Palace, now referred to as the Reunification Palace, was totally fascinating. It is beautifully maintained by the local council. We were shown the magnificent dining room with two dining tables all set and ready for entertaining their important guests. Apparently the smaller table was for the less important guests. At the top of the room the wall was covered with this magnificent (what looked like a huge tapestry) depicting various stages of Vietnamese history.
We also saw the reception rooms, bedrooms, the beautiful floor carpets and a ballroom built especially for the President who liked to dance. But the most awe-inspiring was the helicopter left behind, but still ready to fly the President and his entourage out of danger if things went awry. When they did, he was immediately whisked to safety, carrying bags of gold bullion, so we were informed. We were also shown the basement where all the war decisions were made by the USA generals and the Vietnamese military, and the desk which the President used. There were lots of pictures covering the walls, depicting many terrible war scenes and statistics as to how many lives were lost, all very sad indeed. There was so much to see. Another interesting visit was to the Museum of Vietnamese Traditional Medicine where there are about 3000 items dating back to the Stone Age. There were implements used such as knives, grinders, pots and jars, spirit gourd and shelves of all types of teapots, bowls and lime pots. Plus there were shelves of brown paper bags all containing medicinal plant species from times long gone. All of the wall carvings, door jams, stairways and landings, as well as the original counters and of course those early calculators and scales, all steeped in history, were there for viewing. I was also taken to the Notre Dame Cathedral built by the French during their occupation which was similar to the one in Paris. Both the Sea Goddess Temple and the Chinese market were well worth visiting. Of course everywhere there was devotion to Ho Chi Minh and from all accounts he seems to have been a remarkable man, but I will write more about him when I get to Hanoi.
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
109 James Street New Farm Qld 4005
Phone 07 3358 1448 AH 07 3844 3619 Mobile 0423 830 515
Eilisha Little EILISHA’S SHOPPE 07 3358 1448 / 0423 830 515
25
ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Unique France design style for that special look
U
nexpected meetings between antique and modern require a sensitive colour palette. The contrast between old and new can be striking, but an interior scheme needs some harmonious elements. When it comes to a home decorating idea, mixing modern items with antiques is great because it keeps a room fresh, adds contrast and depth, and ultimately creates balance.
COLOUR corner Colours and finishes are key tools for architectural and design professionals. Both can be used to highlight, add drama or bring cohesion to a scheme. Once you find the fabric, the easiest way to choose a paint colour for the walls is to use that source of inspiration as your starting point. Decorating a room with different furniture styles, colours, and patterns is fashionable and fresh. Combining colours creates an ambiance and atmosphere in your home for whatever style you feel like creating: classical, contemporary, vintage, dramatic, eclectic and many more. Colour is one of the first things you notice when you walk into a room. Is it any wonder that colour, and how you use it, is one of the most important decorating
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decisions you’ll make in your home? Inside your home, the latest colours and the way they’re applied give voice to your personality and décor. Colour sets a mood. From floor to ceiling, paint colour reflects your style and makes a personal statement of what home means to you. Decorating with colour means choosing the right shade of taupe for your family room, the right shade of yellow to make your kitchen sunny, or the right colours to accent your living room furniture – and it can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. Unique France’s expert advice will assist you to achieve your project. The French country colours palette includes the full colour spectrum – from vibrant and strong, to pale and neutral, including the whites that Madame de Pompadour and Marie-Antoinette so loved. True to the French individualistic style, colours are interpreted in their own subtle way. Paler colours are milky but still have depth – strong colours are vibrant but not shouting. Some traditional colours include milk washes, lime washes and a green- or greytoned distemper. Weather and natural light also play an important role in influencing decorative colour choices. Light will be paler in the cooler southern areas opposed to the warm northern rooms in our Southern Hemisphere. The result of mixing traditional and modern furniture, finishes, materials and fabrics is an elegant, enduring design that is both comfortable and classic. This style strikes the perfect balance through its simple lines, neutral colour scheme, and use of light and warmth. Decorating your home with antiques is chic, elegant and easy to commence. It is beautiful and distinctive to have an antique piece of furniture seated against a wall painted in modern colour or a modern wall paper. This creates a whole new dimension into the space. Unique France has launched a unique range of painted furniture. This new style is exceedingly smart and it’s an easy way to add colour to a white or neutral room.
FABRIC corner Decorating with fabrics adds warmth, colour and ambiance to a room while bringing in different patterns and textures. By using reupholstered antiques, such as a Louis bergère chair in a modern fabric will make a beautiful
statement in the space. Re-upholstering an antique chair in unexpected patterns and colours is a great way to give traditional furniture a modern appeal. The Karin Sajo Collection offers a large, unique, and inspiring range of fabrics suitable for home decorating. Her creations are an invitation to dive into multi-ethnic sensual influences revisited with flair. Her fabrics and braids have subtle colours and gleam of timeless elegance. Her fabric revives the very classical design in the most modern way, always with the highest standard of quality wrapped in a French touch. With the exclusive distribution rights of Karin Sajo Editions in Queensland, Unique France shows again its attachment to the purest design and the highest quality.
PARIS DÉCO OFF This past January, PDO was back for its third season with over 70 international houses of decoration opening their Parisian showrooms and collections. This event offered a unique opportunity to explore the aesthetic universe of decoration in Paris. Creators of fabrics, light fixtures, carpets, trimmings and more invited us into their current and past collections while offering a glimpse into their know-how and craft.
Unique France offers a wide range of services from interior design, soft furnishing, parquetry flooring and wall finishing. We carry a broad selection of fine French antiques including an impressive selection of elegant provincial furniture, refined 18th and 19th century marquetry pieces, decorative objects, porcelain, bronzes and art. Chandeliers are a noted speciality. For ideas and information view our website, visit our showroom or ring with your questions to Nadia Aber-Griffith UNIQUE FRANCE 07 3254 0404 info@uniquefrance.com.au www.uniquefrance.com.au
TENERIFFE ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Twenty years’ sales and service at Commercial Road Antiques and Decorative Arts T
his old wool store has stood since 1858 and for the past 20 years it has shown antiques and collectables for buyers from all over Queensland and Australia. We mark our 20th anniversary on 2 May 2012. There have been only three changes of ownership: initially it was Scott’s New Farm Antique Centre, then New Farm Antique Centre. The present owner, Ian Thomson renamed it Commercial Road Antiques and Decorative Arts as it seemed logical to name our centre more specifically for its location on
Commercial Road in Teneriffe, as it was never in New Farm. The solid red brick building was converted to residences and commercial use in 1995 by Patella Holdings, renowned for restoration of wool stores. Teneriffe was officially given suburb status only in 2010, although it has been known as such since 1975. In 1854, Hon. James Gibbon, MLC and property speculator purchased 48 hectares of land along the ridge dividing New Farm from Newstead, naming his property
Lynzay
Antiques
Antique & Estate Jewellery, Silverware, Ceramics, Glass and Collectables PETER MARTIN • 0412 599 299 COMMERCIAL ROAD ANTIQUES • 07 3852 2352
after the largest of the Canary Islands, Tenerife (he used double ‘f’). His 1865 Georgian style stone residence was designed by Melbourne architect William Henry Ellerker who had won the design competition for Queensland’s Parliament House in 1864. This large residence was the focal point of the early development of Teneriffe, reflecting changing lifestyles and tastes in Brisbane. We look forward to many more years of service to collectors of antiques and the decorative arts.
Ian Thomson COMMERCIAL ROAD ANTIQUES AND DECORATIVE ARTS 07 3852 2352 www.commercialroadantiques.com
JOIN THE MANY WHO SAY
“THE BEST CENTRE IN BRISBANE”
Commercial Road Antiques & Decorative Arts
85 Commercial Road Teneriffe QLD 4006 Open 7 Days 10 am – 5 pm 07 3852 2352
www.commercialroadantiques.com 27
BRISBANE ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Furniture restoration student
Frank polishing an antique table top in his well-equipped workshop
Beginning restorations
Furniture Restoration Classes
A conservation ethic F
rank van Brunschot Fine Furniture is now offering furniture restoration classes. These classes offer a great opportunity to gain practical knowledge and experience whether you are a novice or have existing knowledge. Furniture restoration is a very rewarding process and is accessible to both young and old. Most period furniture can be transformed into a
functional and aesthetically pleasing piece with a little bit of patience and commitment. Classes are designed to be flexible in content and to cater to the individual student’s needs and abilities. Frank gives a broad overview of the restoration processes and over an eight week term, takes students through all the required traditional techniques and the
theories behind their uses. Frank encourages an approach to restoration which is based on a conservation ethic. This involves respecting and maintaining original techniques, materials and finishes.
THESE are a few of the skills you will learn: • Polishing: what is a finish, different types of finishes and how they work • Washing back or stripping back a finish • Repairs and cabinet work, traditional adhesives, joinery and veneer work • Preparing a surface for polishing, colour matching and staining • The polishing process, shellac based traditional French polishing, waxing and oil based finishes.
fine furniture restoration & conservation of antique furniture • cabinet-making • design • french polishing • free quotes
07 3216 2707 0412 954 716 1a 229 Robinson Rd Geebung www.frankvanbrunschot.com
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Classes are held in Frank’s fully equipped workshop designed for all aspects of furniture restoration and cabinetmaking. This is a relaxed and encouraging environment, providing a positive and rewarding learning experience. Classes are limited to just eight lucky students each term, providing plenty of hands-on time with Frank teaching as well as Paul tutoring. The modest course fee includes all required materials, polishes, waxes, solvents, timber and veneer, and every necessary hand tool and machinery. Frank is a qualified cabinetmaker and teacher with a Bachelor of Arts (visual) from ANU. He has many years of experience in antique furniture restoration and in exciting commissions, making and designing solid timber custom-made furniture. Frank has a genuine commitment and passion for his work and is always generous with his knowledge.
Before restoration
Frank van Brunschot Fine Furniture offers excellent antique furniture restoration services as well as custom made and designed furniture. Phone or email Frank for further course details and restoration or commission inquiries. TERM TWO TIMETABLE Wednesday night 6-9 pm Saturday morning 9:30 am-12:30 pm Sunday afternoon 1:30-4:30 pm Course fees (prices subject to change) Eight weeks $595.00 Six weeks $460.00 Four weeks $324.00 FRANK VAN BRUNSCHOT FINE FURNITURE 07 3216 2707 frankvanbrunschot@yahoo.com.au www.frankvanbrunschot.com
TERM two commences 16 April Classes and run during the school terms throughout the year. Students participate in one three-hour class each week. Why not enrol in a shorter, four or six week course to find out how hands-on you want to be? Payment is made at the beginning of each course. The next term commences on 16 April 2012. For further information and detailed fact sheet, please contact Frank.
Chest of drawers, fully restored
BRISBANE ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
The challenge of a handle
Taking silversmithing into new directions I
n late 2009 I was invited to take part in an exhibition in Adelaide called Tea Wares. If I was to make a teapot, that presented me with a problem. For most of my working life I had avoided putting handles on my work, yet a teapot without a handle could be an issue. Substituting an oven mitt for a handle didn’t seem to be the answer either! With the title ‘Tea Wares,’ I obviously had the option of making an object only associated with tea, but this presented an opportunity to fulfil an idea that had been in my mind for some time. So, following my usual pattern of saying ‘yes’ then worrying about the problem later, I accepted. Little did I know how much that decision would change the direction of my work. The reluctance to put handles on my work was because I had rarely seen a handle that is equal to, or enhances the body of a pot. To me they often show little connection to the body contours and appear as an add-on to make the object functional. For something that had been around for hundreds of years in the silversmithing industry, the format of handles had changed very little, especially wooden handles on teapots. They are usually cut out of timber slabs and undergo little change in thickness profile, whilst being attached to the body by two ends inserted into metal sleeves. This style of handle makes the shaping and fitting process quite straight forward, but to me rarely aesthetically pleasing. In order to challenge this existing format I designed my own teapot, whereby instead of treating the pot as a number of separate sections: body, spout, handle, I would look at the piece as an integrated object. The spout as part of the main body and the handle with equal importance. I wanted to avoid the handle looking as an add-on by having its own sense of style. Furthermore I wanted it to be of a beautiful timber, and at this point I discovered Queensland maple. By developing a new way of attaching the handle to the body and incorporating the strength of this beautiful timber, I was also able to have only one visible junction of handle to body. The result of my efforts shows the integrated form of the handle with the body.
FROM concept to artwork in silver Once this piece was completed I could see the concept could be used for other objects. The water jug made soon after was winner of the 2010 Jewellers Association of Australia Silver Design Award. The jug is illustrated with my contact details. Another item, a small water jug, was made for a lovely lady in Sydney who lived alone and enjoyed a nightly single malt whisky with a dash of water. A further benefit of these projects and working with this beautiful timber was the realisation that the overall impression of the piece was increased without an equivalent increase in material costs. Seeking to maximise this advantage I began to think of a boat shaped form with highly stylised handles projecting a Viking longboat impression without necessarily a longboat form. The two handled dish (illustrated) is the result. All these new works completed because of saying ‘yes’ and worrying about it later, and the generous provision of expertise from others outside of my own craft. I am indebted to Gareth Lazarides for choosing the Queensland maple and Andrew Baxter for assistance with the initial shaping and final finishing of all the timber work. For someone originally trained as a restoration silversmith, an aspect of the business I still continue to specialise in, these new objects provide a source of creative enjoyment. To restore the work of a silversmith made two hundred years ago is a privilege, and to create my own future antiques is a gift I never take for granted. If I can be of assistance to you for restoration of your collection or commissioning a new piece of silver, please contact me.
Silver teapot with Queensland maple handle made for Tea Wares held at JamFactory, Adelaide. The challenge to create an integrated sculptural form Back of silver teapot showing handle made of Queensland maple
DAVID CLAYTON 0401 383 645 / 07 3245 1565 david@dc-silversmith.biz www.dc-silversmith.biz
Jewellers Association of Australia Silver Design Award Winner 2010
• Designer and maker of hollow ware and flatware • Repair and restoration of antique and modern silver Visit our website at: www.dc-silversmith.biz or call us on 0401 383 645 Silver dish of boat shaped form with highly stylised Queensland maple handles
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ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Lance Bressow (Australian, b. 1942), Portrait of Elvin Harvey
Traditional bookbinding and restoration
GN Olsson photograph restoration (before)
Traditional upholstery and fabric
GN Olsson photograph restoration (after)
Specialty glazing, restoration and repairs
Hand-painted, decorative and faux finishes
Inlay restoration, French polishing and colour matching
MASTERCRAFTSMEN LEGACY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS Trades, Artisans and Technicians Relining cutlery canteens and boxes
I
n days of old, a 15 year old would commence an apprenticeship under a mastercraftsman and learn a trade under close guidance. By the age of 22, as a journeyman he might have remained in employment or would commence a business. He would not pass into the ranks of mastercraftsman until the appropriate guild assessed his workmanship as worthy of the title. Gary Olsson commenced his trade with renowned mastercraftsman, Elvin Harvey (b. 1913-2009) of Harvey Bros in Woolloongabba. Upon completing his trade with honours at 19 years, Gary chose to stay with Harvey Bros as a modern journeyman. He fine tuned his skills and expanded his knowledge base with guidance from
his great teacher Elvin, son of the internationally famous artist, woodcarver, teacher and mastercraftsmen, L J Harvey (1871-1949). After an adventure-filled period on an outback cattle station near the border of the Northern Territory and Western Australia, Gary returned to establish his own fine furniture and antique restoration practice in Brisbane in 1983. Years of hard work and continual improvement have seen him evolve into a mastercraftsman of distinction and exemplary skills, accepted into the highest ranks by guilds, both formal and informal. He is recognised nationally and internationally as a mastercraftsman.
Gary bears a solid reputation as an antique restorer and conservator, cabinetmaker and joiner (architectural features) with expertise in timber, veneer, inlays, leather and metal. However, such success does not happen by one man acting alone. Opportunity is a pre-requisite to growth. Gary is very grateful and pays homage to those who provided such opportunities: his teachers, antique dealers, interior designers, architects, builders and private clients. GN Olsson Mastercraftsmen (Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast) values the past and acknowledges its traditions. Skills of yesteryear are sustained through teaching the next generations. These skills are available for clients’ projects, whether building or restoring.
Box restoration and gilded leather inlay Card table English Strachan baise (refelting) Gilding and ornate frames
Leather embossing, monograms and logos Armour conservation and restoration
Blacksmith and metal restoration
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Locksmith, micro engineering and metal casting
ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Exact replicas and reproduction furniture
Intricate joinery and architectural features
Woodturning, wood carving and veneer inlays
Wicker work and hand woven cane
Strategic relationships with artisans and trades people in allied trades have been forged and maintained. These mastercraftsmen and artisans collaborate at Olsson’s in a modern equivalent to the workshops of old. The best in each field, usually their own masters, are brought together as a highly skilled team. With Gary Olsson’s orchestration, they collaboratively restore and create unique and superlative works including furniture, clocks, artefacts and architectural features. At the hub, he manages each project, taking full responsibility for each outcome. This creative synergy, fostered and developed by Gary, has strengthened over the 30 years of his private practice. It brings advances in design, craftsmanship, conservation and restoration, and even in reproduction, with exactness that astounds. This ingenuity brings out the best in people, ensuring the very best outcome for clients. To access the Olsson team of dedicated men and women, to utilise traditional skills and authentic materials for your restoration or custom work, simply ask by phone or email. We are here to offer old-fashioned service, and to create a legacy for the future. Fostering traditional craftsmanship and artistic skills is every bit as vital as making and conserving cultural material for our future generations. Our motto is Today’s Investments... Tomorrow’s Antiques and Heirlooms.
Barometer restoration
Custom railing
Bentwood
Floor inlay
Gramophone restoration Horologist, clockmaker and restorer
Pietra dura (decorative stonework) and marble masonry
For further information about Gary Olsson and his accomplished team, visit the pages ‘About Us’ and ‘Our People’ on www.gnolsson.com.
GN OLSSON MASTERCRAFTSMEN 07 3888 1549 gnolsson@bigpond.com www.gnolsson.com
Brass bed restoration
Music box restoration
Brass lettering and metal casting
Silver and goldsmiths
31
ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Fine furniture made in Queensland from timbers that highlighted the skill and talents of local cabinetmakers F rom the inception of the convict colony of Moreton Bay, later to become the colony of Queensland, in 1824 local Queensland timber was out of necessity used extensively for furniture. From an early stage it was evident that there was a great variety and volume of timber available. For instance, statistics of Moreton Bay in 1841 tell us that after local supply had been satisfied, 90,228 feet of cedar and pine were exported. Timbers used in this era were often recorded in reports of exhibitions.
SOME early Queensland cabinetmakers to note The first Queensland cabinetmaker to have furniture in an international exhibition was William Pauley who received three awards at the 1862 London International exhibition. Pauley made pieces for Mr Justice Lutwyche and the catalogue of the Queensland court lists them as being ‘French polished cedar, silky oak, cypress pine and iron bark.’ In the 1879 Sydney International exhibition, so the Sydney Morning Herald reports, Peter Thomle, a Danish immigrant cabinetmaker of Brisbane, exhibited a table that included 60 kinds of Queensland wood. A davenport made by J W Carey is recorded in the Queenslander of 23 August 1873: ‘the front panel... being a “star” composed of pieces of the following woods: blue gum, iron bark, forest oak, apple tree, crow’s ash, silky oak, lime trees, myall, black butt, ligum vitae, rosewood, tea tree, pale yellow wood, scented myall, curumgall, bread fruit, bamboo, tulip wood, pencil cedar, plane tree, mangrove, matorie, cypress pine, camphor wood, coibra, red cedar, pale water gum, brigalow, miver, bean tree, musk wood, Moreton Bay pine and other wood which is said to be yet unnamed.’
QUEENSLAND TIMBERS RED cedar (Toona Australis) Much has been written of this beautiful timber, since it is the one that typifies furniture produced in the colonial period. It was once widespread in the rainforest of the east coast from south coast of Sydney to Cape York Peninsula. Its excellent qualities such as durability (although it marks quite easily), colour and attractive figuring were appreciated from an early time. The fact that supplies of it were dwindling due to overcutting by the early 1900s meant that timbers such as silky oak and Queensland maple, were increasingly used.
WHITE cedar (Melia azedarach) A medium sized hardwood that grows
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sparsely in the rainforests of New South Wales and Queensland. White cedar is not a common furniture wood although it can be seen used in pieces made around the turn of the century. It has open grains, which is slightly reminiscent of English oak. When polished it often has the colour of very pale red cedar, hence the name.
QUEENSLAND maple (Flindersia brayleyana) A large rainforest hardwood from the north of the state, Queensland maple is a superb furniture timber that has been used extensively from the beginning of the century. It is a strong, durable timber that is easily carved. The grain is often interlocked and striped, and when used as a decorative veneer can produce a beautiful fiddle-back figure. It is usually seen polished to a fairly ‘natural’ pale honey colour.
YELLOWWOOD (Flindersia xanthoxyla) Another large hardwood and quite local to the Brisbane area, occurring between the Richmond River in northern New South Wales up to the Gympie area in Queensland. It has a very pale yellow colour, is easy to work and good to French polish. Good examples of pieces in this timber were produced in the last quarter of the 19th century. The earlier design and style of yellowwood usually helps to differentiate it from Queensland maple, which is a very similar timber.
SILVER ash (Flindersia bourjotiana/schottiana) The other common names for silver ash are bumpy ash and cudgerie, and it grows in the coastal rainforests of northern NSW and southern and northern Queensland. Silver ash has an open straight grain with a medium to uniform texture. The fact that it is a good timber for steam bending as well as being an excellent veneer timber meant that it was ideally suited for the style of furniture produced in the 1950s. Commercial usage is now limited due to world heritage listing restrictions.
BLACK bean (Castanospermum austiale) Black bean is another large rainforest hardwood. Also known as Moreton Bay chestnut, it is a straight grained timber, usually of dark colour with pale streaking. It is a heavy, dense timber that is often seen used on pieces that incorporate red cedar, with which it contrasts attractively. Although in the past black bean was much sought after (few natural stands of it are left),
it is not always popular with saw-millers and cabinetmakers due to the fact that the sawdust can produce a fairly unpleasant allergic reaction. The ‘bean’ itself is quite toxic.
hoop pine, but the wood is slightly darker and often displays pronounced flecks and rays, which distinguishes it from hoop and buyna pine.
SILKY oak (Grevillea robusta)
The variety of timbers used for inlay and marquetry in Queensland was enormous, including for example, Casuarina species (bull oak and she-oak), cedar, silky oak, white ash, scrub wattle and black bean.
Probably the most well-known Queensland timber used in 20th century cabinetmaking, silky oak most likely owes its popularity, I suspect, due to the fact that it is such a readily identifiable timber. Although some pieces date from the last years of the 19th century, the bulk of silky oak furniture dates from around 1910 onwards. The varied and interesting grain often has a characteristic closely packed flecked pattern and the earlier silky oak pieces are generally polished to a reddish brown colour. Later pieces are often almost polished black. It is now a reasonably scarce timber and once grew in large stands from the Clarence River, in northern New South Wales, up to the Maryborough district of Queensland.
HOOP pine (Araucana cunninghamii) Hoop pine has been so commonly used for furniture in Queensland that it is sometimes easy to forget what an attractive and useful timber it really is, especially when compared to, in my view, inferior pines such as Baltic and Radiale. Hoop pine has a very fine even texture and a straight grain that is ideal for tables and more utilitarian pieces of furniture.
BUNYA pine (Aragucana bidwillii) This is the only other member of the Araucana family in Australia. Bunya pine was also a less common timber, having a very restricted natural distribution around south east Queensland. Bunya pine is very similar to hoop pine, although it has a slightly more pronounced grain.
KAURI pine (Agathis robusta) This is another Queensland timber similar to
INLAY and marquetry timbers
EUCALYPTUS species As well as the above timbers various Eucalyptus species, such as red river gum, were used extensively for furniture and probably more so now. Although many Queensland timbers are extremely scarce, such as red cedar, there are now many interesting contemporary pieces of furniture being made from such materials as salvage timber (fallen trees recovered from the forest floor) and the ubiquitous recycled timbers. DISCOVERY CORNER 07 3862 2155 / 0402 339 643 discoverycnr@bigpond.com Further reading Keith R Bootle, Wood in Australia, McGraw Hill Book Co Sydney 1988 Kevin Fahy, Caroline Simpson, Andrew Simpson, Nineteenth Century Australian Furniture, Casuarina Press NSW 1984 Ivan Holliday, Field Guide to Australian Trees, Hamyln Australia 1989
CLAYFIELD ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
794-810 Sandgate Road (Cnr Junction Road) CLAYFIELD Qld 4011 AMPLE ON-SITE PARKING (VIA JUNCTION ROAD)
Phone 07 3862 1600 Email: info@brisbaneantiqueemporium.com.au
Website: www.brisbaneantiqueemporium.com.au OPEN 7 DAYS 10am – 5pm 33
CLAYFIELD ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Phone 07 3862 1600
794-810 Sandgate Road (Cnr Junction Road) CLAYFIELD Qld 4011
Website: www.brisbaneantiqueemporium.com.au
Discovery Corner Quality, rarity and personal service is of prime importance
Shop 1 Always buying quality antiques Also specialising in Rosentengel Furniture
Phone Jill Phillips 07 3862 2155 0402 339 643
Lynzay Antiques
Antique & Estate Jewellery, Silverware, Ceramics, Glass and Collectables PETER MARTIN 0412 599 299 Shop 28 BRISBANE ANTIQUE EMPORIUM 07 3862 1600 34
Cordelia Antiques
Johanna Thannhauser specialising in antique jewellery Shop 33, Brisbane Antique Emporium
07 3862 1600
CITY / SANCTUARY COVE / KURWONGBAH ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
G.N. Olsson Traditional Mastercraftsmen Established 1983 Antique Restoration & Custom Clocks, Furniture & Architectural Features
Oriental Antique Restoration – including Chinoiserie, Chinese, Japanese, Indian Today’s investments – Tomorrow’s antiques and heirlooms! Also custom made. Members AICCM, AAADA, M&GNSW & MBAQ
Queries & Appointments 07 3888 1549
393 Narangba Rd, Kurwongbah Brisbane QLD 4503 Australia Fax: 07 3888 5330 • gnolsson@bigpond.com www.gnolsson.com
Today’s investments - tomorrow’s antiques and heirlooms!
QADA ANTIQUE FAIR 2012 Queensland Antique Dealers Association Fair 25 – 27 May
Having difficulty finding suitable stylish artwork?
Friday 25 10 am – 8 pm Saturday 26 10 am – 8 pm Sunday 27 10 am – 4 pm Admission $10
OPENING NIGHT PREVIEW
ANTIQUE PRINT CLUB
Thu 24 May 6.30 – 9.30 pm Admission $15 Tickets available at the door
www.antiqueprintclub.com
RNA SHOWGROUNDS
By appointment at the Antique Print Club-House
Gregory Tce, Brisbane qada.com.au
off Springbrook Road in the Gold Coast Hinterland
Email sales@antiqueprintclub.com or Phone 07 5525 1363 • Mobile 0412 442 283 Antique Maps & Prints in Brisbane from the Antique Guild Open daily in Edward Street near the Stamford Plaza Hotel entrance 35
EAST BRISBANE ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
L A
avin ntiques
FURNITURE · CHANDELIERS · CERAMICS · PAINTINGS · RUGS · TEXTILES
Importers of fine quality antiques
Rosewood cabinet, h. 106, w. 115, d. 60 cm
950 Stanley Street East (cnr Longlands Street), East Brisbane QLD 4169 Phone 61 7 3391 2300 Fax 61 7 3391 2331 Email: info@lavinantiques.com.au Website: www.lavinantiques.com.au Trading seven days a week 10 am – 5 pm
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GOLD COAST ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
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 37
ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
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THREE OF BRISBANE’S BEST DEALERS
NOW UNDER ONE ROOF
165 Logan Road, Woolloongabba, Brisbane
Phone: 07 3891 3880 Open 7 Days, Monday - Friday 10 am - 5 pm, Saturday - Sunday 10 am - 4 pm
IMPORTER OF FINE ANTIQUES LICENSED DEALER – MEMBER OF QADA
ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Anglo-Indian Furniture The fusion of English design and Indian craftsmanship F
urniture made in India for European markets began with the arrival of the Portuguese in the late 15th century. Encountering everyday Indian life conducted on carpets or on a floor, the Portuguese commissioned seating, tables, sewing boxes and writing slopes. Skilled Indian craftsman used the native ebony, sandalwood and rosewood, all timbers known for their beauty to produce the items using traditional Indian techniques. However, the production of Anglo-Indian furniture was initiated by the British East India Company. The Company, chartered by Queen Elizabeth in 1600 was a business to make money for its shareholders. The Company obviously quickly realised the profit potential of Indian products for the English market, for as early as 1700 it is recorded that the East India Company sent out English patterns to teach Indian cabinetmakers how to manufacture goods for English and European
markets. This venture proved so successful that the Joiners Company in England maintained that their trade was ‘in great danger of being ruined’ (Jourdain and Jenyes, pp. 19-20). The area around Vishakapatnam (or Vizagapatam), on the central eastern coast of India, was well known for the production of fine ivory inlaid furniture and ivory veneered boxes. Symonds notes that in 1741, three ‘escritoires of ebony inlaid with ivory’ were exported at a cost of two pounds each. It is little wonder that the English cabinetmakers were concerned about the arrival of exotic well made goods which cost a comparative pittance! Many English craftsmen signed up with the East India Company. After their contracts
expired, many set up their own businesses in India, employing and training local craftsmen and perpetuating the business model.
SOLID ebony 19th century sofa We recently acquired an elegant example of Anglo-Indian craftsmanship. The solid ebony sofa displays design essentials of Regency and William IV styles. This sofa is made from solid Ceylon ebony, is immensely heavy to lift and yet looks cool and sophisticated. Elements are taken from the pattern book by Thomas King, The Modern Style of Cabinet Work Exemplified, published in 1829. The pattern book was republished numerous times over the next 30 years and was popular in both England and America. King’s book illustrates furniture design called ‘Grecian,’ which was derived from the dominant classic style of Regency. Ebony has long been regarded as a luxury
timber. Its fine texture, and very smooth finish when polished, makes it valuable as an ornamental wood. After Spain acquired a trading monopoly in the 1580s, a European fashion developed for ebony, especially in the form of decorative cabinets. Highly skilled French cabinetmakers are still known today as ébénistes. Solid ebony furniture is very rare because of its expense and scarcity. Nowadays, it is only used in smaller, decorative objects and musical instruments. HARRINGTON ANTIQUES 1800 005 650 / 0414 464 704 mark@harringtonantiques.com Further reading Amin Jaffer, Furniture From British India and Ceylon, V&A Publications London 2001 M Jourdain and RS Jenyes, Chinese Export Art in the 18th Century, Spring Books Middlesex 1950 RW Symonds, ‘Furniture from the Indies, III,’ Connoisseur, no 94, 1 July 1934
Anglo-Indian box, 19th century, made of ebony and fitted inside with rosewood, ivory and sandalwood, 24.5 x 17 x 11.5 cm
Anglo-Indian sofa, 1830s, ebony, 230 x 93 x 66 cm
Seaweed Marquetry Long Case Clock made by George Harrison c. 1705 - 1710 S
eaweed marquetry is delicate marquetry suggesting fine seaweed, which was popular in the early 18th century in England from about 1702 to 1714. The art of seaweed marquetry involves a highlyspecialised technique of carving elegant curves and inlaying two contrasting woods to achieve an interlaced design. Fine marquetry was introduced into England in the reign of William of Orange and Queen Mary from 1689. They brought French and Dutch designers and craftsmen who were attracted by the economic prosperity in England.
GEORGE Harrison, Horologist Little is known about George Harrison, horologist. In Britten’s Old Clocks and Watches and their Makers, George Harrison appears as ‘Apprenticed 1689 to Johanna May, widow, and turned over to Thomas Tompion, C.C. 1698’ – Rather a tease! Johanna May, a widow in London, took at least four male apprentices whose names started with A, B or C, and one female apprentice, between 1689 and 1710 (Erickson, 2006). Apprentices were placed at around the age of 13 or 14 years, that would put George’s birth date around 1676. Watch making was a desirable trade, requiring a light level of skill to produce the small parts. Apprenticeships generally took seven years to complete. We know nothing of the circumstances surrounding George’s transition from Johanna May to Tompion in 1698. Johanna appears to have continued to take apprentices after George’s departure, so a reasonable premise
would be that young George now aged around 22 years showed promise. Since an apprenticeship was generally seven years, he would have progressed to the next level. Thomas Tompion (1639-1713) is regarded as the father of English clock making. An early member of the Clockmaker’s Company of London, established by Royal Charter by King Charles I in 1631, Tompion joined in 1671 and became a master in 1704. George Harrison joined a long list of known Tompion apprentices. This included his successor George Graham, nephew of George Graham, the mentor of John Harrison, whose collaboration produced the marine chronometer. George Harrison joined this group of elite English horologists in 1698, yet we know nothing more. We have no record of George Harrison becoming a master in the Clockmaker’s Company. We do not know if he set up his own clock shop. We have only this wonderful long case clock produced by George Harrison at a time when English clockmakers were the best in the world.
Women Clockmakers, Watchmakers & Casemakers In Europe, America, & Canada 1350-1950 (http://homepages.sover.net/~donnl/Women/wom en.html)
JAMES CONLEY ANTIQUES 07 3891 3880 / 0408 988 989 www.jamesconleyantiques.com.au References Cecil Clutton, GH Baillie and GA Ilbert, Britten’s Old Clocks and Watches and their Makers Amy Erickson, Identifying Women’s Occupations in Early Modern London, ESSHC proceedings, Amsterdam, March 2006 (www.geog.cam.ac.uk/research/projects/occupatio ns/abstracts/paper13.pdf)
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ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
EAST MEETS WEST Chippendale and Chinoiserie C
hinoiserie refers to a European interpretation of China, from Marco Polo’s 13th century tales to the plant hunters of the 19th century. Thus, Chinese Chippendale was an interpretation of Chippendale furniture designs, alongside Gothic and Rococo. When trade began with China from the 17th century, English and Europeans were enthralled by the mystique of the Orient and the exotic Chinese decorating style became highly fashionable from the mid-18th century. In 1754, Thomas Chippendale, a London cabinetmaker published his book of 161 furniture design templates, The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker’s Director. His book and its subsequent updates were prototype catalogues from which his wealthy clients could order particular elements of design for
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their furniture. The furniture would then be custom-made in his workshop. The designs were so popular that soon other furniture makers were using these designs. It also became a pattern book for shops with Chippendale designs crafted throughout Britain, Europe and the Americas. A century later, Japan was opened to western trade, with Japonaiserie the rage of Paris in the mid-1860s. A couple of decades later, a revival of 18th century chinoiserie stimulated many decorative objects and interiors.
CHIPPENDALE vs Chinese Traditional Chinese furniture designs remain bold and linear, with little carving, finished in heavy lacquer. In contrast, Chippendale’s carvings were greatly embellished and
imaginative with a large numbers of designs inspired by motifs used on traditional Chinese pieces, but with his own twist. Carvings using mahogany (suitable for intricate carving) were of many designs including pagoda pediments, bells, galleries of fretwork, latticework, icicles, flowers, birds and faux bamboo. The finishes used were lacquer, gold and japanning (painted to imitate lacquer) or a mixture of painted and carved gesso. The Chinese Chippendale designs in the catalogue were applied to china cabinets, tea tables, chairs and shelves. These pieces were intended for rooms decorated in the Chinese style. Often walls were also covered in fanciful Chinese-themed paper. Bedrooms were particular rooms selected for decoration in this style. This cabinet is a quality exhibition piece
showing many characteristics of Chippendalestyle chinoiserie. The cabinet consists of solid mahogany with pierced carved pagoda tops, galleries of fretwork, icicle and blind floral carvings. The breakfront cabinet upper section is fitted with two backed shelves and two shelves with elongated mirror backs fitted with two upper lights. The lower section is fitted with two astragal doors and two panelled doors and central drawer. This exceptional cabinet is on display at our showroom and is available for purchase.
LAVIN ANTIQUES 07 33912300 info@lavinantiques.com.au www.lavinantiques.com.au
ALBION ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
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.
PROFESSIONAL PACKING SERVICE Pack & Send is the only packaging and freight company that has access to Instapak Foam-inPlace technology, a system using soft foam that expands when two chemicals are combined in contact with air. Foam-in-Place moulds itself to fit the precise shape of the item being packed and this product possesses a density that aids in the prevention of damage from impact, vibration or from being dropped. Instapak Foam-in-Place enables glassware,
paintings and various antiques to be sent through the freight system without compromising the safety of the item. Not only that, but Foam-in-Place is highly cost efficient and readily disposed of without harming the environment. We are the only freight company that will send as well as pack antiques and art for you. When you consider the price of packing the item yourself on top of another company’s freight charges, Pack & Send’s price – as well as its hassle-free, one-stop shopping convenience and total service solutions – makes it a very attractive option.
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
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 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 5.30 pm Monday to Friday and by appointment Saturday. The team at Pack & Send look forward to the
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Museums, art galleries and antique dealers Australia-wide are finding Pack & Send’s service truly valuable because we take care of all the details
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WOOLLOONGABBA ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
A selection of tools for fitting the sound post
Sound post standing up in the right spot in an exposed violin body
THE SOUND POST - the soul of the violin
A Carefully inserting the sound post on the sound post setter into the violin through the f-hole
sound post is a small piece of dowel made of well-aged European spruce. Despite its rather insignificant appearance, the sound post is the soul of a bowed stringed instrument like the violin. It’s exact location is critical to ensure perfect sound transmission.
LOCATION The sound post stands inside the violin, connecting the top plate and back plate, and is located slightly below the right hand bridge foot. It is standing up only under tension, not glued to the inner surfaces of the plates. It therefore has to stand under the correct tension – too loose and it will fall over, too tight and it will damage the plates. Its end grain surfaces have to fit perfectly to the inner surfaces of the plates of the violin. The sound post has to be at a certain spot behind the right hand foot which is different in every violin, but follows a strict set of rules depending on the build, shape and density of the plates. If the sound post is moved only a tenth of a millimetre away from that place, the whole violin will not sound as beautiful any more. It takes many years of experience to be able to put the sound post in the right place, fitting it to the inner surfaces under the right tension and at the right spot. Many inexperienced people have tried to move it themselves or fit a new one without the right tools and knowledge, and have destroyed the inner surfaces of their valuable and irreplaceable master violins.
Tuesday~Friday Tuesday~Friday 10 10 am~5 am~5 pm pm Saturday Saturday 10 10 am~2.30 am~2.30 pm pm
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It takes many years of experience to be able to put the sound post in the right place, fitting it to the inner surfaces under the right tension and at the right spot
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and under the right tension. After that is achieved, the sound post can still be moved around to fine tune the instrument. If the sound post is in the right spot in relation to the violin and to the position of the bridge, the violin will have a beautiful, even carrying sound, and the strings will speak easily when played with the bow. It truly gives the violin’s sound its soul.
Ilja Grawert ILJA GRAWERT VIOLIN MAKER 1800 882 468 www.grawert.com.au
FITTING the sound post With a special tool I measure the inner distance between top and back and roughly cut a piece of prepared spruce dowel to the right length. I cut the end grain surfaces with a very sharp carving knife to an angle similar to the arching of the plates. Next I stick the sound post to the special tool called a sound post setter. This is carefully inserted into the violin through the fhole, and I carefully stand it up in roughly the correct position. Then I look through the little end-pin hole to check how well it is fitting. In order to be able to see the other side of the sound post I use a little dentist’s mirror. This whole procedure is repeated until the sound post fits perfectly, both in the right spot
Sound post made of aged European spruce, held by sound post setter tool
WOOLLOONGABBA ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Clocks: a tribute to human ingenuity and skill
A look at the longcase clock (d c. 1711), John Fromanteel (Member Clockmaker Company 1663-81), William Webster (1714-1776), and Daniel Quare (1649-1724).
MOVING parts The moving parts were first made of iron and later brass was introduced but not used for all the elements as it was ten times more expensive than iron. From around 1675 month-going clocks appeared and the longer the case, the longer the clock kept going. These clocks required an extra weight. Month-going clocks required one additional weight; a year-going clock had two-three extra weights.
CASES The longcase clock was in many instances the most expensive and decorative piece in the home. London makers had a preference for ebony, or wood stained to resemble ebony. It was used as it showed off brass and silvered dials to great effect. From about the mid 17th century walnut became the preferred wood until it became too expensive due to its increasing rarity. This was then replaced by mahogany when the heavy import duty was lifted in 1721. As it is close grained, mahogany was easy to work and was used for mouldings, fretting and carving. In the 19th century wide deal boards were imported from the Baltic and came to be used with mahogany as was the use of satinwood veneers. Oak was used in the country and was only superseded by mahogany in the 19th century. The cheapest case was made in pine and usually painted as this protected them from rot and woodworm.
old clocks as they have a hole in the back. Transporting a longcase clock: Always remove the pendulum as the suspension spring may break or become twisted during transport. Setting the hands: if this becomes necessary never rotate backwards or whizz around. Turn the minute hand gently clockwise allowing for each striking sequence before moving forward. It is best to wait 10 minutes before the time shown on the dial and then push the pendulum to start the clock followed by adjusting the minute hand to the correct time. The longcase clock continues to be a highly desirable collector’s piece. It is a fine addition to a home where it is comfortable in a living room, hallway or even in the office. Many fine clocks have been transported to Australia, including a Tompion clock that came to Tasmania in around 1834 and rehoused in a cedar case.
BUYER beware One thing to always remember when going to buy a longcase or any clock for that matter, is if you are investing a considerable sum of money on one, make sure the workings are original to that piece as some can comprise of a marriage (two clocks to make one). An expert will be able to detect the deception. The other thing to watch out for is being told ‘it only needs a service.’ Have the clock assessed by a reputable clockmaker to establish if this is correct and avoid the possibility of acquiring a clock that costs more to get fixed than what it is worth. As with any purchase, do your homework. Invest the time researching, as well as becoming better informed you will go home a much happier person.
Clockwise from top left: Detail of late 17th century longcase clock with caddy top and fretwork by Christopher Gould (London) Longcase clock by Ahasuerus Fromanteel, c. 1655. British Museum Detail of late 17th century longcase clock the walnut case features finely cut panelled marquetry by Thomas Bridge (London)
Jason Bridge COLONIAL COLLECTABLES 0431 403 897 colonialcollectables@msn.com Further reading Clifford Brewer, The Country Life Collector’s Pocket Book of Clocks, Country Life Books UK 1983 Joanna Greenlaw, Longcase Clocks, Shire Publications UK 1999 John Hawkins, ‘Transported to the Colonies,’ World of Antiques & Art, edition 82, Feb-August, pp. 66-71
DATING longcase clocks Longcase clock the cedar case with Huon pine fittings made in Tasmania c. 1840-42, to house Tompion movement, c. 1685. Courtesy John Hawkins
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efinition: A longcase or grandfather clock evolved from a transition clock, a weight-driven wall clock which had the movement enclosed in a case and the weights exposed. The longcase clock is tall, freestanding, weight-driven with the pendulum held inside the tower or waist of the case. The very grand clocks stand 8-9 feet (2.4-2.7 metres) tall with large faces, some measuring 12-14 inches (30.5-35.6 cm) across. Longcase clocks that stand at around 2 metres can be fitted into a home more easily.
ENGLISH clockmakers: leaders in the field In 1659 Ahasuerus Fromanteel (1607-1693), born in Norfolk of Dutch parents, produced the first weight-driven longcase pendulum clock. The invention of the anchor escapement in around 1675 meant more accurate timekeeping and a longer pendulum. This was a key development in the evolution of the longcase clock. In the collection of the British Museum is a longcase clock made by Fromanteel in around 1655. The case is made of ebonised pearwood and it strikes the hours. The dial shows hours and minutes. It has an eight-day weightdriven movement, a verge escapement and a short ‘bob’ pendulum. Thomas Tompion (1638-1713) who made clocks for Charles II is buried in Westminster Abbey. He invented the cylinder escapement for watches in 1695 and perfected the rack striking mechanism. He created some 5,500 watches and 650 clocks during his career. Other makers of note include Joseph Knibb
A good dating guide are the decorative designs on cases such as the lenticle glass, a small circular brass framed window set in the trunk which allowed the pendulum to be viewed. Popular from 1675-1750. Case making falls into 3 overlapping periods: before 1700, 1700-1800, 1800 onwards Pre 1700 is marked by dark colours, oak then walnut in 1650s narrow cases and very narrow doors 1700-1800: Introduction of marquetry and fretwork. Wood used included holly or fruitwood and bog-oak. Backboards were made of oak often finished with an adze. Hoods were replaced with the slide forward system in the mid 18th century and the pediments became more elaborate and architectural noted for separate hood pillar columns. Quarter columns were added to the case trunk. Mouldings were also more elaborate and cases were wider. Mid 18th century London makers used Chinese or Japanese lacquer work on their cases employing brilliant colours. 1800 onwards: Softwood structures were covered by veneers, the most popular being mahogany and satinwood. Victorian taste was for embellishments including graining and marquetry designs of classical forms, star-shaped inlays or flower arrangements. Pine was a cheap introduction during this period.
BASIC care for a longcase clock This mechanical device requires an occasional oiling with fine clock oil. Avoid excessive oiling as this will attract dirt which in turn will wear the mechanism. It is suggested that a small drop applied with an artist’s brush is sufficient. Do not use an oil can! Keep the clock stable. One suggestion is to screw it to the wall. This is not a problem with
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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 45
ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Avoid the jet lag and travel to Bendigo for
Grace Kelly: Style Icon a major international exhibition from London’s renowned V&A B
endigo is a vibrant regional centre, boasting beautiful streets created from one of the world’s greatest gold rushes. As the glorious colours of autumn take hold, beautiful Bendigo is set to delight with its vibrant arts culture, boutique shopping and a host of world-class events. Bendigo Art Gallery has hosted major international exhibitions that have reinvigorated the arts scene. Its reputation as one of Australia’s leading galleries has seen visitors flock from across Australia in recent years. See this graceful historic city bustle as the Australian-exclusive Grace Kelly: Style Icon exhibition brings star quality to Bendigo Art Gallery. The exhibition runs until 17 June and is organised by the Victoria and Albert Museum London and the Grimaldi Forum, Monaco. This Australian-exclusive exhibition explores the influence, fashion and transformation of a Hollywood screen goddess to a princess. When people think of Grace Kelly (192982), one of the most photographed women of the 20th century, what they usually recall is her beauty and elegance. She rose to fame as an actress in the 1950s, starring in films by Alfred Hitchcock and others. Her image was cultivated by the movie industry, which fed cinemagoers’ growing appetite for pictures of glamorous stars through magazines and newspapers. Grace Kelly: Style Icon traces her life from her career as a Hollywood actress to her meeting with Prince Rainier III and their subsequent marriage. Featuring dresses from such films as High Society as well as the gown she wore to accept her Oscar in 1955, the exhibition also explores the evolution of her style as Princess Grace of Monaco, from her extensive wedding trousseau to her haute couture gowns of the 1960s and 1970s by her
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favourite couturiers Dior, Balenciaga, Givenchy and Yves St Laurent. Bendigo will be abuzz during this period, and you too can celebrate Grace Kelly by booking a range of exquisite Grace Kelly experiences, ranging from couples’ and girls’ weekends away accommodation packages, wine tours to High Teas and vintage fashion shopping tours. Tickets and packages available on ww.gracekellybendigo.com It is advised to pre-purchase your session tickets and accommodation prior to visiting Bendigo
MORE TO SEE IN BENDIGO ANNUAL Bendigo Easter Festival 6 – 8 April This is Bendigo’s major cultural event – an event that has been running for more than 140 years. Come and be part of the art fairs, kids’ entertainment and much more. On Easter Sunday see the world’s longest Imperial Chinese dragon Sun Loong stretch his legs, visit the Strategem Bendigo Winemakers Festival in Castlemaine which brings regional wines together with local produce and enjoy live music in a stately garden setting.
FAITH in Fashion comes to The Capital Until 17 June Vestments designed and made for significant religious festivals are works of art. It is an opportunity to see these beautifully embroidered robes and regalia, many of silk with woven braids of gold and embroidered with silk threads.
REVISIT the gold rush era Gold undoubtedly put Bendigo on the map more than 150 years ago. Within a decade of the first discovery in 1851, many deep shafts were constructed to tap the rich gold-bearing quartz reefs deep beneath the surface. Many present day attractions share the fascinating stories of this gold boom. You can gear up in overalls, boots, a miner’s hat and lamp to travel 85 metres underground in a real gold mine at Central Deborah Gold Mine, explore Bendigo’s golden heritage streetscapes by vintage talking tram, gain entry to a world-class Chinese collection at the Golden Dragon Museum and create your own clay masterpiece in Australia’s oldest working pottery, Bendigo Pottery.
BE TEMPTED While visiting Bendigo, make sure you make time to dine at the award winning restaurants and cafés, stroll shopping precincts for fashion houses and collectables, relive the gold rush by visiting their attractions and taste quality local wines and produce from nearby farms and surrounding vineyards.
GETTING to Bendigo Ideally located in Central Victoria, Bendigo is only 90 minutes from Melbourne Airport along the Calder Freeway. Bendigo Airport Bus Service offer return trips daily from Melbourne Airport. V/Line trains depart from Melbourne’s Southern Cross Station frequently, and the trip to Bendigo takes 1½ to 2 hours.
For more information contact BENDIGO VISITOR CENTRE 1800 813 153 www.bendigotourism.com
Above from left to right: Grace Kelly 1954 (detail). Image courtesy of Philippe Halsman/Magnum Photos/Snapper Media Grace Kelly wearing pearls 1954 (detail) © Everett Collection / Rex Features Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier, wedding ceremony 1956 (detail) © Sipa Press/Rex Features.
WOOLLONGABBA ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
What’s new at the WAC in 2012? BARE Bones Barber Shop
A THOROUGHLY mod shop
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Keeping our promise to stock exciting new items from far and wide, we are pleased to announce new shipments from Denmark, the United States, and the United Kingdom. New Danish stock includes furniture by icons Hans J Wegner, Illum Wikkelsoe, N O Moeller, Grete Jalk, Boerge Mogensen, Kai Kristiansen, Ole Wanscher and Holmegaard glass. New American stock includes more Eames and Lane furniture. We are excited by the range available and the strong demand for modernism this year, and WAC has become a destination for buyers seeking the simple lines and uncluttered style of this genre. Please drop in to see what all the fuss is about.
n 2012 we are excited to bring the Bare Bones Barber Boys to the WAC. The last Sunday of every month, starting on 25 March, come on down, hop in the barber chair and let the Best Barbers in the country work their magic. In all their clippering, quiffering pomading glory these boys are working out of a ‘pop up’ barber shop in our cinema. Of course they will have their full range of Uncut hair products, potions, t-shirts and knick-knacks. The Barbershop will feature two classic Bally pinball machines, with the highest score on the day winning a prize from our Western WAC store. Bring your vintage ride for a chance to win the best car on the day. For a chance to win a prize pack from Uppercut Deluxe, we will be handing out prizes for best dancing couple – so get on those dancing shoes.
WAC Café Relax and refresh at the revamped 1950s diner, seated in booths from an old Australian television series. It offers milkshakes, fresh juices, fabulous coffee and tasty snacks. Enjoy jazz by the Butter Brothers as they play out some smooth tunes in the foyer on weekends.
PRESTIGE vintage A familiar story from our dealers is how their hobby for collectables has led them to become dealers as their collections and interest has grown to a size where they need to share some of it (and they just can’t stop acquiring new pieces). This is true of prestige vintage collector and dealer Julie Christensen of French at Heart. Decades of dedicated collecting of Tiffany ware, jewellery, travel goods, watches and lighting led her to expand into buying of vintage clothing and apparel from the key prestige and luxury labels Chanel, Cartier, Dior, Valentino, YSL and lots of Tiffany. With her regular access to exclusive estate sales in New York, Julie will keep unearthing vintage treasures of the absolute top order. WAC presents an exhibition of Julie’s private prestige vintage collection including items from the 1800s, rare 20th century classics, and items of clothing worn by a few famous faces – a rare treat fashion lovers.
WAC is open every day, from 9 to 5. There is plenty of off-street parking in our exclusive car park at the rear of our building. WAC is at the corner of Wellington Road and Nile Street in Woolloongabba.
WOOLLOONGABBA ANTIQUE CENTRE 07 3392 1114 info@woolloongabbaantiquecentre.com www.woolloongabbaantiquecentre.com
A BUSTLING market With more than 65 dealers in over 1500 square metres of showroom, plan time to pick through the hundreds of items in store. Unusual home wares and unique decorator items and great ideas for rooms and layout can be found. Our dealers offer quirky and traditional collectables in pottery glassware and ceramics as well as kitsch, toys and Australiana. ‘We deal in the past, we are not from the past and this place is well and truly “alive”,’ said WAC founder Sarah Jane Walsh. ‘At every juncture of the space, customers will be exposed to four or more eras in one visit,’ says Walsh. ‘The centre’s diverse range of “shops” will see surprise sit next to nostalgia, style next to kitsch. The same goes for the tunes you will hear, with the likes of Dolly Parton, Etta James and Muddy Waters, and some good old fashion Slim Dusty weaving their magic in your ears.’ Woolloongabba Antique Centre promises to continue to challenge the notion of ‘antique,’ as some items are modernist mid-century furniture and home wares, vintage reminiscent of Hollywood glamour, Australian antiques, estate jewellery, industrial design and upcycled antiques. There are French brocante, rural antiques and shabby chic, rockabilly, kitsch and rare collectables such as militaria, ceramics, glassware, toys, kitchenalia and garagenalia.
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ANNERLEY ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Annerley Glassworx Showroom a feast for the eyes I
n this edition I thought to concentrate more on Annerley Glassworx’s showroom as all my previous articles have been focused on our workshop and manufacturing arm of our business. Redressing the imbalance, it is time to explore the many and varied delights that can be found on the showroom floor. There is rarely a day that goes by that someone doesn’t say to us ‘This shop is
amazing!’ Rather than contain all our amazing pieces inside I try to find astonishing items that can be placed on our footpath which fronts Ipswich Road. Here, more than 85,000 motorists traverse past our showroom and I hope the intriguing pieces on display add a fun and humorous element to the day for the commuters who pass by our premises. At the moment we have a full-sized sow
made of resin sitting outside contemplating the noise and fumes. She is delightful and has proved to be a hit and we have sold many of these fun pieces. The problem is they are so large that only two can fit on a pallet making delivery to the showroom a logistic nightmare, and a challenge to keep up with sales!
EXPLORE our showroom We invite you to come to our showroom and view our dozens of lampshades. The range is diverse and customers can choose from locally made or imported shades. These fabulous splashes of colour are nestled amongst lanterns, ornaments, gift items and furniture both old and new from Australia, India, Indonesia and Africa. We support local crafts and among the pieces have beautiful timber products made by Peter Robson.
Annerley Glassworx LEADLIGHTS, LAMPSHADES, TUITION, SUPPLIES, REPAIRS 770 IPSWICH RD ANNERLEY QLD 4103 PH: 07 3892 5352 www.glassworx.com.au
OPEN 7 DAYS 48
NOW back to our main industry We are currently restoring dozens of small windows for Brisbane City Hall and as part of the project are also making 80 new panels. We are proud to be involved in the restoration of one of Queensland’s beautiful heritage buildings. New leadlight orders have not slowed down either so our little ‘family’ here is happy and busy; so busy that we have renovated Jane’s office, tripling the area she had, and even she is happy! So pop in and see us. We are open every day and so easy to find – just look for a very fat pig! Denise Allen ANNERLEY GLASSWORX 07 3892 5352 mail@annerley glassworx www.glassworx.com.au
CLEVELAND ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Noritake at Bayside Antique & Collectables Centre I
t is probably fair to say that we all wish we knew the collectable of the future. We have shifted to collecting small nonperishable, non-breakable, value-increasing items – what we loosely referred to as ‘cynical collecting.’ Of course, having been quite eclectic in our collections over the years, the theory and the practical are still two different things, with items outside the scope continuing to take our fancy and find their way into our lives. However, the bottom line for collectors should still be about collecting what you love and have a passion for. Even better, if you can be very specific about what you choose to collect, you can use tunnel vision when hunting through antique centres and shops, and more focussed on research and increasing your knowledge. Noritake china is gaining popularity. It is well known for its dinnerware which is still in production. Baron Ichizaemon Morimura established the company in 1876, called Morimura Kumi (Morimura Brothers), with offices in Tokyo and New York for exporting chinaware and gift lines. Fascinated by fine white decorated porcelain at the Exposition Universelle of 1889 in Paris, they decided to create western tableware in Japan. The first porcelain factory was established in 1904 in Noritake near Nagoya, taking ten years to perfect the manufacturing process so export commenced to the USA in 1914. Those pieces were mostly hand painted and gold edged. By the early 1920s, assembly line technology enables mass production of high quality, affordable dinnerware and fancy wares designed export. The USA market was generally colourful and bold in the art deco style with heavy lustre glazes and very little gilding, while the wares for Europe featured floral or scenic decorations and heavy gilding. Up to 1939, at the height of Noritake’s success, over 4,000 artists were employed in the painting shops. After Japan entered World War II in 1941, export to the USA ceased until 1948.
CHECK the back Antique Noritake china patterns are dated by their back stamps and marks. There are over 400 different backstamps on Noritake china, recorded in the company’s website, in reference books and available through
collectors’ clubs. There are many unmarked pieces of early Noritake. Many items from 1948 to 1952 have back marks or stamps of ‘Made in Occupied Japan’ or ‘Occupied Japan.’ Beware of pieces displaying fake and misrepresented marks. While Noritake is well known for its dinnerware, collectors seem to be more interested in the very colourful and decorative ‘fancy ware’ pieces produced, particularly it seems for the period between 1900 and 1939. In addition, some of the early post-war styles are now popular and there is certainly an increase in the number of collectors pursuing both these eras. Early Noritake china is appreciated for the beautiful detail in the patterns. One very popular and sought after design is the blue or orange Desert Scene, also referred to as Mary and Joseph. Table wares included tea and coffee services, sugar bowls and creamers, trios and duos, small bowls and dishes, cake and sandwich plates, serving dishes, condiment sets, mustard and cream bowls, salad bowls, jam pots, toast racks, butter dishes, gravy and sauce boats. Fancy wares included vases and candle holders.
Dolly’s Recycled Fashions – vintage, retro, labelled and pre-loved clothing and accessories – fills the mezzanine. Bayside is located in Cleveland in the scenic Redlands, just a 30-minute drive from Brisbane with ample parking. We are a short flat walk from Cleveland Railway Station and the bus stops at our door. We are open 7 days a week, 10 am to 5 pm.
NEWS at Bayside Bayside is now 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 Bayside has to offer. Remember to Like Us on Facebook to keep up to date with everfresh stock and news. Rob & Di Metcalfe BAYSIDE ANTIQUE & COLLECTABLES CENTRE 07 3821 0936 baysideantique@optusnet.com.au www.baysideantiqueandcollectablescentre.com
NORITAKE in Australia Australian imports of Noritake appear to have commenced in 1917. The Great Depression and World War II negatively impacted on sales of Noritake as did buyers’ resistance post-WW II, but the brand eventually became well established. Noritake Australia Ltd was formed in 1958 to improve distribution. It appears that much of the increased interest in collecting Noritake revolves around the Australian and New Zealand markets. Among many reference books on Noritake, Karry-Leeanne Fisher’s Noritake for Australia and New Zealand – A Collector‘s Journey of Discovery provides dates, back marks and stamps, and a colour gallery of many different pieces. With Noritake’s interesting history and beautifully patterned china wares, it is no surprise that collecting is increasing.
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! Our aim is to assist wherever possible and 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. 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. Staff provide many years of experience to assist you. Stock covers the full range of antiques, collectables and old wares such as Australian and English furniture, ceramics, glass, silver, jewellery, photographics, coins and bank notes, militaria, tools and garden items.
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 • Find 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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ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
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Paddington Antique Centre
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The New Commercial Road Antiques
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Brisbane Antique Emporium
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Woolloongabba Antique Centre
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Bayside Antique & Collectables Centre
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Ba-Ta-Clan Antiques et Salon de Cafe
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167 Latrobe Tce (Cnr Collingwood St), Paddington 7 days a week 10 am to 5 pm P: 07 3369 8088 (UBD Map 25 Ref E7)
85 Commercial Road, Newstead 7 days a week 10 am to 5 pm P: 07 3852 2352 (UBD Map 26 Ref B9)
Cnr Junction and Sandgate Rds, Clayfield 7 days a week, 10 am to 5 pm P: 0417 605 562
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 (UBD Map 26 Ref M9)
162 Bloomfield Street, Cleveland 7 days 10 am to 5 pm P: 07 3821 0936 (UBD Map 185 Ref P18)
11 Logan Road Woolloongabba Tues-Fri 10 am to 5 pm - Sat & Sun 9 am to 4 pm Closed Monday P: 07 3891 5572 F: 07 3891 5573 Mob: 0412 657 059
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In Memoriam: Graham See
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adly, we note the passing of well known Brisbane member and President of the Queensland Chapter, Graham See. Born in Bagara, thirteen kilometres east of Bundaberg, Graham’s childhood was spent on the family property with his two siblings. He was a fine sportsman and a good student. He went to teacher’s college after high school and embarked on a teaching career. But it was after a four year stint in Canada, where he taught English at a high school there, that he took up lead lighting as a hobby. It was his interest in this art form that introduced him to the world of antiques, and the two gentlemen that ran the Brisbane Antique Centre. His interest in business matters, combined with his ever expanding knowledge of antiques saw him take over the ground floor of the building that housed the centre and perhaps the rest is history. Well known Brisbane dealer Bernie Strumpf remembers Graham as an honest, trustworthy and likeable man, recalling good times spent with Graham at antique fairs. His generous nature was only surpassed by the bright “twinkle in his eye”, Bernie stated. Graham’s funeral was held at St. Augustine’s Church in the Brisbane suburb of Hamilton on Wednesday 15th February. Graham is survived by his wife Pam, his son Alex and two step daughters. Reprinted courtesy AAADA The Mercury, March 2012
I
first met Graham in 1982 when first setting up the Queensland magazine. It was the beginning of a relationship that went from Graham being a client to that of friend. I valued the times spent in his company and looked forward to the chats over tea or coffee. For the next 30 years I spent many wonderful hours in his company. Graham was a man of great refinement. He always focused on the positive, looking for the good and never uttering a negative comment. I could always call on him for advice, given without hesitation and with much good will. Graham’s passing has created a void and I will sorely miss those conversations and words of wisdom. It was a privilege to have known him; a man loved and admired by family, friends, colleagues and clients. Vale Graham Andre Jaku
The article ‘Lucien Freud (1922 – 2011), After Cezanne, 1999 – 2000’ featured in Antiques & Art in Queensland November 2011 – March 2012 was written by Sophia Cai, International Paintings and Sculpture, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.
BRISBANE ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Getting Expert Advice on
Framing, Art and Photo Restoration M
any old frames have suffered from the ravages of time. With your favourite pieces, it may be like an old friend and you have become accustomed to their look. On closer inspection, a bit of enhancement can improve the look for today and ensure the piece will continue to look good into the future.
white family photos have a silvery haze, caused by the silver halides in the photo oxidizing. Photos can also be damaged by water, fading, insects and mishandling. They can be scanned, restored and reprinted to their former glory, to take pride of place on your rogues’ gallery wall.
TIME catches up with all of us
FRAME restoration
Like all of us the effects of age creep up when no one is looking. So do not delay, it is time to check out your framing and artworks. It is best to remedy any damage now before any permanent damage happens.
Many framers do not have the ability to restore frames. They prefer to use new frames and materials. Sometimes, it may be more economical to start afresh and reframing can bring new life to a precious piece. Jubilee Framers can also restore damaged frames particularly if they have historical value. If the frame is beyond help, Jubilee Framers have a comprehensive range of frame choices that will ensure that the piece is framed sympathetically.
CHECK frames and art for damage You should check your framed artworks regularly for any signs of deterioration. Frames can also suffer over the years and older items may not be framed with appropriate materials. Check the backs to ensure the tape is intact and still sealing the frame to prevent the incursion of dust and bugs. Many frames have a layer of compo (a form of plaster) that can crack and ornamentation can fall off. Frames and mats should also be checked for damage and discolouration. If the bevelled edge of the mat board is buff or a darker brown, it may be the older style acidic board. Inferior framing may not be immediately obvious and it is therefore advisable to have your framer inspect your treasured artworks every 5-10 years. Works of art on paper such as watercolours, etchings and pastels are especially prone to deterioration due to poor framing, especially if they are hung or stored in less than ideal situations. Look for dark spots, fading and discolouration. Works on canvas can also suffer from mould damage as traditionally the canvas is not glazed. The canvas will deteriorate over time from the effects of dust, grime, absorption of varnish, cracks and flaking paint. Inspecting the surface with a glancing light can often reveal spotting from mould. As a general rule works on canvas should be cleaned and re-varnished every 5 to 10 years.
ART restoration It is obvious that valuable art requires expert restoration. Jubilee Framers can organise the restoration of oils and works of art on paper. This is a highly specialised area of expertise and work is carried out by our professional conservator. With over 30 years of experience he can be relied on to do an expert job in a timely manner.
RESTORING old photos Old photographs also suffer over the years. You may notice some of your old black and
THE RIGHT frame Finding the right framing choice for your art work can be a daunting experience for most people. Jubilee Framers experienced staff has collectively years of expertise as well as the creative flair to make framing special. All aspects must be taken into consideration to complement and enhance the art work as well as taking into account the environment in which it will be hung. Sometimes simplicity can be the best option. Having a wide range of frames and matting options to choose from is important. Jubilee Framers has a range of over 2,000 frames. The range includes exquisite hand finished Italian frames from Bellini, ideal for a very special
framing job or for a feature mirror that requires the wow factor. Another option is beautiful real gold leaf frames from Senelar of France – we have one with a hard to find art nouveau motif. No matter what the framing challenge, Jubilee Framers pride themselves on finding a solution to not only meet your needs but to exceed them. Stefan Aleksiev JUBILEE FRAMERS 07 3366 5211 info@jubileeframers.com.au www.jubileeframers.com.au
ONE-STOP solution When you are dealing with pieces that are important to you, it is best to find a reputable framer. Look for one that has been established for a while and is government-accredited. In this time starved era, it is good to be able to go to one location to have all your framing, art and photo restoration needs met. Stefan Aleksiev, who is a government accredited framer, owns Jubilee Framers and offers a complete picture framing service. Not all pieces are an original Picasso but they may be valuable to you for the memories they hold. Conservation materials and techniques should be used to ensure the longevity of your valuable piece. There is now specialty glass available with ultraviolet protection. The museum grade glass is so good at minimising reflections you would hardly know it was there.
WHERE GOOD DESIGN IS NOT AN OPTIONAL EXTRA
Extensive range of hand crafted frames Canvas and high quality printing Art and photo restoration Established 24 years Conservation framing Framing solutions for all budgets www.jubileeframers.com.au w w w. j u b i l e e f r a m e r s . c o m . a u 109 1 09 Ashgrove Ashgrove Ave Ave ASHGROVE ASHGROVE
07 07 3366 3366 5211 5211
Mon-Fri: M o n - Fr i : 9am-5pm 9 a m - 5 p m Sat: S a t : 9am-2pm 9am-2pm
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RICHLANDS ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Beautiful rugs 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
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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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. 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.
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.
As not all rugs are woven identically, different weaves and dyes require custom cleaning techniques
” 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.
Stephen Muncey RUGWASH QUEENSLAND 07 3375 9896 stephen@rugwashqueensland.com.au www.rugwashqueensland.com.au
ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
DAZE
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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
2 MINUTES OFF THE BRUCE HIGHWAY, 15 CALEDONIAN HILL GYMPIE 07 5482 4571 Open Wed-Sun 9 am-4 pm www.dazegoneby.com.au
Australis of Montville Antiques
TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN
Member of QADA
COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITY IN TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN, QUEENSLAND A rare leasing opportunity in the Gold Coast’s renowned hinterland tourist precinct - a delightful day trip destination for a million tourists each year An elegant property in the Gallery Walk precinct oozing old world ambience and charm. An exquisitely restored multi-dimensional Queenslander, with all conveniences, currently an Antique Gallery & Café For lease as a single complex, or as 2 shops (1 with a café) and a residence Over 240 sq m of delightful, undercover shopping & café Main road exposure, gorgeous gardens & generous off street parking
For further information, phone Robert on 0438 180 028 or email robertmarcellus@bigpond.com
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ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Restored antique piano, c. 1860, after Restore-A-Finish
Antique piano, c. 1860, before restoration
What is old can be almost new again R “ ecently I received an enquiry from a gent who owns a magnificent antique piano. Here’s what he asked. ‘Can you please advise me what product would be best to use on my antique piano, dated circa 1860, which is somewhat dull and lifeless and has a few scratches and ring
marks on it. A friend who uses your products suggested Howard Orange Oil and another suggested Restor-A-Finish. What would you suggest? I attach a photo of the piano in question.’ Thanks & regards, Neville
Pianos, violins, guitars and in fact all traditional acoustic musical instruments with polished wood bodies can look wonderful with a Restor-A-Finish treatment. Keep these precious items looking and sounding beautiful with new Howard Lemon Oil.
1800 672 646
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Add life to the instruments you love
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This was my response: Restor-A-Finish is an excellent choice for the job you want to do. This product was actually created for the antiques trade back in 1969 and has been a mainstay for professionals in that industry ever since. It amalgamates or combines with existing finishes such as French polish (shellac), varnish and lacquer, without actually dissolving them. The way it works is that it softens an existing finish by, if you like, putting all the essential juice back into the old, rather dry surface. This allows you to move that softened finish in and around damaged areas until it gives an overall good look. After a brief minute or so you can simply wipe the surface dry. You’ll find in the case of white heat marks and cup or glass rings, that these blemishes pretty well blend away completely. Scratches are a slightly different matter; light or ‘cat’ scratches will blend out in much the same way as heat rings and water marks, but deeper cuts and large battered areas require a different approach. In this situation you take a pad of our very soft four-zero (0000) grade steel wool and saturate a portion of it with Restor-A-Finish. Then you gently rub it into the scratched area until it begins to ‘take’ and the scratch or bad blemish begins to blend out. To assist this process you can actually leave the Restor-A-Finish sitting on the surface for 15 minutes or so to ensure that it really penetrates the surface. Some scratches are too deep to actually remove but the finished job will at least give the impression that the piece has been cared for over time. Whatever marks are left become part of the patination which is in fact essential to many people as a proof of age in genuine antiques. Now the next step to consider is how to protect the newly restored finish. I would suggest that you go with a coat or two of Citrus Shield Paste Wax in a colour that best matches the colour of your piano. You simply apply a thin even coat of this buttery, woodcoloured paste wax, allow 20 minutes for it to set and then buff it to a rich shine. What will excite you is that this wood-tinted carnauba based wax will, when dry, fill those scratches that are annoying you. If applied and buffed properly, the surface will feel smooth and the appearance of those marks will be incidental, as if they are just a part of the history of that lovely old piano.
‘Life is like a piano. What you get out of it depends on how you treat it!’
” ANOTHER success story using Howard Products Have look at the photograph of a halffinished restoration on a pretty faded and knocked about baby grand piano which we found in an auction house. We astonished the management of that establishment by offering to restore the surface and about halfway through the job, we took this photograph. Can you imagine how improved the surface was after the restoration was finished? I’ll have to leave it to your imagination because a potential buyer started taking an interest in the piece, so we excused ourselves and left the manager with a tin of Restor-A-Finish to complete the job. Neville took my advice and you can see by his photo of the keyboard section how lovely that mid-19th century piano now looks. David Foster Director HOWARD PRODUCTS (AUST) 0419 403 627 advice@howardproducts.com.au
Baby grand piano halfway through restoration
KILKIVAN ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Discover Mary Gregory Glass at Kilkivan Fine Arts and Antiques Over 50 pieces in stock I
t is a special time to visit Kilkivan Fine Arts and Antiques, given our large range of Mary Gregory glass. Mary Gregory designs originated in Europe sometime before 1880. True, there was a Mary Gregory who painted children on glass for the Boston and Sandwich Glass Company in the late 1800s, who painted a variety of different scenes, not just children. Although many people believe that the white enamelled painted glass originated in America it is thought that most of the pieces came from Europe. Many factories in Bohemia, today’s Czech Republic, made Mary Gregory glassware as it is recognised today. New Mary Gregory glass is still being made in Europe and in the United States. Pittsburgh’s Westmoreland Glass Company introduced Mary Gregory designs from 1957 until 1984 and many of these designs were on black glass supports or backgrounds. In New York, the Jeanette Glass Company produced Mary Gregory and the Fenton Art Glass Company also produced pieces with painted cameo decoration in the Mary Gregory style. The children that are painted could be blowing bubbles, bowling hoops or simply playing. They are all usually dressed in Victorian clothes. Many different colours of glass were used including green, amber, ruby, cobalt blue and cranberry. Currently, Kilkivan Fine Arts and Antiques has over 50 pieces of Mary Gregory glassware in stock so it IS well worth a visit to find a piece you may be looking for or that a friend might treasure as a gift.
MORE to collect As well as Mary Gregory our shop also carries many fine china pieces, antique furniture, art and many collectable pieces. The next time you are in the South Burnett region why not call in and discover many great objects. We are open from 10 until 5 pm, from Thursday to Sunday. If you are unable to visit and browse through our extensive collection, please ring or email with your inquiries. We look forward to being of assistance and are happy to post items if you are unable to visit our shop. KILKIVAN FINE ARTS AND ANTIQUES 07 5484 1602 info@kfaa.com.au www.kfaa.com.au
Pair of Victorian lustres $2595, Banquet lamp $995, 30 piece Maddock dinner set $598
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
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CROWS NEST ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
SA LTS AT C ROWS N E S T Phone 07 4698 1266 Mobile 0438 469 812 0408 989 032
OPEN Wed – Sun 9 am – 4 pm Please ring first
S TILL THE BIGGES T AND BES T ON THE DOWNS rogersalt@bigpond.com Good choice of carved settles and church pews
S N O T 4 F O T N E PM I H S W E N
T JUS
A
VE I R R
At least 40 mirror back sideboards
Over a dozen good Victorian hallstands
Antiques as investments? A second generation antique dealer’s opinion
R
ecently as a retailer I have heard far too often the woeful tales of how couples, who have worked all their lives and saved for their retirement, have lost much of their nest egg due to stocks slumping etc. There is little one can do after the fact. A different approach to gaining financial security might be to invest in antiques. I enjoy the pleasure of having my money secured in antiques and have done well out of the process. Antiques are investments for at least four reasons: • You have the endless pleasure from their aesthetic presence • Their quality handmade construction ensures lasting value from a purchase • You also gain much practicality from the use of them in your home, and • They appreciate in value. Remember, everyone needs furniture – even the diehard minimalists need tables, chairs cupboards and chests. So, if you must have furniture (and you do) why not enjoy having antiques? Each antique item is versatile. It offers a quality of workmanship that cannot be purchased in new furniture, all too often factory-manufactured from inferior synthetic particle board and other substitutes for genuine workmanship. An antique adds elegance with a range of designs from over the centuries. Imagine Jacobean Revival’s barley twist and cockbeading, Art Nouveau’s gentle flowing lines often inspired by nature, Victorian from colonial heritage and parlour grandeur, while
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D
Art Deco‘s rounded lines and square edges are the 1918-1939 modern style that continues to inspire artists and architects today. Looking around our stock, I first suggest as a good investment, a fine triple fusee eightday oak cased bracket clock chiming on a carillon of eight bells and gong with repeat, circa 1870. For a bit of cheeky fun, enjoy a penny in the slot Mutoscope, devised in 1894 as a simple paper toy using photographs to show moving pictures on the flick-book principle; of the two films supplied, What the Butler Saw was very raunchy in its time. A music lover will treasure this rare Germanmade Monopol Excelsior penny in the slot 55.88 cm polyphon, a superb music box with terrific sound and lots of extra tunes. Remember that we always carry over 400 pieces of furniture, 50 kerosene lamps, 100+ antique clocks, countless fine porcelain figures, hundreds of pieces of Carnival and Depression glass, live steam engines and much more than space permits. No room for a large Victorian mirror backed sideboard? That’s okay as there is a myriad of other antique articles to select. A close friend has done very nicely financially by collecting clocks, barometers, music boxes and polyphons. No, he does not have 30 clocks all chiming at once! What he has is the security of owning possessions that he could sell if he wished to realise their cash value. These articles give him a solid low risk investment. If I may offer my opinion on buying antiques for investment, I suggest that you always buy quality over quantity. My reasoning for this suggestion is that there are always other people who can identify that your piece is a top shelf article or a one-off.
These two factors denote the rarest pieces to find – and the fastest to sell. Another point I would like to make is that you should always buy articles that please you because not only do you enjoy an investment increase, but you also have the satisfaction from ownership and joy of displaying. Note that I am not saying that you can buy an antique today and make a profit by lunch time tomorrow (unless you have good eye for rarities). I am suggesting that antiques offer a solid alternative investment that can be purchased in relatively small increments to build an impressive portfolio of tangible stock. They cannot vanish in one flutter on the stock market. Throughout history, people have always valued quality objects and fine artworks. Today articles of an antique pedigree fill stately homes and museums. All such pieces have always appreciated in price, without exception. So why not try a little antiquing for retail therapy? I‘m sure you could catch the bug, and who knows, you may make a good investment along the way. Happy hunting, ROGER SALT rogersalt@bigpond.com Clockwise from top: Oak cased bracket clock, playing a carillon of bells Mutoscope, c. 1894, two movies included Monopol Excelsior penny in the slot polyphon, h: 55.88 cm
TOOWOOMBA ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Lancaster’s Toowoomba Antique Centre 18 years old and going strong L
ancaster’s Toowoomba Antique Centre is now celebrating its 17th 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 17 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 fourteen 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 ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Victorian lady design
Above: Porcelain numbering Below: Short squat blue porcelains
Lots of designs
Faith and Freedom design
The magic and beauty of
brass bed porcelains I
TIMELESS
Antiques
Mark & Lynne Bennett Specialists in Original Brass Bed Restorations
ron beds were new inventions in the early 1800s and in time artisans introduced brass to their original iron designs. Gradually designs became grander by adding porcelain, mirror and mother-of-pearl decorative features. Almost 200 years later they still capture the heart and imagination of many. In the years since they have been recreated and reproduced but whilst there have been good quality reproductions, they will never meet the quality of hand workmanship of the original brass and iron beds from the pre 1930s. The invention of the internet has opened a vast amount of information to help us research almost anything, including brass beds. However, we are always concerned of claims to being antique against modern reproductions. To earn the title of antique, technically the item needs to be over 100 years old. However items from 1930s/1940s appear as such.
BUYER BEWARE Our particular concern is the resale of the decorative brass bed porcelains. Many a time we have seen cheap reproductions being described as beautiful antique brass bed china pieces or porcelains and many unsuspecting buyers have purchased under the belief this is true. On several occasions we have contacted the seller advising them of their mistake and they have amended, advising us they were also of the belief these were original porcelains.
IDENTIFYING ORIGINAL BRASS BED PORCELAINS
Phone: 07 4633 1195 Mobile: 0412 071 160 117-119 McDougall St Toowoomba QLD 4350
Whilst there are many convincing reproductions of almost everything these days, there is a vast and obvious difference when comparing original porcelains to reproductions. The main difference is the weight of the porcelain. Original porcelains were solid with only a round hole measuring approximately 16
Email: timeantq@bigpond.net.au www.timelessantiques.com.au
Taking care of furniture for generations of tomorrow Brass bed centres
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mm through the centre for the threaded rod to be fed through. Then brass/nickel porcelain holders were placed on either end before being fitted into the brass bed. In comparison, cheaper reproductions are lightweight and have a very thin ceramic frame with a very large centre cavity hole. Next is the way they were decorated. Original porcelains were hand-painted and often you are able to feel the raised surface where colour areas have been highlighted by accentuating the paint colour and one of the best signs is that each porcelain had a serial number painted on the bottom of each one. Whereas reproduction usually have a mass produced decal style picture. Our knowledge has been gained over 30 years of specialising in antique brass beds and our exposure to all types of brass beds in all types of conditions. We have seen dozens of original porcelains in all shapes, and sizes. From odd singles to complete sets; the variety of colours and patterns is a joyful part of the trade. They are part of what makes an original antique porcelain bed – a beautiful family heirloom. We would like to be able to catalogue as many of these porcelain bed features as we can, but a picture paints a thousand words, so we will let the accompanying photo images tell their own story. We would love to have readers email us with photos of their own porcelain or medallion centre, together with a photograph of the top or bottom with the number. This will then help us to collate all the threads of information and write another article based on what we receive. We look forward to receiving your emailed comments soon and making this article interactive collaboration. Mark and Lynne Bennett TIMELESS ANTIQUES 07 4633 1195 / 0412 071 160 timeantq@bigpond.net.au www.timelessantiques.com.au
TOOWOOMBA ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
The Late Bill Parker Collection
Friday 1st June 2012
(Coolangatta, QLD) An important collection of: Vintage motorcycles, sidecars, wheels, tyres, frames etc. Stationary engines & more
(Please note amended date) For more details visit us @ www.gdlauctions.com.au Online catalogue and photos available early May 2012
To be held at the Toowoomba Showgrounds
Contact Graham Lancaster 0418 730 904 or info@gdlauctions.com
FORTHCOMING AUCTION
Indian 8 Valve Racer
1916 Indian Feather Weight
1924 Douglas
Harley Davidson Peashooter
1917 Henderson 4 Cylinder
1938 AJS Girder
Indian Daytona ‘Altoona’
100s OF RARE SPARES, FRAMES, SIDECARS, TYRES, WHEELS AND MORE 59
ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Treasures of the
MELBOURNE MINT
King George VI 1938 proof set of six coins
Mint condition rarities from a private collection
‘T
reasures of the Melbourne Mint’ collection was officially launched at the Melbourne Mint on 29 November 2011. This superb collection was accumulated by Coinworks from 1993 to 2000 and subsequently sold to a Western Australian collector and investor for $174,750. Today these coins are again offered for private sale by Coinworks. The total collection is valued by the rare coin industry at $1.5 million. The coins are preserved in pristine condition and are exceptionally rare. They have the sheen and lustre, the sharpness of
1916 specimen proof set (florin, shilling, sixpence and threepence) presented to VIPs and dignitaries
design only found in the highest quality collector coins. These are elegant examples of the coin maker’s art that are sought after by collectors and investors alike. They were struck in the pre-decimal years before proof specimens were readily available and only small numbers were ever produced. As historic pieces and as finite assets, their rarity and investment potential is assured. As exquisite examples of the Melbourne Mint’s craftsmanship, they are numismatic gems.
MELBOURNE Mint The Melbourne Mint in Williams Street was opened in 1872 as a branch of the Royal Mint London, to strike Australia’s gold sovereigns and half sovereigns. In 1916 the Mint was commissioned to strike Australia’s
Commonwealth silver coinage. Following the tradition of the Royal Mint London, the Melbourne Mint struck limited edition collector coins – always prized pieces within the numismatic investment market. This collection encompasses the period from 1916 to 1953. It is made up of nine elements, totalling 27 coins. Each piece was individually crafted by the Melbourne Mint as a high quality, limited edition collector’s item. The 1916 specimen proof set (florin, shilling, sixpence and threepence) is a presentation set that was especially minted in celebration of the Mint’s inaugural striking of Australia’s Commonwealth coins on home soil: mintage believed to be 25 in total. The 1927 proof Canberra florin was Australia’s first commemorative coin, minted in proof quality as a limited edition collector’s item in celebration of the opening of Parliament House in Canberra: mintage believed to be 400. The 1934 proof set (florin, shilling, sixpence, threepence, penny and halfpenny) was Australia’s first commercially produced six-coin proof set: mintage believed to be 40. The 1935 penny and halfpenny copper proofs are in their original state and are glorious: mintage believed to be 100. The 1937 proof crown was the only collector’s coin released during 1937. The December 1936 abdication of Edward VIII from the British throne interrupted the Mint’s 1937 plans: mintage recorded as 100. The 1938 proof set was the first commercial proof set struck depicting the new monarch, George VI who succeeded Edward VIII: mintage believed to be 70. The 1938 proof crown had a minuscule mintage, believed to be only 25. The 1939 proof halfpenny was released in a mintage of only 40, as the onset of WWII quelled the Mint’s plans to release 100 examples. The 1953 specimen proof set (florin,
King George V 1935 proof penny and halfpenny
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shilling, sixpence, threepence and penny) is the rarest in the collection. This set was struck for the Chase Manhattan Bank in New York to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II: its tiny mintage is just twelve.
RARE coin investment Volatility in the stock market has encouraged many investors to rethink their portfolio and to look more closely at greater diversity. At Coinworks, we are regularly approached by people looking at rare coins to balance their investments either within their superannuation funds or as another means of preserving wealth. This collection demonstrates the potential for growth, having increased almost nine times in value, from $174,750 to $1.5 million over ten years. As with all investments, yield varies but there is always a pattern of growth in all rare coin categories. Coinworks can assist you in evaluating yield. Coinworks represents over 40 years’ experience in the rare coin industry and has dealt with the finest pieces. Our points of comparison come not just from books and catalogues but from our professional experience. Coinworks is one of the very few companies in Australia that researches both provenance and price background. Current market price guides are a starting point. Auction results, both recent and historic, help flesh out the picture. Current market conditions are a significant consideration, as is market trend analysis. Our experience in the market also enables us to asses a coin’s future potential. Contact Coinworks for an appointment to discuss the investment potential of coins, notably those within the magnificent Treasures of the Melbourne Mint collection. COINWORKS 03 9642 3133 info@coinworks.com.au www.coinworks.com.au
IPSWICH ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
RevHead revealed
at Ipswich Art Gallery
where Eamon O’Toole recreates what interests him most Far left: Eamon O’Toole, Chrysler Drag Engine, hand moulded plastic, aluminium leaf and felt pens
REVHEAD: THE MOTORSPORT ART OF EAMON O’TOOLE Until 6 May
F
uelled by his passion for motorsport, artist Eamon O’Toole recreates iconic speed machines from hand moulded plastic, aluminium leaf and felt pens. A large collection of these faithful replicas form an exhibition showing at Ipswich Art Gallery until Sunday 6 May 2012. He has hand-created numerous motor sport icons including Ayrton Senna’s McLaren F1 MP4/4, Honda’s CB750 K1, a Yella Terra 6 cylinder head and a Chrysler drag engine. Honda’s infamous NSR500 is also on display, immortalised through Wayne Gardner’s bike and considered the most dominant force in modern Grand Prix motorcycle racing as the Honda NSR500 has won more titles than any other 500cc bike. Eamon O’Toole’s life-size replica titled Wayne Gardner’s bike, pays tribute to this standing. True to its inspiration, the artist has painstakingly recreated each small component, allowing visitors a rare look at a motorsport prototype. Similarly, Ayrton Senna’s McLaren F1 MP4/4 also enables a unique viewing. It is a full-scale Formula One car, comprising the detailed technical intricacies and aspects of design unique to its real life counterpart. A
Left: Eamon O’Toole, Wayne Gardner’s Honda NSR 500 bike, hand moulded plastic, aluminium leaf and felt pens
self-confessed ‘revhead,’ O’Toole recreates what interests him most. His fascinating sculptural process and unique subject matter is sure to interest both motorsport enthusiasts and art lovers.
amazing things these beautiful machines can do… You see a model and you can’t help but marvel at how they look – these fantastic machines that work so well and go really, really fast,’ explains O’Toole.
Streets. Open daily from 10 am to 5 pm, children are welcome to visit. Entry is free to our permanent and long-term exhibitions.
ARTIST’S statement
VISITOR information
‘For me it’s all about how they’re so beautifully built. I’ve always been mad keen on the aesthetics of racing cars and the
Just 40 km west of Brisbane, the Ipswich Art Gallery is in the heart of Ipswich on Nicholas Street between Limestone and Brisbane
IPSWICH ART GALLERY 07) 3810 7222 info@ipswichartgallery.qld.gov.au www.ipswichartgallery.qld.gov.au
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ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Ipswich Antique Centre Complex The hub of a visionary arts and antiques precinct L
oving the antique business, Heather and John Mildwaters looked for a landmark heritage building in which to establish their next antique centre, after their Paddington Antique Centre’s partners wished to retire. In 2009 they found an 1895 Memorial Hall with an adjoining 1957 former church, underutilised and neglected; they won the tender. Twelve months’ substantial renovation resulted in their purpose-built Antique Centre Complex in the two buildings, the Queensland HeritageRegistered hall and the former church.
RESTORATION discoveries As with any 1895 antique or mid-20th century vintage piece, sympathetic restoration to the original condition with modern amenities were necessary. Along the way, many original elements were uncovered, restored or replicated. All plumbing and electrical wiring were replaced to highest safety and environmental standards. Good lighting was important for customers to see our stock clearly and for everyone’s safety, so we combined traditional materials and methods with modern technologies. The three-light stained glass window and clerestory windows are back in prominence. The arched stained glass sidelights in the entry vestibule were sympathetically repaired and the glass re-stained to match the original. At least 50 panes of glass were replaced and approximately 300 panes of window glass were pinstriped and painted in the original Victorian manner to match the few remaining
in good condition. All window hardware was replaced where necessary with complementary fittings. Replacement windows were reproduced to match the originals. Victorian light fittings were sourced, notably the magnificent brass multi-light chandelier installed in the vestibule. A Victorian style cast iron street lamp features in the beautifully rejuvenated gardens, and matching wall lights are placed around the building as security lighting. The arches, rendered masonry walls and the square columns with square capitals and barley twists all needed repairs. We found a staircase from the stage to the main level that had been bricked up. Architraves throughout the building were replaced by sections moulded to match the originals. The magnificent cedar double entry doors had suffered damage from fire and were restored and French polished before being re-installed with brass kick plates and fittings. The interior was cleaned and painted in colours to match the originals. Floors were polished and carpet laid in all rooms and the stairs.
NEW amenities We created another area The Basement, by digging out under the building. This area hosts general retail business and a small modern commercial kitchen for the Café and Coffee Shop offering teas, coffee, cold drinks, cakes and light lunches. This replaces the old hall kitchen. Important for dealers and customers, a loading ramp was created on the northern side
of the building, leading to one of the five timber entrance porticos. Under-floor air conditioning, security and sound systems were designed and fitted so as to have a minimum impact on the late 19th century building.
OPEN for business Ipswich Antique Centre was officially opened by the Mayor of Ipswich, Hon Paul Pisasale at a gala evening attended by 500 guests on 15 December 2010. The next day enthusiastic collectors arrived to browse and buy our quality stock. As part of the renovation to the counter area, we installed a large old cedar haberdashery counter, the Mawson geological showcase formerly in the University of Adelaide, and a large shipping clerk’s desk made by the Derby Desk Company in Boston USA in the late 19th century.
IN 2012 Darryl Vietheer’s The Annexe Antiques is in the Memorial Hall. Access his vast collection from our car park via double wrought iron gates which have been specially manufactured to match the period of the building. Tom Mason’s Naked Arts Gallery & Studio is in the former 1957 church. Tom holds changing exhibitions of paintings and photographs (especially the F-111 series) by well-known artists, ranging from local to internationally known. Tom also sells early photographic equipment and associated memorabilia.
Ipswich’s newest gallery Naked Arts Gallery & Studio Not your traditional art space
T
om and Lyn Mason are photographers, artists and co-owners of Naked Arts Gallery & Studio. This is Ipswich’s newest art gallery and can be found in the old church at the corner of East and Roderick Streets. The owners have created an exciting contemporary space where, among the ever changing works on show, are Tom Mason’s range of F-111 aircraft images from postcard size to framed poster prints.
COME and learn photography This gallery offers basic and advanced training in photography and related software to meet the needs of the many new owners of SLR cameras. The tuition is on a one-to-one basis in the gallery.
RESTORATION service Photo restoration service, especially important for old family images, is now available.
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The gallery has a wonderful ambience, with professional lighting complementing the natural lighting from the historic stained glass windows. We are situated next door to the Ipswich Antique Centre and just across the road is the historic Old Court House where the Ipswich Art Society and the Ipswich Photographic Society meet.
THE IMAGE MAKERS: Six photographers Opening 2 April The next major exhibition gracing Ipswich’s newest art gallery is a collection of works by six photographers entitled The Image Makers. It coincides with both the Ipswich Festival and the Queensland Festival of Photography. Lyn and Tom invite all to visit and view this enjoyable exhibition, open daily between 10 am and 4 pm, starting on 2 April.
INVITATION to artists Artists seeking quality exhibition space are very welcome to visit the gallery and to discuss their exhibition needs. For further information call Tom Mason on 0418 150 705 (10 am – 4 pm, daily) www.facebook.com/pages/ Naked-Arts-Gallery-Studio
VISITOR information Only 30 minutes from Brisbane, the Ipswich Antique Centre Complex caters for all tastes and interests, and is regularly restocked. This is a dedicated collector’s destination as one rarely leaves without a find. Located at the corner of East and Roderick Streets in downtown Ipswich, our large car park is accessed from Roderick Street. A full website will be available soon, with regular postings on our facebook page. Since opening the Ipswich Antique Centre Complex has been extremely well received by Ipswich locals and the wider community who have remarked on many occasions that Ipswich needed a magnificent facility. Now not a day passes without several people praising the building, the restoration and the concept, particularly in view of its formerly run-down condition. Enjoy browsing and buying in airconditioned comfort. Relax and refresh in our Café and Coffee Shop offering Ludos coffee especially blended for our customers. We are open Thursday to Monday between 10 am and 5 pm. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday. IPSWICH ANTIQUE CENTRE COMPLEX 07 3281 2330 info@ipswichantiquecentre.com.au www.facebook.com/IpswichAntiqueCentre http://ipswichantiquecentre.com.au
IPSWICH ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Antiques, Collectables and Café Dealer enquiries welcome for space and showcases Open 10.00 am to 5.00 pm Thursday to Monday (closed Tuesday and Wednesday)
Ph: 07 3281 2330 • Fax: 07 3281 2331 86 East Street (cnr Roderick Street), Ipswich Central 4305 (Next to Naked Arts Gallery & Studio) www.ipswichantiquecentre.com.au • info@ipswichantiquecentre.com.au
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NEW SOUTH WALES ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
French clock 1889
Learn professional gilding in just two weeks
German Master Gilder reveals the secrets of this ancient craft
MIDAS TOUCH
Learn the secrets of gold leafing from a German Master Gilder
H
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 in Germany from master gilders the art of framing, and church restoration, Karl has a broad knowledge and more than 45 years’ experience in gilding. This knowledge and experience is reflected in his teaching program at the Art Gilding Academy. Class sizes are kept to a maximum of six students to ensure the best learning experience.
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’S NEW FORMAT MASTER GILDING CLASS As many prospective students find it difficult to allocate two whole weeks, full time to complete our Master Gilding Class, we have changed its format. The Master Gilding Class will now run over a nine-day period.
CURRICULUM UNCHANGED The curriculum, which has proven successful over the last 10 years, is not changing. 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 likeminded people. After the end of a day’s class there is plenty of time in the evenings to enjoy what beautiful Sydney has to offer with restaurants and entertainment to suit every budget. For your benefit, classes enrol no more than six students, guaranteeing personal attention. Completing the Master Gilding training course allows students to add skills to your 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.
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.’
HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS
99-101 Buckingham St Surry Hills NSW 2010
This year, Master Class students were invited to join the Art Gilding team on a number of gilding projects. Translating theory to practice under the watchful eyes of experts was a valuable learning experience for students as they applied their newly learned skills to practical situations. This is a win/win situation for everybody concerned.
(5 minute walk to Central Station)
Master Gilding Class mid-year schedule
Art Gilding Academy Watch the gilding video on our website
April
14-22
www.artgilding.com.au
May
12-20
June
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Bedside tables
WEEKEND Classes Sydney: Sat/Sun 10 am – 4 pm WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD SKILLS AND MORE PROFITS TO YOUR BUSINESS? This class has been especially designed for people unable to attend week-day classes and is held once a month. We know how difficult it is for small business owners to find time during the week, so our intensive weekend class may suit you perfectly. The classes run from 10 am – 4 pm Saturday and Sunday and participants are taught, step-by-step, gilding techniques that are applied to furniture, picture frames and mirrors, cornices and even walls. Many students have found that gilding adds another dimension to their business, which they have been able to capitalise on by adding a new profit centre. Moreover, it’s fun! The weekend class is very reasonably priced at $795. This includes the project – an Egyptian plaque – and all tuition and materials. In certain circumstances this fee could be claimed as a tax deduction. Those able to benefit by acquiring this skill include artists, painters, framers, restorers and French polishers; in fact, anyone who wants to add new skills and a new source of profit to their business.
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.
(School holiday)
(Mother’s Day 13 May, could be moved by 1 week depending on interest)
9-17
(Queens Birthday on the 11 June, could be moved by 1 week depending on interest)
For more information contact Brigitte at ART GILDING ACADEMY 02 9310 3007 artgilding@artgilding.com.au www.artgilding.com.au
NEW SOUTH WALES ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
The art of Ships in the Field A
newly-released book, Ships in the Field is the collaborative work of awardwinning artist Anna Pignataro and awardwinning author Susanne Gervay OAM. Both personal and universal, Anna Pignataro and Susanne Gervay translated their families’ experiences of migration into their art and words. Their book is deeply embedded in the struggles of Susanne’s family’s wartime, human rights violations and the refugee experience. Her parents carried their small son but left all they knew to escape across noman’s land minefields in the dead of night for freedom. Her mother’s Hungarian world was no longer the same with its operas, balls, visiting the health spa on Lake Balaton; her father’s world had been at the university as a Professor of Engineering. Her mother’s world of running a household with servants and afternoon teas on Margarita Island on the Danube had ended. Susanne’s father’s world was taken too: his land stolen; his white horse disappeared and his way of life gone. The Austrian refugee camp was crowded and difficult, but from here Australia selected them to go as bonded migrants on a battered WWII warship. Her parents didn’t know what Australia was, but they knew they could rebuild their lives offering their children a future. Like other refugees they worked long hours. Life in Sydney began in one room with the family sleeping on mattresses on the floor. But there was a belief in their new country and the future. Susanne’s family’s stories are in Ships in the Field. Her father made hats from the serviettes at dinner time for the family’s amusement. Her mother cooked chicken soup every night. Her father worked in a factory and mother sewed dresses both in a factory and at home. Their trips into the country were happy family times and a celebration of being safe and here. Her father did see the ships (sheep) in the field! Anna Pignataro was waiting to illustrate a story that touched her. When she read Susanne’s draft, she responded with, ‘It’s my story.’ Her parents were Italian migrants who made a new home in Australia. Her watercolour washes with the soft lines and palette capture the character and love of her family as they struggle with the past to make a future. Anna’s daughter became the natural model for the girl in Ships in the Field. Francine Sculli writes, ‘Joining the mastery of award-winning author, Susanne Gervay and award-winning illustrator, Anna Pignataro – Ships in the Field is an (illustrated) book filled with significance, beauty and rich subtext.’
Narrated through the simple but intuitive eyes of a little girl, Ships in the Field tells the story of life for a refugee family who have fled from their war-torn country and started a new life in a foreign land. The little girl shares heart warming family moments with the reader. Images of her father splashing her with water from the laundry tub, making hats for the whole family from paper napkins, promising her a puppy that she so longs for, or sitting on top of trees that give a view of the whole world. All of these provide a safe and comfortable foundation for her to share other images of her family’s life that are far deeper and more complex. We see her mother crying in the hallway as she sleeps, we hear of how the night scares her, we hear of the loss of their previous life, and the complexity of mistaking ‘ship’ for ‘sheep.’ These images are delicately interwoven in a way that brings hope and understanding. The intricate images from Anna Pignataro are wonderfully complementary and equally telling. She captures the warmth, solidarity and strength of the family through her soft watercolour images. However the double-page image spreads also provide the subtext for what is left partially unsaid in the narrative – the gloom, loss, fear and devastation of war. Colour is a significant part of the illustrations: the sense of hope overcoming loss and devastation is depicted through the changing colours, as the darker and more neutral tones are slowly replaced with brighter and more vibrant colours towards the book’s close. Through its imagery, clever word play and warmth, Ships in the Field has created a thoughtful and touching insight into the world of a child whose life has been shredded by war. The cover encapsulates the universal nature of this book, ‘Everyone has the right to a nationality’ from Article 15 (1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: • German: Jeder hat das Recht auf eine Staatsangehörigkeit. • Bosnian: Svako ima pravo na državljanstvo. • Hungarian: Minden személynek joga van valamely állampolgársághoz. • Indonesian: Setiap orang berhak atas sesuatu kewarga-negaraan. • Sudanese: Sing saha bae boga hak dina nangtukeun kawarga-nagaraanana. • Turkish: Her ferdin bir uyrukluk hakkı vardır. Susanne Gervay was deeply moved for herself and for her parents and all those who make the journey to find a home, when Governor Marie Bashir presented her with a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2011. She
is always moved when giving an address in her role as an Australia Day Ambassador. The Hughenden hosted an exhibition of the art in Ships in the Field that was very wellattended in February, visitors snapping up limited edition prints and copies of the book.
Moya Simmons THE HUGHENDEN Freecall 1800 642 432 reservations@thehughenden.com.au www.thehughenden.com.au
Susanne is a guest of the Somerset Celebration of Literature Festival 12-17 March at Mudgeeraba, Queensland, where she will be speaking about Ships in the Field. http://www.somerset.qld.edu.au/celebration/
Susanne’s conversation with Richard Fidler is part of the journey – www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2010/11/15 /3066754.htm For more about Susanne Gervay – www.sgervay.com and Anna Pignataro – www.annapignataro.com. Ships in the Field by Susanne Gervay, illustrated by Anna Pignataro is published by Ford Street Publishing.
Your boutique Sydney escape Buy one night, get one free • LITERARY EVENTS • ART EXHIBITIONS • RESTAURANT, PRIVATE DINING, CONFERENCE & FUNCTION ROOMS
FROM
188
$
PER NIGHT IN A COSY ROOM*
The Hughenden c. 1870, associated with Australia’s first philosopher Barzillai Quaife, is home to literature & the arts. Discover the works of Archibald artist Wendy Sharpe; 1930s Laurent works; c. 1850 painting of the Victorian girl, artist unknown. Jazz & musical evenings, art exhibitions and books are part of Hughenden life. *Not valid Friday and Saturday nights. Valid until 30 November 2011
HUGHENDEN BOUTIQUE HOTEL 14 Queen Street, Woollahra, Sydney
www.thehughenden.com.au 02 9363 4863
Free Call 1800 642 432 65
ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Giovanni Bellini, Madonna and Child (Alzano Madonna), c. 1488, oil on wood panel, 84.3 x 65.5 cm. Accademia Carrara, Bergamo, bequest of Giovanni Morelli 1891
Ambrogio Bergognone, Madonna lactans, c. 1485, oil and gold on wood panel, 61.6 x 44.6 cm. Accademia Carrara, Bergamo, legacy of Guglielmo Lochis, 1866
The Madonna and Child in Renaissance art T
he Madonna and Child, alone or surrounded by saints and adoring angels, is one of the most constant images in Western art. The cult of the Virgin in the 12th and 13th centuries saw Mary cast as the Queen of Heaven, the personification of the Church, the bride of Christ. In the Renaissance period such formal, hieratic depictions of the Madonna as the Queen of Heaven are gradually replaced by more naturalistic images of a mother and her baby. The Madonna is shown with the Christ Child in a landscape setting, or within a domestic interior, often with everyday objects. These ideas are explored in many of the exquisite paintings included in Renaissance, at National Gallery of Australia showing until 9 April 2012. Neroccio de’ Landi’s Madonna and Child, c. 1470-75 straddles the Gothic and Early Renaissance periods and is, to a certain extent, a product of both. The painting retains its original carved frame, an intrinsic part of
the work. Neroccio’s rich materials – the gold ground and mineral pigments used to convey flesh – remain largely as when the work was produced more than 500 years ago. Mary’s robe, on the other hand, has faded and her once blue mantle now looks almost black. This Madonna and Child was probably commissioned for private devotion and, by placing the figures at the front of the picture frame, physically close to the viewer, the artist suggests a sense of immediacy and a direct connection to the sacred. Neroccio, working in Siena, painted his Madonna and Child in tempera on a wood panel but, as the exhibition shows, artists soon began to use oil paint to achieve a greater level of realism. In the Renaissance new forms such as the Madonna of Humility and the Madonna lactans, or nursing Madonna, emphasised Mary’s humanity and bodily form. Images of the Virgin breastfeeding the Christ Child were popular, and the exhibition includes several
Lorenzo Lotto, Holy Family with Saint Catherine of Alexandria 1533, oil on canvas, 81.5 x 115.3 cm. Accademia Carrara, Bergamo, legacy of Guglielmo Lochis, 1866
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Neroccio de’ Landi, Madonna and Child, c.1470-1475, tempera and gold on wood panel, 58.0 x 43.5 cm. Accademia Carrara, Bergamo, bequest of Giovanni Morelli 1891
examples. The Piedmont painter Ambrogio Bergognone’s Madonna lactans, c. 1485 is highly informal and naturalistic. The artist combines a vignette of a mother breastfeeding her child with the topography of a rural setting. A wealth of detail demonstrates the influence of northern European art: the drapery of the Madonna’s robe, her enamel-like skin and the rather strangely shaped Child are reminiscent of Flemish and French painting. Many Italian artists in the second half of the 15th century adopted the new medium of oil paint, a technique learnt from Flanders and Germany. The glorious Madonna and Child (Alzano Madonna), c. 1488 demonstrates why Giovanni Bellini was one of its earliest masters. Like other Venetian artists, Bellini is renowned for his brilliant use of colour. His tender Virgin is draped in folds of gorgeous blue, the yellow of the fruit below providing a counterpoint. A highly detailed landscape populated with pilgrims, horsemen and gondoliers, with distant castles, is seen either side of the Madonna and Child. An ornate tabernacle frame suggests that we are looking at the vista from a window. Bellini emphasises this pictorial illusionism by painting a ‘label’ on the marble ledge and signing it with his name in the Latin form: ‘IOANNES BELLINVS.’ This type of halflength Madonna and Child was one of the artist’s most successful subjects, and a number of variant types were produced by Bellini’s large workshop in Venice, a city that claimed the Virgin Mary as protector. Bartolomeo Vivarini also ran a large workshop, and visitors to the exhibition are treated to an exceedingly grand and fine work in the form of his Polyptych of the Madonna and Child, Saints Peter and Michael, the Trinity and angels (Scanzo polyptych) of 1488. Polyptychs, the spectacular multipanelled altarpieces commissioned by the Church or private donors, were designed for elaborate architectural settings, located behind the altar or in special chapels or niches. Centred on the Madonna and Child, Vivarini’s is the type of public work intended to convey the Christian stories to a largely illiterate parish. Many altarpieces also included
episodes from the lives of Mary or Jesus on the side panels or lower registers. Some incorporated sculptural figures or hinged panels with images on both sides so they could be opened for special feast days. The display of the Scanzo polyptych in Canberra suggests something of the impact the altarpiece might have had in its original setting in the church just outside Bergamo. In late Medieval and Early Renaissance art saints are usually accommodated on the wings of an altarpiece or in the predella below, separated from the main figures by the frame. From the mid 1450s, however, they become incorporated into the scene. In Lorenzo Lotto’s Holy family with Saint Catherine of Alexandria, 1533, Joseph lifts a pure white cloth to reveal the sleeping Infant. The Virgin, who holds an open book and appears distracted, turns back toward the scene. Saint Catherine of Alexandria is depicted with hands held in prayer – rather than the more traditional Mystic Marriage pose in which she accepts the ring from the Christ Child. Framed by the landscape, the figures are bound together by masses of twisted cloth and united by their speculation on the Christ’s future suffering. Lotto captures mood and gesture with the quiet intensity of later portraitists in Bergamo. Indeed, the Bergamasque painters, as well as the quality of the collections later donated to the Accademia Cararra, encapsulate the importance of the city of Bergamo and the rising merchant class in Italy at the end of the 16th century. Renaissance: 15th and 16th century Italian paintings from the Accademia Carrara, Bergamo Canberra only until 9 April 2012 | renaissance.nga.gov.au Lucina Ward Curator, International Painting and Sculpture NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA 02 6240 6411 www.nga.gov.au Note Adapted from an article first published in Artonview no 69 © National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, 2012
CANBERRA ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
11 May – 22 July 2012
nga.gov.au GOVERNMENT PARTNERS
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Michael Cook Broken Dreams #3 2010 (detail), National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, purchased 2011
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ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
An exhibition fit for a Queen Queen Elizabeth II by Cecil Beaton: A Diamond Jubilee celebration 25 February – 15 April
Q
Cecil Beaton, Princess Elizabeth, 1945. Courtesy Victoria & Albert Museum
ueen Elizabeth II has captivated millions of people during her 60 years on the British throne since 1952. Fans of this longstanding British monarch are invited to continue the celebrations with a trip to the Art Gallery of Ballarat for an exclusive photography exhibition featuring portraits of HM Queen Elizabeth II by Cecil Beaton, to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee. Open from Saturday 25 February until Sunday 15 April 2012, the exhibition comprises a series of portraits taken by Sir Cecil Beaton (1904-1980), the famous royal and fashion photographer. The only Australian viewing is at the Art Gallery of Ballarat, as part of this touring Victoria & Albert Museum exhibition direct from London. Gallery Director Gordon Morrison said that the portraits revealed the changing way the monarchy was seen by the world over time. ‘These portraits are high end glamour, meticulously crafted by Britain’s leading portrait photographer… They are interesting, not just as portraits of Elizabeth, but because each in its own way reveals the ways the monarchy was constructed and presented to the world. It’s a fascinating journey to see the evolution from the fairytale princess, through the crowned head of the empire to the informal mother of a young family. These stunning portraits provide an opportunity for people to reflect on both the personality of the monarch, but also the way Australians, along with the rest of the world, have viewed her role over time.’
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Fans of this longstanding British monarch are invited to continue the celebrations with a trip to the Art Gallery of Ballarat for an exclusive photography exhibition Cecil Beaton, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Andrew, 1960. Courtesy Victoria & Albert Museum
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ART GALLERY OF BALLARAT Founded in 1884, the Art Gallery of Ballarat is the oldest regional art gallery in Australia and the first to be built outside an overseas capital city in the 19th century former empire. It has a connection to another royal jubilee, as the foundation stone of the building was laid in 1887, celebrating the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria (r. 1837-1901) who would be the great-great-grandmother of the present Queen. The heritage-listed building is one of the oldest purpose-built galleries in Australia. It houses the finest and largest regional collection of Australian art, spanning early colonial through to contemporary art. Visit the permanent collection to see works by Australian Impressionists Roberts, Streeton and McCubbin as well as Dobell, Nolan, Drysdale, Boyd and Whiteley.
V&A London’s Victoria and Albert Museum is the world’s leading museum of art and design. Its collections are unrivalled in their scope and diversity. It was established to make works of art available to all and to inspire British designers and manufacturers. V&A’s collections span over 2000 years of human creativity in virtually every medium and from many parts of the world. These continue to intrigue, inspire and inform. The V&A has the oldest museum photography collection in the world and holds the UK’s national collection of photography. The Cecil Beaton collection of royal portraits was bequeathed to the V&A in 1987. It includes 18,000 original prints, transparencies and negatives and 45 volumes of press cuttings. For more information call ART GALLERY OF BALLARAT 03 5320 5858 www.artgalleryofballarat.com.au
VICTORIA ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
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ANTIQUES & ART IN QUEENSLAND
Now Showing at Shari Louise Designs
combining sculpture & jewellery D
on Powell’s sculpture of the Mad Hatter is the latest in his Alice in Wonderland series. The Hatter is a true character, an eccentric whose charm has brought so much pleasure to people since Louis Carroll wrote the stories in the 1860s. Carroll’s illustrator, John Tenniel (1820– 1914), a book illustrator, watercolourist and political cartoonist brought the many figures in Carroll’s books to life. Tenniel is believed to have modelled the Mad Hatter on an inventor from Oxford who invented the alarm clock bed which ejected the sleeper into a cold bath to thoroughly wake the sleeper and refresh him for the day. The alarm bed did not catch on. It is a tribute to John Tenniel that the illustrators who have since produced Alice in Wonderland, including greats like Arthur Rackham and Walt Disney have all remained faithful to John Tenniel’s characterisations. We hope that this latest figure from sculptor Don Powell engender interests this series.
JEWELLERY – South Sea Pearls The cherished Australian South Sea pearl oyster thrives solitarily in a miniscule area of the Indian Ocean, the single area in the world where the warm plankton-rich waters can produce the magnificent South Sea pearl, which has been described as a labour of love. The line between science and art in South Sea Pearl cultivation is difficult to draw. The development of a pearl begins with a singular oyster plucked from the wild. From this point on, the process becomes one of precision and nurture by hand for many years. After the oyster is returned to the wonderland of the deep and left to flourish, the marvel of pearl creation occurs within the pearl shell. Each oyster is tended by hand
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from dedicated pearlers whose tasks include meticulously cleaning and cajoling each oyster for up to nine years. By this stage, oysters are blissfully flourishing, absorbing the nutrients and minerals that their natural habitat provides. The pristine waters that are home to this process shape and nourish each pearl to be as unique and beautiful as possible. To ensure that the process does not stretch beyond what the environment can provide, only oysters of a certain size are able to be harvested so pearl numbers are limited. On an occasion so rare, one of the marvels in pearl harvesting, a wild oyster produces one of nature’s most priceless treasures: a natural pearl. Harvest season arrives, and specialists wait to see the crop that nature has phenomenally created, carefully opening each shell of a pearl oyster to reveal its creation. Until this point, it is unknown what is encased within the shell. It is common for high quality pearls to be seeded within the deep again for another harvest, and it could be the fourth, fifth or sixth year of the farming cycle that at last produces a large pearl. Shari Louise Designs ensures that each piece of her collection reflects the delicate and dedicated process of pearl harvesting, and bestows her personal style upon these marvelled, rare materials. By creating unique collections and using rare materials, these pieces of jewellery become treasured investments. Shari takes her collections all over the world. Shari Louise Wright SHARi LOUiSE DESiGNS JEWELLER 0413 520 036 / 07 3221 3110 sldesign@bigpond.net.au www.sharilouisedesigns.com.au
482 Brunswick Street - Fortitude Valley QLD 4006 - 07 3254 0404 – www.uniquefrance.com.au