Antiques & Art in Victoria by World of Antiques & Art

antiques & art IN VICTORIA

DECEMBER 2010 - APRIL 2011

HIGH STREET ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

PETER ARNOLD

ANTIQUARIAN BOOKSELLERS

RARE

BOO

IN & PR S P MA RAL AU S T A RT

Hurnall’s

I A NA

Antiques & Decorative Arts 612 High Street, East Prahran, Victoria 3181 Tel and Fax: 03 9510 3754 Mobile: 0407 831 424

KS BOO

By appointment

SOLD & T H BOUG

606 HIGH STREET, PRAHRAN 3181 TEL 03 9529 2933 FAX 03 9521 1079

Condition of all items guaranteed

Specialist dealer in Australian Colonial Furniture (c. 1830-1950) and Australian Decorative Ceramics including works by Remued, the Boyd family, McHugh, Melrose, Campbell, Douglas, Seccombe, P. James, Perceval, Ricketts, Jolliff, Klytie Pate.

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PHOTOGRAPHY RUSSELL WINNELL Specialising in antiques and artworks

0415 929 712 QUALITY WORK • COMPETITIVE RATES

Specialising in French antiques and Art Deco Please contact us for more information 491 High St Prahran Vic 3181

03 9510 8522 Warehouse by appointment only 0412 560 371 3

HIGH STREET ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

ART DECO – last of the grand styles

e have covered four centuries of the most significant French design periods in previous articles. In my opinion, the last of the great French styles was Art Deco in the 20th century. While not quite antique, it is very attractive and highly collectable – and will be a great investment. I must confess that I have never being a huge fan of Art Deco, perhaps this originates from my childhood when people were throwing out items and demolishing buildings from that era, which then were considered ugly and very dated. In the last decade, there has been a complete turnaround, with a significant revival of interest and value by

interior designers, collectors and homemakers. The term art deco, which takes in the period 1918-1939, was coined as a style label by historian Bevis Hiller in Art Deco of the 20s and 30s (1968) referencing the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs Industriels et Modernes in Paris. At that time it was known as art moderne. In response to the book comes the famous quote by Osbert Lancaster (1908-1986) that ‘Certainly, no style seems at first glance to provide a richer field for the investigations of Herr Freud.’ This influential design movement affected the entire scope of the fine and applied arts including

L’Impériale

Fine French Antiques 859 High Street Armadale Victoria 3143 Phone 03 9576 1282

www.imperiale.net.au 4

architecture, furniture, sculpture, lighting, clothing, jewellery and graphic design. It insinuated a life of pleasure, leisure, excess and all-out glamour, while being highly functional. It was partly a reaction against Art Nouveau and evolved during the Arts and Crafts movement, peaking between the two world wars and still popular in the late 1940s.

DESIGN inspirations Designs were emulated or borrowed from Middle Eastern, Mexican and African art, and Egyptian designs were especially popular after the discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb in 1922. Ornamentation was influenced by art movements such as Cubism, Bauhaus, Oriental art and by technological advances in air travel, cinema and mechanisation. This style spread from France with immense popularity in throughout Europe and the UK, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand, as well as diverse centres such as Shanghai China, the Philippines and India. Artistic exchanges between Paris and New York City facilitated ongoing style developments. American artists, writers and musicians flocked to Paris after the war and their free spirit and improvisation influenced French designers. Art deco architecture appears a major break from older architectural styles. It reflected a new style – modernity and the machine age. Buildings such as the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building in New York City remain some of the best-known examples of art deco architecture. The distinguishing features of the art deco style in furniture were simple, clean shapes, often with a streamlined look and minimal ornamentation. When ornamentation was applied, it was geometric or stylised representational forms, combing linear, geometric shapes and glamorous, sleek smooth streamlined lines with geometrical patterns. Sunburst motifs were on an eclectic range of products such as tea services, gates and fences, stained glass windows in domestic hallways and radio cabinets. Natural images such as sunrises, shells and fountains were popular. Ballet images inspired by Les Ballets Russes were in sculpture, lighting and even in cars.

MATERIALS No longer was timber the primary material for furniture and art deco home wares. One focus was on making art for the wealthy with specially designed objects and furniture, using expensive woods and materials. Mass-produced furniture and decorative objects were made with cheaper materials, being functional and affordable. A wide range of ‘modern’ synthetic and natural materials

were combined or used singly. Synthetic: plastics, Bakelite, vita-glass, Ferro concrete glass and steel Natural: jade, silver, ivory, obsidian, chrome, rock crystal, mother-of-pearl, sharkskin, snakeskin, gold and silver leaf, mirrors, crushed eggshell lacquer, ivory, animal skins such as zebra and leopard were used for upholstery or rugs. Exotic woods: rosewood, birds-eye maple, macassar, ebony and mahogany. Art deco furniture was commonly large scale such as buffets, armoires and generously sized chairs. Bold striking colours were used yellows, reds, greens, blues, and pinks mixed with silver, black and chrome. Creams and beige were often used, all colours contrasting with polished wood and lacquered furniture. Some well-known designers were Donald Deskey, Russel Wright, Norman Bel Geddes and Paul T Frankel. Emile Ruhlman ran the interior design firm in France famous for using opulent mediums – violet wood, amboynas and macassar ebony –transformed into sleek furniture. Lighting fixtures were often made of the new chrome and glass might be frosted, white, etched or enamelled. A wide array of table and floor lamps developed, many featuring the human form in a sumptuous, sweeping outline. The Romanian-born sculptor Demetre Chiparus made beautiful sculptures using bronze, ivory and chryselephantine of fine, elegant and slender stylised figures. In today’s market, these sculptures sell for enormous sums. Art deco jewellery was characteristically geometric, depicting animals, vegetation and other live subjects. Bows and similar ornaments were reproduced as jewellery. Bakelite was a popular component for costume jewellery. Commercial design took elements from the Deco trend, such as soft drink bottles. Art experts argue that works by cubist artists such as Picasso and Braque were painters in the art deco style. We can easily say that this style was the most influential design movement of the 20th century. Societies have always had a necessity for beauty, glamour and luxury. Perhaps that is the reason that in recent years there has been a revival of this ultra glamorous style. As in the world of fashion, architects and interior designers are borrowing ideas from art deco for commissions. At its highest, the style represented hope, optimism and beauty following a terrible war and during the Great Depression. After all, there’s nothing better than sipping on a cocktail sitting on a wonderful piece of furniture in a beautiful room dreaming of a brighter future ● Mario Dominguez-Gorga L’IMPERIALE FINE FRENCH ANTIQUES 03 9576 1282 marioegorga@yahoo.com.au www.imperiale.net.au

HIGH STREET ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Editorial Content

AMANDA ADDAMS AUCTIONS

Auctioneers and Valuers

FRONT COVER Mary and Max, 2009 Dir. Adam Elliot Courtesy of Melodrama Pictures See p. 65

04 06 08 09 12 14 15 16 18 19 21 22 23 24 25 26 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 53 54 56 57 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 85 86 88 90

Art Deco - last of the grand styles – Mario Dominguez-Gorga Vintage Posters: some frequently asked questions answered – Sam Johnson French antiques and Art Deco – Pascal Leclerc Expressions Gallery The beginnings of time in horology – Michael Colman Being square is definitely ‘in’ when it comes to rare coins Gwen Watson (1916-1994) a remarkable Australian ceramicist – Robin Kelly Antiques for the bedroom add a stylish yet comforting dimension – Guy & Trish Page A selection of artists represented by Eastgate & Holst Fine Art The French style at Image De France – George Manoly The which and what of wristwatches – Ron Gregor A look at three significant English furniture makers Pack & Send art and antique specialists Brian Hirst at Veronica George Gallery How to build a jewellery wardrobe – Mary Alfredson Meaningful valuation of jewellery =CSi + forensic analysis Take a voyage of discovery at Schots Home Emporium Australia’s mystery coins: square halfpennies, gold sixpences and shillings The Melbourne Vintage Clothing Jewellery & Textiles Show – Janel Morrissey The Victorian Artists Society’s 2011 exhibitions, awards & art classes You are invited to a Victorian dinner party – Dawn Davis The venerable art of antiques dealing – Roy Williams David Freeman addresses the subject of underrated and under-valued Australian artists Australia’s largest and longest running fair - The Annual Ballarat Antiques Fair The history of the Vienna regulator Di King Gallery – John Thomas Stephen Browne shares his passion for the pre-stamp postal history of New South Wales (1801-1849) Sherbrook Art Society and Gallery art classes and exhibitions At the Art Gallery of Ballarat this summer, see three new exhibitions of contemporary Australian artists and their works American Dreams: 20th century photography from George Eastman House USA Without Pier Gallery exhibition program and artist profiles Antique Print Styles – Derek and Kathryn Nicholls Visiting France: The weaver’s house in Aubusson – Barbara Thomas Summer at Sorrento & Flinders Fine Art Galleries The magnificent Beleura at Mornington – Anthony Knight Summer exhibitions at Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery McClelland Gallery + Sculpture Park exhibition program and awards The appeal of British vernacular furniture – Harvey Wilkins Ceramics surviving against all odds – Paul Rosenberg Geelong Gallery, Mary and Max: the exhibition Summer exhibitions at Eagles Nest Fine Art Gallery Qdos Arts presents Robert Juniper: a living treasure – Graeme Wilkie A look at two exceptional silversmiths working at WJ Sanders Maryborough Railway Station fine regional wines, antiques, quality food, art & market affair Beautiful Bendigo graced by the beauty and grandeur of another time Exhibitions at the Bendigo Art Gallery Christmas: the aftermath, New Year: a new beginning Easter Art Show and sales at Bendigo Town Hall What’s on at Hamilton Art Gallery Ballarat’s heritage hotspots: a collector’s summer destination Bendigo Easter Fair – Robert Dennis Mayfield Gallery presents Beauty in the Hills – Di & John Koenders Victorian Antique Dealers Guild, meet a guild member Indigenous Art Day at The Hughenden – Susanne Gervay National Gallery of Australia, Ballets Russes: The art of costume – Dr Robert Bell AM The magic of maps – Simon Dewez & Monique Jacobson Celebrating 24 years of the Rotary Antiques Fair & Gold Coast Book Fair From the AAADA President’s desk At the Geelong Gallery, Sidney Nolan’s Gallipoli series – Laura Webster

ADVERTISING RATES Colour gloss advertisers receive 1,000 run–ons of their advertisement with our compliments for use as flyers, posters, invitations etc Advertising rates include design & production (excludes photography)

1 unit 2 units (vertical) 2 units (horizontal) 1/4 page 1/2 page (vertical) 1/2 page (horizontal) Full page Double page

Size (hxw) 67 x 65mm 134 x 65mm 67 x 130.5mm 168.5 x 130.5mm 337 x 130.5mm 168.5 x 261mm 337 x 261mm 380 x 552mm

B&W $132 $264 $264 $544.50 $1045 $1045 $1980 POA

Colour News $187 $374 $374 $764.50 $1375 $1375 $2420 POA

Colour Gloss N/A N/A N/A $990 $1925 $1925 $3289 $5920

All rates are inclusive of GST

NOTICE

AMANDA ADDAMS AUCTIONS

Jeffrey Smart (Australia 1921- ), The Bather Bondi, oil on board, 48 x 76 cm, signed lower left. Exhibited South Yarra Galleries 1962 Catalogue Number 7 – Estate of Jean Ramsey, Toorak, in the collection since 1962. Illustrated in The Beach by Geoffrey Dutton, 1985. Illustrated in Jeffrey Smart Unpublished Work, 1940-2007 April 2008. Illustrated cover Amanda Addams Auction catalogue 13 April 2008. Sold for $336,255, a new Australian record for an early 1960s Jeffery Smart

CHRISTMAS AUCTION Monday 20 December 2010 6.30 pm Viewing: Saturday 18 December 11 am – 2 pm Monday 20 December 10 am – 6 pm

SALE DATES 2011 Monday 7 February 2011 6.30 pm Viewing: Saturday 5 February 11 am – 2 pm Monday 7 February 10 am – 6 pm Monday 7 March 2011 6.30 pm Viewing: Saturday 5 March 11 am – 2 pm Monday 7 March 10 am – 6 pm

AUCTIONS HELD ON THE FIRST MONDAY NIGHT OF EACH MONTH AT 6.30 PM Receive all the latest news. Register for our new email newsletter and receive all the auction details and catalogues

QUALITY SINGLE ENTRIES OR LARGE COLLECTIONS (ANTIQUES, ART, COLLECTABLES, DECORATIVE ARTS AND DECEASED ESTATES) ARE ALWAYS INVITED FOR SPECIAL AUCTIONS

AMANDA ADDAMS AUCTIONS 194 Bulleen Rd, Bulleen, Victoria 3105 Tel: 03 9850 1553 Fax: 03 9850 1534

www.aaauctions.com.au David Freeman 0419 578 184 Amanda Freeman 0419 361 753 Member of the Auctioneers and Valuers Association of Australia

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

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

ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

VINTAGE POSTERS: some frequently asked questions answered WHAT is an original poster?

n original poster, quite simply, is the first printing of a graphic promotion. Later reproductions, although decorative, have no real value.

DO YOU sell reproductions? In a word, no. Vintage Posters Only deals only in original posters. As stated above, reproductions have no intrinsic value and therefore of no real interest.

CAN you tell me where I can find a reproduction? Once again, the answer is no. Since we do not deal in reproductions, it is not something that we try to keep current. It is not an issue of snobbery; reproductions are just not our business.

WHY should I be interested in purchasing an original poster? • Because it is the world’s most popular art form • Its documentation is exceptionally diverse – at once historic, artistic, graphically wideranging and nostalgic • In addition, posters are decorative • Some of them are stunning and imaginative • Others are just downright pretty • Their appeal is timeless. They strike a chord • They are rare

• Plus, above all, they are original • They can be vintage or they can be contemporary. Remember that today’s latest advertising graphics are the classics of tomorrow.

HOW many copies of a poster were printed? In all honesty, we do not know. It is impossible to say how many copies were made for pasting on the walls of any given city.

THEN why are the remaining posters valuable? In fact, the quantity of the original run of the poster does not relate to its value – the quantity printed does not really matter. What does matter is how many copies were saved on the day that it was printed. There is no ‘Day 2’ for original posters. During the height of the poster craze in the late 1890s, printers would overrun an edition of a design and sell these extras to poster clubs, advertisers, individual collectors, etc. These are the copies that have come down to us. They are the very few posters saved from the original overrun.

WHAT is a maquette? A maquette is the original artwork from

which a poster is taken. A majority of the time, this artwork is used to create the finished poster. However, there are cases where incredibly beautiful artwork is never used to create a printed poster. The precise reasons for the absence of artwork are among the mysteries of vintage posters.

WHAT are the most popular themes in vintage posters? Whatever turns you on: art, cars and bikes, cinema is big, events, food and beverage, fashion is major, health and safety, political, sport and of course travel are all popular subjects of fantastic original vintage posters.

WHEN is Vintage Posters Only open? I’m open seven days a week, between 10 am and 5 pm.

CAN you help me find a particular poster? Ring me Sam Johnson at VINTAGE POSTERS ONLY 03 9500 2505 / 0419 588 423 sam@vintagepostersonly.com www.vintagepostersonly.com

HIGH STREET ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

VINTAGE POSTERS ONLY Wanting to buy original lithographic posters from the turn-of-the-century to 1970. Condition not important! Paying Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best prices.

Contact: Sam Johnson 03 9500 2505 Email: sam@vintagepostersonly.com www.vintagepostersonly.com

1136 High Street Armadale Victoria 3143 7

ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

FRENCH ANTIQUES and Art Deco

ince 1985 Leclerc Antiques has been importing French antiques and art deco objects into Australia. We have now extended our products to include original French decorative lighting. Lighting is a very important feature in any welldesigned apartment or home and should not be compromised. Leclerc now imports and stocks a range of fine quality light fittings to accommodate any period or modern home. The selection includes gothic wrought iron chandeliers, antique bronze gaslights, Napoleon III crystal chandeliers and Flemish brass chandeliers. We are now specialising in French art deco lighting. Our latest arrival is a fine collection of genuine art deco lights manufactured by Degué, Noverdy, Schneider, Muller Frères, Verlys, Leleu, Ezan, Petitot and Meynardier and other magnificent designs. Leclerc Antiques personally select every light, organises packing and the shipping out

of France into Australia. By eliminating the middle men, we are able to offer quality items at a very competitive price. Our stock arrives in its ‘as found’ condition, which gives prospective buyers the opportunity to undertake the restoration themselves; a trend we have noticed that is growing in popularity. Otherwise, where necessary, we can organise restoration for you. This is done to the highest standard as we use some of the best skilled people in the business. It is our policy not to cut corners on restoring these fine pieces.

been restored and rewired to Australian and New Zealand standards. 5. Beware of cheap ‘French-looking’ chandeliers often sold at auctions or online. Many of these poorly-made lights are imported from Argentina or Egypt where they use 110 volts current, the wire not designed for 220 volts current. These fittings are best avoided. You’ll notice that serious reputable dealers do not stock such fixtures. 6. Always use a licensed electrician to install your chandelier.

TIPS on buying a chandelier 1. As a rule, buy the best you can afford. 2. Buying unrestored lighting can be a minefield! 3. Restoring a chandelier is a time consuming job so it is wise to purchase a quality light from a reputable dealer that offers service and guarantees the product. 4. When buying a chandelier, make sure it has

Not so long ago, a lady came to my showroom with a ‘French-looking chandelier.’ She had been told that she could get it rewired and restored for only a couple of hundred dollars. What she had bought was in fact a light made of different parts sprayed with gold paint. We had to break the news that it was not worth rewiring.

APPRECIATING in value I always believe that you get what you have paid for. Many people are not aware of what good value antiques are unless they walk into a good antique shop. Antiques dealers are hard-working people with many costs including stock, restoration, importing and their time spent running the shop. I have found that good pieces are becoming scarce, both here and overseas. One reason may be that banks are offering poor returns on money so people are buying antiques as investments. Another reason is that collectors are loath to part with their collections. Quality antiques are an international currency and can be traded anywhere in the world. Leclerc Antiques looks forward to welcoming you for a private viewing of our latest shipment from Europe ● Pascal Leclerc ART DECO & ANTIQUES 03 9510 8522

HIGH STREET ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Jeffrey Smart, Container Train in Landscape

Tim Storrier, Empire of the Coals, 2006

EXPRESSIONS Gallery xpressions Gallery offer a wide range of fine art limited editions from leading Australian artists including John Olsen, Jeffrey Smart, Howard Arkley, Lin Onus, Sidney Nolan, Arthur Boyd, Charles Blackman, Fred Cress, Garry Shead, Frank Hodgkinson, David Boyd, Jason Benjamin, Melissa Egan, Clifton Pugh and Helen Norton. Our high quality fine art limited editions are available at an affordable price. A pleasure to own, they will hold their value and brillance for many years to come. Expressions Gallery also offer high quality framing in their onsite studio workshop ●

“

Expressions Gallery offer a wide range of fine art limited editions from leading Australian artists.

” Expressions Gallery

EXPRESSIONS GALLERY 03 9500 0667 xart668@yahoo.com.au Howard Arkley, Nick Cave

John Olson, Broken Egg and Summer

1110 High Street, Armadale Vic 3143 Australia Tel/Fax 03 9500 0667 xart668@yahoo.com.au also at 332 Malvern Road Prahran Vic 3181 • Mob: 0413 992 501

John Olson, Sydney Sun, 1965

FINE ART LIMITED EDITIONS VINTAGEPOSTER LINEN BACKING CUSTOMER FRAMING 9

HIGH STREET ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Armadale Antique Centre Over 40 Licensed Independent Dealers

ANTIQUE PRINTS, POCHOIR, MAPS & VINTAGE ADVERTISEMENTS

PERIOD LAMPS & LIGHTING

FINE, COSTUME & COLLECTABLE JEWELLERY

ART GLASS & FINE CRYSTAL

ART DECO – GLASS, CERAMICS & METALWARE

CLOCKS & WATCHES

FINE BRITISH & CONTINENTAL PORCELAIN

ENGLISH, CONTINENTAL & AUSTRALIAN FURNITURE

ORIENTAL ANTIQUES – CERAMICS, IVORY, JADE

BRITISH, CONTINENTAL & AUSTRALIAN CERAMICS

FINE STERLING SILVER & SILVER PLATE

AUSTRALIAN & EUROPEAN PAINTINGS

1147 High Street, Armadale, Victoria 3143 Tel: 03 9822 7788 Website: armadaleantiquecentre.com.au

Open 7 Days 10am - 5pm 10

MALVERN ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

F I N E & D E C O R AT I V E A R T S , ANTIQUES & JEWELLERY HEAD OFFICE: 47 GLENFERRIE ROAD, MALVERN 3144 T: +6 3 9509 6788 F: +6 3 9509 3455

email: philips@philipsauctions.com.au www.philipsauctions.com.au

Call for details or to receive a complimentary catalogue when you mention this advertisement

ACN 005 240 200

1. Zebra shoulder mount, complete with full mane, h:76 x w: 37cm. SOLD $12694

2. Teardrop shaped diamond pendant on wheat link chain, 18 ct white gold, brilliant cut diamonds. A.T.D.W.: 4.70 ct. SOLD $9809

3. Victorian diamond set serpent bracelet, 9 ct yellow gold, enamel, sapphire set eyes, three brilliant-cut diamonds, totalling 0.45 ct, concealed pin clasp. SOLD $3000

4. French three piece regulator clock set, c. 1880, marble, white enamelled dial, Roman numerals, visible escapement, matching pair of pedestal shaped garnitures, h: 47 x w: 71 x depth: 17 cm. SOLD $1731 5. Royal Worcester lidded urn, c. 1911, decorated by H (Harry) Davis (signed), almond shaped form features lion mask lugs, relief acanthus leaf decoration, central cartouche of a riverside scene with heavy gilt highlights on a deep cobalt ground, h: 27 cm. Stamped to base. SOLD $4154

6. Chinese globular vase with elephant head lugs, Qianlong mark ( 1736-1796), flared rim heavily patterned in famille jaune depicting repeat chrysanthemum, bats and Buddhist motifs, h: 39 x diam: 25 cm. SOLD $1731

7. Tanzanite and diamond cluster ring, 18 ct white gold, tanzanite approx 11.95 ct, claw 18 brilliantcut diamonds, total approx 2.00 ct. SOLD $9232

8. Art Deco panel ring, 18 ct white gold, grain set onyx, old-cut diamond 0.40 ct, 12 diamonds, total wt: 0.16 ct. SOLD $3346 9. William IV Ladies mahogany desk, c. 1830, leather writing slope, adjustable mirror over six small lockable drawers set on twin pedestal base, hinged folding top, faux drawers to back, h: 83 x w: 107 x d: 57 cm. SOLD $2638

AUCTION SCHEDULE 2011 Fine and Decorative Arts Modern and Antique Jewellery Entries close Viewing

Sunday 28 February Monday 1 March Thursday 4 February Mon 22 to Sat 27 February

Fine and Decorative Arts Modern and Antique Jewellery Entries close Viewing

Sunday 23 May Monday 24 May Thursday 29 April Mon 17 to Sat 22 May

Fine and Decorative Arts Modern and Antique Jewellery Entries close Viewing

Sunday 11 April Monday 12 April Thursday 18 March Tues 6 to Sat 10 April

Please note new late viewing times: Wednesday 9 am - 8 pm Thursday and Friday 9 am - 5 pm Saturday 12 Noon - 5 pm

Visit www.philipsauctions.com.au for details of all current lots 11

ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Chinese great steelyard arm clepsydra of Keng Husn and Yuwn K’ai

Waterclock by Ctesibius of Alexandria (fl. 285-222BC)

Alabaster cast of an outflow clepsydra, Karnak Temple, 1415-1308 BC

The BEGINNINGS OF TIME in Horology

he term ‘horology’ stems from two Greek words, hora, which means time, and logos, which means word or telling. The modern dictionary defines horology as being the ‘science of time.’ Where does one start on understanding time? A good starting point would be when man began to record time. Two famous Greek philosophers in the 6th century BC defined time as follows. Pythagoras (c.582-c.507 BCE) stated that ‘time is the procreation element of the universe’ whereas Parmenides argued, ‘Time does not pertain to anything that is truly real.’ So our time base is the result of a Greek modification of an Egyptian practice combined with Babylonian numerical procedures. Sound confusing? Let us start at the beginning. Many thousands of years ago time was recorded as one day at a time. Time was ‘day to night’, ‘hungry or full’. Then, as man developed and understood the environment better, time started to be recorded by more accurate means. Days would have been added together to the time frame of the moon, then the moon to the seasons and so a general structure started to develop. Clearly, time became less haphazard as man began to develop the ability to predict the seasons. Suddenly, they knew when it was time to plant crops or harvest the grains and they had a better knowledge of how long they could store their food. Dawn was chosen by the Egyptians to represent the start of a new day, whereas the

Babylonians, Hebrews and later Muslims chose sunset. The Romans chose sunrise to mark the start of a new day but later midnight was chosen because of the variable length of the day. Most of Western Europe adopted sunrise as the start of the new day until the arrival of the mechanical clock in the 14th century. Astronomers like Ptolemy (c. 90-170 CE) chose midday as the start of the day and this stayed as the beginning of the astronomical new day until 1 January 1925 when, by international agreement, the astronomical day was made to coincide with the civil day. The first man-made solar, sun or shadow clock was from Egypt and dates from around 1500 BC. It was shaped like a T-square with marks on each side therefore giving no shadow at noon. This type of instrument, however, did not allow for changes in the seasons such as the longer and shorter days of summer to winter. The oldest surviving shadow clock (14791425 BCE) is missing the top of the T and without it is now similar in layout to the letter L. But it is an improved model as it takes into account the changing seasons. It has irregular marked intervals on its length, to compensate for a faster moving shadow, the further the sun moves from its zenith. The shadow clock was faced east before noon and west after. Star clocks were used as a night timing instrument. This incorporated a ‘merkhet’ which was basically a plumb line hung from an L shaped and marked holder. Through the merkhet astronomers could observe selected

Reconstruction of the Antikythera mechanism

Byzantine portable sundial calendar in brass c. 520 AD

stars moving across the meridian (zenith) of the night sky. While doing this they discovered that certain stars crossed this meridian at a roughly even nature and at a certain point. In conjunction with this they used another instrument called a palm leaf (palm rib of the observer of the hours) which was basically a stick with markings that were roughly Y shaped with a slot at the top for sighting and setting the point for observations with the merkhet. The Egyptians were the first to set 365 days to the year, broken into three seasons of four months and then 12 months of 30 days and five additional days at the end of each year. They created a very good calendar and the Egyptians matched the day to the night by dividing the day into 12 intervals – 10 intervals for daylight and two extra for twilight. The Egyptians were also the first to use a water clock to measure the duration of night hours. Later, the Greeks called this device a‘clepsydra’. This basically required a tapered container to be marked into set parts to match the leakage of water that gave a time frame of water loss. The Egyptians also created the 24-hour pattern from the night stars. These were 12 ‘decans’ (each of the three divisions of a zodiacal sign) or diagonal star-clock calendars. These periods were carefully monitored by the priests who chose a new star every 10 days, creating 36 decans a year, three decans per month plus five days for the full year. The Babylonians left us with the first astronomical computations which were in a sexadecimal (60) system instead of our decimal system. These were taken up by Greek astronomers creating equal hours, breaking them into 60 firsts or minutes and each of these also into 60, creating seconds. The first sundial appeared in Greece in the 4th century BC. Scholars studied these instruments mathematically creating much greater accuracy for future generations. Their sundials were very robust and simplistic in their construction and were eventually adopted by the later early Christian communities and spread to Central and Western Europe. The Greeks were great philosophers and storytellers and by the 5th century BC were the first to record history in a chronological manner. For the first time in history the passage of time became more relevant, not only in the written form but in laws, contracts and expectations of the community.

Rome’s first sundial clock apparently was brought from Sicily in 263 BC. It was very inaccurate, as it was set from where it was made and, for example, 4 degrees latitude south gave incorrect time readings because of the angle of the sun. It was almost 100 years later before one was made appropriate to Rome’s latitude in 164 BC and within only six years Scipio Nasica set up a public clepsydra in Rome. Following this, clepsydras were installed in Roman law courts to formalise a time in law. It is reported that many wealthy members of the Roman population would pay the ‘clock’ watcher to slow down the clock so they would not be late for their day in court! By the time of Caesar, water clocks were used in the military camps to time the four night watches; evening, midnight, cock crow and morning. Around this time wealthy members of the upper class obtained private water clocks and special slaves were appointed to look after, read and announce the hours to their masters. This is the first time clocks became a significant status symbol. Even with improvements in these clocks, they still could not agree or keep equal rate of loss. This led the Roman writer Seneca to complain ‘that it was impossible to tell the exact hour, since it is easier for philosophers to agree than for clocks!’ When the Romans started using the Greek calendar, the months were equal of 30 days with 5 days of celebration. But the Romans were never as mathematically precise as the Greeks and after political manipulation and corruption the Roman calendar was always out by almost three months from the true solstice. This was the position when Julius Caesar introduced his calendar on 1st January 45 BCE. By the advice of the Greek astronomer Sosigenes, Caesar extended the previous year 46 BCE to 445 days to correct the anomaly of political power games where months had been shortened or lengthened at whim to prolong or shorten terms of office. Julius Caesar fixed the civil year at 365 and introduced the leap year of 366 every 4 years to compensate for the extra quarter day. He ordered January, March, May, July, September and November to have 31 days and all other months to have 30. The exception was February with 29 days except in leap years when it would have 30. Augustus interfered in 7 BCE and renamed Sextilus after himself and assigned the same

MALVERN ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Roman Scaphe shadow clock of truncated form (hemicyclium). The gnomon was placed in its hole at the top parallel to earth, the hour read off indicated scale, c. 100 CE

number of days as the months before and after. He stole (or perhaps bought) the day off February (probably a poorer rich family represented the smallest month). To avoid having three months of 31 days, September and November were reduced to 30 and October increased to 31. Hence the calendar once again reverted to an illogical number of days in the months and has been copied throughout most of the world. Christianity originated from the world of the Roman Empire, so it was natural to start the Christian calendar on the Imperial Roman model that has continued more or less to this day. The Islamic world became the true successor of the former intellectual capital of the Hellenistic world – Alexandria. Alexandria had been a city of the Eastern Roman Empire, which outlived the Western Empire. Fortunately it was not over-run by barbarians and managed to keep intact much of the writings of the ancient worlds. Most Greek works were translated into Arabic by the end of the 9th century. The Muslim religion required mathematically educated people who could determine the astronomically defined times of prayer and the direction of Mecca. It is not surprising that many portable instruments for determining time were required, the chief instrument being the astrolabe. This instrument can be traced back to Ptolemy in the 2nd century CE and was the forerunner of the sextant. Some of these became elaborate double-sided instruments and later mechanical devices. Still the principal clock mechanism was the water clock, with added features giving sunrise, sunset indicators, month, moon and a celestial layout. Many of the ancient water clocks were instruments of incredible complexity as many were constructed to indicate the hour which varied from the sunrise starting point during the year. This required a complex in-built means of changing the starting and setting points. Although there were no mechanical clocks in antiquity mechanical advances were made for devices to reproduce the movement of the heavenly bodies. One remarkable Hellenistic geared mechanism that has survived was discovered in 1900, in the wreck of a Greek ship near Antikythera, off the south coast of Greece. In 1974 D.J. de Solla Price reported on the results of x-rays and gamma rays of the corroded remains of this bronze mechanism. He concluded that it was a calendrical computing device, determining the positions of the sun and moon in the zodiac and involved a series of wheels and fixed gear ratios for working out the metonic cycle in which 19 years correspond to 235 Lunar months. This was possibly the closest to a

Cleopatra’s Needle once stood at the Temple at Heliopolis where its shadow kept the hour

mechanical clock found in antiquity. But in 1983 four fragments of a geared instrument of early Byzantine origin possibly made around the reign of Justinian I (483565) were acquired by the British Museum. It has been possible to reconstruct the complete instrument, which was a brass sundial with a geared calendar that showed the approximate shape of the moon and its age in days and may also have shown its position and that of the sun in the zodiac. Two of the fragments have gears of 59 and 19 teeth and of ten and seven teeth. This instrument appears to be similar to an instrument described by the Persian scientist al-Bruin (973-1048). This would appear to be a direct practical link between the Greek and early Islamic times. In ancient China, time keeping was recorded using water clocks and sundials. The great steel yard arm clepsydra of Keng Husn and Yuan Kau (CE 610) seems to be the missing link between the normal in-flow or out-flow clepsydra and the one following. The steel yard arm or beam balance weighed water, along the beam was a container suspended by the controlling weight allowing the container to be lowered or raised acting as an in-flow and out-flow into a reservoir. The container was lowered into the water holder causing in-flow, filled to a certain point, then the clock observer would move the counter weight backwards raising the container, causing out-flow. This in effect was the first escapement, whereby the counter weight was moved as the escapement with the help of a human, in effect the weight could be changed in many positions allowing for the change in seasons. In China many astronomical devices had been made. Some of these had copied European lines, particularly with Greek science making its way from Alexandria, down through to India and then into China. An example is at this time there were three clans of Indian astronomers working in the capital. They manufactured a variety of astronomical instruments and clocks along these principles and also invented new ways of keeping the heavens synchronised for observations. Chang Sui (682-727), a Tantric Buddhist monk, known as I-Hsing with the help of a scholar named Liang Ling-Tsan explored the concept of self-running escapements. Liang Ling-Tsan is credited with developing a solution to the problem of elliptically mounted sighting tubes over the more common equatorial sighting system. Using these two systems together gave the astronomers the ability to make better observations and IHsing was able to develop a better calendar able to accurately predict eclipses, for example. The emperor Hsuan Tsung in 723 gave

A drawn example of a Roman hemicycle and examples of Hemicyclium or Scaphe shadow clocks

permission for the bronze casting of new astronomical instruments to be used by I-Hsung, Liang Ling-Tsan and other capable men. This was a water wheeled system and apparently is the first time in history that an escapement used scoops filled with water. As the water flowed in a trip system it advanced the scoops. The Chinese also used incense burners as a form of time keeping. These apparently burnt uniformly making them suitable. Some were single incense sticks and others were placed in a track system like a maze burning at certain intervals. I am not sure when they started using this form of time keeping but these were far more accurate than the candle clock being developed in Europe during this period. The candle clock was the next major invention in keeping time and is attributed to

Byzantine portable sundial calendar in brass, c. 520 CE

the Anglo-Saxon King Alfred (848?-899). According to his biography, Alfred the Great devoted eight hours to public duties, eight hours to studying, eating and sleeping with eight hours for worship. To apportion his time, he took 72 pennyweights of wax and made 12 candles each a foot long. Each burned for four hours or, an inch in 20 minutes. One of his chaplains, charged with the keeping of the candle, reported that they burned quicker in a draft. So the king devised a lantern (lanthorn) with frames of wood and sides of horn scraped thin enough to be translucent ●

Michael Colman COLMAN ANTIQUE CLOCKS 03 9824 8244 www.colmanantiqueclocks.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Type 6 square penny 1919

BEING SQUARE IS DEFINITELY ‘IN’ when it comes to rare coins

ad the 1921 government plan

proceeded, Australian copper pennies would have been replaced by something very different – square cupronickel coins. This plan gave us some of the most fascinating and rarest Australian coins ever produced. The rarity of those square coins, struck between 1919 and 1921, combined with their novel shape make for a high and rising investment value. That value was well understood by a Coinworks customer who paid $145,000 to acquire an elusive 1920 square penny in July 2010. Four months later, it has been re-valued at $155,000. Australia’s pattern kookaburra pennies are one of Australia’s most successful investment coin series. Sir Reginald Marcus Clark was an avid collector of prime Australian currency. In 1954, his five kookaburra pennies fetched between £8 and £12 each and a kookaburra halfpenny fetched £24. By the mid-1970s, the square penny commanded a minimum of $300, and $600 for the square halfpenny. Today expect to pay a minimum of $95,000 for the square penny and $300,000 for the halfpenny.

THE HISTORY As part of a grand plan for change after World War I, the Australian government proposed a major currency overhaul. The radical idea, said to be the inspiration of Treasurer William Watt, was to replace the

Type 12 square penny 1921

traditional bronze coppers with a square shaped penny in an alternative metal. The design choice of the kookaburra was clear evidence of a new post-war Australian nationalism. A limited number of individuals, companies and organisations, including Treasury and the Royal Mint in London, submitted sketches and designs. Treasury controversially endorsed the depiction of an uncrowned monarch on the kookaburra square coins, eventually receiving Royal approval. Square facts Just prototypes Only in 1919, 1920 and 1921 Made at Melbourne Mint Eleven penny designs Two halfpenny designs Approximately 200 coins Never in production Never circulated Prototypes were produced between 1919 and 1921. The Melbourne Mint issued eleven different penny designs and two of the halfpenny. Varying quantities were produced, totalling about 200 coins. To test the acceptability of the proposed changes, prototypes were passed to Treasury officials, Parliamentarians, business leaders and members of the public. These prototypes are exceptionally rare, exceedingly valuable and have an iconic status in Australia’s rare coin industry.

The response was generally poor and the public showed resistance to change, while the practical barrier was the incompatibility of square pennies with vending machines operated by round pennies. Change became less likely when William Watt, the most influential proponent of the cupro-nickel kookaburras, resigned as Treasurer before the necessary regulations were in place. The kookaburra coins never went into production or circulation.

THE 1919 kookaburra coins Four penny designs were tested in 1919; each had minor variations in the style of the kookaburra and the legend. One of the most elusive of those 1919 coins is the Type 6 square penny. Over the last 35 years, only five examples have been at auction. The depicted 1919 Type 6 square penny was first at auction in 1993 and sold for $8400, but in 2004 it fetched $49,000 – a 5,800% increase in 11 years.

THE 1920 kookaburra coins Five different penny designs were tested in 1920, along with a very elusive and tiny halfpenny. Regarded as the glamour coins of the series, they fetch a minimum of $155,000. The only square penny to feature a crowned King George VI obtains up to $400,000. When two examples of the 1920 crowned head square penny came to auction in 1989 and 1993, another period of global financial crisis, these type 10 coins more than doubled in price. The specimen in 1989 fetched $10,200, while the example in 1993 fetched a new price record of $23,500. During the recent global financial crisis, the latter example purchased in 1993 fetched $350,000 on a preauction estimate of $300,000.

Type 10 crowned head square penny 1920

Only three examples of the 1920 halfpenny are known. The most recent available coin was auctioned in 2007 for $380,000, having been acquired in 1986 for 19,500 – a 2,000% increase over 21 years.

THE 1921 kookaburra coins Two square penny designs were tested in 1921 and just one halfpenny, and these are the leaders of the strong investment growth of the kookaburra series. The 1921 coins make at least one appearance at auction every year, with the following prices from the annual Industry Price Guide indicating the growth: 2010 – $95,000 2008 – $75,000 2006 – $49,000 2004 – $32,500 2002 – $13,250

COINWORKS kookaburra registry Not surprisingly, given the extreme rarity and exceptional capital growth of the kookaburra coins, there are waiting lists to acquire them. Coinworks’ kookaburra registry provides information and alerts on available specimens ● For more information or to register contact COINWORKS 03 9642 3133 info@coinworks.com.au

MALVERN ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Gwen Watson (1916–1994) A REMARKABLE AUSTRALIAN CERAMICIST Art ware is highly sought after so when an artist whose work until recently has slipped under the radar comes to the public eye, the excitement amongst researchers, dealers and collectors is palpable THE MAKINGS of an artist

WATCHING Gwen work

I would often call in to Gidwyn Gallery and loved to watch her create the facial expressions on her figurines, chuckling to herself, modelling them this way and that with great certainty and speed. I bought typical works from her including large Australiana clusters of possums and fairies, kangaroos and bush babies, koalas and gumnuts, galahs and branches – she loved to do orchestras of koalas, cats, frogs or bugs. In 1986 Gwen, her peacock Julian and Pinky her galah moved to her new home and studio/ gallery on Coronet Bay near Phillip Island. She called this house ‘her dream factory,’ with her workshop downstairs and Gidwyn Gallery upstairs – she even painted her bedroom walls with cherry blossom murals. I would often visit her in her paradise and wonder at her latest creations with the sea theme. Her tall iron gates hung from posts adorned with statues of summer and spring. Her garden was adorned with large ceramic pieces of mermaids and dolphins, while her showroom overflowed with smaller seals, penguins, starfish and fantasy sea goddesses. The showroom doorways were encrusted with arched panels of cherubs and the walls adorned with numerous gilded mythological panels. Gwen continued for another seven years, welcoming tourists and selling her crafts and ceramics at her beloved gallery.

wen Gidney was born and raised in rural Gippsland. In an interview published in the Weekly Times (23 April 1952) Gwen recalled the first time she handled clay. In 1937, while convalescing after an illness, her mother brought home clay unearthed from a landslide at Koonwarra. The clay was perfect for modeling ‘… and I made a mushroom and seated a little pixie on the top.’

A NATURAL talent By 1950, married and now Gwen Watson, with a young family, she was unable to attend pottery classes. Living in rural Victoria, Gwen sourced information and pottery techniques from books and learned by trial and error. As related in the Argus feature, her implements were her hands, darning needles and a hair pin. The pieces modelled in the kitchen, and then fired in the electric kiln in her bedroom.

PRODUCTION timeline In 1945, she approached the Myer emporium in Melbourne with her range of ceramics and they were eagerly bought as wartime restrictions meant no imports. Other sales were to Buckley & Nunn, Berkowitz, Pattersons, Malcolm Reids and David Jones, Sydney. In 1952 Gwen approached the elite Georges store in Collins Street, whose artists’ gallery section sold her magnificent ornate lamps, elegant figurines, romantic group clusters, elaborate table fountains, birds and animals. Georges’ purchases would continue for four decades until the 1980s. Widowed in 1971, Gwen moved to Melbourne settling in Glen Iris and finally in Canterbury where she continued her output of ornamental wares including large ceramic lamps that Georges would collect by courier. In the 1970s Gwen also supplied hand-painted silks, ceramics, etched glass goblets and silver jewellery to Southern Cross Gallery. Late 1980 Gwen established Gidwyn Gallery on Whitehorse Road Deepdene. In 1986 she relocated to Coronet Bay establishing a home, workshop and gallery. Gwen continued to produce and sell her crafts and ceramics until her death in 1994.

MEETING Gwen Watson In 1980 I was already an established antique dealer with a shop in Canterbury. Advertising that I wanted to buy goods serendipitously lead to Gwen contacting me. ‘I want to open a pottery shop in Deepdene,’ she said very definitely. ‘I have antique furniture to sell.’ This meant visiting her home. As I approached, I saw every window overlaid with panels of leadlight and stained glass of horses, peacocks and images of Buddha – all her creations. As this bewigged, bubbly woman opened her front door, she was framed by walls covered with vertical wooden panelling ornately encrusted with oval ceramic plaques decorated with myths and symbols in burnished gold. Real peacocks roamed in her garden, while her bath was adorned with cream ceramic corner pieces of rearing seahorses specially made to fit over the bath edge complete with an ornate soap holder. I came away from her home without buying any antique furniture – instead, I was loaded down with her pottery including cream cats, my favourite nude fairies and lotus vase, ‘the kiss’ lamp, a lamp with cherubs, and another favourite, the blue bird of happiness with fairy rider.

EXHIBITIONS and commissions

Lamp with green glass insert, underglaze painted earthenware, h 28 cm. Photograph by Christopher Sanders

GWEN’S creative output Although ceramics was her first love, she worked in a variety of media. Her oeuvre included sculpture, glass engraving, leadlight work, working in silver – jewellery, enamelware, textiles – embroidery and tapestries. We feel that it is time for Gwen Watson to rightfully take her place in the annals of Australian art pottery and are presenting an exhibition and sale of an artist whose work to date has received little recognition ●

MAKER’S marks Gwen Watson signed her ceramics variously G.Watson, GW and GG (for Gidwyn Gallery).

Lidded bowl, underglaze painted earthenware, h 30 cm. Photograph by Christopher Sanders

Robin Kelly ROBIN HOOD ANTIQUES 03 9836 6589 / 0407 548 116 Collectors are invited to see these 150 remarkable works by Gwen Watson, dating from the 1950s to 1980s. This is possibly the last opportunity to view such a substantial collection before being auctioned by Leonard Joel on 3 March.

• 1950 exhibited 30 pieces at the Melbourne Arts and Crafts Exhibition. • 1981 commission from National Mutual Permanent Building Society for 20 pieces on the history of Australia to be exhibited in glass cabinets in the centre of the Royal Arcade, Melbourne. • Gwen worked straight into the clay from a design in her head, preceded by many hours of research. She said, ‘I robbed every library for material on the subjects so that everything is authentic.’ • I saw this exhibition but wonder where the • • collection is now. • Late 1980s ceramics exhibition at Leongatha Regional Art Gallery.

A TALENT recognised Many ceramics collectors remain unaware of Gwen Watson’s achievements in the artware field although she was the subject of interviews in Victorian newspapers (The Argus, Weekly Times, Melbourne Herald), the New Idea magazine. In around 2000 Australia’s foremost dealer in Australian ceramics and pottery, Marvin Hurnall came to see me. He had sold a pair of fantastical life sized mermaid lamps and was looking for more information about Gwen. His research lead him to me as I had a significant collection of her works, in a variety of media. Over the years, we became friends, paralleling the extension of my collection. What Marvin found to be very interesting about Gwen’s work was her representation of fauna and flora. He noted that her application of pierced and incised techniques to her pieces show the influence of Klytie Pate and Marguerite Mahood. The mermaid lamps are on permanent display at 401 Collins Street Melbourne. These lamps, which are approximately 183 cm tall (6 feet), follow the ornamental Art Nouveau style with their nude sinuous limply curving female forms.

CANTERBURY ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

ANTIQUES FOR THE BEDROOM add a stylish yet comforting dimension

urnishing with antiques gives style and comfort to the room where you spend the most time – the bedroom. As dealers we have stocked antique wooden beds many times, and are always reminded that these pieces add warmth, beauty and artisanship, enhancing any bedroom.

ANTIQUE beds Even though beds were generally made as double size, many are able to be adjusted to today’s queen size by lengthening their wooden rails. Requiring a king size bed definitely limits your choice of antique beds, but did you know

HUGE RANGE OF QUALITY FRENCH BEDS

Guy Page

PAGE ANTIQUES Formerly of High Street Armadale

“The best selection of queen-size beds”

e Hug

ded a o unl t s ju t n me p i h s

PAGE ANTIQUES WAREHOUSE 323 CANTERBURY RD, CANTERBURY VICTORIA 3126 PH 03 9880 7433 10 AM – 5 PM 7 DAYS (SUN 11 AM - 4 PM) Email: guypage@bigpond.com 0411 175 320 www.pageantiques.com.au

that the definition of the modern king size is the width of two single beds? Next time you are in a hotel king size bed, check underneath and you will often find two single bed bases. We will create an antique king bed for you from a pair of antique single beds that we always have in stock. The French wooden beds made between 1880 and 1920 feature beautiful carvings, while some have exquisitely detailed inlays. These decorative treatments incorporate brass, bronze or ormolu mounts and others occasionally incorporate mother-of-pearl.

BEDSIDE antiques Complementing and complimenting your antique bed by selecting original bedside cabinets. Alternately, use small tables or former commodes. These practical small bedside pieces provide space for a lamp, book, photo, clock or drink, with the added advantage of being a small storage unit. Another great storage unit is the bedroom armoire with its mirrored doors. This is a beautiful bedroom feature as well as a practical storage space when we adapt its interior with shelves for bed linen, doonas, towels, tops, jumpers, shoes and hats. Other practical bedroom antique furnishings are chests of drawers, diminutive desks or bureaux, small settees or love seats, armchairs or chairs, a cheval mirror or a lovely painted or textile screen. It depends on the size of your bedroom as to whether you want to create a cosy nook or a pleasant study area. Textiles can soften or accentuate the room as well as assist in linking furniture items from different eras. Select vintage curtains, bed linens, cushions, upholstery and ‘throws’ such as antique shawls or quilts. Always keep in mind the importance of detail and balance

ANTIQUE features and accents Gold touches are imaginative ways to lift the bedroom and add a touch of class: gilt mounts on your bed or bedside pieces, gold embellishments on your lamps, gold frames on mirrors, photo frames or prints. Gold will radiate elegance and give brilliance to warm furniture timbers.

Lighting is important, as a lovely chandelier, converted gas fixture or art deco ceiling light will be a prime feature. A variety of light sources can enhance areas and create moods, such as a standard lamp or a bridge lamp for reading, or table lamps created from antique Chinese porcelain vases or a standard lamp for mood lighting. Detail is important so include small focal items. Decorate with photos, lovely clocks or clock sets, books, vases with fresh flowers, figurines, or the traditional jug and basin set. Have as much or as little as you like. Always keep in mind the importance of detail and balance. Finally, remember to choose what you love and include items that have a history or convey meaning to you. The room should invite you in and reflect something of you as a person. Guy and I would love you to visit us. We would be honoured to help you create your special bedroom retreat with antiques. If you cannot visit our Canterbury Road antique warehouse, please select some ideas from our website www.pageantiques.com.au. Alternately, email or call us ● Guy & Trish Page PAGE ANTIQUES 03 9880 7433 guypage@bigpond.com.au www.pageantiques.com.au

CAMBERWELL / CANTERBURY / SURREY HILLS / RINGWOOD / CITY / MOONEE PONDS / BRUNSWICK ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Ms ROBIN KELLY’S

ROBIN HOOD

ANTIQUES & BEDS Thirty Beds. All Restored. All sizes including QUEEN SIZE and also KING Half Canopies and Lace Canopies, Furniture, Collectables, Kitchenalia, Dayton Shop Scales, Linen, Photographs and Bookroom

245 CANTERBURY RD (opposite Canterbury Station)

CANTERBURY, VICTORIA Established 40 years Open Tues/Frid 11 am - 4 pm, Sat 11 am - 5pm, Sunday 12 -5 pm or by appointment

Ph: 03 9836 8014 Mob: 0407 548 116 robindenisekelly@hotmail.com

Watchmakers and Jewellers Est. 1947

Camberwell ANTIQUE CENTRE 25-29 Cookson Street Camberwell VIC 3124

Tel 03 9882 2028 or 03 9813 1260 OPEN 7 DAYS

MACKLEY FINE ART ANTIQUES & DECORATIVE ITEMS Established 1966 PROPRIETORS: SIMON & EVAN MACKLEY 5 MAROONDAH HIGHWAY RINGWOOD VICTORIA 3134 OPEN SATURDAY, SUNDAY AND MONDAY 1 PM – 6 PM PHONE: 03 9870 0767 – 0427 821 233

RESTORING ANTIQUES OF TODAY

Trask

Antique Restorations French polishing Upholstery

Phone/Fax 03 9372 0850 0418 458 420 6 Hinkins Street Moonee Ponds 3039

www.mackleyfineart.com.au

SPECIALISING IN AFFORDABLE AUSTRALIAN ART, TO SUIT THE COLLECTOR & INVESTOR ALIKE

EXCLUSIVE FOR MELBOURNE

ARTISTS INCLUDE

Luminox watches Swiss made

• PRO HART • DAVID BOYD BILL COLEMAN • ERNEST BUCKMASTER• WILLIAM BOISSEVAIN SIDNEY NOLAN • JOHN SANTRY • CHARLES BLACKMAN • LES REES JOHN OLSEN • HUGH SAWREY • JOHN BORRACK • BRAD BOYD DAVID BROMLEY • JOHN PERCEVAL • BILL BEAVAN RAY CROOKE • CLIFFORD POSSUM • ROBERT DICKERSON MAREK WILINSKI • JOHN COBURN • GREG IRVINE • GERARD LANTS JOHN VANDER • CELIA PERCEVAL • DERMOTT HELLIER A.T. BERNALDO • C.D. WOOD • CHARLES BILLICH • DOROTHY BRAUND ANDRIS JANSONS • LEON HANSON • JASON DENARO • CAROLE MILTON AMBROSE GRIFFIN • PIERS BATEMAN AND MANY MORE

RESIDENT ARTIST: EVAN MACKLEY ANTIQUE & DECORATIVE ITEMS INCLUDE: DOULTON, WILLIAM RICKETTS, MURANO GLASS, SELECTED ANTIQUE FURNITURE & COLLECTABLES, ROYAL DUX, MOORCROFT, AMPHORA, CARLTON WARE, INDOOR AND OUTDOOR FIGURES & SCULPTURE

D REMIN

E R ! OUR OTHER GALLERY IS AT

THE OLDE HORSHAM VILLAGE WESTERN HIGHWAY HORSHAM VICTORIA 3400 OPEN EVERY AFTERNOON PHONE: 03 5382 1233 OR 5382 2306 VISITORS PLEASE PHONE BEFORE LONG TRAVEL

• Largest watch repair centre in Melbourne • We repair all brands of quartz automatic and mechanical watches and clocks • We do pressure testing to all brands of watches • We have the biggest range of watch bands and batteries in Melbourne, custom fitted • Expert restoration to all vintage wrist and pocket watches • Valuations and deceased estates a speciality • Will buy old watches and jewellery in any condition • We have the largest range of pocket watches in Melbourne • We stock vintage watches • Expert jewellery repairs • Seiko Repair Centre • Premier stockist of Thomas Sabo in Melbourne • Stockist of Swiss Military Hanowa watches

IN STOCK NOW

209 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne 3000 (Opposite GPO) Ph 03 9670 5353 Fax 03 9670 4236

8 January 2011

SATURDAY 10am-6pm 9 January 2011

SUNDAY 10am-4pm

St Pius Church Hall Morriss Road Warrnambool (off Raglan Parade – follow the arrows)

Enquiries: Robert Dennis Phone 03 9369 2306 Mobile 0414 248 120

WORLD’S GREATEST SHAVE 10 – 12 March 2011 The Leukaemia Foundation is urging Victorians to register and help raise money for patients and families living with leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Blood cancer is Australia’s second biggest cancer killer and the Leukaemia Foundation needs help to raise over $3.29 million in Victoria to help fund free support services and research into the causes, treatments and cures of blood cancer. Participants are encouraged to shave or colour their hair and fundraise for their efforts. HOW: To register to participate call 1800 500 008 or visit

www.worldsgreatestshave.com 17

ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

A selection of artists represented BY EASTGATE AND HOLST FINE ART

he directors Jillian Holst and Rod Eastgate established their gallery in 1988. Represented artists are an eclectic mix – the gallery’s philosophy is to promote and show only quality art from around Australia. Traditional or abstract, the style does not matter – an oil painting, a work on paper or a sculpture – it is the fineness of the work must stand out. All the exhibiting artists are highly respected and recognised with many works in the National Gallery of Australia, all state and many regional galleries, plus private and corporate collections. Below is a brief summary of the 12 artists illustrated on this issue’s back cover.

USA. With his first-hand experience of the evolving abstract expressionism in Australia and the USA, Crichton tapped into the spirit of his times, seeking to plumb the primal beginnings of human existence by reducing the human form to abstract shapes suggesting the totemic presence of humanity in the landscape.

ROGER KEMP (1908-1987): painter, printmaker

PHILIP DAVEY (b. 1949): painter, printmaker, ceramicist

JOHN BAIRD (b. 1954): painter, sculptor The paintings of John Baird are very reflective of the man: confident, entertaining, steady and calming. ‘A painting must first and foremost be a thing of beauty.’ Through this premise John seeks to establish a dialogue between his work and the viewer – his paintings often tell a story or betray a poetic thought, mysterious and sometimes comic.

Australia in 1958 continued to practice medicine in Bundaberg, Queensland. She became a fulltime painter in 1984. ‘I love the challenge of moving in and out of abstraction and realism, never knowing where I might end up.’ Hélène’s subject matter whether landscape, figurative or still life, is her unique interpretation. These contemporary paintings are recognisable scenes which often reflect a humorous side to everyday situations.

Philip Davey has been exploring different mediums and now limited edition prints and ceramics (raku) are part of his oeuvre. A founding member of the ‘500 Friday’ painting group, he spent almost every Friday for ten years painting en plein air: a ‘wonderful experience – it intensifies your observation of nature and hones your technical skills. Painting outside is fraught and sometimes frantic, you have to contend with time passing by, the landscape changes with the light and weather. A cloudy landscape can turn into a sunny wheatfield in a blink of an eye. When this happens instead of being frustrated, it often ends up as an addition in the painting – wonderful.’

DOROTHY BRAUND (b. 1926): painter, teacher

ROBERT GRIEVE (1924-2006): painter, printmaker

Braund has been independent and singleminded in pursuit of her art, from studies at the National Gallery School under Alan Sumner during the 1940s, an enduring association with teacher and artist George Bell and her long and productive life as painter, teacher and critic. ‘I’ve always been knocked out by simplicity. To me it‘s got such impact – far more than anything fussy – because you have to get it right. There’s no chance for accidental effects. If you are simple everything has to relate and work.’

In October 2005, Melbourne-born Grieve wrote, ‘I am rather reluctant to write about my paintings as I feel that it really is a dialogue between the painting and the viewer – in other words the painting should speak for itself... I endeavour to create paintings which combine elements of the visual world which excite and move me with a continuing fascination with the mediums I use. I hope that the results stimulate and sometimes disturb the viewer’s imagination and achieve an ordered elegance. I would like to think that the viewer can return to the painting and find new things in the work.’

Eaglehawk-born Kemp developed a unique style of nonrepresentational painting which drew on both geometric abstraction and abstract expressionism. To the early modern artists, the challenges of the cultural, spiritual and intellectual life brought about by the modern world left the individual with a deep sense of dislocation. To meet this challenge, Kemp attempted to bring the focus back to individual experience. Using art symbolically to restore a lost centre, he laboured to evolve a symbolic language which would effectively make his paintings revelatory.

GRAHAME KING (1915-2008): painter and printmaker Recognised as one of Australia’s leading printmakers working mainly in lithography, the majority of Melbourne-born King’s early work was in oil – firstly impressionist in style and then leaning towards abstract expressionism. By the early 1960s, he focussed on producing, teaching and promoting printmaking. A 2011 major survey exhibition at Eastgate & Holst will highlight pieces from King’s works.

JOHN NEESON (b. 1948): printmaker, painter, teacher Neeson believes he learnt from the best people: ‘…the facility of looking at a plate and working out in my mind how my approach to the plate will change the print, and how the finished print can appear to be totally different to what was the original concept of the plate. The primary concern is of mark making and the image has now for me become the vehicle upon which marks will travel.’ When a plate is first proofed, he scans the relationships of line to line, line to shape, line to colour. ‘The artwork becomes a visual trip or story with paths to follow and secrets to discover and a story unfolding as one progresses.’

JILL NOBLE (b. 1962): painter

KEN KNIGHT (b. 1956): painter Landscape images derived from a direct response to the subject form the integral theme in Knight’s work. An impressionist, he paints en plein air, painting in oils in a spontaneous and free manner. The challenge for Ken is in capturing the essence and spirit of a scene. By reducing the landscape and abstracting elements from it, he enables the viewer to make an intimate interpretation of the image.

RICHARD CRICHTON (b. 1935): painter, teacher

HÉLÈNE GROVE (b. 1946): painter

LES KOSSATZ (b. 1943): painter, printmaker, sculptor, stainedglass designer

In the late 1960s, Richard Crichton received a Harkness Fellowship to travel and study in the

Grove first qualified as a medical doctor in Transvaal, South Africa and after immigrating to

‘Kossatz never glides over subject matter. Once he has chosen an area of exploration in his

art he insists on tackling it from all angles and wringing every possibility of it.’ As an artist he believes he ‘should be an observer and recorder of life’ and as such, he has mastered and used these different mediums to get his beliefs across.

Noble’s current work is derived from both gathered and invented imagery, creating compositions with a landscape context. The repertoire of images she collects attempts to explain themes of boldness, drama, simplicity and order in a landscape scenario. The imagery is a type of reduced language in shape and symbol, motifs of their real counterparts in the physical world. These shapes and symbols tell a story about a landscape experienced rather than the painting of the landscape. These artists’ works are displayed through the year with special exhibitions at Eastgate & Holst on 158 Burwood Road in Hawthorn, open Monday to Friday between 9 and 5, and on Saturday from 10 to 4 ● EASTGATE & HOLST 03 9818 1656 eastgategallery@optushome.com.au www.eastgateholst.com.au

HAWTHORN / PRAHRAN ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

THE FRENCH STYLE AT IMAGE DE FRANCE

ustralians have an enduring love of beautiful homes and quality design. In terms of furniture, French antiques are unparalleled in the world. It is not surprising to find many Australians decorating their homes in formal French style and constantly searching for a new experience that triggers the Australian love affair with Paris. Look no further than in the heart of Prahran; immerse yourself in the essence and beauty of French furniture, lifestyle, art and décor at Image De France Gallery and Cafe, which includes our new French-style patisserie. Located in High Street, this is the newer of Image de France’s two specialised stores, the original gallery is at Hawthorn. A visit to either gallery will be nothing short of inspiring. Australians have a great appreciation of European style, culture and art as keys to the casual timeless elegance that we appreciate. Throughout Image de France galleries, delicate porcelain Sèvres, antique clocks and bronze figurines rest upon intricately hand-carved cabinets and masterpieces line the walls.

eye. We also have an original lithograph, In Search of the 4th Dimension, which was Dali’s final painting. Our selection of Salvador Dali are authenticated by Robert Descharnes, the world’s best known art critic specialising in Salvador Dali’s work and preventing fraudulent Dali copies.

STORY of Image De France

A selection of classical European artwork from Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall and Miro are on show and for sale. They are all original coloured lithographs, low edition, signed and numbered by the artist. Marc Chagall’s The Lovers are signed in a plate and numbered, all with provenance of Mourlot Frères from the Galerie Maeght-Lelong in Paris. We have an original coloured lithograph of one of Pablo Picasso’s most famous abstract portraits of women, signed by Picasso. One of Salvador Dali’s most popular compositions was completed in 1955 after nine months of work, The Last Supper, a classic theme rendered with surrealist techniques, a masterpiece that captures the

George Manoly, founder of Image De France, is an architect who started his business to fulfil his passion for high quality hand carved French style furniture. He incorporates his skilful interpretations of a design, putting into the equation the close relationship he has with the craftsmen, that results in the beautiful designs that elevates the spirit of the makers and of the people who see them. George and his team of dedicated artisans continue to give Australian homes a unique touch of Paris, combining his over 30 years in interior design and architecture, and provide comprehensive design consultation. So come and wander through our gallery of French furniture, European paintings, bronze statues, chandeliers, clocks, Sèvres vases and glassware – we have something that will liven up every room of your house. Why not just stop for a coffee, indulge in the elegant ambiance and look at some of the most viewed masterpieces in history? Many pieces within the galleries have a story that stretches from one of the most artistic and opulent periods in French history, to present-day Australia. The sense of occasion that this creates within the gallery is met with an appreciation for the commitment required in sourcing and bringing the pieces together. For further information, please contact either gallery or view selections on our website ●

Salvador Dali, The Last Supper

Pablo Picasso

ARTWORKS

George Manoly IMAGE DE FRANCE HAWTHORN GALLERY 03 9815 1922 PRAHRAN GALLERY 03 9529 5003 idf@imagedefrance.com www.imagedefrance.com

SOUTH YARRA ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

WANTED

NOW BUYING $$ CASH PAID $$ FOR YOUR UNWANTED GOLD JEWELLERY Chains, bracelets, rings, pendants, fob chains, cufflinks. Also buying gold coins, ingots, bullion, sovereigns

WATCHES WANTED PATEK - ROLEX - OMEGA - IWC Collections Fine Jewellery will consider any wrist or pocketwatch. Cash paid for Cartier, Breitling, Tudor, Jaeger LeCoultre, Vacheron Constanin, Tag Heuer, Chopard, Panerai, Audermars Piguet, Breguet, Chronoswiss, Girard-Perrigaux, Glashutte, A. Lange & Sohne, Longines, Piaget, Zenith, Rolex, to name a few

COLLECTIONS FINE JEWELLERY • Tel 03 9867 5858 148 Toorak Rd, South Yarra • www.collectionsfinejewellery.com Open Hours Monday-Friday 10am-5.30pm, Saturday 10am-4pm

THE WHICH AND WHAT OF WRISTWATCHES

The idiotic fashion of carrying one’s clock on the most restless part of the body, exposed to the most extreme temperature variations, on a bracelet, will, one hopes, soon disappear. — Prof. H. Bock, Hamburg, 1917

n Elizabethan England, the Queen decorated her wrist with an ornamental watch, heavily encrusted with jewels and gold. While no one is sure who invented the wristwatch, David Rousseau made a watch that was 18 mm in diameter in the late 1600s, a marvel of miniaturisation. And while ornamental watches wandered in and out of fashion for a time, nothing serious became of the wristwatch for 300 years. In 1880 Girard-Perregaux, among other Swiss firms, provided wristwatches for the German Navy. They were round watches made of gold and the cases were worn on a metal chain band. These were presumably the first wristwatches in series (and serious) production. The wristwatch first proved itself as a practical military device during the Boer War. This experience had a positive effect on the civilian market. Wristwatches gained worldwide use in World War I. Soldiers on both sides realised that modern warfare no longer allowed one the luxury

of unbuttoning an overcoat and uniform jacket to look at one’s watch. But the first significant success of the wristwatch was before 1910 among women who were both style conscious and employed. Women’s pocket watches were often converted to wristwatches but after 1910, the wristwatch, as opposed to these ornamental watches, became an important product for Swiss manufacturers. Many turned back to the pocket watch after the Armistice for it had become a symbol of the ‘good old days’. The younger generation, though, held on to the more practical wristwatch. Concepts such as modern, sporting and progressive were now linked to the wristwatch, while the pocket watch attracted the more conservative buyer. In 1904 Cartier made a special model wristwatch for Brazilian air pioneer Santos Dumont (the original ‘Cartier Santos’) while Charles Lindbergh relied on a wrist chronograph by Longines for his 1927 trans-Atlantic flight. When in 1927 Mercedes Gleitz swam the English Channel with a Rolex Oyster on her arm, the advertising success impressed many. In 1928 for the first time wristwatches outsold pocket watches, and by 1935 over 85% of watches produced were wristwatches. Early in 1930 the Rolex Watch Co introduced the Rolex Oyster Perpetual – the first waterproof and self-winding wristwatch. By 1940 wristwatches came in all shapes and sizes. After years of neglect and ignominy, including having movements cannibalised for spare parts and their cases melted down for gold and silver content, old wristwatches, particularly models from the early 1920s-40s, have come into their own. Vintage Rolex and collectable Cartier, etc are achieving record prices.

It is eloquent testimony to the persistent high stylishness of premium wristwatches that jewellers in Rome and Paris will display a 1920s Patek Phillipe right next to a new model. Antique stores in London will sell a Reversible Jaeger LeCoultre, or a vintage Audemars Piguet as decorative jewellery like a piece of Fabergè. Right now Australia is the cheapest place in the world for quality vintage wristwatches. The number of shops building up a decent collection and providing a full restoration and repair service is growing. But this is not going unnoticed by overseas dealers and tourists. The number of good watches sold in this country but ending up on lucrative markets overseas is staggering. To today’s collector, these older watches have appeal. They are hand-made wonders of technical mastery that, while less accurate than quartz watches, satisfy a deeper need than perfection. Watches from the 1920s-40s are the most popular. They are attractive investments because they are portable wealth of intrinsic value. People buy and wear them because they have technical features of interest. When choosing a vintage wristwatch, buy what you like to look at. But consider other factors, especially condition. A good watch will have had a good caretaker in years gone by. The dial should be original, not repainted. Check the case for signs of repair or wear. Are the movement and bracelet (if permanently attached) the same make as the case? Brand names are important. The most sought after is Patek Phillipe; other top names include Audemars Piguet, Vacheron & Constantin, Cartier, Tiffany and Universal Geneve. With the top collectors specialising almost exclusively on these names (and a few others), there are thousands of watches of

lesser known names out there. These watches are not necessarily lacking in style, charm or technical reliability. The increase in popularity of Art Deco wristwatches in the past two years has rendered the less trendy older watches better buys. It is not unusual to find a solid 9ct gold lady’s 1920s wristwatch in some bric-à-brac shop or market for under $100. With a little restoration and care from a reputable restorer, these will become valuable antiques in the future. For the serious collector, the joy of finding say a 1930s Rolex Oyster or an original Patek Moonphase is unimaginable. The range and diversity of the early wristwatch is mind boggling: silver and gold half-hunter wristwatches, Longines cushion shaped or chronographs, Jaeger Reversos, Rolex Prince Doctor’s watch, Junior Prince or Sporto models, hooded bubble backs, military watches, aviators models, etc. Whatever you to buy and wear, will be a constantly ticking reminder of a time gone by ● Ron Gregor COLLECTIONS FINE JEWELLERY 03 9867 5858 www.collectionsfinejewellery.com

ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Desk, late 19th century, made by Edwards and Roberts, England

Card table, c. 1886, stamped Gillows & Co. 4632, amboyna and ebonised with parcel gilding

A look at three significant ENGLISH FURNITURE MAKERS

rom about 1735, furniture styles began to change more rapidly in England with many innovations of style by designers and manufacturers of furniture. However, it was unusual for English furniture makers to identify their work. Normally this was done by stamping the company’s name on the furniture. English makers who identified their furniture were of the more prestigious companies. It therefore follows that stamped furniture from a recognisable maker is highly desirable. Meet three furniture makers who identified their furniture by stamping their names – and those names have variations that reflect their commercial status at different times or locations.

GILLOWS The Gillows family firm was established in Lancaster in the early 1730s. Remarkably,

almost all its order books and salesmen’s notes remain in archives to provide specific provenance and artisan details. The practice of stamping GILLOWS LANCASTER started around 1780 and continued until 1817 when the company moved to London. Gillows fitted out entire buildings in London providing wallpapers, fixtures and fittings. Between 1780 and 1830, they remained leaders in the furniture trade. In the early Victorian period, Gillows was a leader in making ‘sub-classical’ furniture based on Regency patterns and also influenced by the designs of the architect A W Pugin. Furniture made in mid-Victorian times featured crisper curves and more inlay. In this period, pieces were stamped ‘Gillow and Co.’ and sometimes with a number following that may refer to a stock number. A Gillow small games table, based on Regency designs and richly veneered and inlaid, was stamped ‘Gillow 7585’. The entry dated 4 May 1869 in the Gillows Orders Books records it as a Princess Table. It was repeated the next year as a Prince’s Table for the Duke of Northumberland. Their late Victorian pieces, in an era of eclecticism and ‘Free Renaissance’ revivals, were made by Waring and Gillows (Contracts) Ltd. One such piece was a rosewood cabinet carved and inlaid with ivory and mother-ofpearl, stamped ‘Gillows, 16575’ that appeared in an 1887 edition of The Art Journal. A card table made by Gillows & Co about 1886 was of amboyna and ebonised with parcel gilding. By 1894, Gillows had absorbed a competitor, Collinson and Lock that had also typically stamped its name on its furniture.

EDWARDS & Roberts

Gentlemen’s press, c. 1870, made by Holland and Sons, England

This Victorian furniture manufacturer specialised in reproductions of earlier styles. It was possibly founded in 1845 but only first listed in the 1854 Kelly’s Post Office Directory of London. The manufacturer was described as

‘antique and modern cabinet makers and importers of ancient furniture.’ A chair in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London bears an imitation ivory label stamped EDWARDS & ROBERTS, 148-160 WARDOUR ST, 532 OXFORD ST. LONDON. It is therefore likely that is was made after 1892, as this is when the firm occupied premises at these locations. They became one of the leading London cabinetmakers and retailers. They also were restorers of the finest antique furniture. Edwards and Roberts specialised in marquetry, inlay and ormolu, with a desk a testimony to their excellence.

HOLLAND & Sons Holland & Sons was founded in 1803. Soon in partnership with Stephen Taprell, the firm was known as Taprell and Holland until 1835, then Taprell Holland and Sons for ten years and Holland and Sons after 1843. Its furniture bears a stencilled label of Holland and Sons. In 1852, it incorporated Thomas Dowbiggin and worked from their Mount Street premises in London. Holland and Sons received commissions for furnishing many government buildings in London in the 19th century as well as royal commissions including Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. Holland and Sons won a prize at the Great Exhibition of 1851. The Victoria and Albert Museum, London now hold one notable piece sent to the 1855 Paris Exhibition. Gottfried Semper, an exiled German architect, designed this cabinet and stand in ebony, with Wedgwood plaques and gilt mounts. Another piece in the museum is an inlaid cabinet with gilt mounts, part of a suite made in 1868. A piece of functional furniture made with exceptional timbers is a mahogany press. It is stamped Holland & Sons and dates from the midVictorian period, c. 1870. Holland and Sons used the most modern machinery available in their workshops. They closed in 1942.

VISIT Lavin Antiques Variety and quality is our aim at Lavin Antiques, specialising in European furniture ranging from the 18th to 20th century, including a selection from the UK and Australia. Our collection includes the three pieces illustrated as well as other examples of the same high standard, including Wilkinson & Sons. We are located at 950 Stanley Street East (corner of Longlands Street), East Brisbane ● If in Sydney, hopefully you are attending the 18–22 May 2011 Great Sydney Antiques Fair, as Lavin Antiques will be bringing fine pieces for collectors. If you would like to receive complimentary tickets, please contact

LAVIN ANTIQUES 07 3391 2300 info@lavinantiques.com.au www.lavinantiques.com.au Further reading Louise Ade Boger, The Complete Guide to Furniture Styles (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons 1969) Ralph Fastnedge, English Furniture Styles (London: Penguin Books 1962) Helen Hayward (ed), World Furniture: An Illustrated History (Feltham: Hamlyn House 1972)

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English makers who identified their furniture were of the more prestigious companies

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ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

PACK & SEND ART AND ANTIQUE SPECIALISTS Museums, art galleries and antique dealers Australiawide are finding our service truly valuable and ask us to take care of the entire logistical process

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 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 on 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.

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, to archaeological artefacts, to large oversize paintings and 100-year-old antique chandeliers, Pack & Send have the expertise to transport it safely. The team at Pack & Send look forward to the opportunity to offer their services in solving any packaging or freight problem you might have ● PACK & SEND 1300 668 000 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.

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Pack & Send is Australia’s leading expert in customised solutions for freight and packing requirements

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CITY ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

BRIAN HIRST GLASS at Veronica George Gallery

tudying fine arts at the Gippsland Campus of Monash University in the late 1970s, Brian Hirst eventually built its glass blowing facilities. After moving to Sydney, he established the Glebe Glass Studio. Currently, Hirst is one of Craft Australia’s Master of Australian Craft, 2008-

2010, in its Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft series. Hirst has held an international exhibition profile for 30 years. He was Australia’s representative in the 1991 Novy Bor International Glass Symposium in the Czech Republic, and now looks forward to his next

Consignments wanted

Unika series, with 23-carat gold, silver and copper foils rolled into the layers of hot glass

solo show in New York. His works are in numerous private and public collections including the Corning Museum of Glass, USA and the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. In his studio practice in Sydney he makes his designs and commissioned works, such as the Sydney Peace Prize. Teaching appointments include Sydney College of the Arts and the Canberra School of Arts in Australia; Osaka and Tama Universities in Japan; Wanganui Polytechnic in New Zealand; Reitveldt Academy in Amsterdam; and US institutions in California, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

the traditional blown glass method, with each piece individually signed and numbered. The central motif has landscape references drawn onto the surface with foils and coloured glass canes. These works are a combination of Hirst’s love of materials and interest in contemporary Asian design influences. The strong vermilion and orange internal colours of the Unika series further develop his recent successful Astral series that was first exhibited at the Veronica George Gallery. Veronica George Gallery is open seven days, Monday to Saturday 10 am to 5:30 pm and Sundays from 11 am to 5:30 pm ●

UNIKA series The use of 23-carat gold, silver and copper foils rolled into the layers of hot glass emphasise the surfaces and the dynamic new shape of Hirst’s latest sculptural vessels. He combines up to 12 layers of glass and foils in

With three major numismatic auctions, be a part of our success in 2011. Contact our Sydney office (02) 9223 4578 or our Melbourne office (03) 9600 0244 for a free, confidential valuation.

www.noble.com.au

NOBLE N U M I S M A T I C S

P T Y

L T D

ground ﬂoor 169 macquarie street sydney info@noble.com.au level 7 / 350 collins street melbourne noblemelbourne@hotkey.net.au Brian Hirst at work

VERONICA GEORGE GALLERY 03 9500 9930 veronica@veronicageorge.com.au www.veronicageorge.com.au

CITY ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

HOW TO BUILD A JEWELLERY WARDROBE

he first consideration is: what would you include in your basic jewellery wardrobe? Many consider the following jewellery as the essentials: a good watch; gold, silver or pearl day earrings and old-cut diamond double drop antique earrings for evening; a day necklace of silver, gold or opaque gems, or a bold pendant; an evening gem necklace; a string of pearls; a cuff bangle; and a stylish cocktail ring. Antique and vintage jewellery offer an extravaganza of choices to build a truly individual and striking jewellery wardrobe. With clever planning, it is possible to choose pieces that can be worn day and night.

WATCH for day and night A stunning day watch could be a splendid retro item. The gold watch with a ruby and diamond flower cornucopia covering its face once belonged to Martha Scott (1914-2003), American actor and producer on stage, in radio, movies and television. A sleek diamond art deco evening watch by Jules Jurgensen complements contemporary eveningwear. An early 20th century watch with an enamelled link band and a pristine face surrounded by bright diamonds and rich blue sapphires (6) is equally suitable for night and day wear.

EARRINGS Day earrings could be a pair of antique marquise-shaped drops (1) with fine pierced work and granulation, knots with tassels, or gold studs with a seed pearl centre. Antique pique earrings gleaming with a geometric design of gold and silver set in tortoiseshell are stylish both day and night. While doubledrop diamond earrings are always a statement (2), consider wearing antique crescent moon and star earrings in pearl and diamond (4), or distinctive natural aquamarine antique earrings. All are understated enough to double easily as your day earrings.

NECKLACES Your day necklace could be a Victorian graduated flat gold tube terminating in tassels (5) – so contemporary in appearance that it could be mistaken for recent retro. You

might prefer a handsome Victorian locket (8) worn at the base of your neck or swinging low on a long chain or cord. Perhaps you might wear a guard chain either dramatically long or looped several times – some days with a favourite locket or Victorian seal on the catch. A wonderful Victorian snake necklace, studded with foiled emeralds on the head and locket, is a fabulous statement for day and night, whether work or leisure.

Mary Alfredson JAMES ALFREDSON 03 9671 3955 jewels@jamesalfredson.com www.jamesalfredson.com

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Antique and vintage jewellery offer an extravaganza of choices

BANGLES and cuffs Your cuff bangle might be an exuberant 1940s gold ribbed cuff. It is such fun to sparkle with colourful bejewelled art deco charms through the day and into the night. You might choose a versatile French antique silver cuff, rich with embossed flowers (7). Perhaps your preference is for a narrow bangle, with options of an elegant Victorian bangle with fine wirework and granulation set with diamond and sapphires, or a fine gold mesh bangle with a diamond buckle motif (3), or a bangle studded with sugarloaf cabochon amethysts. It is exciting to build a collection, perhaps with a bangle each birthday, to wear en masse up your wrist.

COCKTAIL ring A cocktail ring is the finishing touch when dressing for many occasions. Large antique and vintage rings are available for a superb individual choice – whether it is a French diamond architectural ring, circa 1940, or a striking art deco ring with a large 13-carat blue zircon and diamonds, or any of the vast range available from James Alfredson. Any good plan leaves room for a spontaneous decision to buy a quirky or special piece to wear and celebrate many occasions – it may become your ‘signature’ piece of jewellery. You are invited to view all the above jewellery at James Alfredson located in historic Howey Place, Melbourne CBD. Our salon is open weekdays from 10 am to 5 pm, on Saturdays from 10 am to 1.30 pm, but closed on public holidays. Happy Christmas and New Year to all our customers, readers and browsers. May there be a James Alfredson gift box under your Christmas tree! ●

AUTHENTIC ANTIQUE A N D E S TAT E J E W E L S 26 HOWEY PLACE, MELBOURNE ( WA L K T H R O U G H 2 3 4 C O L L I N S S T R E E T ) TEL: 03 9671 3955

JAMESALFREDSON.COM

ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

MEANINGFUL VALUATION of jewellery = CSi + forensic analysis

n expert valuer requires many basic qualifications, commencing with knowledge in all of gemmology, diamond grading, jewellery manufacturing techniques, antique and period jewellery, wristwatches and pocket watches, hallmarking of jewellery and precious metal testing. In addition to all of the above, many years of experience are required. The most essential skill is the ability to translate all the technical, design, historical and provenance data into what is relevant in the current marketplace. Only then can one arrive at a ‘value’ that is meaningful for the end users of a written valuation, whether owners, insurers or probate.

VALUATIONS have many interesting challenges One of the problems facing a practising jewellery valuer is that any imaginable (and never imagined) item can appear before you for valuation: you are required to use a broad range of skills. For example, when identifying a gemstone, a loose gem is much easier to identify than a gem that is set, as testing procedures are limited once set. Frequently a valuer needs to decide if an item of jewellery is a genuine antique or a modern reproduction. A valuer often does not know the history of the jewellery and so has no information to start with. It can be likened to CSI and forensic analysis, so assumptions and identifications are determined by examination and testing. In order to identify the origin of the gemstone and metal mount a logical sequence of examination and testing needs to occur to arrive at the correct answers. 1. The gemstone must be identified, whether natural or synthesised in a laboratory. 2. The precious metal needs to be tested and identified, such as the grade of silver, whether sterling (.925 pure) or other grades (Scandinavian silver is frequently .800). 3. What about the method of manufacture – is it handmade or cast or a combination of both?

A GEMMOLOGICAL challenge The jeweller may be asked to value a necklace set with a multitude of cut gemstones, which could be a mixture of amethyst, citrine, zircon, garnet, iolite, topaz, peridot, emerald and synthetic ruby. Imagine the challenge from a large pearl necklace – are they from the South Seas or are they freshwater pearls? They

look very similar to one another, but have totally different values. There are now rubies on the market that are of really very low quality. They have been treated by heating and the addition of molten glass to fill the cracks in the stones which increases clarity. The value of this type of ruby is extremely low and can be very misleading for the purchaser. There are other treatments of rubies, so depending on the treatment, a wide range of values can be attributed to each gemstone sold as a ‘ruby.’ This has the potential to defraud prospective buyers. An interesting valuation was that of a lovely sapphire and diamond ring with a series of English hallmarks on the band. A closer examination revealed that the stamps were fake. The marks were actually cast into the ring and therefore clearly a modern reproduction, and of course fraudulent. The other sign that the ring was not antique was that modern diamonds that were set in the ring did not occur until at least the 1950s. Another challenge was with a blue stone and diamond ring. The blue stone looked exactly like a blue Ceylonese sapphire – testing proved that it was an unusual blue stone called kyanite. This is a fragile stone and so the wearer has to be very careful not to crack it. New deposits of the mineral have recently been discovered, so it will be seen more frequently on the market, yet few will know its true (low) value. The above examples show just the tip of the iceberg of this vast subject. When seeking advice or valuations, a qualified and experienced person is obviously required to unravel the science and complexities of jewellery, watches and other items of personal adornment. The best thing about using a professional valuer is that you will get a precise description of the article along with an accurate current replacement price. A valuation is a legal document: it validates the existence of the items should either damage or loss occur ● NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWELLERY VALUERS www.ncjv.com.au

REGISTERED VALUERS IN VICTORIA John Adam Michael Albrecht James Alfredson Mary Alfredson Sarah Alaysh Larissa Baker Ronnie Bauer David Benjamin Anne Berry Peter J. Bird John Bourke Jessica Bowen Laura Brehaut Leigh Brimley Jane Bulmer Amanda Catanach Leon Corn Monica Crofts Marlene Crowther Claire Cutrupi Chantelle Denbrok Bronwyn Dunn Elise Dunn Barry Ensil Bronwnyn Evans Geoffrey Farmer Denise Farrell Frank Fedele Bradley Finn Michael Glendenning David Grounds Rebecca Gruber Perry Hannah Chris Holdsworth Clinton Hosking Michael Ivanyi Stephan Jenkinson Greg John Amira Kay Pauline Kushnir Antony Lane Lesley Longmuir Darren Lucas Stewart Lynas Daniel Madia Paul Mahajan Katrina Marchioni Lisa Masciovecchio Rikki McAndrew Alison Mills Paul Minzenmay Robyn Montrec Stevan Morrow Claire Oriander Neil Rickard Morry Rubenstein Bernie Santen Lynda Scott Patricia Sedgwick Rox Yogendran Selladurai Lora Shen David Smith Emile Snare Neeraj Sood Cliff Stephens Melanie Sykes Chey Tenenboim Alan Thomas Jamie L Thomas Jeremy C Thomas Maria Torres Glenn Travaglini Mark Trickey Mike Walsh Mary-Lou Walsh Paul Whittaker Brett Wood Kathryn Wyatt

03 9885 6847 03 9670 8384 03 9509 0311 03 9671 3955 0438 070 909 0417 540 584 03 9654 1501 03 9670 9416 03 9509 0311 03 9650 3830 03 9663 2658 03 9593 1385 03 9654 1550 03 9593 1590 03 9761 1119 03 9509 0311 03 9650 3830 03 9654 2057 03 9500 9659 03 9827 0229 0403 147 568 03 9728 6646 0408 303 408 03 9830 0199 03 9583 9299 03 9431 5478 03 9580 1867 03 9525 0987 03 9497 2993 03 9702 3365 03 9465 6677 0401 374 258 03 9523 6603 03 9827 2747 03 6324 2355 03 9822 5957 03 9650 7221 03 9650 3830 0411 566 027 03 9602 3712 03 9654 0531 0412 327 536 0409 616 669 03 5821 4679 03 9654 1866 0430 448 833 0419 937 885 03 9650 3371 03 9867 3827 03 5975 0467 03 5975 2439 0412 687 604 03 9826 1835 0411 512 652 03 9663 9002 03 9848 4428 03 9557 9555 03 5223 2800 03 9508 9901 03 9533 0601 0430 081 708 03 9663 2658 03 9465 6677 0420 400 903 03 9882 3906 0427 524 130 03 9530 3260 03 9593 1385 03 9650 5555 03 5331 1311 03 9663 5088 03 9469 2205 03 9878 7459 03 9873 5121 03 9654 1585 03 5222 2044 03 5223 2800 03 9569 5391

John Adam Jeweller Albrecht Jewellers

Julavou Klepner’s Jewellers & Valuers Benjamin’s Jewellery World Catanach’s Jewellers Pty Ltd Abrecht Bird Jewellers NatLab

Autumn Gallery Catanach’s Jewellers Pty Ltd Abrecht Bird Jewellers I Crofts Pty Ltd Catanach’s Jewellers Diamond Consulting Australia Chantelle Jewel Pty Ltd B.E. Dunn Jewellery Valuation Services

AGR Matthey Little Gem Valuations Fedele Jewellery Pty Limited Bradley Finn Jewellers Gilbert & Jones Grounds Jewellers All Gem Jewellers Holdsworth Bros Jewellers Stuart Master Jewellers - Armadale Australian Gem Testing Laboratory Abrecht Bird Jewellers M Kamin & Co Simons Prestige

Purdeys Hourglass Jewellers Grounds Jewellers A Wiener & Co Robert H Parker & Sons Pty Ltd

Minzenmay’s Jewellers Imp Jewellery Hollowoay Diamonds Wesselton Fine Jewellery David East Jewellers Bentleigh Jewellers Brett’s Artworks Pty Ltd Sothebys Australia Jewel Testing Lab Gem Trade Laboratory Australian Gemological Laboratory Stephens & Miller

Precious Metals Fine Jewellery Thomas Jewellers Thomas Jewellers Torres Jewel Co Pty Ltd Paton Place Jewellery B & VO Trickey The Jewellery Valuers The French Jewel Box Brett’s Artworks Pty Ltd Imogene Antique & Fine Jewellery

CITY / HAWTHORN EAST / RESERVOIR ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

JOSHUA McCLELLAND PRINT ROOM Early Australian Prints & Paintings, Natural History Prints, Etchings & Linocuts of the 1930s, Chinese Porcelain and other Oriental Works of Art. Kangxi period 1662-1722, large Chinese porcelain dish, bold aster design in underglaze blue, diam. 38.7

15 Collins Street, (2nd Floor) Melbourne 3000

03 9654 5835

H E R I TA G E

SILVERWARE & RESTORATION P/L SILVERSMITHING REPAIRS POLISHING LACQUERING SILVERPLATING GOLDPLATING MANUFACTURE ANTIQUE FINISHES

TROPHIES • DECORATIVE ARTS • CHURCH WARE DOMESTIC & COMMERCIAL DINING All works carried out in our workshop by experienced silversmiths

SALES & WORKSHOP We also buy and sell Ph: 03 9460 1123 11 KURNAI AVENUE, RESERVOIR 3073 www.heritagesilverware.com.au

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.

ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Take a voyage of discovery at SCHOTS HOME EMPORIUM

irst established in 1978, Schots Home Emporium is today recognised as Australia’s leading importer and retailer of mood-enhancing architectural, fittings and furniture. With an expansive retail store discerning homemakers can select from the largest and most exquisite range of wood or gas-fuelled fireplaces; marble or polished timber mantles; heritage bathroom ware, marble toped timber vanity units, tiles and tap ware; heritage style lighting and ceiling roses; fine brass accessories and feature doors; stunning sculptures and artefacts; and original and reproduction items of furniture. The comprehensive and extensive range allows you to accurately reflect any era, match and enhance your desired décor and create a delightful atmosphere in any setting – all according to personal taste. At Schots, we believe that renovating the old or appointing the new should not only add romance and refinement to a room, but also be an investment that adds value to your home. This is why we spare no effort in sourcing and stocking only the finest quality products from around the world.

AUSTRALIA’S largest collection of French styled marble chimney pieces Whether you’re looking to make a fireplace the feature of a quaint period cottage you’re renovating, or a charming centrepiece of a brand new house you’re building, Schots Home Emporium is uniquely equipped to help create the exact aesthetic look you’re after. Our pieces display a taste for the exquisite that is out of the ordinary. Select from the classic formality and beautiful bold lines of British marble mantle

designs, or create wonderful moods of statuesque grandeur (laced with whimsy) with the free-flowing curves of French designs. Complement your fireplace with the perfect insert, fascia, grate or tile. The superb choice of marble colours is an opportunity to reflect any era and enhance your setting. Schots believes that a fireplace should not only add romance and refinement to a room, but also be an investment that adds value to your home. Our Victorian style white Carrara and Marquina marble mantles are individually crafted to the exact proportions of antique originals. The faithful reproduction of our hand-carved French and English style creations is done with the most meticulous

attention to fine detail under the watchful eye of master stone masons making our unusually beautiful – and intricate – replicas virtually impossible to distinguish from the genuine article. Schots’ exclusive Marble Mantle Collection is all about giving you the freedom to unearth the uncommon and create a distinctive focal point in your home that you can enjoy and guests can admire. Not just at a price that’s surprisingly affordable, but which represents true value for money. Our specialist staff can be relied on to give you expert assistance, and personally show you a host of inspiring displays.

AUSTRALIA’S largest collection of marble topped timber vanities There are any number of bathroom stores that simply offer the everyday. But if you’re looking to create a private world of sensory pleasure where you can pamper yourself in surrounds that make you feel special, then look no further than the unusually beautiful Bathroom Collection of Schots Home Emporium. Boasting an expansive collection of finely crafted fittings and cabinetry, create a bathroom interior with personality and the stamp of individual flair. Use any combination of freestanding (or unfitted) elements to create a contemporary or old world mood like no other. You can choose to adorn an attentiongrabbing feature vanity with underslung basins and white Carrara marble tops from Italy. Incorporate distortion-free matching mirrors and turn it into a striking centrepiece that draws the eye and creates a magical illusion of more space in a room. You can call on elegant tall boys to supply extra storage with unmatched style. Or use specially crafted cabinetry to make the most of a corner area. Theme your décor in cognac coloured, polished cherry wood, or perhaps the beautifully fluted French white furnishings might sit better in your home. Whatever the preference, we provide you with the opportunity to design a look and create an ambience that is as grand, understated or fashionably eclectic as you like. With our Elite range, the possibilities are limited only by your imagination ● For more information, simply call or visit our website SCHOTS HOME EMPORIUM 1300 463 353 www.schots.com.au

ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

1937 pattern florin, struck by Royal Mint, London. Portrait of Edward VIII tooled off following his abdication from the throne on 11 December 1936

Taylor gold sixpence, c. 1855, struck at Kangaroo Office, Melbourne

AUSTRALIA’S MYSTERY COINS: Square halfpennies, gold sixpences and shillings

ow can an Australian gold sovereign bear the year 1853, predating its official year of issue by two years? Such a coin does exist and is now valued at $950,000. Were Australians really using square coins in 1920? A 1920 square halfpenny sold at auction in July 2007 for $382,000, yet official mint records indicate that square coins were never released into circulation in Australia. Who has heard of an Australian shilling that was gold? King Farouk of Egypt had one!

MYSTERIES solved The 1853 gold sovereign, the 1920 square halfpenny and the 1855 gold sixpence are all Australian ‘pattern’ coins. The term pattern reflects their status as trial coins, struck for consideration as potential circulating pieces to test a new design, shape and/or metal. Pattern coins never made it beyond the test stage and for various reasons they were never issued as coinage and thus never went into circulation. Pattern coins are exceedingly rare and very prestigious. In the main, the reasons they never made it beyond the test stage were tied to great events or catastrophes. By their very nature, pattern coins chart the course of economic, political and social change and are an integral part of Australia’s history.

1853 SOVEREIGN and half-sovereign Among Australia’s earliest patterns are the 1853 sovereign and half-sovereign. They were produced as part of planning for the striking of colonial Australia’s first sovereign and half sovereign at the Sydney Mint in 1855. Three pairs were struck, of which two are in museums in England and Wales. Only the third pair is available to collectors, sold in 1992 for $141,000 and now valued at over one million dollars.

1920 SQUARE kookaburra halfpenny and penny The 1920 square halfpenny is 14 mm in width and features a scrawny kookaburra, the first of two square halfpennies tested at the Melbourne Mint. The second produced in 1921 featured a plumper kookaburra. These two halfpenny designs and 11 versions of the square penny were trialled at the Melbourne Mint between 1919 and 1921. It was part of the Federal Government’s plan for change after WWI, introducing a new square coinage that featured Australia’s native bird. Less than 200 coins were struck during the three-year test period, passed to officials and

businesses to ascertain reactions. The idea gradually began to lose favour as the community showed resistance to change, and a new federal government dropped the square coin scheme. The kookaburra pattern coins have an impressive financial growth, as a 1919 square penny bought for $86,000 in April 2008 had exceeded $10,000 for the first time just a decade earlier.

1853 KANGAROO gold pattern coins The kangaroo patterns struck in gold by 19th century British entrepreneur W J Taylor represent a brief and fascinating piece of colonial Australian history. In the 1850s, Taylor established a private mint known as the Kangaroo Office in Melbourne to strike gold coins of 2, 1, 1/2 and 1/4 ounces. He also prepared dies for a gold shilling and sixpence, striking a small number of coins to demonstrate his operations and to elicit funds from potential investors. His aim was to buy gold at low goldfield prices and resell it at full value as a currency. The operation was plagued with difficulties, as although his equipment arrived on schedule at Hobson Bay on 23 October 1853, the coining press was so heavy that no assistance was available to transport it from the wharf to the mint. It took six months for the press to be dismantled, moved and re-assembled into working order at the mint in 1854. By the time everything was operational, gold prices had increased markedly, making the venture unprofitable. Australia’s kangaroo gold patterns are global rarities, formerly held by notable collectors such as Baron Rothschild. King Farouk’s specimen was sold in Cairo in 1954, selling at an Australian auction in 1989 for $17,500 on a pre-auction estimate of $12,500 and most recently sold in 2009 for nearly $304,000.

1937 CROWN Many Australians have seen the over-sized 1937 crown, but it was the only Australian coin issued that year. Planned to coincide with the coronation of King Edward VIII, Australia’s radical new designs reached the test stage with the striking of a handful of ‘1937’ pennies, florins, shillings and threepences at the Royal Mint London – but no sixpence or halfpenny. Production came to an abrupt halt on 11 December 1936 when Edward abdicated the throne to marry American Mrs Wallis Simpson. The coins were preserved but the portrait of Edward VIII was removed by machine tooling, making them Australia’s only single-sided coins. These 1937 patterns are

amongst our most collectable coins, valued well in excess of $200,000.

AUSTRALIAN pattern coins Australia’s pattern coins have broad appeal and are desirable to both the collector and the investor for many reasons. They are a financial prize for many reasons as they are • Historically poignant • Prestigious • Extremely limited in numbers • Supreme in quality ● COINWORKS 03 9642 3133 info@coinworks.com.au www.coinworks.com.au

1920 FLORIN While you may find a 1919 or 1921 florin, as more than one million of each were struck by the Melbourne Mint, in 1920 only seven florins were produced, of which four are in museums and three with private collectors. What happened in 1920 that created this florin gap? In 1920 silver prices were fluctuating wildly, creating worldwide financial uncertainty so the Australian Government reviewed its policy of striking coins in sterling silver and decided to issue coins with a reduced silver content – these seven 1920 florins were struck as part of this test program. The 1920 pattern florin is Australia’s most important and valuable silver coin. One specimen fetched $18,800 in 1988 and $201,000 in 2005. Today it is valued at over $500,000.

ASCOT VALE ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

THE MELBOURNE VINTAGE CLOTHING, JEWELLERY & TEXTILES SHOW is the largest of its kind in Australia

hether you are a collector, a designer or just in love with anything vintage then these twice a year shows are for you. Exhibitors show and sell clothing from the turn-of-the-century to the 1980s. You will find fabulous beaded flapper dresses, 1930s Hollywood glamour gowns, sumptuous 1950s evening dresses and of course, crazy clothing from the psychedelic 1960s. Accessories and collectables ensure that every man and woman, girl and boy can find something to fit their lifestyle and budget.

MAY 2011 Vintage Clothing, Jewellery & Textiles Show The inaugral Melbourne Vintage Clothing, Jewellery & Textiles Show will be held on 27, 28 and 29 May 2011 with lots of amazing things to buy and fabulous entertainment to enjoy, at the Exhibition Hall, Melbourne Showgrounds in Ascot Vale. Because the workmanship in vintage garments is universally recognised and the unique bygone creations are now very popular

Vintage 1ST MELBOURNE

CLOTHING,

Show

JEWELLERY & TEXTILES

Over 60 dealers from all over Australia selling VINTAGE & ANTIQUE CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

ANTIQUE & VINTAGE JEWELLERY LINEN, LACE & TEXTILES SMALL COLLECTABLES Parade of Vintage Fashions ■ Guest Speakers ■ Prizes to be Given Away for Best Dressed in Vintage ■ & Other Entertainment ■ Lucky Door Prizes & Raffle ■ Cafeteria Open ■

Fri 27 May 2011 5.00 pm - 9.00 pm Sat 28 May 2011 9.30 am - 5.30 pm Sun 29 May 2011 10.00 am - 4.00 pm Exhibition Hall Melbourne Showgrounds Ascot Vale for details see

www.lovevintage.com.au or phone 02 6628 6688 Tickets available at the door 30

with women and men, the clothing, jewellery and accessories are much appreciated by all age groups and rapidly purchased by the many visitors. The Melbourne Vintage Clothing, Jewellery & Textiles Show is the largest of its kind in Australia. It is a visual feast, featuring over 60 exhibitors selling vintage and antique clothing and accessories, antique and vintage jewellery, linen, lace, textiles and small collectables. Fashion collectables for sale are magazines, posters, fashion plates, sewing patterns, tools and parasols. First timers are amazed at the vast array of items for sale, ranging from tiny antique buttons and hat pins to large ornately embroidered tablecloths and heritage quilts. The quality and quantity of clothing and jewellery for sale are excellent. The convenience of all the exhibitors, fashion shows and entertainment being under one roof is a hit with fairgoers. Over the first night and the next two days, many of the shoppers are on a mission to find a knockout outfit to wear for their special occasions or a quality vintage accessory for the current season. Teenage girls, often accompanied by their mothers are interested in an unusual dress for their school formal or graduation. Discerning brides search for a period wedding dress or special piece of jewellery. Vintage car owners, who love travelling to their club outings in period clothing, are always looking for authentic garments produced in the year corresponding to their much loved vintage car. Fortunately, many stall holders have clothing and accessories for both men and women. Count on two days of entertainment, there are fashion parades and exhibitions, prizes for best vintage clothing, dancing and the regular charm school demonstrating beauty tips from the past and how to achieve a look that works for today’s lifestyle. The cafeteria will be open all weekend and the showgrounds has ample free parking at just $5 a day. For the comfort of patrons the venue is air-conditioned and wheelchair friendly. While close to Newmarket station, tram 57 will take you to the entrance to Melbourne Showgrounds. The inaugral Melbourne Vintage Clothing, Jewellery & Textiles Show will host extraordinary exhibitors, amazing selections of clothing and collectables to buy, and fabulous entertainment to enjoy ●

Melbourne Vintage Clothing, Jewellery & Textiles Show Melbourne Showground Exhibition Hall Opening night Friday 27 May from 5 pm to 9 pm Open Saturday 28 May from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm and Sunday 29 May from 10 am to 4 pm Tickets at door: $14 adult, $10 concession, $5 children over 10 years For more information contact Janel Morrissey VINTAGE CLOTHING, JEWELLERY & TEXTILES 02 6628 6688 www.lovevintage.com.au

EAST MELBOURNE ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Fine artworks, good buys and friendly faces at the VAS Art Bargain Sale and Auction

THE VICTORIAN ARTISTS SOCIETY’S 2011 EXHIBITIONS, AWARDS & ART CLASSES

ou just get over the hustle and bustle of Christmas, with all the presents, relatives, plum pudding and demanding offspring to be further challenged by noisy neighbours, loud music and car horns as we bring in the New Year. After all the headaches that accompany the celebrations and tribulations of the festive season – what do we have to show for it? Now 2011 is here, this new and exciting year will be as eventful as 2010 at VAS Galleries.

THE VICTORIAN Artists Society’s Famous Art Bargain Sale and Auction 21 February-6 March 2011 Mark your calendar and arrive early for the best choices in this annual selling exhibition. Opening on 21 February at 6:30 pm, the famous VAS annual art bargain sale and auction always provides eager bargain hunters and collectors with original artworks at very fair prices. You could leave VAS Galleries in East Melbourne with a treasure that will enrich your life for many years to come or may make a perfect gift for a special person. At the 2010 Art Bargain Sale and Auction, works by well-known artists such as Clive Sinclair, Amanda Hyatt, Julian Bruere, Peter Smales, Gregory R Smith, Ray Hewitt and Noel Waite were snapped up by those with a keen eye.

January 2011 Summer Workshops There are a limited number of spaces for these advanced workshops. Applicants need some prior knowledge of the medium. For details on these and all VAS art classes, please ring VAS on 03 9662 1484 between 10 am and 4 pm Monday to Friday (closed public holidays), or email vicart@vicnet.net.au. Amanda Hyatt – Watercolour Lee Machelak – Portrait, Oil Maxwell Wilks – Oil

NAUTICAL art 28 March-6 April Each autumn, collectors purchase from the VAS annual exhibition of works with a nautical theme – celebrating the dream of a life at sea. Buccaneers enjoy this annual selling exhibition of quality artworks with light-hearted enjoyment, perfect for home or a holiday house.

Thinking of having an exhibition? The Victorian Artists Society Galleries offers spacious, excellent and affordable exhibition spaces. Four gallery spaces are for hire at the VAS, near the CBD and so convenient for visitors who enjoy the ambience of our old building. For all exhibition enquiries, contact our gallery account manager, Julian Bruère on 0419 529 390 or studioartist@optusnet.com.au.

Cherry Manders, sold at 2010 VAS Art Bargain Sale and Auction

THE VAS Autumn Exhibition Undine Award for landscape painting 12 – 21 April This autumn exhibition is the first major exhibition in 2011 for the Society’s members. Included is the $2,000 acquisitive Undine Award for landscape painting. See this exhibition of members’ works, both oil and acrylic. Previous winners include Clive Sinclair, Otto Boron, David Mellows and Ray Hewitt. In a world that does not seem to slow down even for the traffic lights, it does one good to take time out and admire the art at the Victorian Artists Society Galleries ● THE VICTORIAN ARTISTS SOCIETY GALLERIES 03 9662 1484 vicart@vicnet.net.au www.vicnet.net.au/~vicart

21 FEBRUARY - 6 MARCH

ART BARGAIN SALE & AUCTION 2011 OPENS 6.30PM MONDAY 21 FEBRUARY UNFRAMED ARTWORKS BY ESTABLISHED ARTISTS FROM

$100-$500

28 MARCH -6 APRIL MARITIME EXHIBITION Shower, Shave, and Shoot the Shores - Join Roger for a jolly time and live the land lubber’s dream when the Vics hosts its annual Maritime Exhibition.

12-21 APRIL THE 2011 VAS AUTUMN EXHIBITION The Society’s first major exhibition for 2011 will incorporate the Undine Award for landscape painting and other major works by members of the Victorian Artists Society.

The Victorian Artists Society Galleries David Mellows, winner of 2010 Undine Award

Peter Smales, sold at 2010 VAS Art Bargain Sale and Auction

430 Albert Street, East Melbourne 3002

P> 9662 1484 E> vicart@vicnet.net.au www.vicnet.net.au/~vicart

EAGLEMONT ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

You’re invited to a VICTORIAN DINNER PARTY

o the uninitiated, the giving of a formal dinner in Victorian society was daunting and required the aid of an experienced cook and housekeeper. The order in which the courses would succeed each other, and the various kinds of wines that were proper to introduce at certain stages of a ceremonious repast were matters of great mystery. Few young housekeepers were able to follow the correct sequencing without referring to some knowledgeable source. To remove any doubts and to ensure a successful evening without embarrassment it was essential to consult one of the well-written household guides. The following directions would be considered useful in preventing some of the errors that commonly befell dinner-giving by inexperienced beginners in Victorian times. 1. All invitations should be issued well in advance of the event, at least a week or ten days before the date, in the joint names of the host and hostess. 2. As far as practicable, guests should be acquainted with each other as this would promote harmonious and pleasant conversation. Crotchety people, and people that like to absorb too much attention, are as a rule to be guarded against. An equal number of ladies and gentlemen should be invited. 3. Invitations should be limited to the size of the dining room table. At least sixteen inches of room should be allotted to each individual. If the table be capable of extension, sufficient room should be left for the attendants to pass freely round when serving. Several changes of plates, knives,

forks, and glasses, should be provided, over and above the number of guests invited. 4. In laying the cloth, the wants of the diners should be first considered and lastly the decorations. This observation is noteworthy, as there is some danger lest the present taste for table decorations should impact unpleasantly on the comforts of the guests. Massive groups of fruit and flowers in the centre of a small table are quite out of place, as are ‘corner’ decorations. Whatever impedes the movements of the guests in helping themselves, if required to do so, is a drawback to enjoyment. 5. As a general rule, dinner-table decorations should only be slightly raised, allowing for an uninterrupted view of each other by the assembled guests. Flowers in pots and growing vines are considered fit only to decorate a sideboard or side table. Fresh flowers only should be used to decorate dinner tables. Artificial flowers are not in good taste, and are never seen in private houses where refinement prevails. It is now the custom to place fruit on the table at the beginning of the repast, the effect produced by grouping fruit is a legitimate object of study. Nothing is more appropriate than a centre piece composed of dessert fruit. Choice flowers should figure in small vases and specimen glasses in different parts of the table, marking by their position the boundary of certain dishes and breaking a line of plates and glasses. 6. A good supply of water bottles, salt cellars, and small cruet stands should be placed within easy reach of the guests. The fashion

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Come and browse through our showroom filled with quality antique furniture: dining tables, bookcases, small low s beEuropean occasional furniture; a wide variety ofnuEnglish mberand e n o h p e e s quiries and all sorts of interesting objets d’art. porcelain glassware; all in For and We offer: ❀ Complete restoration service ❀ Valuation service ❀ Consignment sale service ❀ Home decorating service ❀ Cash for all goods purchased One of a pair of early 19th century French ormolou mounted side chairs

67 Silverdale Road, Eaglemont 3084 03 9497 4195 or 0408 530 259 dawn@eaglemontantiques.com.au www.eaglemontantiques.com.au Au s t ra l i an An t i q u e a n d Art Deal e rs A s s oc iat i on

of requiring diners to wait till such condiments are handed by servants is senseless, unless ample attendance of the best kind be provided. One of the best authorities on dinner-giving says ‘A chief maxim in dining with comfort is to have what you want where you want it. It is ruinous to have to wait for first one thing and then another, and to have the little additions brought when what they belong to is half or nearly finished.’ It requires one servant to every two guests, to dispense entirely with self-serving. At the same time, it is a mark of ill-manners for a guest to be constantly asking for things to be passed to him, or to reach them from any distance. Least of all must he, under any emergency, rise and help himself. 7. The tablecloth is now almost invariably left on the table for dessert. This plan saves a great deal of trouble. Whenever it is intended that the cloth shall remain for dessert, white damask slips, of the same pattern as the tablecloth, should be laid along the sides and at the ends of the table. The slips should be of a width to be easily removed without displacing any articles placed on the table for dessert. Table napkins are, of course, indispensable. If the company expected is at all numerous, the name of each guest, plainly written on a card or small sheet of notepaper, should be laid on the table napkin that marks the visitor’s place. When this arrangement is observed, very little guidance to their places is needed on the part of the hostess. 8. The question of lighting the table is very important and should be studied beforehand. A dining-room chandelier seldom suffices to give sufficient light for a festive occasion and requires to be supplemented by other means. Branched candelabra, containing wax candles, are the most suitable, and lamps are the least convenient. In the absence of candelabra, rather than place a large lamp on the table where it is certain to interfere with the view of the guests, several candlesticks, judiciously placed among the ornaments and at the corners of the table, produce a more pleasing effect. Small, plain glass candlesticks, such as are sometimes used for lighting a pianoforte, are in good taste at an unpretending dinner, where glass and not silver are the principal feature in the service. The candle ornaments should either be of plain glass, to correspond with the candlesticks, or very small wreaths of artificial flowers may be used. Lamps are very useful for lighting the mantelpieces and sideboards of a dining room, where they aid in producing a generally diffused light, so desirable at a dinner party. 9. Different coloured wine-glasses, denoting the various kinds of wine to be served at a dinner, are much in use, but are by no means indispensable. Carried to excess, the contrast of showy colours is rather vulgar looking than not, and is more suggestive of

a railway refreshment room than the quiet taste that should regulate such matters in a private house. The distinct shape of the wine glasses should be sufficient to prevent confusion in their use. No one, for instance, would think of pouring sherry into a champagne glass, or vice versa. Some people consider that tinted glass, green or red, is favourable to the enjoyment of certain light wines; but, as the aroma of the wine itself is the principal point to consider, the colour of the glass is of small moment. Scrupulous order in the arrangement of the table, and the perfect brilliancy which results from careful cleaning, are of far greater importance. The latter efforts cannot be dispensed with without marring the best endeavours to achieve success in laying a cloth. 10.Plenty of knives, forks and spoons should be within reach of the guests’ hands, and an unlimited supply should be on the sideboard, to replace those removed. On special occasions it is better to put aside one’s choice dinner service, if limited in the requisite number of articles, and to hire ample quantities of plates, dishes, etc., of a uniform pattern, even although the hired service may be of a commoner description. Nothing so seriously retards the progress of a dinner as for the courses to have to be kept back whilst plates and dishes, already used, are being washed and sorted, to reappear at the table. It is not only bad management to suffer this delay, but bad economy, and frequently causes a failure in what would otherwise be a well-cooked and promptly-served repast. In some unpretending establishments the plan is adopted of having only two kinds of dinner service – the common blue willow or other easily obtained and well-known pattern for daily use, and plain white china for special occasions, on the principle that plenty of each can be used and replaced at all times, at little cost and trouble. 11.Small decanters of sherry should be placed at intervals on the dinner table, without stoppers. Decanter stands are not necessary and are only in the way. Wine coolers are also out of date on a dinner table. Vegetables are now never served except from the sideboard, at any except strictly family dinners. It saves a great deal of trouble to have vegetable dishes with two or three compartments, each containing a different vegetable. Most people like plenty of vegetables, and when served singly, they are apt to be offered too late for enjoyment, if offered at all. The subject of ordering and serving dinner at a party must be reserved for another article ● Dawn Davis EAGLEMONT ANTIQUES 03 9497 4195 dawn@eaglemontantiques.com.au www.eaglemontantiques.com.au

CLIFTON HILL ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Louis XVI armchairs

Forget chairs

Louis XV armchairs

THE VENERABLE ART OF ANTIQUES DEALING cleansing of tired but worthy objects. They are presented in a refreshed state, ready for appreciative patrons to purchase, use and cherish in their homes and places of employment ● Roy Williams ROY’S ANTIQUES 03 9489 8467 mail@roys-antiques.com.au www.roys-antiques.com.au

Delaunay chair

www.Roys-Antiques.com.au

Louis J. Bouty (Master 1779) Paris, c. 1800

Thomas Shepard, London, 1776

Thomas Wynne of Bath, London, 1768

Peter Carl Faberge, Moscow, c. 1900

Georgian & Continental Furniture • Porcelain

where legs etc were assembled upon arrival. Central to this trade was the marchand mercier or the mercers, who made nothing but bought and sold goods. This group had the right to buy, alter and sell goods. They would buy oriental china and have it mounted in bronze, or have Chinese painted screens cut up and made into cabinets, and buy and sell second-hand objects made of precious materials. Prominent from the 15th century, the mercers’ corporation was the ancestor of today’s antiques dealers, although it was not until the mid-18th century that the trade in antique objects really resembled the contemporary antiques industry. Until then, old or ancient objects were regarded as raw materials to be changed and represented in new forms. From the mid-18th century, old objects were increasingly valued for their age and association with the past, as well as for their expensive materials or fine craftsmanship. The mercers largely dictated fashion. Just as today’s youth fret that they might have last week’s hair (like Buffy, the vampire slayer), the French aristocracy were desperately anxious to have the very latest style in hair, dress and furniture. In an age when furniture was predominantly bespoke, the patron had considerable control over its appearance. Furniture had to be made quickly, firstly to be a marvel of fashion as well as the talk of one’s guests – and secondly, one had to beat anyone else stealing one’s novel ideas! Furniture was exquisitely made by the cabinetmakers and joiners and at a speed only dreamed of in this 21st century. It is recorded that one patron, whose order for a suite of chairs, stools and sofas had not arrived in three weeks, worn out by such an intolerable delay, cancelled his order. Documents reveal that three weeks – from design, through making, carving, gilding and upholstery to delivery – was not exceptional. Of course, those same 18th century chairs might easily be at a 21st century restorer for years – I have some items that have been with the restorer for over a decade! Alas, 18th century Parisian quality workmanship is not commonplace in the 21st century world, and skilled restorers are to be greatly respected and treasured. Following centuries of tradition from mercers to antiquaires, today’s antique dealers still buy astutely with arcane knowledge, and organize the skilled consolidation and

Silver • Ikons • Paintings • Imperial Russian

t is no accident that Paris has been the centre of the luxury and fashion industries for the last 400 years. Government policy and financial support ensured style leadership from the late 17th century. Jean-Baptiste Colbert actively nurtured the luxury industries as an economic imperative and political advantage. As minister to Louis XIV he took various measures to promote French luxury production: silks from Lyon, furniture and décor, porcelains from the Royal factories. At a time when the king and government were indivisible, the royal palaces were virtually trade shows. Versailles, the Louvre and the other working palaces were filled with examples of French manufacture. Naturally, to be effective these showplaces had to attract and be available to potential buyers of French craftsmanship. Security precautions in place today would have been incomprehensible. To enter Versailles and be seduced by the elegance and grandeur of French luxury goods required one merely to be wearing a sword, in much the same way restaurants used to require a gentleman to wear a coat and tie. So, just as coats and ties were sometimes available at the door for deficient mid-20th century restaurant patrons, the 18th century tourist could hire a sword at the gates of Versailles for proper dress. The superiority of French domestic luxuries and fashions was thus advertised to all the foreign dignitaries and travellers, aristocratic or common, visiting France. Many bought vast amounts of goods to take back to Stockholm, Rome, London, Berlin, St Petersburg and elsewhere, thus effectively promoting the French export trade. As Louis XIV owned Sèvres, the porcelain manufactory, he would sometimes unpack the crates and sell the porcelain himself, infamously dropping pieces in his enthusiasm. All of this stimulated the export of goods to all of Europe and beyond. America’s 1801-1809 President, Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), author of the 1776 Declaration of Independence, filled his Virginian home, Monticello with furniture from France, perhaps inspired as minister to France from 1785. In early 19th century America, every southern plantation mansion used French porcelain, just as did Jefferson’s White House. Russia’s Empress Catherine was an enthusiastic buyer of French furniture and porcelain. This led to the development of an early kind of grand luxury flat-packed furniture, sent by sledge to St Petersburg

410 Queens Parade Clifton Hill Vic 61 3 9489 8467 33

ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

David Freeman addresses the subject of underrated and under-valued Australian artists – AN AREA THAT INVESTORS FIND TOPICAL AND CHALLENGING

fter a quarter of a century as a valuer and over a decade of auctioning art and antiques, I am still amazed at the vast number of clients who ask me these eternal questions: Which Australian artists are sound investments – and – which Australian artists are underrated in value? My personal and professional opinion has been formed over many years of valuing, selling and collecting and it is apparent that over the last few decades fashion and trends have influenced many people in their purchase of artworks. Some choose works for their decorative appeal; others for the reputation of the artist; while various collectors are influenced primarily by the galleries and showings that they attend. Recent auctions have seen new buyers attending. I wonder if they only show interest because of media hype on current outstanding prices achieved on artworks selling for 300% above estimates, for example.

ART as an investment This may well work in the short term or even in the long term, but beware that art investment for profit’s sake is a risk. The bigger the price the bigger the risk; especially if a novice, much like betting on a horse. The criteria for collecting art that I have devised for myself is what I give as a professional opinion: • It is vital that you firmly decide what and who you like: are you a traditionalist, abstract, social realist or do you have preferences for other genres • To learn about artists, prices and trends attend public and private galleries and shows. Preview auction sales and follow the auction. • Learn about the medium preferred by the artist whom you choose. • Understand the style of the artist, whether an established style or in flux. • Research your preferred artist. Does this artist command high prices at exhibitions and auctions?

UNDERRATED Australian artists Another key to my collecting is looking at artists who seem to be ‘steady as they go.’ Listed below is my choice of six top underrated Australian artists. Remember, these are just a handful of many talented yet undervalued and underrepresented artists in Australia. Horace Asher Brodzky (1885-1969) studied at the NGV School, City and Guilds School London and was a founding member of the London Group. Brodsky’s tonal and naïve grouped figural paintings also have a social realist style. His works are held at the NGV, British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, Aberdeen Art Gallery among many. Brodzky works sold in England command prices up to four to five times higher than in Australia. My tip is that Brodzky’s works are undervalued and should be a great long-term investment.

Judy Cassab (b. 1920) is one of Australia’s best-known portrait painters and the winner of many prestigious art awards including the coveted Archibald Prize. She studied in Prague and Budapest Academy prior to settling in Australia in 1951. Her expressionist style works are exhibited and acclaimed worldwide. Her paintings are represented in most Australian state and regional galleries and are held in collections internationally. My tip is that Cassab’s works are currently undervalued. Robert Henderson Grieve (1924-2006) is a highly regarded artist among his pears and well established in the collecting circle. Grieve studied at the Regent Polytechnic London in the 1950s. Earlier works were of the social realist style, while his later works are a fusion of Japanese and modernist European influences. My tip is to collect his earlier works. Vaughan Murray Griffin (1903-1992) trained at the NGV School 1919-23. His desirable linocuts achieve the expected high prices, yet his impressionist style oil paintings remain undervalued (c. 1930-80). A major retrospective exhibition of his works was held at the Castlemaine Gallery approximately ten years ago. My tip is that Griffin’s works will have a very favourable revival in the near future. Vic O’Connor (b. 1918) undertook early studies at the George Bell School and from 1939 he exhibited with the Melbourne Social Realist group. His works were included in Angry Penguin and realist painting in Melbourne in the 1940s show held in London. O’Connor’s early social realist works of the 1940s are outstanding examples of social realism. My tip is to collect his works from between 1960 and about 1980, as these pieces are well under-priced. James Vandeleur (Jim) Wigley (1917/19181999) is another under-priced Australian social realist artist. Wigley’s works of the

1950s to 1960s of Aborigines and their outback life are outstanding. His understanding of their culture enabled him to paint them as no one else can as he spent years living in Aboriginal communities. While his career had highs and lows, today prices of his early works are steadily increasing. My tip is to look for Wigley works from the late 1950s to the mid 1970s.

ENJOY your art The most important criterion, after doing your research, is that you enjoy your art as well as its investment prospects. Make sure it fits your lifestyle – after all, you are not buying shares to leave in a drawer – art is an investment for enjoyment by you, your family and friends. I hope that you will show your well-chosen art on your walls for a long time. Perhaps you may even grow so attached that any potential financial gains will not outweigh your personal connection with your chosen artist and work ●

David Freeman AMANDA ADDAMS AUCTIONS AND DAVID FREEMAN ANTIQUE VALUATIONS 03 9850 1553/ 0419 578 184 www.aaauctions.com.au

BULLEEN ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Antique Valuations Established 1985

Australia’s largest and longest running fair – THE ANNUAL BALLARAT ANTIQUES FAIR 12-14 March

ow an institution and a by-word amongst collectors, the Ballarat Antiques Fair is entering its 41st year. Held every March during the Victorian Labour Day long weekend, the fair attracts dealers and visitors from across the country. This is the largest and longest running event of its kind in Australia. The fair attracts more than 100 dealers who bring special pieces especially saved for the event. From large to small boutique stands there are finds for all budgets and interests. From antiques to collectables and retro fun pieces, visitors will find that one-off they have been looking for.

The organisers are welcoming additional fresh faces to their regular exhibitors, bringing an extra dimension to the show.

SPECIAL features • Held in Ballarat’s largest available undercover space, the Badminton Stadium in Wendouree is converted into an exhibition space easily negotiated by visitors and designed to optimally showcase the many stalls. • Adding to the comfort, evaporative cooling will be installed, additional facilities provided, plus the convenience of ample parking. • Patrons can stop and revive at the café which will be serving good coffee, snacks and light meals throughout the three day event. • As there is so much to see, we offer complimentary pass-outs, allowing for staggered return visits. • Another bonus is that entry to the fair is at the 2010 rate. Entry for adults and seniors – $12, aged and invalid pensioners – $10, children under 12 free when with an adult.

How much is this painting worth? $12,000, $15,000, $18,000

David Freeman knows... David Freeman Antique Valuations is Melbourne’s largest independently owned valuation service. Founded in 1985, we have vast experience with art, antiques, china, collectables and general household contents. David Freeman Antique Valuations delivers expert valuations, on time, every time, all at extremely competitive rates. Whether you require valuations for insurance, market, family law, company divisions, or deceased estates, David Freeman can help you with experience, total confidentiality and personal service. David Freeman can also advise you on purchasing, disposal, placement and restoration services. David Freeman is approved to value Australian paintings and prints after 1850 for the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program. We can supply you with excellent references from some of our many satisfied clients, if required.

WEEKEND away treats As well as taking in the fair’s many offerings explore the area and turn this into a long weekend of discovery. The best way to do this is by visiting our website which features fair highlights, maps on how to find us, places to stay and local attractions to visit.

Call David for your next valuation. Phone: 03 9850 1553 Mobile: 0419 578 184 Fax: 03 9850 1534 194 Bulleen Rd, Bulleen Victoria 3105 PO Box 21, Balwyn North, Victoria 3104 Visit our website: www.aaauctions.com.au

The fair’s hours are 10 am – 6 pm (Saturday); 10 am – 5pm (Sunday) 10 am – 4 pm (Monday) ●

For more information contact BALLARAT ANTIQUE FAIR 1300 303 800 www.ballaratantiquefair.com.au

Approved to value Australian paintings and prints after 1850 for the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program

ORMOND / MORDIALLOC ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Left: Early Biedermeier period (1820-1840); Right: Late Biedermeier period (1840-1857)

Left to right: Regulator, Austria, c.1830; Wanduhr (Regulator), Austria; Wanduhr (Regulator), Austria

Transitional period (1857-1873); Clock on right with serpentine case

Alt Deutsch [Old German] period (1873-1900). Left: Roman Empire; Right: Baroque

THE HISTORY OF THE VIENNA REGULATOR

he best-known Austrian clock is the Vienna regulator, a weight-driven pendulum wall clock of high quality and precision which made its debut early in the 19th century. The term ‘Vienna regulator’ can be confusing since these clocks were not always made in Vienna. To understand this one has to remember that from 1520 to 1918 Austria was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and that the clocks made in Austria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia bear a very close resemblance to each other. However, early in that century Vienna was not only one of the most magnificent cities in Europe but also the cultural centre and the most important city of the imperial courts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Furthermore, the

Vienna clockmakers were highly respected. They were members of a community called Berger, which ranked only below nobility and clergy. A member of this community living in Vienna ranked higher than one living in the suburbs or smaller towns. Therefore, a maker living in the city had a more important title – ‘Stadtmeister’ – than a clockmaker in a smaller town – ‘Landmeister’. Since a clockmaker could rise in status by moving to Vienna, it was no wonder that Vienna became the home of Austrian clock making. During the late 17th century and the early 18th century, English clock making had an influence on Austrian clock making. Designs were copied, and movements as well as whole clocks were imported. However, the Vienna clockmakers

Antique and Modern Clocks and Watches Repairs and Sales

Friendly professional service Free quotes Guarantee on major repairs Clocks bought and sold Leigh Fist 493 North Road, Ormond VIC 3163 Open: Tues – Fri 9 am - 5 pm & Sat 9 am - 1 pm Ph: 03 9578 6960 36

decided to improve their standards and invited Swiss clockmakers to come and work there. Many of them were very highly specialised in their fields – for example, in dial, bezel, wheel, pinion and file manufacturing. Undoubtedly these skills imparted to their Austrian colleagues provided the basis for this high quality movement of the Vienna regulator of the Empire period. The French influenced furniture makers and, consequently, the design for the cases they built for the Vienna regulator. The reason for this influence becomes obvious when looking at events occurring at that time. In the early 1800s the Holy Roman Empire fell to Napoleon. French troops swept through Europe and, with the Treaty of Vienna, Austria became a French ally. This was further strengthened in 1810 by the marriage of Napoleon to Marie Louise, the daughter of the Austro-Hungarian Emperor. After Napoleon’s conquest of Italy and his exploits in North Africa, French artists created a new style integrating elements from the Roman Empire and Ancient Egypt. This style became known as ‘Empire’. Although the lines of the Vienna regulator of the Empire period are clean and simple, the Empire influence cannot be denied. The tops of the cases usually have a pediment or roof-like slope and below the top one can find a moulding like a building cornice. These elements can clearly be defined as elements of Roman architecture. Worth mentioning is the Viennese cabinet-makers’ high level of skill, clearly seen in these early regulators. The glazed straight wooden framework was of high quality, often with inlays of fine single strips of wood. The dial was partitioned off by a horizontal piece of wood called a mullion, dividing the glass case on all three sides. It had an all-metal pendulum and a three-weight Grande Sonnerie strike. The dial itself was usually made of porcelain or milk glass and its beauty-ring was made of brass. Because of their design, they are sometimes referred to as Victorian Lantern clocks. Around the 1820s the Industrial Revolution began, and with it a new period known as Biedermeier. This period can be divided into Early Biedermeier (1820-1840) and Late Biedermeier (1840-1857). As the time and period changed, so did the design of the Vienna regulator. In the Early Biedermeier period the roof-like tops were replaced with carved head bands, the straight lines were replaced with curves, and the horizontal mullions disappeared, leaving a single glass pane on all three sides. The dial’s beauty-ring was engraved like a piecrust. During the Late Biedermeier period young Germans came to Vienna to learn the art of clock making. One of them, Gustav Becker, returned to his homeland, trained mill workers as assistant clockmakers and produced his own design of a

Vienna regulator. Thus the Germans began manufacturing the Vienna regulator. There were more carvings on the case, the metal pendulum rod was replaced with wood, the dial’s beautyring showed heavier patterns and the dial was divided into two separate pieces. The centre dial with the winding holes were made to fit just one particular movement and the chapter ring with its number could be used for many movements. From 1857 to 1873 great political transitions took place in Europe and just as the AustroHungarian Empire grew weaker, so did the production of the Vienna regulators in Vienna. German clockmakers did not have the wealthy customers like the Austrian clockmakers and so had to develop new and cheaper methods to compete with clock production in Vienna. The result was the development of assembly line methods of clock making and consequently mass production of the regulator. To be able to compete and maintain the high standard of the Vienna regulator, Viennese clockmakers and watchmakers joined forces, creating the Society of Viennese Clockmakers, as well as factory production clocks. These clocks had more elaborate cases, the Empire style reappeared, and columns were used. These columns extended from the bottom up and the top down, ending and terminated in the middle by finials. The dial’s piecrust beauty-ring was changed from spun brass and the two-weight hour and half-hour strike became more common. A very dark, false grained finish was used to conceal the use of poor quality wood. Fortunately, this was only practised for a very short time. From 1873 to 1900 the production of the Vienna regulator thrived. The German-speaking part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire was seized by Germany and the number of Viennese clockmakers dwindled; German clockmakers took the lead in manufacturing regulators. Most of the Vienna regulators we see today come from this period. Many designs were created during this time and they ranged from very plain to highly ornamented styles. After 1880, the Art Nouveau period arrived. Asymmetrical and intertwining designs as well as Neoclassical designs were used. The Neoclassical design was a revival of Gothic, Baroque, Roman and Greek styles. One peculiarity of the late Vienna regulator is a second dial and hand which goes round the sixty minute divisions in only 45 seconds and these features are, therefore, for decoration only. By the end of the century Germany started to produce less expensive spring-driven regulators and the production of the Vienna regulator came to an end ●

THE CLOCKWORKS 03 9578 6960

HEALESVILLE ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Standing Guard, 51 x 61 cm

Two of a Kind, 40 x 40 cm

Morning Stroll, Wesburn, 51 x 61 cm

DI KING GALLERY

Early Morning Start, 70 x 61 cm

he recent solo exhibition by Di was very successful. Please note that as usual, the Di King Gallery will continue to be open for viewing at any time by appointment – ring 03 5962 2557 or 0414 404 798 to schedule a gallery visit at a time that suits you. Whenever you visit Healesville, arrange an appointment at the Di King Gallery in advance, to look at her latest works that are always on display for your viewing pleasure. Beautiful works of art in oil are Di’s passion. Being the versatile artist that she is, Di will paint almost any subject, always in a very proficient and professional manner. Another reason to phone the gallery is to discuss your personal painting request with her, to commission a painting that will be even more special. After all, her painting will be in your home for years to come and it will always be a talking piece – the artist, your vision and her execution of your commissioned painting.

Di is one of the few artists with the ability to tackle any subject – landscape, seascape, figurative, still life and portraiture – and she makes it seem that she is the master of that genre. She has been involved in many group and solo exhibitions and has won numerous major prestigious awards in Victoria and interstate, and her works hang in many important collections throughout the world. Art is a beautiful thing and is to be enjoyed by all. Please phone and make the appointment

to meet Di and view her works – perhaps you will find a favourite artwork for your home on your first visit, or decide on a commission exclusively for your home or office ●

John Thomas DI KING GALLERY 03 5962 2557 / 0414 404 798 mail@dikingartist.com www.dikingartist.com.au

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Fiona Blue, 51 x 61 cm

03 5962 2557

32 Maroondah Hwy, Healesville 3777 mail@dikingartist.com

0414 404 798 - 0414 404 792 Corporate and private viewings can be arranged OPEN ANYTIME BY APPOINTMENT 37

BELGRAVE ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Highly respected philatelist Stephen Browne shares his passion for the PRE-STAMP POSTAL HISTORY OF NEW SOUTH WALES (1801 – 1849)

began collecting stamps at the age of five and acquired my first ‘old letter’ at the age of 14. A fascination with the early history of Australia led to the beginnings of my collection of New South Wales postal history in 1985. Prior to 1850, envelopes were rarely used: letters were written on sheets of paper and folded and sealed with wax for posting. Missives from early settlers containing personal observations provide exciting insights into the circumstances and regular hardships of early colonial life.

HISTORICAL aspects The first permanent settlement in Australia was at Sydney Cove where Governor Arthur Phillip removed his squadron (the inaccurately named First ‘Fleet’) from Botany Bay in January 1788. New South Wales’ jurisdiction originally extended over the eastern half of the continent as far west as longitude 129°, the current border of Western Australia! My collection traces the development of postal services in the colony of New South Wales from first settlement, through the establishment of the first official post office in 1810 up until the 1849 Postal Act that heralded the issue of the colony’s first postage stamps (the famous Sydney Views) in 1850. The appointment on 25 April 1809 of the paroled convict Isaac Nichols as Assistant Naval Officer – with the task of taking charge of mail arriving in the colony – is generally regarded as the birth of the post office in Australia.

Until the establishment of the Post Office Department in 1828, internal postal services beyond Sydney were very limited. Before 1828 postal markings were used only at Sydney and at three settlements in Van Diemen’s Land. From 1828, each country post office was issued with an undated postal mark. Many of these markings are exceedingly rare and some are unique. The principal reason for this situation was the very small literate populace. In 1828, the nonAboriginal population numbered 36,000 and as late as 1846 it had grown to only 189,000. My collection brings to life all the major postal history events of the period. It also includes items from the major regions that later became separate colonies: Van Diemen’s Land (until 1825), New Zealand (until 1841), Port Phillip District – later Victoria (until 1851), and the Moreton Bay District – later Queensland (until 1859). Internal mail, particularly between country towns, has not survived in any quantity. Soldiers’ letters are few in number, and mail written by convicts is very rare, probably because much of it was destroyed by descendants in order to hide their colourful genealogy!

SIGNIFICANCE In the context of Australian postal history, there are few subjects that come close to the significance of mail from our earliest settlers. One of the highlights of my collection is an 1801 letter from Sydney that may be the earliest surviving privately-held Australian letter with

postal markings. There are also letters from the first overseas mails organised by the post office: from Sydney in 1810 and from Hobart Town in 1815. As well, there are holograph letters signed by Governor Lachlan Macquarie, the eminent explorer Sir Thomas Mitchell, and men who arrived on the First Fleet. As far as condition goes, perfection is generally unattainable in this field. As a consequence of being stored for 150 to 200 plus years in often less than ideal conditions, most letters of the period have some faults, such as splitting along the folds and soiling of varying degrees.

COLLECTION HIGHLIGHTS Letter written by Mary Ann McCarty 1813 This letter was sent from Hobart Town to London via Sydney and bears the earliest recorded strike (by three years) of Australia’s first postal marking. The ‘SYDNEY/NEW SOUTH WALES’ undated handstamp was introduced by Sydney’s first postmaster, Isaac Nichols. Only six examples are known in private hands. Nichols charged three pence postage to the sender but the recipient had to pay an inwards ship letter fee of one shilling, which is indicated by the scribble to the left of the Sydney handstamp. Regarded as one of the most important items in all of Australian philately, the letter was written by Mary Ann McCarty (née Wainwright) who was born 14 January 1795 on Norfolk Island, the daughter of the First Fleeter Hester Wainwright. From the age of 14, she appears to have been the mistress of William I’Anson (that’s a capital ‘i’, not a lower-case ‘L’), having had a daughter with him. After I’Anson’s death in November 1811, and aged just 16, she married the Irish rebel Denis McCarty in the following month. In the letter, she writes of her regret that William’s best friend Matthew Bowden had not been given his power of attorney because I’Anson’s estate had been seized, no executor having been named. William I’Anson had arrived at Hobart with David Collins’ establishment party in 1803. He was the senior surgeon, Matthew Bowden his assistant. Denis McCarty had been transported to Sydney in 1800, and three years later was sent to Van Diemen’s Land for disobedience. This exceptional artefact was previously in the collection formed by my friend Brian Peace, who hails from England. When Brian sold his material through Prestige Philately in July 2009, I decided that this was one item I simply had to acquire. Even though the reserve price of $38,000 plus 15% buyer’s commission caused me to wince, I consider it to have been a bargain.

OFFICIAL letter to London 1823 Three Tasmanian post offices to which undated handstamps were allocated in 1828 were the capital Hobart Town, and the northern settlements of Launceston and George Town. An 1823 official letter to London is remarkable for being struck with both the ‘LAUNCESTON’ handstamp and the similar ‘HOBART/TOWN’ marking. In this case, the postage paid from Launceston was eight pence but, because of the weight, the addressee was charged the then princely sum of five shillings on arrival. The transit time was almost nine months, which was quite fast in an era when delivery times in excess of a year were commonplace. Many philatelists lack appreciation for early mail because it does not bear postage stamps. However, even in the absence of stamps, some of the early items are extremely attractive. One of the most eye-catching items in my collection is an 1839 letter to Batavia, in the Dutch East Indies. Carried by Mellish – as marked at the lower left – it received on arrival a stunning impression of the oval ‘ZEEBRIEF/[posthorn]/ONGEFRANKEERD’ (Sea Letter Underpaid) handstamp in vivid blue ink. Although Batavia was the closest port to the Australian continent, it was a very unusual destination in this period: the vast majority of mail from Australia was to England. Having now been collecting for some 25 years, my passion for this inherently interesting material remains undiminished. While new items can be added only occasionally, each one excites me for the fascinating story it has to tell of our colonial heritage.

ABOUT Stephen Brown, Sydney agent for Prestige Philately Stephen is a highly respected philatelist. An active member of the Royal Philatelic Club of Sydney, he is also one of this country’s most successful competitive exhibitors. At the recent international exhibition in Portugal, his display was awarded a gold medal. This is the highest honour ever attained for pre-stamp mail from any of the Australian colonies ●

For more information and advice Stephen Browne can be contacted at PRESTIGE PHILATELY 02 9004 7300 Sydney@prestigephilately.com www.prestigephilately.com Further reading J S White, The Postal History of New South Wales 1788-1901 (Philatelic Association of New South Wales, 1988)

BELGRAVE ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Michael Goff, Sunshine and flowers near Sorrento

Michael Goff, Evening Light, Hopkins River Warnambool

Molly Roche, Pomegranates

SHERBROOKE ART SOCIETY AND GALLERY art classes and exhibitions

ince 1966, the Sherbrooke Art Society has fostered talented emerging artists and has numerous members who are outstanding prize-winning artists, whose works are highly regarded locally, nationally and internationally. Sherbrooke Art Society Gallery is nestled at the edge of the Sherbrooke Forest and is a popular destination for tourists and visitors to the Dandenong Ranges. Until the recent renovations, the building was under threat requiring extensive refurbishment. As a result of grants from the state government and member investment, the gallery has been saved with $250,000 worth of restoration and upgrades. Sherbrooke Art Society reflects the traditions of the art world and it has maintained a teaching studio with professional tutors across all mediums. Current classes include traditional painting in pastel, oil, watercolour and acrylics and children’s classes. Life classes and portrait classes are now taught at Sherbrooke.

TUTOR PROFILES MICHAEL Goff The longest serving teacher at the society, Michael Goff gives classes on Monday morning, afternoon and evening. Born in 1957 in Kashmir, India, Michael moved with his family to Australia when aged ten, and from age 14, he studied art, taught tonal oils by Carl Anderson. Following his passion for painting, he gave up a retail management career in 1989 to become a professional artist. He is self-taught in watercolours, acrylics, pastels and inks. He is now principally a landscape artist, preferring to paint on location, and draws on his sketches and photos for inspiration. A member of the Sherbrooke Art Society and of the Australian Guild of Realist Artists, Michael is sought after for demonstration

and judging. He has won numerous awards including best pastel at the 2008 Camberwell Rotary Art Show.

JEFF Murphy Trained in the tonal school of painting, Jeff teaches the tradition of tonal painting, continuing the Meldrum school. Jeff started his painting career under the tutorage of Glenda Wise at Sherbrooke Art Society where he is now conducting classes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in oil paint. Jeff also runs classes in portraiture and life drawing and is in high demand as a tutor. He also demonstrates techniques for other societies. He is currently the president of Sherbrooke Art Society. Jeff has won numerous awards, most recently the highly commended in the Society’s spring show and the 2010 Streeton Roberts McCubbin Awards.

EVENTS DECEMBER Bargain Sale This is a selling exhibition of framed and unframed traditional Australian paintings and non-traditional pieces by Society members at bargain prices.

STREETON Roberts McCubbin Awards Exhibition 12 – 27 March This is the major awards exhibition for the Society. Categories are: best traditional Australian landscape, non-landscape, painting and best small painting. All works are for sale. Renowned Australian artist Walter Magilton will judge and present the awards.

Demonstrations by renowned guest artists are held on the first Thursday evening of every month in addition to the free demonstrations given every second Saturday afternoon by talented artists. All are welcome to attend and see artists demonstrating their techniques and the joy of art. Please contact the gallery for more information and enrolment. Entry is free to the Sherbrooke Art Society Gallery. For classes and exhibition details, ring during gallery hours, 11 am to 4 pm, from Wednesday to Sunday ● SHERBROOKE ART SOCIETY AND GALLERY 03 9754 4264 www.sherbrookeartsociety.com

Sherbrooke

MOLLY Roche A long standing member of Sherbrooke Art Society, Molly is a tonal painter who learned under Glenda Wise in the Meldrum technique of oil painting. Molly now runs a class for children in the techniques of observing, drawing and painting on the first Saturday of each month. Molly has won many awards and highly commended recognition for her work.

ARTIST DEMONSTRATIONS

Gallery

Sherbrooke Art Society Inc Established 1966

STEWART Benson Stewart Benson studied traditional oil painting under Walter Magilton. Self-taught in pastel, acrylic and watercolour, Stewart runs classes in all mediums on Wednesday afternoons. Stewart focuses on good drawing and composition, covering mainly landscape, figures, portraits and animal studies. Stewart has won many awards and high commendations for his work.

Streeton Roberts McCubbin Awards Exhibition Official Opening: 12 March 2011 at 3 pm All are welcome Traditional Australian Landscapes and other paintings Exhibition to run 12 – 27 March

FREE ENTRY 62 Monbulk Road, Belgrave 3160 Tel: 03 9754 4264 Gallery Hours: Wednesday - Sunday 11 am - 4 pm www.sherbrookeartsociety.com Blog: http://sherbrookeartsociety.blogspot.com Jeff Murphy, Self Portrait

To Monbulk Monbulk Rd Sherbrooke Gallery Puffing Billy Belgrave Station Burwood Hwy to Melb Melway Ref 75 F8

Jeff Murphy, Magnolia

ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Amanda van-Gils, The Greenest Green, 2009, oil on canvas, 122 x 152 cm. In The Littlest Forum exhibition

Carole Wilson, Mrs Darwin’s Garden (detail)

At the Art Gallery of Ballarat this summer, SEE THREE NEW EXHIBITIONS OF contemporary Australian artists and their works December 2010 – March 2011 NET WORK THE LITTLEST Forum – TLF 11 December 2010 – 30 January 2011 rtists’ collectives have been a powerful force in Australian art. As many artists work in isolated environments, they have sought support, debate and dialogue with colleagues – invaluable in helping artists deal with their isolation while creating art. Two significant Australian artists’ groups were the Heidelberg School group of painters in Melbourne in the late 19th century, and the Angry Penguins, a modernist literary and artistic movement in the 1940s originating in Adelaide. An artist’s life often veers between intense periods of seclusion and periods of reaching out for contact and dialogue. This seeming

paradox, the need for both isolation and intense connections, is a strong recurring theme in the history of artists. Many artists use online communication today for contacts with other artists, even forming online discussion groups. The internet is a vital tool in artists’ careers, while some even use the internet as part of their artistic practices. The members of one such group, The Littlest Forum, decided to collaborate in a group show at the Art Gallery of Ballarat. Much has been made of digital technologies as new media for artists’ works. In addition, digital technology is having a profound impact on artists’ practices. It is a tool for documentation and presentation of work, and promoting and selling. It is also a tool for for establishing and maintaining connections with other artists – all of which are clear in this exhibition. These 38 artists cover a wide range of practices and backgrounds – none is bound by any particular ideal or manifesto. Rather, these artists connect with each other through their experiences of being artists in contemporary times. They meet their own needs and express their willingness to communicate and interact with other artists, online. Through these processes, they form a virtual artistic community without geographical, social or economic boundaries. Unlike many large open online forums, The Littlest Forum ensures a workable balance between early career artists with more established artists, and affords Rob Whitson, Rhododendron, 2010

sophisticated information, connections and dialogue. The invitation-only aspect of this forum ensures privacy so that artists feel free to share their questions, concerns, experiences and information. From four states (Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia), these 38 Australian artists include emerging and established artists, in metropolitan and regional areas. They represent a cross-section of artistic practices including sculpture, object-based work, work on paper and with paper, painting, photography and illustration. Collectively they hold an impressive list of prizes, solo and group shows.

CAROLE Wilson: Mrs Darwin’s Garden Until 16 January In 2008, Ballarat-based artist, Carole Wilson moved to Darwin NT to teach. One outcome of her move is a new exhibition that examines themes of European exploration, mapping of new lands, and gardening traditions. It also refers to aspects of place and the predicament of displacement. She revisits ongoing themes of domesticity and home making. The work is also concerned with the concept of ‘after,’ namely after the 2009 hype and celebration around the world of the bicentenary of Charles Darwin’s birth (18091882). Wilson presents another celebration to highlight women’s endeavours. She presents a reflection on the traditional ways in which women, often displaced in new homes, new cities and new countries, map the minutiae to order their daily world.

ROB Whitson: Traces in the Landscape 5 February – 15 March While staying in India in 2001, Rob Whitson became acquainted with a Tibetan monk named Tsultrum. The artist stayed at

Dharamsala, a former British hill station in the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. This state is currently home to many Tibetan refugees including the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government-in-exile. Tsultrum told Whitson of his journey from Tibet over the mountains. He asked Whitson to paint the landscape where the Tibetan monastery he belonged to was located, showing him photos of the place called ‘where there is two yellow river.’ Tsultrum expressed some concern regarding the fate of the site of the monastery in northeastern Tibet. Before Whitson started work on this project, he heard that Tsultrum had committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree somewhere in or around Dharamsala. The trees around Dharamsala mainly consist of rhododendron and cedar and the foliage of rhododendrons is regularly stripped to feed domestic animals. Whitson was left with a stark image of Tsultrum hanging from a stripped rhododendron tree by his monk’s robe. Traces in the Landscape is Whitson’s response to Tsultrum’s death and honours the monk’s request by making the Dharamsala landscape a focal point of this exhibition. It is the layered multifaceted landscape where traces of peoples’ connections to place and places are embedded into this pocket of land in the foothills of the north-west Indian Himalayas ● Admission is free to the Art Gallery of Ballarat and to these special exhibitions. We are open daily between 10 am and 5 pm, closing only on Christmas Day and open every public holiday.

ART GALLERY OF BALLARAT 03 5320 5858 artgal@ballarat.vic.gov.au www.artgalleryballarat.com.au

BALLARAT ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

ASCOT VALE / ARMADALE / CANTERBURY ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

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veronica george G A L L E RY 1082 High St, Armadale Melbourne 3143 Ph: 03 9500 9930 Fax: 03 9500 9125 veronica@veronicageorge.com.au www.veronicageorge.com.au Open 7 days Mon to Sat 10 am to 5.30 pm and Sun 11 am to 5.30 pm

The Veronica George Gallery represents a large number of leading Australian glass artists and showcases many of their complex glass techniques. In addition to the wide selection of tasteful gifts and special pieces for the interior, we have unique works of art for the collector. As well as the magnificent variety of original hand-blown glass, there is a fine collection of contemporary jewellery by well-known Australian artists.

KITCHEN LIGHT SPECIALIST Architectural hardware by Domino Brass, Tradco, Delf Brass, Jacksons & Gainsborough

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Pam & Stephen Chandler

HUGE RANGE OF QUALITY FRENCH BEDS

Guy Page

Persian and Oriental Carpets

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st u j ent m ship e Hug PAGE ANTIQUES WAREHOUSE 323 CANTERBURY RD, CANTERBURY VICTORIA 3126 PH 03 9880 7433 10 AM – 5 PM 7 DAYS (SUN 11 AM – 4 PM) Email: guypage@bigpond.com 0411 175 320 www.pageantiques.com.au

CAMBERWELL / HAMILTON ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

CLIFTON HILL ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

QUEENSLAND ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

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GEELONG / BALLARAT / BENDIGO / QUEENSLAND ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Antique Print & Map Company Camford Square corner Douglas & Dorsey Sts Wednesday – Friday MILTON Brisbane 10 am – 6 pm Saturday 10 am – 4 pm Phone 07 3368 1167

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23 April 2011

EASTER SATURDAY 10 am – 6 pm 24 April 2011

LONGEST T S ’ A I L A AUSTR AND LARGES 41st Annual 2011 RUNNINGTIQUE FAIR AN Ballarat Antique Fair Saturday, 12 March • 10am - 6pm Sunday, 13 March • 10am - 5pm Monday, 14 March • 10am - 4pm

Ballarat Badminton Centre Dowling Street, Wendouree Location map - refer to website Antique Fair Inquiries

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10 am – 6 pm 25 April 2011

ANZAC DAY MONDAY 12 pm – 5 pm

• More than 95 Exhibitors from all over Australia

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EASTER SUNDAY

Browning Street, Kangaroo Flat (off Calder Highway) Enquiries: Phone 03 9369 2306 Robert Dennis Mobile: 0414 248 120

26 April 2011

PUBLIC HOLIDAY TUESDAY 10 am – 4 pm

GEELONG ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

BENDIGO ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

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

Pair fine quality French Louis XVI style gilt bergère chairs. c.1870s

Fine quality Victorian ebonised reverse breakfront four door cabinet with hand painted Vienna plaques and decorative gilt mounts, c. 1870s

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

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

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

BENDIGO ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Walker Evans, Torn movie poster, Truro Massachusetts (detail) 1930, gelatin silver print. George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography and Film, Rochester, NY

Alfred Stieglitz, Georgia O’Keefe (detail) 1933, gelatin silver print. George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography and Film, Rochester, NY

AMERICAN DREAMS: 20th century photography from George Eastman House USA ONLY AT BENDIGO ART GALLERY 16 April – 10 July 2011

eorge Eastman House is the world’s oldest photography museum and one of the world’s oldest film archives. It opened to the public in 1949 in Rochester, New York, USA. World-renowned for its photograph and motion picture archives, the museum is also a leader in film preservation and photograph conservation, educating archivists and conservators from around the world. The collection includes more than 400,000 photographs and objects. This exhibition focuses on George Eastman House’s extensive holdings of 20th and early 21st century American photography. Since the early 20th century, American photographers have been leading the way in the development of the photographic medium as an art form in its own right. Bendigo Art Gallery is the exclusive venue for this exhibition. American Dreams will

trace the development of photography throughout the 20th century from the early work of pictorialist Gertrude Kasebier; the social document of Lewis Wicks Hine, Walker Evans and Paul Strand; Laszlo Moholy-Nagy’s experimentation with abstraction and form; to the street photography of Stephen Shore and Lee Friedlander. Although the exhibition engages with a myriad of subjects and ideas, the notion of documentary photography is pivotal. In very diverse ways, many of the artists have embraced the concept of the photograph as social document. Their works present an interested and often challenging depiction of the social life of the USA from the early 20th century through to the present. The exhibition includes more than 80 photographs by some of America’s most influential photographers, such as Ansel

Adams, Diane Arbus, Walker Evans, Gertrude Kasebier, Dorothea Lange, Cindy Sherman, Edward Steichen and Alfred Stieglitz. American Dreams is the first exhibition drawn entirely from the collection of George Eastman House displayed in Australia ● The gallery is open daily 10 am to 5 pm (excluding 25 December) and entry is by donation. An additional admission fee applies to this special exhibition. We are wheelchair accessible. Free guided tour of the gallery’s permanent collection is daily at 2 pm.

BENDIGO ART GALLERY 03 5434 6088 bendigoartgallery@bendigo.vic.gov.au www.bendigoartgallery.com.au

“

American Dreams will trace the development of photography throughout the 20th century

” 53

ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

WITHOUT PIER GALLERY Exhibition Program and Artist Profiles 1. Helen Cottle, In Winter Light, watercolour, 76 x 56 cm 2. Christine Wrest-Smith, Habitat, oil on canvas, 122 x 122 cm 3. Natalie Pula Holmes, Sand Dunes, acrylic on linen 4. Vivi Palegeorge, Storm Approaching The Twelve Apostles, acrylic on canvas, 40 x 30 cm 5. Alex Bell, Promenade – St Kilda, watercolour

EXHIBITION PROGRAM CHRISTMAS Postcard Show 3 – 19 December 2010 ur popular pre-Christmas show features small-format works by all of the stellar artists shown at both Without Pier Galleries of Cheltenham and Hampton.

The success of last year’s show ensures that this 2011 watercolour show will be a great art and collecting experience. The Glen Eira City Council Gallery is on the corner of Glen Eira and Hawthorn Roads in Caulfield, and is open between 10 am and 5 pm.

MELBOURNE Watercolour Show 9 – 20 February Without Pier Gallery hosts the Melbourne Watercolour Show at the Glen Eira City Council Gallery in February 2011, a selling exhibition dedicated to the art of watercolour painting. Up to 30 outstanding Australian watercolour artists are exclusively invited to exhibit works, making this a prestigious watercolour show. Over 100 paintings will be on sale across an eclectic range of subjects.

UTOPIAN Aboriginal Exhibition

2 – 20 March Without Pier Cheltenham Gallery, in conjunction with Utopian Art will be exhibiting works from the Eastern Desert – 285 km northeast of Alice Springs. Eastern Desert Art was established as part of the Utopia Community Project, an exciting initiative that aims to assist the traditional Aboriginal land owners to re-establish part of Utopia as a cattle station. A portion of profits from every painting sold will apply to this project.

ARTIST PROFILES VIVI Palegeorge & CHRISTINE Wrest-Smith 4 – 20 March Melbourne-born Vivi Palegeorge’s early love of drawing and painting eventually led her to enrol in watercolour classes. For the past 12 years she has painted continuously the seaside, city, streetscapes, rural landscapes, people, flowers – anything that captures her 4

inspiration – and regularly paints en plein air. Vivi’s exhibition will be at Without Pier Gallery in Hampton. In 2006, she became a full member of the Australian Guild of Realist Artists, where she also exhibits. She is a member of Brighton, Beaumaris and Mentone-Mordialloc art groups. Vivi is a regular participant in many art shows and has numerous awards, continuously receives commissions from local, interstate and international clients and makes time to teach watercolour classes. Christine Wrest-Smith is a professional fulltime artist, whose honours degree in fine art at Monash University included studies in Italy. Her specialty is portraiture and figurative work using traditional and contemporary methods of drawing and painting. Christine’s new show, the Habitat Project, is the exploration of the process of construction of shelter and personal territory in the form of a bird’s nest, each a combination of strength and fragility. Her work evokes the process of construction through paint or charcoal. Each individual habitat is a revelation of the character of its creator and draws parallels with artistic expression. Christine currently teaches painting and drawing at the Victorian Artists Society and Cheltenham Glen Eira Art Group. 5

“

The success of last year’s show ensures that this 2011 watercolour show will be a great art and collecting experience.

” 54

CHELTENHAM / HAMPTON ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

MIERTJE Skidmore 30 March – 17 April at Cheltenham Gallery Miertje’s art has a twofold impact on viewers. Firstly, because of her large scale and use of vibrant colours, the gallery is full of energy and movement. Secondly, on closer inspection each work delights and amazes viewers with miniscule details that immerse and mesmerize eyes and thoughts. The grand scale, bold use of colour and high gloss finish in Miertje’s abstracted landscapes depict the power of the elements and their capacity for destruction and regeneration. Her work is in respected galleries throughout Australia and held in corporate and private collections.

BEN Aitken & SOPHIE McPike 1 – 17 April at Hampton Gallery After her successful exhibition last year, we are delighted to show Sophie McPike along with another young emerging artist, Ben Aitken – both are Sandringham College alumni. The theme will be ‘a touch of Hollywood.’ Sophie is concentrating on the stars of a bygone era, while Ben represents a more contemporary aspect of Hollywood.

“

I paint to get a reaction. The enjoyment I get when people respond to the work whether it be positive of negative is always really satisfying

”

Ben Aiken

SOPHIE McPike: Artist statement ‘I paint because I simply do not know what to do if I don’t. I can relate to the silent era because I find it hard to express myself in words. In silent film the image is the most important thing, there is no need for words to convey a meaning, thus painting is how I articulate myself. I have nostalgia for the chivalrous past and am rapt by the ambiguity of the early 1900s. Recently I discovered some photographs of my grandparents and great-grandparents: charming, elegant and sophisticated photos that resonate deeply with the manner of my work.’

6. Miertje Skidmore, Eternal Optimism, mixed media, 180 x 150 cm 7. Sophie McPike, James Cagney, oil on canvas 8. Ben Aitken, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, acrylic on board

BEN Aitken: Artist statement ‘I paint to get a reaction. The enjoyment I get when people respond to the work whether it be positive of negative is always really satisfying. It consolidates what I want to portray and express in my art. My work is graphic and contemporary. There is an energy jumping out of the canvas which is bold and makes a statement. The style is figurative with an influence from the pop art movement. I choose images of celebrities who have a reputation for being icons and reactionary.’ ● WITHOUT PIER GALLERY Cheltenham 03 9583 7577 Hamilton 03 9598 5006 enquiries@withoutpier.com.au www.withoutpier.com.au

Established 15 years, now in two prominent locations www.withoutpier.com.au

1/320 BAY ROAD CHELTENHAM 3192 VICTORIA p: 03 9583 7577 417 HAMPTON STREET HAMPTON 3188 VICTORIA p: 03 9598 5006 e: enquiries@withoutpier.com.au

CRICKET SHOW 20 December 2010 – 9 January 2011 Cheltenham Gallery MARGARET GURNEY 19 January – 2 February 2011 Cheltenham Gallery MELBOURNE WATERCOLOUR SHOW 9 – 20 February 2011 Glen Eira Town Hall UTOPIAN ABORIGINAL ART 2 – 20 March 2011 Cheltenham Gallery VIVI PALEGEORGE & CHRISTINE WREST-SMITH 4 – 19 March 2011 Hampton Gallery MIERTJE SKIDMORE 30 March – 17 April 2011 Cheltenham Gallery BEN AITKEN & SOPHIE McPIKE 1 – 17 April 2011 Hampton Gallery 55

ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

ANTIQUE PRINT STYLES

o appreciate the effort involved in creating an antique print, you need to know a little about the process involved in its printing. Printing describes the transference of ink from a prepared printing surface (the block, plate or stone carrying the image or words) to a piece of paper or other material. Ink can be carried on raised parts of a printing surface (relief process), in lower carved or etched grooves (intaglio process), or on the surface itself (planographic or surface printing).

RELIEF printing In the early process of relief printing, the relief surface was ready for printing after all the non-printing areas had been cut away (as with a rubber stamp), leaving the area raised to receive the ink. Early paper, made by hand, was quite expensive and often thin, so the woodblock printing on the reverse frequently showed through. Excellent examples of this process are the woodcuts for The Herball or Generall historie of plantes…, the primary work of John Gerarde (1545-1612), published circa 1597. John Gerarde was apprenticed to a leading

surgeon, was educated as a surgeon, and eventually became warden of the BarberSurgeons Company. As with a number of surgeons of his day, Gerarde’s true passion was horticulture. He became an eminent botanist in Britain in the 16th century, and his grand Herball (compiled while caring for the gardens of his patron Lord Burleigh) was probably the most famous British herbal of the 16th century.

INTAGLIO process Subsequent to the relief process, the more refined intaglio process was developed. In this, the grooves were carved or etched into an engraving plate. Copperplates were soft enough to be beaten flat and re-engraved, and were particularly used for updating information on antique maps. Steel engravings were of denser metal, which provided greater durability of the carved lines for larger print runs. The varying intensity of the engraved lines was achieved by the different width and depth of the grooves. Ink was applied and then the surface was wiped, leaving ink in the grooves. The inked engraving plate was then applied, with considerable pressure, to transfer the ink

Antique Print & Map Company Camford Square corner Douglas & Dorsey Streets Wednesday – Saturday MILTON Brisbane 10 am – 6 pm Saturday 10 am – 4 pm Phone 07 3368 1167 M: 0412 442 283

Antique Print Club Member discounts for website purchases

www.antiqueprintclub.com

Email sales@antiqueprintclub.com Antique Print Club gallery in Milton, Brisbane closes Christmas day until Wednesday 26 January. Antique Print Club exhibits at Broadbeach Jupiters’ Rotary Antiques Fair from 6 to 9 January. Antique Print Club January Open Day: Neranwood, Gold Coast Hinterland on Sunday 16 January. - featuring special collections of Antique Maps, Antique Prints of Allom’s ‘Views of China’,

Gazette du Bon Ton 1920s Fashion Pochoir, and John Gould Birds and Australian Mammals...

from the plate onto the paper. An intaglio impression was created by the external edges of the engraving plate. When more than one image was engraved on a plate, the impression is not visible around the individual images. With a plate engraved into wood, less pressure was required to transmit the ink from the wider lines and relatively softer surface – so no intaglio impression was made. Among the finest steel-engraved images are the wonderful illustrations for China & the Chinese Illustrated. A series of views, from original sketches, displaying the scenery, architecture, social habits, etc., of this ancient and exclusive empire by Thomas Allom Esquire. Engraved by eminent topographical engravers of the day, they were published in London between 1843 and 1847, following declaration of peace at Nanking at the end of the first Opium War (18391842) between Britain and China. As well as the fascinating landscapes, these fine engravings revealed to the West the colourful and opulent life style of the upper classes in China, unfamiliar religious customs and strange occupations and inventions.

PLANOGRAPHIC process The planographic style of printing is still in use today. The printing surface of a lithographic plate was flat, but the process did not require pressure. It relied on the principle of grease repelling water. Initially, the design was drawn with a greasy zinc crayon on very smooth limestone. The plate was then washed and the water was absorbed by the stone but repelled where the image had been drawn. When greasy printer’s ink was rolled over the plate, it only adhered to the drawing, as the water repelled the ink on the remainder of the plate. The ink was then transferred onto paper. Lithography is rather a complex process even though the principle is straightforward. It is even more complex when the lithograph is printed in colour. Different lithographic plates are required for each colour, and each coloured lithographic plate has to be exactly lined up on top of the previous impression. Excellent examples of lithographs are the works of John Gould (1804-1881). Arguably the best illustrations of Australian birds (and in many cases the first to be seen), Gould was fascinated with the birds of Australia. His hand-coloured lithographs of Australia’s birds were published over a period of 50 years from 1837 to 1888. Gould’s enormous task of recording the birds of Australia was finally completed after his death, by his friend and colleague Richard BowdlerSharpe, with the publication between 1875 and 1888 of Birds of New Guinea and the Adjacent Papuan Islands, including many new species recently discovered in Australia. Initially birds’ skins were sent to Gould in Britain from Brisbane by John Coxen, the brother of Gould’s wife. Gould was not satisfied with the lithographs produced for the 1837 Birds of Australia and the Adjacent Islands. In 1838 he withdrew the work and set out for Australia with his wife and the oldest four of their surviving children. John Gould married his artist wife Elizabeth (1804-1841) in 1829, and commissioned his collaborator, prominent parrot illustrator Edward Lear, to train her in the art of lithography.

During their time in Australia, while Gould travelled and collected bird specimens, Elizabeth remained in Tasmania with their children and spent her time sketching the birds he sent her. During her relatively short life, Elizabeth produced around 600 superb hand-coloured lithographs for Gould’s grand works. Elizabeth died in England following the birth of their eighth child. As many of her sketches were transposed into lithographs by Henry Constantine Richter after her death, Elizabeth Gould’s great contribution to her husband’s work is largely unrecognised. Among Elizabeth’s earliest lithographs were the illustrations for A Century of Birds from the Himalayan Mountains published between 1830 and 1832, but rarely seen today. Though some of them are rather stiff in comparison with her later works, they are excellent examples of lithography, as each large plate shows a striking hand-coloured bird against an uncoloured background, with the lithographic sketch clearly visible. John Gould was both a naturalist and businessman. He travelled widely and published some of the grandest illustrations ever produced on the ornithology of different countries. Aware of his limitations as an illustrator, he employed the best illustrators available to transpose his and his wife’s sketches with their notations on colour. Gould paid his illustrators well (though probably not in the case of his wife!), and he was wellknown for his close supervision.

STENCIL, Serigraph, Pochoir Another example of surface printing is the stencil, serigraph, or pochoir. The name traditionally changes with the subject and medium. Stencil is the simplest description; serigraph is particularly associated with fabric printing and pochoir is used to describe the delightful French stencils that became a fashion narrative of the period prior to World War I, and into the art deco period of the 1920s. For the pochoir process, different colours were applied successively in the cut-out areas of a number of stencils to prevent the colours from running together. A combination of gouache and watercolour, applied progressively through a number of stencils, achieved the requisite delicacy and nuance of the style and fabric to produce charming fashion plates between 1913 and 1925 for Gazette du Bon Ton (Journal of Good Style). This exclusive publication was aimed at the wealthy and often showed the latest fashion in a particular setting to indicate where they should be worn. Some of these images were published on a double page and are not only charming – with the often humorous captions – but make spectacular decorative framed artwork – particularly those including children.

ANTIQUE Print Club Antique Print Club is the new banner and website for the Antique Print & Map Company (antique maps and prints) and Decorator Art (reproductions and limited editions). Our Milton gallery in Brisbane will be closed from Christmas day until the last week in January. We will be exhibiting at the Rotary Antique Fair being held at Conrad Jupiters Hotel and Casino, Broadbeach, 6-9 January 2011. Our Antique Print Club opening at Neranwood in the Gold Coast hinterland will be on Sunday 16 January 2011. A superb collection of copperplateengraved antique maps, Allom’s steelengraved Views of China, John Gould’s birds (and Australian mammals), and Gazette du Bon Ton 1920s pochoir of fashion will be featured works exhibited at these venues ● Derek and Kathryn Nicholls ANTIQUE PRINT & MAP COMPANY 07 3368 1167 / 0412 442 283 www.antiqueprintclub.com

MENTONE

ANTIQUE CENTRE

The French Fur niture Specialist Established 1984

‘ W h e re a t re a s u re i s w a i t i n g t o b e f o u n d ’

We have a good selection of French antique furniture at the best prices in Victoria

The best and most interesting selection of: • Antique furniture from France - England - Europe • French Clocks - Prints • Art Deco Figures and Clocks • Antique Ceiling Lights - Lamps • Mirrors - Paintings • English & Australian Silver & Silver Plate • Art Glass - Collectables • Estate and Costume Jewellery • Doulton - Beswick - Shelley • Wedgwood - Limoges Porcelain

• Murano Glass

• Royal Winton - Carlton Ware

• Men’s and Ladies’ accessories

• Provincial tables to seat 6 - 12 people • Louis XV salon suites - chairs • French bookcases • French Art Deco • Limoges porcelain • Provincial sideboards • Buffets • French beds • Mirrors • Antique lights • Art glass • Objets d’art • French clocks

FRENCH HERITAGE ANTIQUES 03 9583 3422

68 Beach Road, Mentone, Vic 3194

NOW TRADING FROM Mentone Beach Antique Centre 68 Beach Road, Mentone, Vic 3194 Email: frenchheritage@bigpond.com Open: Thurs-Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon 11 am - 5 pm

(opposite Mentone Life Saving Club)

03 9583 3422

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Email: mentonebeachantique@gmail.com

Open: Thur-Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon 11 am - 5 pm www.antiquecentrementone.com.au

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French Heritage Antiques

www.antiquecentrementone.com.au

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MENTONE BEACH

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ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

VISITING FRANCE: The Weaver’s House in Aubusson

n our October 2010 buying trip to France, we made a lengthy visit to the town of Aubusson where weavers still make tapestries for hanging on walls, just as they have since the 15th century. South of Paris (380 km) and east of Limoges, the artisans’ workshops spread throughout the town and many will allow you to visit. It was fascinating to visit tapestry manufactories and see the people of Aubusson still weaving and working as had their ancestors. One factory we visited had three levels and employed twelve weavers producing tapestries to order, from spinning and dying wool as needed through to the finished tapestry – and they sourced wool from Australia.

THE WEAVER’S house In 1946, Maurice Dayras, a historian and local lawyer, bought the weaver’s house in Aubusson and decided to restore the dwelling as it had been in the 15th century. Today, it enables visitors to look at the history of tapestry, observe techniques and appreciate the life of a weaver. Since the 15th century tapestries have been woven in Aubusson, using the same looms and techniques and this longevity contributes to the fame of Aubusson. The history of this art developing in this particular valley dates from the early 14th century when Louis de Bourbon, Count of la Marche married Marie

de Hainault, Countess of Flanders in 1310 and she apparently brought Flemish weavers to the area. The local environment was conductive to the tapestry enterprise, with large flocks of sheep, clean water and a variety of plants yielding natural dyes. A legend suggests that earlier migrants from Arabia brought other weaving skills to the area. One of the first tapestries woven in the 15th century was the famed series of The Lady and the Unicorn, now displayed in the National Museum of the Middle Ages in Cluny in Paris. By the beginning of the 17th century tapestries were an integral part of furnishings and were a form of insulation. Tapestries illustrated religious and historical subjects, enabled the subjects to become widely known, especially as tapestries accompanied owners on their travels. In 1665, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, the powerful contrôleur général (minister of finance) under King Louis XIV, gave the title of Royal Manufactory to the Aubusson factory. In the 18th century the principal themes of tapestries were countryside, animal scenes, floral motifs and romantic scenes. The French Revolution put an abrupt stop to the prolific production of Aubusson, as luxury goods no longer had major clients. In the 19th century mechanisation threatened the handcraft of tapestry weaving, as machine-made works were cheaper and produced faster for eager clients.

TAPESTRY revival At the beginning of the 20th century, between 1500 and 2000 people were working in the workshops around Aubusson and nearby Felletin. After WWI a revival commenced and many artists of the school of Paris permitted their works to be reproduced in tapestry from 1932 at the Aubusson factory, once again becoming a great centre for tapestry. Collaborating artists included Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), Georges Braque (18821962), Henri Matisse (1869-1954), Fernand Léger (1881-1955), Georges Rouault (18711958) and Joan Miró (1893-1983). The lesserknown Jean Lurçat (1892-1966) began exploring tapestry in 1916, designing his first major work in the 1930s. French tapestry developed after WWII as an art in its own right, a joint creation between artist and weaver and not an imitation painting. Tapestry once again exploited the coarser texture and the bolder colours that characterised medieval hangings. In 1947, Lurçat founded the Association of Cartoon Painters of Tapestry. His colleagues included Marc Saint-Saëns (1903-1979) and Jean Picart Le Doux (1902-1982), while a Benedictine monk Dom Robert designed tapestries inspired by Persian and medieval European manuscript illumination. Other major French designers of tapestries were Marcel Gromaire (1892-1971) and Henri Matisse, and the architect Le Corbusier (1887-1965) designed tapestries specifically for his buildings.

In the 1950s designs became increasingly abstract. Notable tapestries were the black and white abstractions by sculptor and printmaker Henri-Georges Adam (1904-1967) and abstract tapestries by sculptor Jean Arp (18871966) and Victor Vasarely (1906-1997), the ‘father of op art.’ Today Aubusson and Felletin remain the only private tapestry production centres in Europe. The future of tapestry lies in the continuation of the expertise of weavers and their abilities to adapt to today’s contemporary artists and buyers. The town of Aubusson in France has six centuries of continuous provision for tapestry production, with all requisite trades coexisting, from wool production through to the merchant. Aubusson has approximately 30 workshops, galleries and manufacturers that thrill artists, visitors, academics and buyers ● Barbara Thomas MENTONE BEACH ANTIQUE CENTRE 03 9583 3422 mentonebeachantique@gmail.com Further reading Encyclopaedia Britannica Foundation for Mediaeval Genealogy Office De Tourisme d’Aubusson

MORNINGTON PENINSULA ➞

ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Antiques & art on the Mornington Peninsula

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1. MENTONE MENTONE BEACH ANTIQUE CENTRE

68 Beach Road Mentone (opposite Mentone Beach Life Saving Club) 03 9583 3422 Open Thur, Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, 11am - 5pm. Specialising in fine quality antique furniture, collectables and objets d’art. ‘Where a treasure is waiting to be found.’

2. MORNINGTON MORNINGTON PENINSULA REGIONAL GALLERY

MARLENE MILLER ANTIQUES

Civic Reserve, Corner of Dunns and Tyabb Road, Mornington 03 5975 4395 Open 10 am - 5 pm, Tuesday - Sunday Closed Mondays and some public holidays The region’s premier art gallery offers a dynamic program of nationally significant exhibitions of contemporary and historical art by Australia’s leading artists, together with acclaimed exhibitions focusing on the Mornington Peninsula’s rich cultural life. Recent memorable exhibitions have reflected on the work of the Boyd family, Arthur Streeton and Fred Williams.

4. MT MARTHA MEADS ANTIQUES & COLLECTABLES

3. TYABB TYABB PACKING HOUSE ANTIQUES

33 Shoreham Road, Red Hill South Vic 3937 Mel Ref: 256 B2 Tel: 03 5989 8412 Email: info@montalto.com.au Web: www.montalto.com.au Open 7 days Montalto Vineyard & Olive Grove's 50 acre amphitheatre property is the ideal setting for wine, food, nature and art. Awarded the Top Winery Destination in Victoria 2006. The permanent outdoor sculpture collection can be enjoyed throughout the year with additional exhibitions. An acclaimed restaurant overlooks the property. Award-winning estate wine and olive oil for tasting at the cellar door.

Mornington-Tyabb Road, Tyabb (opp Tyabb Railway Station) 03 5977 4414 Open 10 am - 5 pm, Thursday - Sunday This unique complex is Australia’s largest collection of antiques and collectables. Spend the day browsing, talk to the dealers, most have over 20 years experience. Visit the tearooms then take a ride to the working craft village, art gallery and kiosk. Wheelchair and pushers available. Coaches welcome.

The Clock Tower Arcade Shop 3, 34 Lochiel Avenue, Mt Martha 03 5974 8577 Open 10 am - 5 pm, Wednesday - Sunday We have an eclectic selection from the 1800s to the 1970s including unusual and interesting glass, china, toys, pictures, small furniture and jewellery. We buy and sell.

5. RED HILL MONTALTO VINEYARD & OLIVE GROVE

6. SORRENTO SORRENTO AND FLINDERS FINE ART GALLERY 3301 Point Nepean Rd Sorrento (Opposite Rotunda) 10/33 Cook St Flinders (Opposite Hotel) Winter Hours: Friday - Monday 10.30 am - 5.30 pm Summer Hours: Sorrento: Open daily; Flinders: Open daily, closed Tuesday Other times by appointment. The finest selection of paintings by recognised Australian and international artists including David Chen, Robert Wade, Ivars Jansons, Charlie Tong, Lyn Mellady, John Bredl, Cathy Hamilton, Rodney Symmons, Ron Hancock, Craig Davy, Lyn Mellady, Robert Knight and more.

120 Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento 03 5984 1762 or 0438 537 757 Open 10 am - 5 pm, every day except Christmas Day and Good Friday Established in 1986, this unique antique shop is set in an historic limestone building and houses an amazing amount of beautiful furniture, china, bronzes, lamps, books and interesting bits and pieces. The shop is renowned for its jewellery as well as Georgian,Victorian and Art Deco antiques. We have top quality Melbourne jewellers Stephen Pascoe, Simon Prestige, Armon Donald O’Grady, Monique Bijoux and others. All items available at reasonable prices.

7. FLINDERS THE STUDIO@FLINDERS GALLERY 65 Cook Street Flinders, Vic 3929 03 5989 0077 Email: art@studioflinders.com Web: www.studioflinders.com Open 10 am - 5 pm. Closed Tuesdays. Closed Mondays. Mid June – mid September. An artist run gallery promoting quality Australian work. We have three major exhibitions a year where participating artists have the opportunity to be creative. Exhibitions run for approx three weeks over Easter, mid June and mid September.

SORRENTO ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

SUMMER AT SORRENTO & FLINDERS Fine Art Galleries

he Mornington Peninsula’s major classic and contemporary fine art galleries are the Sorrento Fine Art Gallery and the Flinders Fine Art Gallery. Each gallery’s unique casual sophistication features the finest works of art in original oil, acrylic, watercolour, contemporary sculpture, ceramics and exquisite jewellery. We offer an impressive range of gifted artists, both worldrenowned and cutting-edge emerging artists, in regular exhibitions.

SORRENTO FINE ART GALLERY is showing Gail Rutland Gillard: Gail’s Girls 15 January – 23 January Expect a vision of vibrant colour and original creative style with the new January exhibition bursting onto the Mornington Peninsula scene. Gail’s Girls includes new paintings from Australian artist Gail Rutland Gillard who has been painting her unique pieces for over 30 years. Her fine artistic creations and talent have led to many notable achievements. In Rome, Gail was a fashion illustrator for Italia Modes, sketching the models for catalogues. Returning to Australia Gail worked as a promotional artist for John Fairfax. Soon, her bright and unique style was recruited by Kerry Packer to grace the pages of his women’s magazines. Gail has also illustrated many novels for the authors including Jackie Collins and Judy Nunn.

Wayne Cuthell, Renee Mellady and Catherine Chalmers. You are sure to find something for everyone on your gift list. There are also John Stroomer’s crystalline ceramics, Lewis Allesandro’s sculptures and Sharon Jacobi’s ceramic creations ● We are committed to excellence in our art and in providing you with personal, professional service at SORRENTO FINE ART GALLERY FLINDERS FINE ART 03 5984 3880 03 5989 0889 bec.barbour@bigpond.com.au www.peninsulagalleries.com.au

ARTIST’S Statement Gail cannot pinpoint exactly where she gets her inspiration but says she never plans a painting, ‘It just appears. Everyday whatever I see, I get inspired. Colour is my thing. Colour and Life.’ Whether a ballet performance or skateboarders in a park, once an idea is firm, Gail takes a big canvas, big brush and paints the idea down approximately and there begins her one-off work. This exhibition has taken over a year to plan and develop, resulting in over 30 paintings by Gail filling Sorrento Fine Art Gallery. Her exhibition will include Gail’s Girls, Australiana, ballerina studies, everpopular seascapes and some of her newest lively ideas. The exhibition is running for only one week (15-23 January). For an invitation or preview, please contact the gallery on 03 5984 3880 or view www.peninsulagalleries.com.au.

FLINDERS FINE ART new works for summer Our gallery partner, Flinders Fine Art is located opposite the renowned Flinders Hotel. An exciting summer exhibition shows new works by over 35 artists, including Tamara Sewoff, Sian Dodd, David Chen, Charlie Tong, Craig Davy, Ivars Jansons, Amanda Hyatt, Lyn Mellady, John Bredl, Ron Hancock and Di King. Flinders Fine Arts has extended opening times in summer, from Wednesday to Sunday.

CHRISTMAS exhibition While in Sorrento, visit our wonderful display of new jewellery by Amanda Rosser,

MORNINGTON PENINSULA ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Beleura, built c. 1863 in the Italianate style

Bedroom ‘modernised’ in 1950s colours and fittings

The magnificent BELEURA AT MORNINGTON

he legacy of a gold rush enriched land boom, Beleura at Mornington is an early example of an architectural style which became almost a Melbourne trademark. Beleura was built c. 1863 in the Italianate style for Scottish-born James Butchart who had migrated to Melbourne in 1842. The building materials were hand-made bricks that were rendered and scored to resemble ashlar or dressed stone. The house and garden are the products of wealth, aspiration and a desire by a mid-19th century wealthy class attempting to create a noted place in the colonial world, by possession of a landed estate complete with a suitable house for a gentleman. At the time

of Butchart’s death in 1869, Beleura was described as ‘the finest mansion in the colony,’ and ‘a magnificent and almost unrivalled property.’ Sales brochures described it as possessing ‘all the requisites of a Gentleman’s Country Seat.’ Writing 100 years later in 1969, John Heathington commented that ‘Butchart seems to be one of the first men of substance to settle on the Peninsula with the idea, not so much of farming the land as of living graciously in the manner of a squire.’ Given that at the time Beleura ran to a modest 190 acres, the concept of it being a country seat was more an affectation than a fact.

Set high on the hill at Mornington is Beleura the House & Garden. Gather your friends, it’s time to enjoy what Beleura has to offer. Explore the magnificent garden walks hosted by experienced guides, where you will see gardens from a time past, hand crafted and themed for your visual enjoyment. Come and tantalise your senses. You will also experience a guided tour of the marvellous mansion that is Beleura. Sit back and enjoy a scrumptious morning tea with coffee and cake in the comfort of the Melba room. You may like to have lunch with us too. We offer short morning visits and longer day tours, including air conditioned coach transport from the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery. Beleura was bequeathed to the people of Victoria by Jack Morton Tallis as a place of historic and educational interest and deemed a place of national significance. The contents provenced to members of the Tallis family include furniture, fine and decorative art, soft furnishings, books, photographs, domestic goods, theatrical memorabilia, items of gentlemen’s apparel and general household paraphernalia. For more information on how you can make a booking at Beleura the House & Garden, please telephone our friendly staff or visit our website.

PO Box 1198, Mornington Vic 3931 Australia Email: info@beleura@org.au Telephone: 03 5975 2027 Fax: 03 5977 1021 Web: www.beleura.org.au

A SUMMER retreat Over the years, various families held Beleura and in general used it as a summer retreat from Melbourne. In 1916, it was purchased by Sir George Tallis who over time accumulated 2000 acres and for the first time allowed sufficient land to support the concept of a squire in a countryseat. The Tallis family continued the traditional use of Beleura as a summer retreat and at various times Lady Tallis engaged renovators and pursued modernisation. After Lady Tallis’s death in 1933, Sir George continued to spend summers at Beleura, apparently allowing a gradual decay. Sir George died in 1948 and his youngest son, Jack Morton (John) Tallis felt that if he could ‘take it on’ he could ‘save what remains of our good 19th century architecture before it is too late.’ ‘In our present niggardly outlook we have seen little virtue in the 19th century. However, all over the world, the pendulum has begun to swing the other way, and we have commenced to reassess the achievements of that century. In addition to so much else, we are beginning to be grateful for buildings of that time which probably could never be built again, and for the wealth of wonderful detail with which they are decorated. Grateful, sometimes, even for second-rate architecture – for so many years now we have been starved of ornament.’1 In 1952, perhaps to ‘stamp his personality on his parents’ house,’ John Tallis started renovating. He modernised what appeared to be interiors devised by Lady Tallis in the arts and crafts style. John Tallis’s work has fortunately survived, together with documentation of the renovations.

THE DRAWING Room at Beleura What makes Beleura so interesting today is that it reflects how wealthy Melbournians renovated and modernised houses, especially their family houses, in an era when Australians still called visiting England as ‘going home.’ The drawing room at Beleura is a textbook version, representing fashionable Melbourne c. 1950, rarely preserved. Modernisation was more a process of overlaying a previous scheme, painting antique furniture cream, installing wall to wall carpet, adding aluminium venetian blinds flanked by Regency striped side curtains and lowering the ceilings. Family pictures were retained but either reframed or old gilt frames actually re-painted to match the wall colours – often somewhat forthright colours too. Wallpaper was in vogue, especially in bedrooms and here too Regency stripes were favoured. Picture a modernised sitting room with its plain wall-to-wall carpet, possibly mushroom toned. Regency striped curtains are in

burgundy and furniture is upholstered in traditional dusty pink damask, enhanced with ivory satin cushions. The room is illuminated by an electrified chandelier, the arms inverted so the hanging prisms conceal the globes; table lamps contrived from inherited Chinese porcelain vases, or a standard lamp, all have oyster coloured moiré silk shades, perhaps in the fashionable ballerina shape. If the marble chimneypiece survives, the cast iron grate has been removed, replaced by a tapestry brick inset. The mantle shelf holds many fine antiques, including a Sèvres panelled gilt clock, Venetian glass pieces and cream framed hand-coloured wedding photographs. If the family is, or aspires to be considered rather grand, a portrait of the lady of the house by William Dargie hangs above the mantle. Items positioned about the room include a Florentine magazine rack and a modern coffee table of rosewood with Queen Anne style legs, its glass top protecting tapestry worked by a family member. Perhaps there is a radiogram, a grand piano and a flokati hearth shag-style rug. Fortunately, John Tallis was convinced, although with some amusement, that Beleura was a version of this 1950s Melbourne style to be preserved as it was, and that later concessions to age and wear and tear should be reversed. Beleura represents an era when Australia was still looking back to England, but eager to embrace the new post-war boom.

JOHN TALLIS’S Legacy John Tallis died in 1996 and bequeathed Beleura to the people of Victoria. The fabulous contents include furniture, fine and decorative art, soft furnishings, books, photographs, domestic goods, theatrical memorabilia, items of apparel and general household paraphernalia.

VISITING It is necessary to book a tour of Beleura which can be organised either by phone or via the web. Included with the guided tour is morning tea and lunch. A courtesy bus will pick you up at Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery. Special events throughout the year are listed on www.beleura.org.au ● Anthony Knight Director BELEURA THE HOUSE & GARDEN 03 5975 2027 info@beleura.org.au www.beleura.org.au Note 1. John Tallis, Beleura Mornington, Guide Book, 1960

MORNINGTON PENINSULA ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Jenny Phillips, Worsleya Procera, 2006, watercolour on paper. Private collection

Jenny Phillips, Water lily with dragon fly, 2008, watercolour on paper. Private collection

SUMMER EXHIBITIONS at Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery Jenny Phillips The hidden meaning of plants 12 November-6 February

enny Phillips deservedly has an international reputation as an important botanical artist. She is founder, director and teacher at the Botanical Art School in Melbourne. She is credited with the contemporary renaissance of botanical art in Australia and abroad. Jenny has a consuming passion for painting plants and flowers. This first major retrospective examines the ways in which Phillips’ botanical art goes beyond scientific observation, more than merely using plants to demonstrate her artistic skills and scientific knowledge. She invests plants with symbolic meanings to express her emotional states and relationships with family and friends. Featuring rarely seen watercolours and drawings sourced from private collections throughout Australia, this exhibition includes

Merric Boyd (1888-1959), Figure of Arthur Boyd aged three years, 1923, hand-formed earthenware. Courtesy Bundanon Trust Collection

works from her well-known magnolia, strelitzia (bird of paradise) and water lily series. Other works are her Australian native flowers and exotic flowers, as well as fruit and vegetable studies.

White gums and ramoxes: Ceramics by Merric & Arthur Boyd from the Bundanon Trust Collection A Bundanon Trust Touring Exhibition 12 November-6 February (William) Merric Boyd (1888-1959) was one of Australia’s first commercially successful artisan potters. Merric was the son of successful artists Arthur Merric Boyd (1862-1940) and Emma Minnie Boyd (18581936) who purchased land for Merric in Murrumbeena, Victoria, to build a home, which he called ‘Open Country.’ Doris Gough Boyd (1889-1960) studied art at the National Gallery Art School, meeting Penleigh Boyd and his brother Merric, whom she married in 1915. Hence, Arthur Boyd (19201999) was from an extremely talented family, with his father’s pottery studio in the backyard, his mother’s artworks surrounding him, his artist grandparents living nearby, and he met many visiting artists around the family table. This Bundanon Trust touring exhibition focuses on the talents of the father and son, notably how Arthur responded artistically to his father and the impact of Merric’s father on his work. White gums refer to Merric being one of the first potters to incorporate Australian motifs in pottery, notably the white gums in the Victorian countryside. Ramoxes were Arthur’s mythical invention: frequently they symbolised a voyeuristic presence, sometimes menacing and sometimes protective. The 114 works in the exhibition include ceramics and drawings by Merric and Doris Boyd. The many ceramics, etchings and paintings by Arthur Boyd illustrate the influences of his father on his artworks ●

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Jenny Phillips invests plants with symbolic meanings to express her emotional states and relationships with family and friends

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Arthur hur Boyd Plate, te, Angel and ramoxes 1948 earthenware thenware Bundanon ndanon Trust Trust Collection

12 November – 6 Februa February ary

White gums and ramoxes: Ceramics by Merric an andd Arthur Boyd from the Bu Bundanon ndanon T Trust rust Collection A Bundanon T Trust rust touring exhibition

Jenny Phillips: The hidden meaning off plants An MPRG exhibition

Civic Reserve, Dunns Rd, Mornington, Mornington, VIC 3931 Tel T eel 03 5975 4395 mprg@mornpen.vic.gov.au mprg@mornpe en.vic.gov.au

Open TTuesday uesday – Sunday and most public holidays 10am – 5pm http://mprg.mornpen.vic.g http://mprg.mornpen.vic.gov.au gov.au

MORNINGTON PENINSULA REGIONAL GALLERY 03 5975 4395 mrpg@mornpen.vic.gov.au http://mrpg.mornpen.vic.gov.au

LANGWARRIN ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

McCLELLAND GALLERY + SCULPTURE PARK exhibition program and awards McCLELLAND Sculpture Survey & Award 2010 21 November 2010-17 July 2011 he McClelland Sculpture Survey 2010 is the fourth in this sculpture biennale, the most influential and prestigious exhibition of outdoor public sculpture in Australia. It surveys a wide range of styles and of artists, from emerging to mid-career and established sculptors. Displayed throughout 16 hectares of bush and landscaped gardens, the McClelland Sculpture Survey provides sculptors the opportunity to present their works in an outdoor exhibition context. The recipient of the McClelland Award 2010, valued at $100,000, will be announced at McClelland Gallery+Sculpture Park on Sunday, 21 November 2010. The judge is Tony Ellwood, Director of the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art. The 2010 finalists are: Ashika, Geoffrey Bartlett, Robert Bridgewater, Matt Calvert, Daniel Clemmett, Dean Colls, William Eicholtz, Jon Eiseman, Mathieu Gallois & Vesna Trobec & Caz Comino, Briele Hansen, Matthew Harding, Greg Johns, Chaco Kato, James Kenyon, Alexander Knox, Gregor Kregar, Jonathan Leahey, Michael Le Grand, Anton McMurray, Adrian Mauriks, Joanne Mott, Clive Murray-White, Louise Paramor, James Parrett, Geoffrey Ricardo, Kate Rohde, Caroline Rothwell, Robbie Rowlands, Colin Suggett, Neil Taylor, Jane Valentine, Jason Waterhouse, Jud Wimhurst and Laura Woodward.

The McClelland Sculpture Survey & Award 2010 is presented in partnership with the Elisabeth Murdoch Sculpture Foundation and The Balnaves Foundation. Two awards are given: the major award is announced on opening night, 21 November 2010. The second award, the Frankston City People’s Choice Award 2010, valued at $20,000, is sponsored by Frankston City Council. It will be given to the artist whose work is voted the most popular by visitors to the McClelland Sculpture Survey, to be announced 18 June 2011.

SPIRIT in the Land 12 December2010-20 February 2011 This exhibition shows the work of 11 world-renown Indigenous and non-indigenous artists. It explores the artists special appreciation of and at times metaphysical relationship with the Australian land through the works of Lorraine Connelly-Northey (b. 1962), John Davis (1936-1999), Russell Drysdale (1912-1981), Rosalie Gascoigne (1917-1999), Emily Kame Kngwarreye (c. 1910-1996), Dorothy Napangardi (b. c. 1952), (Sir) Sidney Nolan (1917-1992), John Olsen AO OBE (b. 1928), Lin Onus (1948-1996), Rover Thomas (c. 1926-1998) and Fred Williams OBE (1927-1982). Spirit in the Land examines these works in the context of a genre which has dominated Australian art and has been fundamental in the ongoing formation of our national identity, to reveal special insights about the environment and our sense of place and tradition. There are visual connections as well as

thematically and metaphysical commonalities within the selection of works, such as images of eroded landforms and aerial vistas of Sidney Nolan’s red desert works with the empathetic desert patterns of shifting sands of Dorothy Napangardi. Rover Thomas’ desert waterhole paintings counterpoint to John Olsen’s Journey into the Yu Beaut Country and images of floods on Lake Eyre. Lin Onus’ and John Davis’ billabong and fish images explore the interchange between indigenous and nonindigenous traditions and images. Water and its erosive powers are focal points within the structure of Fred William’s paintings, while the linear patterns of Emily Kngwarreye’s Yam Dreaming images echo the life-giving patterns of water. By way of contrast, Russell Drysdale’s red desert images testify to the harshness of the Australian climate and its power to defeat ill-conceived attempts at European civilisation. These works are juxtaposed against the poignant beauty of Lorraine ConnellyNorthey and Rosalie Gascoigne’s elegantly weathered and rusted works which utilise the pastoral detritus collected from across the rural landscape. A national tour managed by NETS Victoria and supported by Visions of Australia will commence in mid 2011.

The 2010 Mary and Lou Senini Student Art Award & Exhibition 12 December 2010-23 January 2011 The Mary and Lou Senini Student Art Award was established in 1998 with the

Rick Amor (Australian, b. 1948) Relic, 2006. Winner of McClelland Sculpture Survey & Award 2007

intention to provide support to Victorian art students at a tertiary level. McClelland presents the $2,000 award to the applicant who fulfils the required conditions and who, in the opinion of the selection panel, is of outstanding ability and promise. This year’s award is for excellence in the fields of painting / printmaking and will be announced on Sunday 12 December at 3 pm. The accompanying exhibition shows works by selected finalists ● McCLELLAND GALLERY + SCULPTURE PARK 03 9789 1671 www.mcclellandgallery.com

AVOCA ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

The appeal of British vernacular furniture: CHARM~ROBUST~INDIVIDUAL~EVOCATIVE

ernacular is the word that seems to be used commonly to describe the country-made furniture and associated decorative items that are purely British. Furniture made of oak, ash, elm, fruitwood and beech to name some of the woods used in manufacture of vernacular pieces. The final products are easy to recognise as peculiar to Great Britain. They are hard to confuse with any of the other countries of Europe and can radiate enormous appeal. This has a lot to do with the honesty of good pieces owing in part to their solidity and colour. The charm of an early oak chair or the robustness and accompanying usefulness of a chest or table made by a joiner rather than an urban cabinetmaker lends individuality to each piece, which firmly holds a place in our modern world. There seems to be some kind of internal yearning, which drives our collective interest in old furniture. I have yet to meet a collector who does it only for the money. For some, the appeal undoubtedly lies in the emotional security and physical comfort these pieces provide. They are

unchanging against a modern world where we can feel increasingly marginalised. They can be hugely evocative too. Other people enjoy the intellectual challenges offered by the field of early furniture studies for social history, technical specifications or just old-fashioned love of early British furniture. Westbury Antiques was founded in 1983 in Melbourne, its name reflecting my ancestral connection to Westbury in Wiltshire UK. We are situated in a classical goldfields building 90 minutes drive from Melbourne at the entrance to the Pyrenees wine region, near the intersection of the Pyrenees and Sunraysia Highways ● Our fresh shipment of vernacular furniture and decorative items is arriving early in the New Year. For more information contact

“

The charm of an early oak chair or the robustness and accompanying usefulness of a chest or table made by a joiner rather than an urban cabinetmaker lends individuality to each piece

” Harvey Wilkins WESTBURY ANTIQUES 03 5465 3406 / 0412 949 721 / 0412 917 382 www.westburyantiques.com.au

English and Continental 17th and 18th century furniture and decorative arts, also Valuation services 119 High Street, Avoca 3467 Victoria, Australia T +61 3 5465 3406 F +61 3 5465 3455 W westburyantiques.com.au 63

ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

A removalist’s worst nightmare – a figure with fine fingers, leaves and a crest on her helmet! This Derby Britannia, c. 1765, is one of just three known, and has the distinction of being in mint condition, the ‘one in a thousand’ find

Derby figure of Minerva, c. 1758. Large original firing faults and major lean to the figure do not reduce value, however as the head and arm were broken off and restored, this reduces the value by 25%

Bow figure of Ceres representing Earth, c. 1758. Her head and arm were both broken off and subsequently restored, reducing the figure’s value by 25%

CERAMICS SURVIVING AGAINST ALL ODDS With 18th century porcelain, just 1% of the original production has survived; of that 1%, just 1% is perfect!

favourite joke for amateur comedians coming into our shop, when confronted with Australia’s largest stock of antique ceramics, is ‘I bet you don’t like bulls in here!’ At Moorabool, we do not have a bias towards perfect pieces: a chip or a crack is a sign of age and survival. We consider each damage to symbolise its near loss to posterity. Someone in the antique ceramics field summarised the state of antique porcelain survival in a statistic that we like quoting. ‘With 18th century porcelain, just 1% of the original production has survived; of that 1%, just 1% is perfect!’ So looking for perfection in a piece from the earliest period of European porcelain is a frustrating if not impossible task. Examination of any great collection reveals damages and restoration to exhibits, and there are usually storehouses of pieces behind the scenes, all with faults. One of my favourites in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London is a figure, which displays the feet and base only of a unique figure, making it ‘almost’ the only one known!

DAMAGE and destruction So what has happened to the damaged pieces, and what has destroyed those no longer with us? From an Australian perspective, we have firstly the challenge of transporting fine china to here. It was a long and hard journey by horse and cart, and a few months on the heaving seas, just to reach our shores. On arrival, handling at the docks was followed by transporting to warehouses, retail handling and then transport to the care of its eventual owner.

Smashing to smithereens is a sadly common end to a porcelain item: it is not just a Greek restaurant entertainment. Probably every single reader can relate to accidental damage, such as an awkward slip while washing and china lands on a hard kitchen floor, or a misplaced plate on a crowded table falling to the floor. I often wonder how many kitchen hands had their wages docked for smashing pieces from their master’s best service. A similar demise is the flick of the cleaner’s duster, followed by the excruciating sound of ceramics shattering. In addition, we have clumsy cats on the mantel, possums down the chimney and an occasional child on the rampage with a ball, so it is a wonder anything whatsoever has survived to the present time.

PERFECT packing Consider the situation before the invention of bubble wrap. Sawdust was a favourite packing material along with straw. A modern problem has come from the increase in the number of vacationers purchasing antique ceramics and posting them back to their home, and the emergence of purchasing from afar through online sources. In my brief foray online, I am dumbfounded by the lack of appropriate packing people use on delicate, expensive pieces. Always request double boxing in sturdy boxes. The outside box can take a beating while the inside box secures the piece. Plus, ask for a substantial layer of poly beans for cushioning between the two. All Moorabool customers are guaranteed professional packing, with hundreds of interstate and international packages of fragile porcelain reaching their destination in perfect condition each year – a 100% success rate. At

Ceramics rescued from the Hoi An shipwreck. These two small pots are in pristine condition, having spent the last 530 years on the sea floor, a rare example of survival against all odds!

Moorabool you can buy in our store, over the phone or online. We always guarantee safe arrival of your treasure in precisely the same condition in which you bought it ● Part 2: In the next issue of Antiques & Art Victoria I will be discussing collecting restorations. Paul Rosenberg MOORABOOL ANTIQUES GALLERY 03 5229 2970 query@moorabool.com www.moorabool.com

Chinese antiquities, c. 8th century CE, dating to the Tang dynasty (618-907). Damages are acceptable when items are thousands of years old. Minor damage in these cases has little impact on price

GEELONG ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Max out on New York City streets

Max wears his pompom cap while typing a letter to Mary

GEELONG GALLERY MARY AND MAX: THE EXHIBITION

Until 13 February

... everything from a desert island to a chocolate heaven

iscover the creative and technical processes that went into a 92-minute stop-motion animation project, Mary and Max (2009) by its Australian creative team. Geelong Gallery is showing some of the items created for this popular film, as well as images from it. The imagination, ingenuity and painstaking work that goes into animation is phenomenal. This exhibition reveals the incredible artistry of Adam Elliot, who is director, writer and designer all in one. He describes his animation as ‘clayographies,’ or clay animated biographies. Elliot personally selected the items for this exhibition and hopes that visitors will enjoy this behind-the-scenes view of his craft. All the items at Geelong Gallery were custom made, such as the models of the different characters and their costumes (Mary’s wedding dress was based on Lady Diana’s). The conceptual sketches and storyboards used in planning the film will encourage budding filmmakers. Exquisitely detailed props include miniature vehicles, a phone box and Max’s TV that was his main entertainment. The sets are very diverse, from outdoors to interiors, and cities to countryside. There are stills and clips from the finished film. Time-lapse sequences and behind-thescenes footage show the animators at work. It took five years from script to screen, filming over 57 weeks, creating just over two minutes each week.

THE PLOT Mary and Max chronicles two simultaneous life stories based on a pen-pal relationship between two very different personalities. It spans 20 years and two continents. Mary Dinkle is a chubby, lonely 8-year-old living in the suburbs of Melbourne and Max Horowitz is an obese 44-year-old man with Asperger’s Syndrome living in New York City. Famous actors voicing the parts included Toni Collette, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Eric Bana, Barry Humphries and Renée Geyer. ‘The diversity and complexity of the sets for Mary and Max was extreme; everything from a desert island to a chocolate heaven needed to be made. The New York skyline set was the biggest and most time-consuming and took two months to complete by the entire art department crew of 20 people,’ said Elliot. ‘So it’s nice to be able to “lift the veil” on the whole process for Victorian audiences.’

OSCAR-WINNING creator This celebrated independent animator has previously made short films – Uncle (1996), Cousin (1998), Brother (1999) and Harvie Krumpet (2003) – and has won over 100 awards, including the 2004 Oscar ® for Best Animated Short Film for Harvie Krumpet. Elliot’s first feature-length film premiered at the opening night of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. Among its numerous awards is Animation at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards and the Inside Film (IF) Award for Best Production Design ● Mary and Max: The Exhibition is an Australian Centre for the Moving Image touring exhibition managed by National Exhibitions Touring Support (NETS) Victoria. Geelong Gallery is open daily, 10 am to 5 pm except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and Good Friday. Entry is free

Young Mary writing to Max with crayons

GEELONG GALLERY 03 5229 3645 geelart@geelonggallery.org.au www.geelonggallery.org.au

Geelong Gallery’s outstanding collection of paintings, sculpture and decorative arts spans the art of Australia from the colonial period to the present day including Eugène von Guérard’s View of Geelong (1856). SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS Until 30 January Reflections of the lotus – ceramics of Thailand An Art Gallery of South Australia Travelling Exhibition Until 13 February Mary and Max – the exhibition An ACMI touring exhibition managed by NETS Victoria 19 February to 1 May Sidney Nolan – the Gallipoli series An Australian War Memorial Travelling Exhibition SHELL ARTS – GEELONG REGION ARTISTS PROGRAM 5 February to 14 March David Beaumont 19 March to 17 April Artists from the Geelong region 23 April to 5 June Christopher Heathcote Guided tours of the permanent collection Saturday from 2pm FREE ENTRY Open daily 10am to 5pm Closed – Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and Good Friday

Little Malop Street Geelong VIC 3220 03 5229 3645

Mary typing a letter to Max

AIREYS INLET ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Anita Barrett

Susan Romyn

Tiffany Ambler

SUMMER EXHIBITIONS AT EAGLES NEST FINE ART GALLERY In Aireys Inlet on the spectacular Great Ocean Road MONTHLY FEATURED ARTISTS SUSAN O’Brien December 2010 Susan’s art explores Australian landscapes and images that are readily recognisable. Each piece of work is very textural and reflects the rich colours of the landscape, while her figures are often quirky and fun. She draws her inspiration from the countryside and typically Australian characters.

ANITA Barrett

Judy Scanlon

Bill Jackman

CONTEMPORARY AND TRADITIONAL PAINTINGS, GLASS, CERAMICS, SCULPTURE AND JEWELLERY

TIFFANY Ambler 4–30 December 2010

iffany Ambler works mainly in mixed media, layering a range of different materials to create deep and varied texture to her paintings. Her works are most often inspired by nature, especially the lines and patterns that can be seen everywhere in a landscape, whether viewed from a distance or from close by. Textiles also provide inspiration for her work from their many different textures and patterns. What Tiffany loves about creating art is the process of using all these materials and putting them together to create a piece of work that feels complete and balanced. Tiffany’s works are an expression of herself, but it is important to her that her art should bring pleasure to the viewer. She strives to create works that capture the beauty of our environment and sharing this delight in the natural world is what she loves about painting.

SUSAN Romyn

Exhibitions: 4 – 30 December 2010 2 – 30 January 2011 9 – 30 April 2011

‘Live, love, life’ ‘Obsessed’ ‘The Art of Aireys’

Tiffany Ambler Susan Romyn Group Exhibition

Monthly Feature Artists January Anita Barrett • February Bill Jackman • March Judy Scanlon Open: 10 am – 5 pm Friday - Monday

P: +61 03 5289 7366 E: nadia@eaglesnestgallery.com.au 50 Great Ocean Road Aireys Inlet 3231 www.eaglesnestgallery.com.au

2–30 January 2011 Living in Aireys Inlet for a number of years, Susan is recognised as one of the best artists in the district. Trained as a printmaker, she has progressed to vibrantly coloured canvases which reflect her place in this seaside town. The layers and textures used on each painting reflect the layers and textures of our personalities and these, together with a sense of whimsy and often a tongue-in-cheek social comment, are the essence of her work. Her extraordinary talent and creativity has extended to vintage button jewellery and more recently to beautifully handcrafted silver jewellery.

January 2011 This artist’s work is described as impressionist with a more abstract format. Anita brushes on paint and then while still wet, she scratches in areas to form an image. In other works, Anita layers and builds up paint, and then rubs it back in areas to show dribbles of paint, with rough, grainy and smooth surfaces together with charcoal lines. The environment around her and her personal experiences and feelings all inform her paintings.

BILL Jackman February 2011 Drawing his inspiration from the local area, Bill’s artwork reflects the ever-changing nature of the seascape and the bush. In addition to his many beautiful paintings in watercolour, Bill’s sculptural pieces make him a much sought-after artist. Bill uses local wood and metal to create whimsical pieces that include the fauna of the area.

JUDY Scanlon March 2011 This photographer has lived on Victoria’s surf coast for a number of years. Judy may be seen along the beaches waiting for the perfect shot and sometimes taking many hours to create a single prized image. She prefers to capture an image in its proper form and remaining true to life, and not computer-enhanced. Beautiful seascapes, awesome waves and spectacular beaches are Judy’s prized subjects and much-collected photographs ● EAGLES NEST GALLERY 03 5289 7366 nadia@eaglesnestgallery.com.au www.eaglesnestgallery.com.au

LORNE ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Robert Juniper, Beached, 60 x 76 cm

Robert Juniper, The Forgotten Garden of Timothy D Paynes Find, 182 x 212 cm

Robert Juniper

Qdos Arts presents ROBERT JUNIPER: A LIVING TREASURE 9 – 29 January

ne of the elder statesmen of Australian art, Robert Juniper (b. 1929) will show an evocative collection of his work in Lorne, a thrilling exhibition to start the New Year. Juniper’s paintings offer poetic and spontaneous visions of his surroundings. During a career spanning almost six decades, Juniper is one of the most original and lyrical interpreters of the Australian landscape, especially that of Western Australia. Returning to Australia’s east coast after an absence of 15 years, Robert Juniper says he is now painting ‘better than ever.’

AWARDS and prizes Juniper’s work is held in high regard with many awards and prizes, including two Wynne prizes (1976 and 1980); a multiple winner of the Perth Prize for Contemporary Art; 1959 Rubenstein Travelling Scholarship and the 1976 Rubenstein Portrait Prize; and the UK’s 1987 National Heritage Award, Contemporary Division (for stained glass design in a York church). His civic contributions and leadership in art are highly esteemed. He was WA’s 1979 Citizen of the Year – Arts, Culture and Entertainment Award, received an Honorary Doctorate in 1984 from the University of Western Australia and received a State Living Treasures Award in 1998 from WA’s Ministry for Culture and the Arts. In 2003 he was awarded a Centenary Medal for the Federation for Services to Australian Landscape Painting

and Contemporary Arts; and his peers from the Painters and Sculpture Association of Australia recognised him in 2004 with a medal for Services to Art. Extensively exhibited nationally and internationally at the White Chapel Gallery and the Tate Gallery London, his works are in major public and private collections. His most recent commission was the design of 14 stained glass window walls plus two rose windows for the new St Patrick’s Cathedral in Bunbury WA, as well as the five-metre tapestry to hang behind the Bishop’s chair – opening next St Patrick’s day, 17 March 2011.

Juniper’s startling lyrical views of desert whipped into the air…now it is part of our vernacular of seeing Oz as it is.’● Robert Juniper’s major exhibition opens at Qdos Arts on Sunday 9 January and runs to 29 January 2011, open daily from 8:30 am until 6 pm. This outstanding exhibition should not be missed and will definitely be a highlight of everyone’s trip to Lorne on the Great Ocean Road.

Graeme Wilkie, Director QDOS ARTS 03 5289 1989 www.qdosarts.com

Recommended reading Gavin Fry, Robert Juniper (Roseville NSW: Beagle Press 2009) Elwyn Lynn, The Art of Robert Juniper (Seaforth NSW: Craftsman House 1986)

ARTIST’S statement ‘I start with a subject in mind, make some marks, flood some colour in what may seem an arbitrary way. These initial marks start to make their own demands. I exploit the accidents or eliminate them if they displease. Quite often the initial idea is not lost, but changed by discoveries along the way.’

LYRICAL approach Juniper has flown over vast areas of WA to gain an aerial perspective that is reflected in his paintings. He works repeatedly over the canvas to gain a textured surface imitating the feeling of the ancient landscape itself. His latest work follows a subtle trend to even more delicious colour. Australia has a wonderful tradition among painters such as Fred Williams and John Olsen who embraced the lyrical approach and Juniper’s work places him squarely in this group. As Olsen reflects, ‘I remember Bob

NEW SOUTH WALES ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

TALENTS THAT KEEP HISTORY INTACT A look at two exceptional silversmiths working at WJ Sanders

here are three different time honored method’s of hand decorating metal: repoussé, chasing, and engraving. These techniques have been used in the WJ Sanders workshop for the 100 years it has been in business. Repoussé is a metalworking technique in which a malleable metal is ornamented or shaped by hammering on the reverse side. Chasing, also known as embossing, is the opposite to repousse. Work on the metal is done from the outside. The two techniques are used in conjunction to create a finished piece.

ENGRAVING Time honoured techniques for today Embossing is still used today by WJ Sanders to create some of Australia’s most beautiful and unique trophies. Engraving is an important aspect of the business as the company is the custodian of many of the great trophy collections throughout Sydney. Many important and historic trophies have been vandalised by unsightly engraving or the records of previous winners faded due to the lack of permanence of computer engraving.

CANDELA RIVEROS and embossing Candela Riveros learnt silversmithing (chasing, hand engraving and jewellery making) at Escuelas Técnicas Raggio in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This is a technical high school that combines vocational and general education. Candela entered the school at the age of 12, graduating with a diploma six years later. Raggio Technical School is the only institution in South America that offers a silversmithing course. Candela arrived in Australia some two years ago speaking very little English. Her silversmithing skills are breathtaking, her comprehension of the English language in such a short time, amazing. Candela explains the processes she uses. ‘The techniques I use depend on what kind of piece I’m going to work on. If it’s a hollow piece like a cup, I’ll fill it with chaser’s pitch first. When I work on flat ware, such as dishes or plates, the piece is placed on a pitch-bed. This will prevent the piece to get smashed as I work. Second, I add a thin layer of watercolour to the surface, and transfer the design (previously made on paper) using carbon paper. Third, comes the chasing itself, using my chasers hammer and self-made chisels. This is

A set hand chased Australiana sterling serviette rings decorated by Candela Riveros

not like engraving on steel (as seen in some firearms and other weapons) because I don’t cut (carve) the metal; I change its shape by repeatedly ‘stamping’ the chisel on it. There is no metal loss at all. After the first stage of marking the lines, I’ll proceed modelling the shapes and surfaces in the design. Each of these stages are completed using different kinds of chisels. Usually a basic chisel collection has around a hundred chisels, but this is never enough – the bigger the collection, the better. Depending on the design and shape of the piece, sometimes is possible to emboss it, working on the reverse. After the modelling is completed, textures will be added for visual effects. This is also done with chisels. The main objective of textures is to increase the contrast in the patterns, leaving some smooth areas, and others with different rough or grainy appearance. Such areas will catch on a darker colour, because they cannot be properly polished, and therefore will oxidize with time. This also makes a chased piece more aesthetically pleasant, and therefore more valuable. When the chasing is finished, the pitch inside is melted and the piece is emptied. Remaining traces of pitch are burnt and the piece is cleaned with a brass brush and/or with acid (pickle). Then comes the polishing process, which must be done with extreme care because, as it is an abrasive process, it may eliminate much detail of the chasing, including the textures. Polishing over a chased surface is seldom necessary, but in such cases it’s just a matter of seconds; just enough to brighten it up.’

About ENGRAVING Cherie Ireland was introduced to engraving at a young age. Her dad, Garry Evans, learnt his skills as a young man apprenticed as a die sinker and engraver by Angus & Coote. After a long career with Angus & Coote Garry successfully set up his own engraving business in Dee Why. As a child of six she remembers practicing her writing on scrap metal using her dad’s tools. She had obviously inherited her dad’s skills and attention to detail. Taught engraving by her father Cherie later set up her own engraving business in the old Gowings building in Sydney where she built up a prestigious list of customers such as jewellers Percy Marks, Angus & Coote and

W J Sanders Australiana trophy, hand chased decoration by Candela Riveros

Hardy Brothers. Her career was put on hold to raise a family although through raising three children, Cherie kept her hand in by continuing to work for the Royal Agricultural Society to ensure that their many historic trophies were beautifully engraved with the names of winners following each Easter show. ‘Working for WJ Sanders presented me with new challenges and opportunities. The silversmithing skills of the company meant that as part of the restoration process of historic trophies and chalices it enables me to replace bad engraving and also re-engrave over any faded engraving. This engraving can then be silver or gold plated over thus making the restoration complete.’ After joining the company one of her first challenges was to feature engrave the Peter Brock Memorial Trophy. Brock died in a car accident only weeks before the scheduled Bathurst race. The organisers wanted a significant trophy made in record time to be unveiled before the race. Working with sterling silver means that a mistake can be very costly. Fortunately, the engraving on this trophy completed late into the night, was beautifully executed. This has since become one of the most photographed trophies outside of the Melbourne Cup, putting Cherie’s engraving on display at Bathurst every October. Feature engraving is now an enjoyable part of Cherie’s work, such as engraving the Royal Coat of Arms on the all sterling silver Queen’s Cup and engraving the names on the trophies of the various horse racing events staged throughout Australia. ‘When engraving names on trophies, one always has to remember that you are recording history. The name should be deeply embedded and the letters consistent in style and size. I am often amazed that some of the historic and expensive trophies that come in for restoration have been defaced by amateurish engraving. It’s a shame.’ For WJ Sanders, the talents of these two artisans brought together offers Australian

The Spada Shield commissioned for the RAN brings together the skills of both Candela and Cherie

Candela Riveros decorating a sterling silver shield using the technique of chasing

Cherie Ireland engraving the Gold Logie

organisations the opportunity to create something unique and beautiful to record the achievements of their members for many years to come ● WJ SANDERS & CO 02 9557 0086 www.wjsanders.com.au

Cherie Ireland engraving the sterling silver Peter Brock Memorial Trophy

ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

CENTRAL VICTORIA ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

ANTIQUES AND ART in Central Victoria

1. BALLARAT ART GALLERY OF BALLARAT 40 Lydiard Street North, Ballarat 03 5320 5858 balgal@ballarat.vic.gov.au www.balgal.com Open daily 9am - 5pm The oldest and largest regional gallery in the coutry, the Ballarat gallery’s magnificent collection allows you to walk through the history of Australian art. Also exciting temporary exhibition program.

ANTIQUE EFFECTS 110 Urquhart Street, Ballarat Phone/Fax: 03 5331 3119 Open Monday to Saturday in the restored old co-op store building www.antiqueeffects.com.au A range of antiques, collectables, jewellery, bric-à-brac and restored products as well as direct importers of mahogany, teak and pine furniture.

ANTIQUES AND COLLECTABLES CENTRE BALLARAT 9 Humffray Street North, Ballarat At Humffray Street School Corner Main Road & Humffray St 03 5331 7996 AH: Colin Stephens 03 5332 4417 Open 7 days 10am - 5pm Specialising in a wide range of antiques and collectables. Off-street parking. Off street parking and now also incorporating a heritage museum.

THE MILL MARKET IN BALLARAT 9367 Western Highway, Ballarat 03 5334 7877 Open 7 days 10am - 5pm The Mill Market is now in lovely Ballarat at the Great Southern Woolshed on the Western Highway, Melbourne side. Come and fossick for that special piece, that funky item, the bit that’s missing, the groovy fashion and all things interesting. Antiques, vintage, retro, art & craft, bric-àbrac, collectables, clothes, jewellery, books, records and giftware. Over 70 stall holders under one roof all working to please you. Free entry and plenty of parking. Come and share the experience.

2. BENDIGO BENDIGO ART GALLERY 42 View Street, Bendigo 03 5443 4991 Fax: 03 5443 4486 bendigoartgallery@bendigo.vic.gov.au www.bendigoartgallery.com.au Entry by donation Open daily 10am - 5pm Except Christmas Day Gallery Café/Gallery Shop One of the oldest and largest regional galleries in Australia, Bendigo Art Gallery has outstanding permanent collections of 19th century European art, Australian art from the 19th century to the present and a diverse temporary exhibition program.

AVOCA 6

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3. CASTLEMAINE XXXX ANTIQUE COMPLEX (THE BOND STORE) 5-9 Elizabeth Street, Castlemaine Corner Midland & Pyrenees Highways, next to Carrier’s Arms Hotel 03 5470 5989 Open 7 days 9.30am - 5.30pm One of the largest independently owned selections of quality antiques and collectables. Thousands of items on display to suit either the collector or the connoisseur.

CASTLEMAINE COLLECTORS CENTRE Inc 71 Forest Street (Melbourne Road), Castlemaine 03 5470 6968 Open 7 days 10am - 5.30pm 12 stallholders present an interesting and varied selection of antiques, old wares, collectables, furniture, glassware, pottery, jewellery, lamps, artwork, handcrafted teddies, dolls, garagenalia etc, books, records and comics.

4. DAYLESFORD EX LIBRIS 89 Vincent Street, Daylesford 03 5348 1802 Open every day 10am - 5pm Great selection of antique European prints, mostly 18th and 19th century, focused on architectural, botanical, topographical and early Australian engravings. New and exciting prints by Australian artists also featured. Other decor lines include Italian cushions, photo frames, Victoria Spring jewellery and homewares.

MILL MARKETS ANTIQUES AND COLLECTABLES CENTRE 105 Central Springs Road, Daylesford 03 5348 4332 Open 7 Days 10am - 6pm Superb display of Victorian and Edwardian furniture, collectables, clocks, vintage clothing, porcelain and china. Over 100 stallholders, 2.5 acres, all under cover with a café serving homemade food and a variety of hot and cold drinks.

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5. MARYBOROUGH MARYBOROUGH STATION ANTIQUE EMPORIUM, LICENSED CAFE AND REGIONAL WINE CENTRE Railway Station 38c Victoria Street, Maryborough 03 5461 4683 stantiqu@iinet.net.au Open 10 am to 5 pm Sunday, Monday & Wednesday, Thursday & Friday 10 am to 11 pm, evening meals available until 9 pm. Saturday evenings by appointment (closed Tuesday) Group bookings and functions welcome. An 1890 National Trust classified building. Quality antiques, collectables, wine, food and art. The wine bar has selected regional wines at cellar door prices. Homestyle meals and cakes prepared and baked on premises

6. MALDON BEEHIVE OLD WARES & COLLECTABLES 72 Main St, Maldon 03 5475 1154 A/H: 03 5475 1300 bhive@bmail.com.au Open 6 days - 11am - 5pm (closed Tuesdays) We buy, swap and sell old wares, antiques and furniture. Various traders providing a good selection including furniture, china, collectables, books and records.

VALENTINE’S ANTIQUE GALLERY 369 Hargreaves Street, Bendigo 03 5443 7279 Mob: 0418 511 626 peter@valentinesantiques.com.au Open 9am - 5.30pm Monday to Friday 9am-1pm Saturday, closed Sunday Importers of fine quality antiques specialising in Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian furniture, ceramics and glassware.

For advertising on this map please phone Harry Black on 0418 356 251

7. AVOCA – 15 minutes from Maryborough McMURRAY GALLERIES 103 High Street, Avoca 03 5465 3060 lauriemcmurray@mcmurraygalleries.com.au www.mcmurraygalleries.com.au www.lauriemcmurray.com.au Hours: Open most days from 10.30 am - 5 pm Please ring if travelling a long distance Collectable artworks from the late 1800s to the present day by local, national and international painters and sculptors. Nude and portrait artworks by resident classical realist artist Laurie McMurray.

WESTBURY ANTIQUES 119 High Street, Avoca 03 5465 3406 Fax: 03 5465 3455 www.westburyantiques.com.au English and Continental 17th and 18th century furniture and decorative arts, also valuation services.

8. TRENTHAM GOLD STREET STUDIOS WORKSHOPS AND GALLERY 700 James Lane Trentham East Vic 03 5424 1835 ellie@goldstreetstudios.com.au www.goldstreetstudios.com.au Director Ellie Young Representing photographers Bob Kersey, Karl Koenig, Hans Nohlberg, Chia N-Lofqvist Tim Rudman, John Studholme, Steve Tester, Mike Ware, Gordon Undy, Ellie Young; including albumen, carbon, gum bichromate, gum oil, lithograph, chrysotype, new cyanotype, photogravure, platinum/palladium, salt, silver gelatin and zia types photographs. Hours: by appointment. Check the website for workshops in these processes.

MARYBOROUGH ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Oriental themed figurine

M A R Y B O R O U G H R A I L W AY S TAT I O N Fine regional wines, antiques, quality food, art & Market Affair

Market Affair

Ice cream churner, c. 1940 made by Reliance (Sweden)

Market runs from 8 am till 4 pm Over 50 stalls For dates and more details contact Glenda 03 5461 4683 www.stationantiques.com Chinoiserie papier-mâché crumb tray & brush, c. 1870

Maryborough Railway Station Antique Emporium & Cafe Tourist Complex, Antique & Collectables & Licensed Restaurant

STATION ANTIQUE EMPORIUM LICENSED CAFE & WINE CENTRE Old wares • Collectables • Regional wines Open 6 days • 9.30 am to 5 pm Sunday, Monday, Wednesday 9.30 am till 11 pm Thursday, Friday and Saturday,

For details of next Market Affair contact Glenda James

Ph: 03 5461 4683 • Fax: 03 5460 4988 RAILWAY STATION, 38C VICTORIA ST MARYBOROUGH VIC 3465

Email: stantiqu@iinet.net.au • Website: www.stationantiques.com

Moorcroft vase decorated with berry and leaf motifs

Large Moorcroft vase featuring pomegranate pattern

Maryborough Railway Station in Central Victoria is a major tourist attraction. Restored to it's original beauty by Victrack, the Grand Station built in 1892, is steeped in history. Marvel at the workmanship of 118 years ago. Station Antiques & Cafe - operating for the past 15 years offers fine dining, relaxation, a extensive selection of local wines, quality antiques and art for your perusal. Enter via the main foyer into the large dining room, originally the first class silver service dining room. The ceiling is crafted lofty kauri pine and there is a centre lightwell. View the magnificent original fireplace with a roaring open fire in winter months whilst enjoying a great selection of fine foods and superb local wines. Wander through the large antique display and find a bargain. Further on is the formal dining/sitting room featuring antique furniture and gallery of Phillip Adam's paintings. Come with friends or arrange a bus group. Live entertainment every Friday evening featuring local artists and on Sundays listen to the live harp music of Carolyn Brophy. Enjoy excellent food, coffee, teas and wines, a perfect place to relax. Weddings, large and small functions welcome. The Railway Station Market is a terrific experience. Enjoy the ambience of the grand Victorian station with warm friendly hospitality.

Child’s toy cap gun

Miniature mandolin, c. 1900 decorated with tortoiseshell, mother-of-pearl, l: 18 cm

Art Deco chiffon bag, c. 1920s with sequins, silver beads, black jet

Art Deco snake skin handbag, c. 1930s made in USA

Vintage beaded evening bag, c. 1920 made in France

ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Visitor centre

Café society in Bendigo

BEAUTIFUL BENDIGO Graced by the beauty and grandeur of another time, Bendigo is bursting with experiences that are firmly set in the now.

vibrant atmosphere sets this city on a path that reflects the excitement of earlier days. One of the world’s most spectacular gold rushes took place here in the mid-1800s, giving rise to fascinating stories, elaborate architecture and lasting monuments. Locals rave about the village ambience and its innovative spirit. Find your own style in Bendigo as you engage with the retail delights, from the funky and fashionable to the eclectic and collectable. Emerging artisans handcraft jewellery, clothing and artworks with great passion.

FOOD ~ wine ~ Café scene Funky cafés reflect Bendigo’s relaxed way of life. Inventive chefs utilise fresh local produce and expertise to create delicious food. Take a seat at a local restaurant to savour delectable dishes or coffee for the connoisseur. Dining al fresco against a superb heritage backdrop is truly memorable, adding a touch of European style. What dining experience is complete without wine? From rich ripe reds to elegant whites, the wines from Bendigo’s gold-bearing soils are a wine lover’s treasure. Nearby, the

Dai Gum San precinct

Heathcote region produces fine world-class Shiraz. Weave your way along country roads to explore locally grown wines and find your favourite vintage. Many wineries here are family-owned with the cellar door set amongst the vines from which they make their wine.

ART scene Bendigo Art Gallery hosts major exhibitions and helps invigorate the region’s art scene, with a resurgence of studios, galleries and artisans choosing to create in this area. Bendigo Art Gallery is located in View Street that has become an arts and cultural hub. Bendigo Art Gallery is hosting the travelling exhibition, The Art of Chess from RS&A Gallery London. It features chess sets designed by some of the world’s leading contemporary artists in a celebration of the game of chess and its continued relevance to the creative arts. It is an ongoing project. Inspired by the international exhibition, Bendigo Art Gallery has commissioned 13 of Australia’s leading artists to respond to the notion of the game of chess. This innovative exhibition – Your Move: Australian artists play chess – is on until 30 January 2011, while the UK exhibition is in Bendigo.

Art lovers’ top annual destination is the Rotary Club of Bendigo’s 43rd Annual Easter Art Show and Sales, with a preview on Thursday 21 April and open daily from Friday 22 April to Monday 25 April in the Bendigo Town Hall. Over 700 paintings will be at this selling exhibition, enabling collectors to buy direct from the artists. All proceeds benefit charity.

A LITTLE BIT of China in Bendigo The city’s gold rush history holds many Chinese stories. Many thousands of Chinese arrived in the mid-1800s to find gold and within ten years, they were 20 per cent of the Bendigo population. While many returned home when the rush ended, some remained as our Bendigo Chinese community and continued to shape the city. Dai Gum San means Big Gold Mountain, the name the Chinese miners fondly used to refer to Bendigo. This summertime the expansive new Dai Gum San precinct will become the place to meet. It celebrates the rich Chinese heritage of the region and adjoins the Golden Dragon Museum in central Bendigo. Stunning paving work depicts China’s Pearl River Delta, Chinese calligraphy

tells stories and a giant lotus flower creates seating and sophistication. Markets and festivals will enliven this new precinct. Visit the traditional Chinese Joss House, built during the 1860s and is the oldest Australian joss house in use today. In addition, visit the Golden Dragon Museum that houses a remarkable collection of Chinese artefacts, garments and Loong – the oldest imperial Chinese dragon in the world.

GETTING there Conveniently located in Central Victoria, Bendigo is only 90 minutes from Melbourne Airport along the Calder Freeway. Plan your next visit to Bendigo by contacting the Bendigo Visitor Centre, located in the Historic Post Office building in Pall Mall and open from 9 am to 5 pm everyday of the year, except Christmas Day ●

For assistance in your trip planning visit BENDIGO VISITOR CENTRE 1800 813 153 www.bendigotourism.com

Yayoi Kusama (Japan b. 1929), Pumpkin chess, 2003, hand-painted porcelain, leather, timber. Courtesy of RS&A Ltd, London. Image courtesy of RS&A Ltd, London

BENDIGO ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Rachel Whiteread, Modern chess set, 2005, mixed media. Courtesy of RS&A Ltd, London and Luhring Augustine Gallery, New York

Stephen Haley, Here, 2010, lightjet photograph. Courtesy the artist and Nellie Castan Gallery

Bendigo Art Gallery is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm including all public holidays, closed Christmas Day. Entry is by donation. Wheelchair access is available.

Exhibitions at THE BENDIGO ART GALLERY THE ART OF CHESS from RS&A Gallery, London until 30 January 2011

endigo Art Gallery is one of two Australian venues selected to show The Art of Chess featuring chess sets designed by some of the world’s leading contemporary artists. This travelling exhibition from RS&A Gallery London is an ongoing project which celebrates the game of chess and its continued relevance to the creative arts. Cutting-edge designers include Maurizio Cattelan, Jake and Dinos Chapman, Oliver Clegg, Tracey Emin, Tom Friedman, Paul Fryer, Damien Hirst, Barbara Kruger, Yayoi Kusama, Paul McCarthy, Alistair Mackie, Mathew Ronay, Tunga, Gavin Turk and Rachel Whiteread. There is an admission fee for this exhibition.

YOUR MOVE: Australian Artists Play Chess Bendigo Art Gallery Travelling Exhibition until 30 January 2011 Inspired by The Art of Chess, Bendigo Art Gallery commissioned 13 of Australia’s leading artists to respond to the notion of the game of chess. This exhibition highlights the skill and dynamism inherent in Australia’s contemporary art scene. Your Move includes works commissioned from Benjamin Armstrong, Lionel Bawden, Sebastian Di Mauro, Michael Doolan, Emily Floyd, Claire Healy & Sean Cordeiro, Robert Jacks, Danie Mellor, Kate Rohde, Caroline Rothwell, Sally Smart and Ken Yonetani. The exhibition is supported by Visions of Australia, an Australian Government program providing funding assistance for the development and touring of Australian cultural material across Australia.

DONNA BAILEY: Don’t play on the mullock until 19 January 2011 New photographic works by Donna Bailey show her landscapes in luscious, large-scale

chromogenic and duratran prints. The artist links her practice more intimately with the physical and psychological experience of living on the fringe of mining sites near Kangaroo Flat (Bendigo) in central Victoria. Using the early names of the sites, such as Christmas Reef, the Whipstick, Beelzebub Gully, Milkmaid Flat, Pennyweight, Diamond Hill and New Moon, Bailey links their history with her contemporary perspective. This exhibition is supported by Arts Victoria.

Donna Bailey, Christmas Reef #4, 2009, C type photograph. Courtesy the artist

The gallery is approximately 150 km north-west of Melbourne, easily reached by car or train in less than two hours. Train passengers have the choice of a bus or a 20-minute walk from the station to the gallery

STEPHEN HALEY: Here is There 29 January – 27 March An artist who works primarily with painting and digital media, Melbourne-based Stephen Haley continues his interest in space and its most contemporary articulation since the digital age in these new works. Haley utilised 3D modelling software to construct virtual lightjet photographs that are featured in this exhibition, alongside a new projected piece and wall drawings.

ARTHUR GUY Memorial Painting Prize 2011 12 February – 3 April Bendigo Art Gallery will host the fifth Arthur Guy Memorial Painting Prize (AGMPP) in 2011. The most outstanding work as judged by the selection panel will be awarded an acquisitive cash prize of $50,000, making the award the richest open painting prize in Australia. Allen Guy CBE initiated the prize in honour of his late brother Arthur Guy. The exhibition will be pre-selected and the prize awarded by a panel of selectors including a representative of the Guy family, three independent judges and the Director of the Bendigo Art Gallery ●

Don’t play on the mullock: Donna Bailey until 19 January The Art of Chess until 30 January Your Move: Australian artists play chess until 30 January Here is There: Stephen Haley 29 January – 27 March Arthur Guy Memorial Painting Prize 2011 12 February – 3 April American Dreams: 20th century photography from George Eastman House 16 April – 10 July

BENDIGO ART GALLERY 03 5434 6088 bendigoartgallery@bendigo.vic.gov.au www.bendigoartgallery.com.au

ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

CHRISTMAS: the aftermath NEW YEAR: a new beginning

he New Year and the aftermath of the festive season are upon us, the time when Howard Products can really help. Customers share their ‘before’ and ‘after’ stories about damaged items repaired in the sanity of the New Year.

Early 20th century table, shellacked, before and after Restore-A-Finish treatment

Shellacked table surface before and after Restor-AFinish treatment and Feed-N-Wax protection

This shellacked table looks disastrous, typical of damage by hot plates, wet glasses and damp napkins on an early 20th century table. I recommended Restor-A-Finish in mahogany if the red tonings were important to preserve or golden oak if a mellow look was preferable. The customer chose to go mellow as the results show. I recommended a thin application of Feed-N-Wax to provide carnauba protection to resist any further moisture damage. DF

Hello David, I have just become acquainted with your products and I would like to tell you how absolutely fantastic we think they are. During the holidays, we noticed more than a few white marks on our very precious table that was handed down to us by my in-laws. After taking your advice about the Restor-AFinish product we decided to try it – I could not believe how it brought our table back to the original finish. Thank you very much! We are now trying your Citrus-Shield Premium Colour Paste Wax and we love that too. Keep your great products and advice coming. Best regards, Maggie Boothe

Battered sideboard with white marks and scratches

Hi David, A while ago, you sent me some detailed information on how to tackle my sideboard. I purchased your products and finally got to use them today with fantastic results. I’ve attached some before and after shots. I am really impressed with your products. As you can see the sideboard looks great, not perfect but then the wood under the finish is not perfect either – I’ll give it another going over. It would probably cost well over a thousand dollars to get the sideboard properly restored but your products have brought some dignity to a nice old piece of furniture. It worked just as the on-line video demonstration suggested it would – amazing miraculous stuff. Many thanks, Jennifer Santas Now this sideboard has a near-perfect finish: well said, about giving your old sideboard some dignity! DF Not only furniture takes a beating over Christmas and New Year; look at your polished wooden floors! DF

Battered sideboard after Restore-A-Finish over white marks and scratches

This 1940s to 1950 (or what we now call retro) sideboard was in poor condition with scratches and deeply embedded marks. In that era, it would have been either thinly shellacked or finished in nitrocellulose material. I recommended Golden Oak Restor-A-Finish using #0000 grade steel wool or using our 3M Premium Gold plastic abrasive pad for the initial broad work and finessing with our European superfine #0000 steel wool. DF

This kit contains enough product for many small restoration jobs. Order now for $79.50 including freight and we’ll include a bonus ‘how-to’ DVD with lots of useful DIY tips.

Instant results from Restore-A-Finish hand-wiped on wooden floors

Hi David, I just want to say your Restor-A-Finish is the best! My hardwood floor is old and over the festive season, it really took a battering. We cannot afford to replace it and don’t have the time or money to refinish it, so I tried your Restor-AFinish and I can’t believe how nice it looks! I thought it would only last a day or two like other products I have used, but it’s been many weeks since I used Restor-A-Finish and it still looks great. I also started to use it on my wooden cabinets and other furniture which gave everything a new glow and erased marks and scratches. Finally, a product that really refinishes without removing old finishes. Thanks from my whole family. Lynn Ryan

Antique dealer’s tip An antique dealer sent another method of cleaning away dirt and grime from furniture. Note that she used Howard Orange Oil with #0000 steel wool and finished with a coat of Feed-NWax. DF

SHOP ONLINE

DO IT NOW

“These products add life to the furniture you love”

or to locate a store near you

1800 672 646 www.howardproducts.com.au 74

Hello David, I was fortunate to show a client how to restore an inherited dining table, made from South African yellow wood. It had a thick coating of household dirt ingrained into the top that was sticky to touch and looked very grey. There were also a few cracks in the table probably caused by the silicone finish on the top not allowing the wood to be nourished. I used Howard Orange Oil with steel wool and literally scrubbed the table, taking more time over the areas that had children’s coloured marker and watermarks. I both worked with the grain and used circular motions. After wiping off the grimy residue, the timber seemed to swell up in front of me. The golden-rich colour of the beautiful yellow wood returned and the table seemed to be saying ‘thank-you.’ I spread Feed ’n Wax onto the tabletop using a clean cloth, waited the advised 20 minutes and

then buffed it up. The result was phenomenal and we all were sorry that I never took before and after photographs. To top it all, I used a nailbrush with soap and water to get the dirt from under my fingernails and this morning, my hands feel as soft as ever. Well done, Howards Orange Oil. Penny Turner

Timber Kitchen Cupboards Dear Howard Products people, I am absolutely delighted with your Restor-AFinish, which I have used on my badly marked timber kitchen cupboards. I couldn’t believe the result! I had been asking around for ages for a solution and stumbled on your product by accident, not by plan. Kindest regards, Margaret Corbett

Piano Player Good evening Mr Foster, I finally got around to using your products on my baby grand piano to get it ready for the festive season. I procrastinated so long because I really was not sure if your products would work. The sun damage was so bad that I truly thought I would require a professional furniture refinisher to correct the problem. I am happy to admit that I was terribly wrong. I applied your product over the entire top and finished it off with the Burnishing Cream. My baby grand looks brand new with no evidence of the sun damage. I cannot tell you how happy I am. I have even touted your products to some of my neighbours. Since I only used a very small amount of your products, I am sharing with them. David, I just hope you will please forgive me for doubting you. My only regret is that I failed to take ‘before’ and ‘after’ photographs to vouch for your products. Take care and again, many, many thanks. John Turner

Blanket box after Restore-A-Finish

Hello David, I just wanted to thank you so much for responding to me so promptly following my nail polish on furniture disaster prior to December. Following your advice, I bought the Restore-aFinish and #0000 steel wool and decided to wait until after Christmas to fix my blanket box when I would be more relaxed and not trying to do a thousand things at once (which was what led to the disaster in the first place). Well I was amazed. Instead of 80% better as you suggested, the box looks 90% better! Both a friend of mine, and the salesperson at Lifestyle Furniture in Mitcham where I bought your product, told me that this stuff is great and they were both right. I thought I had ruined my precious blanket box completely and now I am so ecstatic that I have been able to restore it. Thank you so much for your helpful advice and your wonderful product. I plan to purchase your FeedN-Wax product and to tell everyone I know how wonderful your products are. Many thanks and kind regards, Fiona Kennett HOWARD PRODUCTS AUSTRALIA info@howardproducts.com.au www.howardproducts.com.au

BENDIGO ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

EASTER ART SHOW AND SALES AT BENDIGO TOWN HALL 22-25 April

top annual destination for lovers of art is the Rotary Club of Bendigo’s annual Easter Art Show and Sales. Now in its 43rd year, the 2011 show is being held Friday 22 April to Monday 25 April in the Bendigo Town Hall. Over 700 paintings will be at this selling exhibition, where art enthusiasts will be able to buy direct from the artists. The two main sections are contemporary and traditionalist/realist art, with a special third category focussing on Anzac/military themed art. The awards are non-acquisitive, attracting high quality works such as entries by Gwen Eichler, the 1985 Portia Geach Memorial Award winner. Gwen’s work Wally was an entry in last year’s Archibald Prize, and this work went on to win our 42nd Annual Easter Art Show’s traditionalist/ realist award.

VISIT with artists Many artists attend the show and love to talk about their inspiration, methods and

passions. This professional exhibition attracts over 5,000 visitors annually. The preview evening on Thursday 21 April starts at 6:30 pm. Your $30 ticket entitles you to drinks and hors d’oeuvres, first pick of the artworks and being a guest at the award presentations. The exhibition is open throughout the long weekend, with a $5 admission charge (young children are free). On Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Sunday the open hours are between 10 am and 5 pm. Opening hours on Easter Monday (Anzac Day) are from 12 noon to 4 pm. There is ample street parking for the convenience of patrons. The Rotary Art Show has an important role in the art community, giving artists of differing levels of skills the opportunity to show and sell their works. Artists from interstate and metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria exhibit at the show. The Bendigo Advertiser is the major sponsor and the Bendigo Bank sponsors five highly commended awards. All proceeds from entry tickets, art sales and the preview evening will benefit local and overseas charitable programs.

INVITATION to participate Artists are invited to enter the Rotary Club of Bendigo’s 43rd Annual Easter Art Show and Sales. Cash prizes of $2,500 are awarded to the most outstanding work in each of the categories of contemporary and traditionalist/realist. With 2011 Anzac Day coinciding with Easter Monday, the extra category of Anzac/Military themed art carries an award of $1,000. Artists’ entry fee is just $5 with the low sales commission of 20% – all of which goes to charity. Deliver works by our courier service from Melbourne and Geelong. Entries close on Friday 8 April ● For further information contact Graeme Clarke ROTARY CLUB OF BENDIGO’S 43rd ANNUAL EASTER ART SHOW AND SALES 0409 164 600 clarkes1@iinet.net.au www.clubrunner.ca/bendigo

Art lovers

Artists

Preview Thursday 21 April, $30 Entry Friday 22-Monday 25 April, $5 Meet the artists Over 700 artworks to view and buy All budgets catered for

Entries close 8 April Entry fee $5 Prizes worth $6,000 20% commission on sales to charity All levels of art welcome

Rotary Club of Bendigo

Easter Art Show & Sales Thursday 21 April - Monday 25 April

BENDIGO TOWN HALL Outstanding Contemporary Composition any medium Cash prize $2,500 Outstanding Traditionalist/Realist Composition Cash prize $2,500 Outstanding Composition with a Military Focus Cash prize $1,000 (All prizes non-acquisitive)

ENTRY FORM CAN BE DOWNLOADED FROM www.clubrunner.ca/bendigo Enquiries: Graeme Clarke 0409 164 600 Email: clarkes1@iinet.net.au 75

HAMILTON ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Thomas Sheard (British 1866-1921), The Arab blacksmith, c.1900, oil on canvas, 115 x 163 cm. Bendigo Art Gallery

Wada Morihiro (Japanese 1944-2008), vase with box pattern, 1994, stoneware

Shibata Zeshin (Japanese 1807-1891), Cocks & Hens on a Sail, woodblock print

WHAT’S ON AT HAMILTON ART GALLERY DECEMBER 2010 – APRIL 2011

pend a leisurely hour at Hamilton Art Gallery and enjoy our diverse exhibitions of silver, porcelain and glass, Oriental ceramics, furniture, paintings and prints from our rich permanent collection and visiting exhibitions. Highlights this summer and autumn include exhibitions of contemporary Japanese ceramics and the Zen-inspired paintings by Vietnamese-Australian Kim Hoa Tram, while Imagining the Orient focuses on the exoticism and romanticism of the old Orient for 19th century Europe and British travellers.

series of contrasting satires illustrate Hogarth’s 18th century take on the rewards of hard work versus idleness. Historical records show that masters gave these prints to their apprentices as gifts.

WILLIAM Hogarth 18th century prints: Industry and idleness 25 January – 20 March William Hogarth (1697-1764) was an English painter, printmaker, pictorial satirist, social critic and editorial cartoonist. This

ART DECO loan exhibition: Vintage and Antique 8 March – 15 May Art deco style items from private collections of members of the Friends of Hamilton Art Gallery are on loan for this exclusive exhibition of classy art deco – today’s vintage and tomorrow’s antique.

IMAGINING the Orient

CONTEMPORARY Japanese ceramics 11 January – 27 February Japan’s ceramic tradition is the most ancient on earth and is widely regarded as producing the best ceramics of the 20th century. Contemporary clay artists show remarkable creativity, technical virtuosity and diversity. This exhibition is a selection of works acquired by Hamilton Art Gallery in recent years. One striking stoneware vase is by Wada Morihiro (1944-2008) who developed a distinctive sculptural style incorporating the two key components of form and surface patterning.

succinctly encapsulate the meaning of enlightenment and spirituality.

William Hogarth, The Idle Prentice betrayed by his Whore and taken in a night cellar with his Accomplice, 1747, etching & engraving

KIM Hoa Tram: Paintings 20 January – 6 March Zen-inspired scrolls and paintings by Vietnamese-born, Melbourne-based artist Kim Hoa Tram comprise this exhibition organised by MiFA (Melbourne International Fine Art Gallery, Melbourne). Tram’s works are contemporary musings on the tradition of calligraphy painting. Inspired by Buddhism and nature, his work distils the human experience into poignant, emotive works. Each piece follows several months of deliberation and consideration as Kim seeks to ensure that his inky brushstrokes

National Gallery of Victoria travelling exhibition 17 March – 1 May The exoticism and romanticism of the old Orient are the focus of this exhibition – Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria, and parts of North Africa such as Egypt, Algiers and Morocco. In the first half of the 19th century, the desert landscape, ancient ruins, exotic art and architecture, and Islamic customs and dress were great sources of fascination to French and British travellers. Paintings, prints, drawings and photographs show how the Orient was experienced, as well as imagined in Europe in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Oriental artefacts inspired European design and decorative motifs in all kinds of objects, shown in ceramics and glassware.

JAPANESE prints 29 March – 22 May In 2009, the gallery received a generous gift of Japanese prints. This is their first showing, complemented with other prints from the permanent collection.

‘THERE’S something in this and I think you know’ Graeme Finn Videos 7 April – 5 June Short videos created in Europe by Graeme Finn (b. 1966) are themed around impressions of six European cities. Graeme trained as a painter at the Victorian College for the Arts (1994-1996). He recently spent three years in Europe where he made the videos, and the Hamburg Contemporary Art Museum purchased the series. The videos are disarmingly simple. Finn’s process was as stark as the final

work. ‘I sat in coffee houses around the world and tried to notice what was around me. I would write down thirty or forty phrases and from there condense it down to 12 or 13 which appear in the final piece. I wanted to look at the idiosyncrasies of each city. Of course you need to spend some time in them for those things to become obvious, but I really wanted to find those cultural eccentricities.’

THE SPIRIT in the Land McClelland Gallery + Sculpture Park & NETS Victoria touring exhibition. 19 May – 10 July The landscape has been an enduring subject in the history of Australia art and vital to the ongoing formation of images of our national identity. Within this tradition, Spirit in the Land explores the connection between eleven Australian artists, historical and contemporary, Indigenous and nonindigenous, and their respective special appreciation of and engagement with the spiritual ethos and power of the land. The more than 40 works are by Lorraine Connelly-Northey (b. 1962), John Davis (1936-1999), Russell Drysdale (1912-1981), Rosalie Gascoigne (1917-1999), Emily Kame Kngwarreye (c. 1910-1996), Dorothy Napangardi (b. c. 1952), (Sir) Sidney Nolan (1917-1992), John Olsen AO OBE (b. 1928), Lin Onus (1948-1996), Rover Thomas (c. 1926-1998) and Fred Williams OBE (1927-1982).

On permanent display Taylor Gallery: Australian art from the permanent collection Gaussen Gallery: 18th century landscapes by Paul Sandby, the ‘father of English watercolour’ Barber Gallery: Oriental ceramics and Asian artefacts ● Hamilton Art Gallery is open 7 days a week: Monday to Friday 10 am to 5 pm, Saturday 10 am to 12 noon & 2 to 5 pm, and Sunday between 2 and 5 pm. Closed Christmas and Boxing Days and New Year’s Day. Free entry. HAMILTON ART GALLERY 03 5573 0460 www.hamiltongallery.org

BALLARAT ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

BALLARAT’S HERITAGE HOTSPOTS: A collector’s summer destination

t is only right that a city where history lives is renowned for its quality antique shops. In Ballarat you could spend days sifting and sorting amid the delights waiting to be discovered among the city’s treasure trove of history. Start your visit at the Ballarat Visitor Information Centre located at 43 Lydiard Street North. Collect the Ballarat Antiques Trail or Heritage Driving Tour brochures and plan your walk or drive to the antique and collectable markets and shops, also taking you past some of the city’s most historic and interesting sites.

BOOKSHOPS Ballarat offers many good bookshops that offer a wonderful selection of quality secondhand books. Collectors will enjoy finding out of print reference books to complement or inspire a collection, while comprehensive stock include quality literature, modern classics, books on the arts, history, philosophy, Australia, militaria, science and technology, poetry and many subjects related to antiques.

BALLARAT Observatory Established in 1886, the Ballarat Observatory at Mt Pleasant was Australia’s first municipal observatory. The Observatory which has three historic telescopes and is classified by the National Trust, opens every day.

FOR THE 2011 CALENDAR ORGANS of the Ballarat Goldfields 14 – 23 January This classical music event takes place in historic goldfields venues in and around Ballarat every January. It is a great way to hear beautiful music amid a fascinating range of settings you may not otherwise have the chance to experience.

BALLARAT Begonia Weekend 12 – 14 March Everyone enjoys a splash of colour and the Ballarat Begonia Weekend is Victoria’s leading regional festival when every March a kaleidoscope of vivid blooms engulf Ballarat over the Labour Day long weekend. There are activities and entertainment for garden lovers and families.

CLUNES Back to Booktown 30 April – 1 May Each May in Clunes, the biggest collection of rare, out-of-print and second-hand books in Australia are available. Over 60 booksellers from around the country gather in this historic village, turning it into a European-style booktown. Discover antique books plus nostalgia and treasures dotted across the township.

BALLARAT Heritage Weekend 7 – 8 May 2011 For one weekend every May, Ballarat’s

grand buildings, enchanting gardens, historic private residences and wonderful collections of heritage memorabilia are open to the public in the Ballarat Heritage Weekend. For history buffs and those who enjoy a great weekend away, it is an absolute must ● For a full list of the self-guided tours, phone BALLARAT VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE 1800 446 633 www.visitballarat.com.au

BALLARAT Antique Fair 12 – 14 March This fair is a favourite for lovers of antiques, collectables and ephemera. More than 100 exhibitors and the cream of Australia’s antique trade flock to this event. The vast array of well-loved items includes superb Victorian and French furniture, antique prints and maps, oriental antiques, jewellery, clocks and watches, scientific instruments, vintage clothing and textiles, railway memorabilia, glassware, porcelain and ceramics and reference books.

GIPPSLAND ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

BENDIGO EASTER ANTIQUE FAIR Saturday to Tuesday, 23-26 April

Email: sales@carringtons.com.au

he hall is booked and the announcements and posters are on show, so once again the journey towards the opening of the 2011 Bendigo Easter Antique Fair is well underway. This year’s Bendigo Easter Antique Fair is unique, assuming the mantle of a giant antique fair that trades over four days. It opens on Easter Saturday and runs through to the public holiday on Tuesday 26 April for Anzac Day. All items are for sale. Many local and interstate dealers are attending the fair. Expect to see stands from Queensland, NSW and South Australia, and of course our best Victorian dealers. As always, the fair is completely booked. Some of the dealers have just returned from England and elsewhere with a range of interesting and unique items for sale. During the fair, I relieve dealers for their breaks, so I will be available for advice on valuations and on how to make sales to dealers. So please come to talk with me on these favourite subjects.

www.carringtons.com.au

WARRNAMBOOL Antique Fair

Reclining figurine, c. 1930, signed at the feet

CARRINGTONS OF LOCH VICTORIA STREET LOCH VILLAGE Visit historic Loch Village and browse through Carringtons’ unique range of antiques, art, fine English bone china, old wares, lamps & specialising in English & French period furniture

We are open 7 days from 10am to 5pm

world of

Ph: 03 5659 4215 Mob: 0422 969 835

On the subject of antique fairs, Carol and I are organising the first antique fair for 2011 at Warrnambool. This is at St Pius Church Hall in Warrnambool on the second weekend of January, Saturday 8 and Sunday 9. Holidaymakers and residents on the Great Ocean Road should make this fair a special outing suitable for all ages. Many dealers attending the Bendigo Antique Fair in April want to attend this Warrnambool Antique Fair in January, bringing their rare and unique stock.

Antiques & Art

a magazine for collectors of the fine and decorative arts

RARE items Rare and unique items are always extraordinary. I am sharing four relatively rare items obtained during the past year. The first

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SUBSCRIPTION FORM

Top: Knight Templars sword and scabbard, c. 1860, ivory handle Above: Percussion doublebarrelled gun made by Manton London & Calcutta, c. 1835, restored Right: Victorian crystal banquet lamp, c. 1870s, restored

is a Knight Templars dress sword which dates from the American Civil War, c. 1860. It is one of the finest dress swords that I have ever seen, with its fully etched blade and an ivory handle. It was a fortunate purchase at James Johnson’s Antique Fair in Sydney in November 2010. Enhancing the unique thrill of its purchase is the ongoing discoveries while tracing its history. An art deco reclining semi nude figurine, c. 1930, is both very large and extremely heavy. I found it in Geelong and again, my high continues through discovering more about the artist, whose signature is incised at the feet of the figurine. The English double-barrelled percussion gun dates from about 1835, and some of its history is known from the manufacturer’s mark – Manton London & Calcutta – engraved in the top webbing. This high quality, sighted, smooth bore rifle or shotgun was specifically designed for tiger shooting. We have had this weapon restored in Australia. A Victorian crystal banquet lamp dates from the 1870s. It was a gift, incomplete and unrestored, from a client in Sydney. It is fully refurbished and restored and will not ever leave our family. Carol and I hope you will again be our guests at both antique fairs, Warrnambool 8-9 January and in Bendigo over Easter, 23-26 April ● ROBERT DENNIS 03 9369 2306 0414 248 120

GIPPSLAND ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

MAYFIELD GALLERY PRESENTS Beauty in the hills 1 January – 31 January 2011

ithin the beautiful Strzelecki Ranges is a little piece of paradise. This wonderful art gallery and studio commands magical views across the endless hills. Di and John Koenders, professional artists for over 40 years, create their wonderful artworks here. Di and John’s latest major exhibition, Beauty in the Hills, opens on Saturday 1 January 2011 and will be open daily from 10 am to 5 pm – including all public holidays. The exciting revelation that John is the great-great-great-nephew of Vincent Van Gogh has added provenance and value to their magnificent paintings.

INTERNATIONAL focus A documentary exploring the work and lives of Di and John is being made and due for release in Cannes, April 2011. Complementing the film is a book and additionally, recognising the popularity and desirability of John’s work, Art Spectrum is producing a range of paints called John Koenders Vincent's Pallette Collection, these will be released worldwide in April 2011. Due to popular demand, Di and John will also exhibit an exclusive range of limited edition prints during this show. Clients and collectors can now procure quality prints of these well-known artists’ most popular paintings. Should you wish to make one of these art treasures yours, remember that by purchasing a painting direct from the artists, you do not pay the commissions that private galleries have to charge. Di and John are also happy to personalise a work for you to give it an added provenance. It has been an amazing journey for these talented artists who have been ‘swept along’ by all these events all the while keeping their feet planted firmly on the ground. They love to entertain visitors at their home, gallery and studio, with a welcoming chilled glass of wine or a warming cup of tea or coffee. They also find irresistible any questions about their lives as artists and their passions for art.

WELCOME to Mayfield Gallery The venue is extraordinary at Di and John’s mountaintop retreat, far from the hustle and bustle of modern life yet less than two hours from Melbourne’s CBD. Peacocks, ducks and geese stroll through the cottage gardens, colourful wild birds visit continuously and majestic oaks and conifers provide welcome shade. The gallery is air-conditioned for your comfort, no matter what season you visit. The walls of Mayfield Gallery provide a feast for the senses with glowing oils and realistic watercolours of scenes from everywhere. Subjects range from old Australian farmhouses with chooks running around the yard, or nostalgic scenes of Europe such as Mediterranean villages and the rooftops of Tuscany. Di’s birds and animals throb with life with her amazingly detailed portrayals of our wonderful wildlife. Tiny blue wrens on old farm taps and majestic eagles leap off her canvases, with every feather ruffled by the wind bringing you closer to nature. Di and John’s works are in corporate and private collections all over the world. Owners include HRH Princess Anne, the Sultan of Brunei, the Hon John Howard AC and Mrs Janette Howard, André Rieu, Jeff Kennett AC, Gold Logie-award winning John Wood, Rob Gell and the late Bud Tingwell OAM. Mayfield Gallery at Arawata is 30 minutes from Leongatha in south Gippsland. Make a scenic day trip from Melbourne by travelling one way on the Monash Freeway and the return trip on the South Gippsland Highway ● For any enquiries or directions please contact Di and John Koenders MAYFIELD GALLERY 03 5659 8262 or 0407 33 00 11 info@mayfieldgallery.com.au www.mayfieldgallery.com.au

MAYFIELD GALLERY PRESENTS

THE MAGNIFICENT ART OF DI & JOHN KOENDERS BEAUTY IN THE HILLS 1 - 31 Jan 2011 Open Daily – 10 am to 5 pm (including ALL public holidays) (Artists will be in attendance throughout)

FORTHCOMING EXHIBITION – EASTER 2011 Phone 03 5659 8262 for more information Gallery will be open daily 10 am to 5 pm Or phone for an appointment – 03 5659 8262 MAYFIELD GALLERY FAIRBANK RD, ARAWATA 10 mins north of Leongatha Only one hour from the Eastern Suburbs FULLY AIR-CONDITIONED FOR YOUR COMFORT www.mayfieldgallery.com.au info@mayfieldgallery.com.au 79

VICTORIAN ANTIQUE DEALERS GUILD ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

VICTORIAN ANTIQUE DEALERS GUILD INC. Six excellent reasons to buy with confidence from a member of the Victorian Antique Dealers Guild Incorporated, knowing your antique is genuine. ■ Guild members guarantee the description of the antiques and collectables they sell ■ Guild members must meet requirements of integrity, experience and knowledge of the goods and services they provide ■ Guild members must be professional in both their displays of goods and dealings with the public ■ Guild members are required to have been trading, in a professional manner, for a minimum of three years ■ Guild members must be registered second-hand dealers ■ The VADG Customer Protection Policy covers a purchase from a Guild member Guild Committee members you can contact for expert advice and where to buy antiques: PRESIDENT: TREASURER: SECRETARY/EDITOR: COMMITTEE:

Alan Duncan, Donvale Antique Clocks, Donvale Ph: 03 9874 4690 or Guy Page, Page Antiques, Canterbury Ph: 03 9880 7433 or Barbara Thomas, Mentone Beach Antique Centre Ph: 03 9583 4322 or Alastair Wilkie, Marquis Antiques, Daylesford Mob: 0402 888 439 Graham Pavey, Pavey Collectable Antiques Ph: 03 9500 9158 or Diana Brady, Circa Antiques, Kyneton Mob: 0438 048 260 Tanya Gale, Camberwell Antique Centre, CamberwellPh: 03 9882 2028 or

Mob: 0409 744 690 Mob: 0411 175 320 Mob: 0437 121 040 Mob: 0411 437 511 Mob: 0418 586 764

VICTORIAN ANTIQUE DEALERS GUILD INC. MEMBERS More than 26 Years Service to Antiques Collectors A.B. Furniture 630 Glenhuntly Road, South Caulfield, Vic. 3162 Phone: 03 9523 8050 Mobile: 0407 822 115 Antik@Billy’s Mailing Road Antique Centre, Canterbury, Vic. 3126 Mentone Beach Antiques Centre, Beach Road, Mentone, Vic. 3149 Maryborough Station Antiques Centre, Maryborough, Vic. 3465 Mobile: 0402 042 746 Armstrong Collection 42 Station Street, Sandringham, Vic. 3191 Phone: 03 9521 6442 Mobile: 0417 332 320 Dalbry Antiques & Collectables at Mentone Beach Antique Centre Beach Road, Mentone, Vic. 3149 Camberwell Antique Centre Cookson Street, Camberwell, Vic. 3124 Phone: 03 9836 2301 Mob: 0418 373 940 David Freeman Antique Valuations 194 Bulleen Road, Bulleen, Vic. 3105 Phone: 03 9850 1553 Mobile: 0419 578 184 Diana Brady at Circa Antiques Mollison St, Kyneton Vic. Stall 7, Dalysford Mill Market, Vic. Mobile: 0438 048 260 Donvale Antique Clocks 12 White Lodge Court Donvale, Vic. 3111 Phone: 03 98744 690 Mobile: 0409 744 690 Email: clocks@bigpond.net.au Ern Opie Valuer 3/1 47 Roslyn Road, Belmont, Geelong, Vic. 3216 Phone: 03 5244 4521 Mobile: 0417 575 484 French Heritage at Mentone Beach Antique Centre 68-69 Beach Road, Mentone, Vic. 3194 Phone: 03 9583 3422 Mobile: 0437 121 040 Email: frenchheritage@bigpond.com www.antiquecentrementone.com.au Imogene 410 Queens Parade, Fitzroy North, Vic. 3068 Phone: 03 9569 5391 Mobile: 0412 195 964 Irene Chapman at Irene Chapman Antiques 126 Bay Street, Brighton, Vic. 3186 Phone: 03 9505 0032 Ivanhoe Collectibles Corner Tearoom 231 Upper Heidelberg Road, Ivanhoe, Vic. 3079 Phone: 03 9497 1935

Julian Phillips at Tyabb Packing House 14 Mornington-Tyabb Road Tyabb, Vic. 3913 Phone: 03 5977 4414 Mobile: 0438 086 708 Kilbarron Antiques & Collectables By appointment only: 1 Laurel Grove Blackburn, Vic. 3130 Phone: 03 9878 1321 Mobile: 0417 392 110 Marquis Antiques 105 Central Springs Road, Daylesford, Vic. 3460 Phone: 03 5348 4332 Ah: 03 5474 2124 Mobile: 0402 888 439 Email: marquisfurniture@hotmail.com Tanya Gale at Camberwell Antique Centre 25 Cookson Street Camberwell, Vic. 3124 Phone: 03 9882 2028 / 03 9882 2091 Mobile: 0418 586 764 doug.gale@bigpond.net.au Page Antiques Warehouse 323 Canterbury Road, Canterbury, Vic. 3126 Phone: 03 9880 7433 Mobile: 0411 175 320 Email: guypage@bigpond.com Pavey Collectables – Antiques at Camberwell Antique Centre 25 Cookson Street, Camberwell, Vic. 3124 Mobile: 0411 437 455 Seanic Antiques 419 Melbourne Road, Newport, Vic. 3015 Phone: 03 9391 6134 Mobile: 0418 326 455 www.seanicantiques.com.au

REGIONAL AND INTERSTATE MEMBERS Baimbridge Antiques 64 Thompson Street, Hamilton, Vic. 3300 Phone: 03 5572 2516 Email: ruth@baimbridgeantiques.com.au www.baimbridgeantiques.com.au Glenross Antiques 147 Hume Highway, Holbrook, NSW, 2644 Phone: 02 6036 3122 Mobile: 0408 363 122 Morrison Antiques 55 Carey Street, Tumut, NSW, 2720 Phone: 02 6947 1246 Mobile: 0408 965 336 Neville Beechey’s Antiques & Fine Furniture 208-210 Murray Street, Colac, Vic. 3250 Phone: 03 5231 5738 Mobile: 0418 523 538 Selkirk Antiques 29 Summerland Circuit, Kambah, ACT, 2902 Phone: 02 6231 5244 Mobile: 0418 631 445

Direct enquiries to any of the Guild Committee Members

ANTIQUES – ULTIMATE RECYCLING 80

VICTORIAN ANTIQUE DEALERS GUILD Meet a Guild member MICHEL AND BARBARA OF MENTONE BEACH ANTIQUE CENTRE

WHAT YEAR did you start in antiques? We registered the business French Heritage Antiques in 1984.

WHAT SPARKED your interest in antiques? Michel had a friend in the business in France. This friend sent a travel trunk by airfreight full of 18th and 19th century antique porcelain, clocks, small mirrors, figurines and glasses. My first comment was who would buy these items, as many of my friends did not own antiques. Once we had the goods, some of which arrived broken, we had to find somewhere to sell these valuable items. We thought the antique fairs would be a good place to sell them over the weekend, as we were both working full time in other businesses. Our first fair was at the Camberwell Town Hall in 1984 and then at the Trade Centre building in Melbourne. We managed to pay our way with a small profit. We soon found we needed more goods suitable to the Australian market. We bought some local furniture, which sold quicker than the very old antiques that were more suitable for a museum. We then went to France to collect and imported our first container load, followed by many others. We became more successful at buying and selling, and we are still doing the same 25 years later.

WHAT DO you know now that you wish you knew then? If we knew everything that we know now, we would be billionaires. When we started all art deco statuary and furniture were sold for little money in the French depot vente (second-hand shops). Knowing how much money they bring now, we would have bought a lot of them, put them on ice, then we would have sold them, made a small fortune and retired.

WHAT’S THE most spectacular item that has come through your business? We had the pleasure to sell a magnificent pair of Limoges porcelain urn vases made by M Redon, c. 1880. They were 65 cm high in a blue celeste background with gilt trim and white enameled painted handles with four different bisque maiden sitting figures.

WHAT’S THE biggest mistake you have made as a dealer? Twenty years ago our clock service man offered us a René Lalique clock with two maidens leaning towards the face of the clock with a blue background for $5000. He was selling it on behalf of his customer. Our opinion was that the owner had painted the back of it and was not original. Someone else bought it and sold it at auction – where it fetched $45,000! We were in shock and wished we had bought it.

WHAT IS IT about the industry that has kept you interested? What has kept us in the industry is mainly the life style around the business, travelling around the world searching for the rare and quality pieces. We are always surrounded by objects that inspire us to study the history of their origin. The variety of activities in the business from the buying overseas and locally; giving the goods a fresh lease of life by restoring them; and the selling which brings us a lot of satisfaction; and of course, an income ●

NEW SOUTH WALES ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Marlene Young Nungurrayi

Anna Price

INDIGENOUS ART DAY AT THE HUGHENDEN One-day selling exhibition, appraisals and expert lecture on Indigenous art (Right) Kathleen Whiskey Nungurrayi, My Father’s Story

9 April 2011

Garry Darby and Betty Mbitjana

he Aboriginal Dreamtime is traditional oral storytelling, drawings and paintings that reveal indigenous beliefs of the creation of day, sky, stars, fire, air, water, terrain and life. Beyond the earth, there is the Dreamtime and the balance of harmony between Dreamtime spirits and the living. The Dreaming reveals the land, flora, fauna, animals and humans; and how to live in the Dreaming – healing plants, edible plants, dangerous regions, waterways, hunting and gathering and tribal relationships. Dr Garry Darby, university lecturer and author specialising in Indigenous art, brings the Dreaming of the past and the present together in his collection of paintings from leading Central and Western Australian Aboriginal artists.

SELLING exhibition Sales of more than 300 paintings range in price from $65 to $20,000 with rare opportunities for collectors. Dr Garry Darby will share his expert knowledge on artists and paintings. You are welcome to bring your Indigenous paintings and other artworks for appraisal. The collection includes works by Minnie Pwerle from the Utopia Station region of the Northern Territory, 250 km northeast of Alice Springs. She is one of the highly respected Utopia women artists who revealed her spiritual connection to the land through her paintings.

Minnie continued to paint until she died in March 2006, with her paintings held in many Australian and overseas institutional and private collections. Also exhibited are George Milpurrurru, one of Australia’s Old Masters of Aboriginal art from Arnhem Land, and Gloria Petyarre who was the first Aboriginal to win the prestigious Wynne Prize (AGNSW). Other leading Indigenous artists include Kathleen Petyarre, Lindsay Bird, Gracie Morton, Kathleen Whiskey Nungurrayi, George Milpurrurru, Janet Long Nakamarra, Anna Price, Marcia Turner, Colleen Wallace, Naata Nungurrayi and Eubena Nampitjin.

FREE program Everybody is welcome to the illustrated lecture, Australian Aboriginal Desert Art commencing at 2.30 pm. The free appraisals and expert lecture is a great way to learn about Indigenous art, and for collectors and international visitors to buy rare paintings. The Indigenous Art Day is an open invitation, commencing at 10 am and running until 8 pm. Ample parking is available at Centennial Parklands across the road. Or if coming by public transport, buses from the city and Bondi Junction stop at Queen Street. As well as enjoying the art and lecture, take time out and sample the exciting menu of the newly updated Hughenden Café Restaurant, open for breakfast through to dinner ● Indigenous painting appraisal enquiries to Dr Garry Darby 02 9583 9916 Susanne Gervay THE HUGHENDEN 02 9363 4863 FREE CALL 1800 642 432 www.thehughenden.com

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ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Léon Bakst (1866-1924), costume for the Blue God from Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes production of Le Dieu Bleu [The Blue God] 1912

Mikhail Larionov (1881-1964), costume for a buffoon’s wife from Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes production of Chout [The Buffoon] 1921

Henri Matisse (1869-1954), costume for a mourner from Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes production of Le Chant du Rossignol [The Song of the Nightingale] 1920

National Gallery of Australia BALLETS RUSSES: THE ART OF COSTUME 10 December 2010 20 March 2011

allets Russes: the art of costume celebrates the centenary of the first Paris seasons of the legendary Ballets Russes, the company that revolutionised ballet with its sensational fusion of art, movement and music in new productions organised by its founder, the Russian-born impresario Sergei Diaghilev (1872-1929).

SERGEI Diaghilev (1872-1929) As a producer and creative director, Diaghilev rejected conventional ideas of ballet. He encouraged the collaboration of contemporary artists, designers, choreographers and composers and was the first to bring Russian culture to the Western stage. Diaghilev integrated traditional dance narratives with modern design, folk art, contemporary music and new approaches to choreography, bringing modernity and a new excitement to ballet.

By raising every aspect of dance performance – dancing, choreography, music, stage and costume design and publicity – to an equal level of creative invention and excellence, Diaghilev unleashed a torrent of creativity to European theatre. He placed the moribund art of ballet into the modernist framework of early 20th century design and culture. Diaghilev’s first designers for the Ballets Russes’s costumes and sets were Léon Bakst and Alexandre Benois, long-standing colleagues from his formative years in St Petersburg when they worked together on their influential art journal Mir Iskusstva (World of Art) from 1898 to 1904.

RUSSIAN and European avant-garde artists From 1910 other artists of the emerging Russian and European avant-garde also became associated with Diaghilev and the company. Among them were Michel Larionov, Nicholas Roerich, Natalia Goncharova, Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Giorgio de Chirico, José Maria Sert, André Derain, Robert and Sonia Delaunay, Georgy Yakulov and Pavel Tchelitchev. Igor Stravinsky launched his career with the Ballets Russes and was Diaghilev’s closest musical collaborator. Diaghilev employed some of the 20th century’s most innovative choreographers to develop performances for the company. Among these whose choreographic innovations laid a foundation for later 20th century dance were Michel Fokine, Vaslav Nijinsky, Léonide Massine, Bronislava Nijinska and George Balanchine. Performances by émigré Russian dancers such as Vaslav Nijinsky, Tamara Karsavina, Serge Lifar and Adoph Bolm became legendary.

LES BALLETS Russes de Monte Carlo

Natalia Goncharova (1881-1962), costume for a seahorse from Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes production of Sadko 1916

After Diaghilev’s untimely death in 1929, several new companies were formed to continue and develop his legacy. The most important of these was Les Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo, formed in Monaco in 1932 by the Russian entrepreneur Colonel Wassily de

Basil. Using some of the original Diaghilev sets and costumes, de Basil’s company revived many of the Ballets Russes’s earlier productions and commissioned new works in the innovative spirit of Diaghilev’s earlier company. Following the Ballets Russes tradition, prominent artists and designers were invited to design for these productions, including André Masson, Oliver Messel, Étienne de Beaumont, Jean Lurçat, Natalia Goncharova, and the Australians Sidney Nolan and Kathleen and Florence Martin. De Basil’s companies, which ceased with his death in 1951, toured in Australia, under several names, three times from 1936 to 193940 creating enthusiastic new audiences for ballet and an appreciation for the avant-garde. This set in train the formation of modern dance companies across Australia from 1940 by former Ballets Russes associates.

COSTUMES The costumes designed and made for the Ballets Russes had been conceived in the context of powerful and emotional artistic collaboration and they command attention as persuasive works of art in their own right long after they ceased to be worn on stage. Their ingenious design, cut and construction, innovative colours and patterns, along with their use of a variety of fabrics and trim materials, come together with the purpose of being worn in complex action by athletic dancers for maximum visual impact on stage. Even while bearing the ravages of time, use and neglect, they are tangible reminders of the craft of their makers and their wearers. The National Gallery of Australia holds one of the world’s most extensive collections of costumes from the productions of the Sergei Diaghilev and Wassily de Basil periods of the Ballets Russes and is an important part of the international legacy of dance and stage design from the early 20th century.

NGA conservation project The exhibition reveals the result of a major Gallery conservation project over the past five years with 140 of these costumes, many of which were previously too fragile and

deteriorated to be put on display, having been fully restored. Included are some of the Gallery’s most famous costumes: Alexandre Benois’ costume for Petrouchka, worn by Nijinsky in the 1911 ballet of the same name Léon Bakst’s costume for the Blue God worn by Nijinsky in Le Dieu Bleu 1912 Henri Matisse’s powerful costume for a mourner from Le Chant du Rossignol 1920 Natalia Goncharova’s joyous folk costumes from the 1914 and 1937 productions of Le Coq d’Or Mikhail Larionov’s cubist costumes for Chout Chout [The Buffoon] 1921 Giorgio de Chirico’s surrealist vision for the young man in Le Bal 1929 Leonard Massine’s futurist costumes for the symphonic ballet Les Présages 1933 These costumes are only parts of the larger context of the productions for which they were made, but each retains the power to evoke the intimacy and emotional charge between designers, performers and audiences that was central to the Ballets Russes experience. Through these fragments we can glimpse the work and passion of Diaghilev and his designers, dancers, collaborators and successors. They provide insights into their interpretations of both the great romantic stories and legends of history against the framework of the moral contradictions of the emerging 20th century. This exhibition aims to celebrate the centenary of the Ballets Russes by showing how its spirit continues for our time and place ● Dr Robert Bell AM Senior Curator Decorative Arts and Design NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA 02 6240 6411 www.nga.gov.au All costumes are from the collection of the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Photography: Brenton McGeachie, National Gallery of Australia.

CANBERRA ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

NEW SOUTH WALES ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

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NEW SOUTH WALES ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

THE MAGIC OF MAPS

s early as ancient classical times Greek and Roman scholars were hypothesising about the existence of a globally shaped world with a large land mass in the southern hemisphere. This was concluded by reason of balancing the known land masses in the northern section of the globe with this large southern continent. This concept of terra australis incognita (unknown southern land) was given such precedence that it was eventually taken as factual. Ptolemy, Eratosthenes and others represented it on their maps, some as early as the first century BC. Claudius Ptolemy, the most influential cartographer of the ancient world, had Africa linked to the unknown southern landmass in his maps. The belief in a great southern land was given more credence when Marco Polo reported the existence of three locations – Beach, Lucach and Maletur – just south of the lands now known as South East Asia. One of these locations falls directly on the current position of Western Australia. From the late 13th century, after Marco Polo had discovered the Orient and had brought back to Europe colourful stories and treasures of the East, Europeans lusted for more accurate reports and contact with the other side of the world. Land trade routes with Asia over the silk road, and Arab coastal trade routes brought back to Europe newly discovered and sought after products. However these routes proved to be slow, dangerous with pirates, and hazardous with war and local taxes thus hampering the free flow of trade. With the Turkish empire’s dominance of Constantinople in 1453 and further trade restrictions imposed by the Turks, the discovery of an alternative sea route became of paramount importance. With this push for growth of trade coupled with the exploration and discovery of suitable sea routes, came growth of wealth and power. The knowledge of local coastlines, currents, tides and trade winds became of absolute importance to traders and governments alike, and maps displaying this information were closely guarded as were any new discoveries made by seafaring captains. The nations and traders that possessed cartographical knowledge of new sea routes therefore had a major advantage over other competing countries. Two other factors emerged that further fuelled the lust for exploration of the East; the desire of the Christian world to convert newly exposed heathen populations and the basic curiosity that a ‘civilised’ people had for discovery and hope of finding unfamiliar populations, cultures, strange flora and fauna and unusual landscape. The invention of movable type by Gutenberg in the mid 1450s led to the development of woodcut print that allowed for maps and illustrations to be easily reproduced and distributed throughout the world, allowing easy access to newfound knowledge and discovery. As traders rapidly added to knowledge of the unknown world, cartographers were able to disseminate this information to the eager eyes of the Europeans more easily. With Dutch discoveries of lands south of Java and New Guinea in the early 17th century, the drive to once and for all prove the existence – or otherwise – of a southern continent, gained huge momentum. In 1630 the well-known Dutch cartographer Hendrick Hondius produced his famous world map showing the early Dutch discoveries of Cape York Peninsular. Willem Blaeu, official cartographer to the Dutch East Indies Trading Company, also produced a map of the East Indies showing for the first time on a regional map the Dutch discoveries on the west coast of Australia. With this knowledge came further desire to once and for all establish the existence of a Great Southern Land. The Dutch East Indies Company wished to further expand its commercial control and increase its profits, as did the Dutch government who wished to expand its power and establish other sea routes, allowing uninterrupted shipping throughout the year. So finally in 1642-43

J Blaeu, Nova ... orbis tabula, 1662

and later in 1644, Abel Tasman was commissioned to undertake two voyages of discovery in the ships Heemskerck and Zeehaen to categorically find the evidence of a southern continent. His first voyage covered an area from Mauritius, from where Tasman sailed south, then east to Tasmania. After discovering the island which now bears his name, he went on to chart the west coast of New Zealand. Finally, Tasman and his crew sailed north returning to Batavia in Java, the headquarters of the Dutch East Indies Company. Tasman had at last established the limits of Terra Australis. All but the east coast of Australia remained unmapped and, except for a few hypothetical attempts by the French in the mid-18th century to link New Guinea to Tasmania in one continuous coastline, no serious development in the mapping of Australia occurred until 1770 with James Cook. The careful recording of these discoveries has produced a wealth of cartographical documentation. Mapmakers from every nation compiled this information not only in manuscript charts, but also in numerous Bibles and atlases. From the first printed world map in 1472 right through to 1700 no fewer than 630 individual world maps were published, often in multiple editions. This form of charting of discoveries was prolifically documented, none more so than with the discovery of Australia. It in fact remains one of the best-printed records of any country. This wealth of cartographical history has provided us with a treasure chest of maps: scientific maps, glorious, richly decorated world maps (displaying all the talents of true artists), inaccurate and quaint hypothetical maps, celestial maps and many more. Over the last decade the interest in collecting all kinds of maps has grown tenfold. The European, American and Australian markets and to some extent the Japanese market, are becoming increasingly interested and informed about buying world and regional maps. Because of the huge scope in the various areas of map-making, collectors can choose many different criteria to base their collection on. World maps probably display the most versatility from the collector’s point of view, however the sheer beauty of some world maps makes them a desirable item for art lovers wishing to have an informative and unique piece. The world map by Dutch mapmaker J Blaeu is not only a highly decorative and typically 17th century allegorical double hemisphere map, but is also historically important. It is one of the very first world maps to show the discoveries made by Tasman in New Zealand and Tasmania in 1642-43 as well as those in Cape York Peninsular in 1644. The literature and reference material available on world maps means that even the novice collector can be well informed about the history and availability of material. The relative commonness of some world maps has meant that attractive pieces, even those published as early as the 17th century, can be obtained without too much difficulty and with relatively little expense. As well, it is still possible to purchase maps published as early as the late 15th century, and from time to time extremely rare and important pieces come up for sale. One such rarity is the early Ptolemaic map of the world by Horstmann Schedel published in the 1493 Nuremburg chronicle The map is bordered on the

H Schedel, Untitled, 1493

left-hand side by quasi-human creatures who were supposedly inhabiting the earth in lands yet to be explored. The map itself shows a rather crude view of the world but was the best-known geographical work of its time published just six months after Columbus’ discoveries of the Americas. A quaint and naïve world map by Bunting of 1581 is another map of great interest. The intriguing feature of this map is the inclusion of a land mass, on the bottom right hand side that resembles remarkably the shape of the western Australian coastline and is in the correct position. However being published in 1581, it pre-dates the known Dutch discoveries of that region by Hartog and others after 1616. Many people consider that this map adds great weight to the belief of the Portuguese discovery preceding that of the Dutch. The interest in the field of map collecting seems to have retained its appeal and fervour over the centuries. Collectors have the choice of specialising in those weird and delightfully inaccurate hypothetical maps, to the intricate and artistic allegorical creations of the Dutch cartographers through to historically important maps of discovery such as those made by Blaeu and Hondius. Although there is now a penchant for

reproducing these wonderful mementos of history en masse, the original item has an intrinsic and precious quality. Given the age of some of the maps that are available for sale, they are surprisingly affordable, and more importantly give us all a gateway to the thoughts and visions of the peoples who longed to know more about the world they lived in ● Simon Dewez and Monique Jacobson GOWRIE GALLERIES 02 4365 6399 www.gowrie-galleries.com.au References Rodney Shirley, The mapping of the world; early printed maps 1472-1700 (London: Holland Press, 1984) Günter Schilder, Australia unveiled: the share of the Dutch navigators in the discovery of Australia (Amsterdam: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, 1976) Robert Clancy, So came they south (Sydney: Shakespeare Head, 1988) Thomas Perry, The discovery of Australia: the charts and maps of the navigators and explorers (Melbourne: Nelson, 1982) Ronald Tooley, The mapping of Australia and Antarctica (London: Holland Press, 1985)

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

1486 Ptolemy Ulm world map in fine original colour

Latest catalogue

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

For orders 02 9387 4581

OUR STOCK INCLUDES 15th – 18th century world maps Australian maps from the 17th century onwards Maps of South East Asia and the Pacific ❖ ❖ ❖ Expert advice on all aspects of map collecting Full research, evaluation, restoration and framing service Collections and individual items always considered for purchase Extensive range of decorative antique engravings

Please note new contact details for Gowrie Galleries from 2010 PO BOX 276 TERRIGAL NSW 2260 Matcham studio: Phone: 02 4365 6399 Mobile: 0417 040 902 Fax: 02 4365 6096

EMAIL: maps@sydney.net • WEBSITE: www.gowrie-galleries.com.au

QUEENSLAND ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Antiques â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Antiques: Celebrating 24 years of the ROTARY ANTIQUES FAIR & GOLD COAST BOOK FAIR 6 - 9 January 2011 hat an incredible achievement! Twenty-four years of providing the perfect setting for browsers and collectors while raising an amazing amount of funding for distribution to the needy. The fair will be held at Jupiters, Broadbeach on the Gold Coast 6-9 January, and later in July (22-24) we are running our

mid-year fair at the Albert Waterways. The annual fair is a major Rotary Club of Palm Beach fundraising project, so make a point of visiting. Enjoy the buzz of browsing among a stunning array of antiques and collectables presented by dealers from around Australia. The elegant Jupiters ballroom will be

Celebrating Our Celebrating O ur 224th 2nd

ROTARY ANTIQUES FAIR jewellery, porcelain, china, silver, clocks, pottery, furniture, historic documents â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and much more! and

GOLD COAST BOOK FAIR rare books, prints, posters, maps and postcards

Antiques on The Gold Coast - January 2011 by The Rotary Club of Palm Beach at Jupitors January 2010 Fair Dates Thursday 6 Jan Friday 7 Jan Saturday 8 Jan Sunday 9 Jan

6 pm 10 am 10 am 10 am

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

Admission 9 pm 6 pm 6 pm 4 pm

Adults Concessions Under 17

$12 $10 Free

Over 70 dealers present all types of antiques including estate jewellery, rare books, prints, posters, works of art, furniture and much, much more Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget our Mid-Year Fair: 22 - 24 July at Waterways Centre PROCEEDS TO CHARITY Enquiries: Phone +61 7 5598 8188 www.rotaryantiquesfair.com

overflowing with an alluring range of porcelain, silver, linen, furniture, jewellery, lithographs, prints, maps and postcards, historical documents and much more to tempt the discerning buyer. Books of every kind will cater to those collectors with a taste for the written word, with an enticing selection of literary treats gathered from many parts of the world â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including old and rare volumes, weighty tomes, childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s classics and books covering a wide range of subjects and pastime pursuits. The Rotary Antiques Fair & Gold Coast Book Fair has a special ambience, and the elegant surroundings, together with the diverse range of items available and the helpful assistance and interest of the many organising Rotarians, all contribute to the enjoyment, guaranteeing a memorable experience for all. The outstanding venue provides a superb setting for the display of fine pieces, while offering the astute visitor the opportunity to enjoy spectacular entertainment and excellent dining. Highly regarded by dealers and collectors and supported by the tourism industry, proceeds from the fair have assisted youth, aided in disaster relief, fulfilled community needs and contributed help to many areas of health, locally, nationally and internationally.

Whether you are into serious collecting, or simply enjoying looking, allow time for relaxed viewing among the alluring assortment of collectables and antiques. The overwhelming variety of treasures will guarantee that something will catch your eye. Lucky Door prizes drawn at regular intervals during the fair are a special attraction. Who knows, it could be you â&#x20AC;&#x201C; wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t that be nice? Twenty-four years of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;doing it rightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; has earned the Palm Beach Rotary Antiques & Book Fair the reputation for being one of the most varied and professionally presented in the country. Club members look forward to welcoming one and all in January 2011 and thank dealers, sponsors and public for their continued support â&#x2014;? ROTARY ANTIQUES FAIR & GOLD COAST BOOK FAIR 07 5598 8188 www.rotaryantiquesfair.com

QUEENSLAND ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Lancaster’s Auction Rooms

NEXT AUCTIONS

3 Railway Street TOOWOOMBA QLD 4350

Sunday 6th February 2011

Ph: 0418 730 904 Fax: 07 4613 1111

“Annual Blokey Auction” Car Swap Weekend

Email: info@gdlauctions.com

Saturday 19th February 2011

View Catalogue & Photos One Month Prior to Each Sale: www.gdlauctions.com

“Antique Bottles & Stoneware” Bottle Show Weekend

WE AUCTION We are Australia’s leading auction house for: ◆ Australiana, pottery and carnival glass ◆ Advertising signs, tins and pub mirrors ◆ Antique bottles and stoneware We conduct both ‘In House’ auctions and ‘On Site’ sales

Sold $6,650

Sold $4,450

We will travel anywhere in Australia for major collections. For professional and confidential service and the very best results

Contact Graham: 0418 730 904

WE BUY

Sold $330 & $1,220

Sold $16,650

We are always interested in buying or consigning entire collections or quality individual items We are especially interested in antique bottles, advertising signs, Australiana & pottery. We pay top cash prices for good collectables! For prompt service and the best price

Contact Graham: 0418 730 904 Sold $19,400

Sold $13,500

WANTED Sold $5,550

For Next Auctions

Sold $18,200

◆ Enamel Signs ◆ Garagenalia ◆ All Things "Blokey" ◆ Antique Bottles ◆ Whole Collections or

Quality single items Sold $11,000

Sold $4,800 Sold $12,750

Sold $20,000

ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Phil Capocchi, Harlequin Antiques with Gary Kay

Dawn Davis, Eaglemont Antiques

FROM THE AAADA PRESIDENT’S DESK A right royal AAADA show for Melbourne 5–8 May 2011

he AAADA is mounting an antiques and art show at the Royal Exhibition Building in the Carlton Gardens. The response to the plan has been enthusiastically received and many AAADA members have expressed interest in exhibiting. With its meticulously restored opulent interior, expansive galleries and soaring dome, the Great Hall offers a magnificent setting for antiques and art. Set in the lovely Europeanstyle Carlton Gardens it is easy to access from all areas of Melbourne. For those attending from country or interstate locations, it is close to the CBD and an extensive choice of accommodation. The gala preview is on Thursday 5 May from 6 pm. Opening hours are 11 am to 7 pm on Friday 6 and Saturday 7 May, and between 11 am until closing at 5 pm on Sunday 8 May. We will have several special guest exhibitors and some interesting new members who are bringing great attractions. All items will be fully vetted and of course, for sale. This welcome and long-awaited fair in Melbourne will be a mirror of our annual Sydney fair, celebrating its tenth successful year. Mothers will enjoy free entry on Mother’s Day, Sunday 8 May, with prizes and events to celebrate. Updates on exhibitors and events will be posted as they come to hand on www.aaada.org.au. We look forward to seeing you!

AAADA show Sydney – Antiques in a new setting 7 – 11 September 2011 The Australian Antique & Art Dealers Show in Sydney is internationally acknowledged as the most important showcase of art and antiques in the region. Only here can buyers and browsers find such exquisite collections of the items that make a collector’s heart beat faster! Last September, AAADA dealers came to Sydney from all over Australia, bringing their finest stock, a great deal of it never seen before and much of it specifically sourced for the event. The Pavilion Building at Royal Randwick Racecourse was the AAADA venue for 2010 and helped make the show a resounding success as visitors enjoyed two considerable benefits: easy access and abundant free parking.

Organisers and exhibitors were delighted with the efficiency and professionalism of the expert Randwick staff in helping this large event run smoothly. The restaurant/cafe was popular with visitors and dealers. Dealers were pleased with the in-the-round layout, which meant that all stands had equal prominence and all treasures were in view. Visitors also commented on the easiness of the layout. As in past fairs, the stands offered an eclectic range of rare and fascinating pieces ranging from magnificent jewellery to early colonial items, porcelain, glass, memorabilia, important furniture and art. The majority of members had their best fair in years with many others pleased with sales and looking forward to keeping September as a permanent date for the AAADA Sydney Show. There is already a waiting list of members applying to be part of the 2011 fair.

TRIBUTE to Australia’s visionary Governor Lachlan Macquarie is now widely seen as the visionary who, 200 years ago, saw beyond the rough Sydney penal colony he was sent to administer and began its transformation into modern Australia. By freeing convicts, building roads and beautiful public buildings, many of which still stand today, Macquarie’s legacy is inestimable. To honour Macquarie’s contributions the show hosted an exhibition of rare objects from his era, the early 1800s. The priceless pieces were from private collections and included silver, legal documents and ceramics. A complementary event was a captivating lecture about the history and importance of Governor Macquarie’s chest and the objects therein by expert Elizabeth Ellis OAM, the Mitchell Library’s curator. She is author of Rare & Curious: The Secret History of Governor Macquarie’s Collectors’ Chest, a factual history of a three-dimensional record of the colony’s early flora and fauna and an early example of cabinet making in the infant colony. Updates on exhibitors and events will be posted as they come to hand on www.aaada.org.au. We look forward to welcoming you again to the 11th show.

GUARANTEED authenticity All members of the AAADA guarantee the authenticity of their stock and all items at the fair are reviewed and authenticated before

they are offered to the public. This and the superb range of quality works are key reasons why Australians say that the AAADA show ranks with the world’s best.

NEWS from AAADA Victorian members Francis Dunn from John D. Dunn Antiques reports that their latest collection is now in store. Their free full coloured catalogue is available and will be mailed to anyone on request or may be picked up at the gallery at 1431 Malvern Road, Malvern. Francis and his partner, Ken Wharton spent four weeks scouring England and the Continent for special pieces. They located especially fine examples of the ‘one-off’ antiques for which John Dunn’s is renowned. As the exchange rate was very much in their favour, this benefit has translated to the end price. If you would like to see and discuss the finer points of the pieces, chosen for their proportion, colour, patination and authenticity, please contact Francis on 03 9822 5637 mobile 0412 548 898 or johndunnantiques@bigpond.com. Jamie Allpress of Allpress Antiques has just received a wonderful shipment of over 100 English and European 17th to 19th century hand-coloured engravings of rare botanicals, architecture, natural history and more. He is about to photograph them for his website and is going through the painful task of choosing which ones to frame first! Visit Jamie in his showroom at 1419 Malvern Road Malvern or look at his website to see what is coming into stock. Jamie is also preparing a recent furniture shipment for sale, which includes sets of 18th century country Chippendale fruitwood and elm chairs and 19th century French fruitwood farmhouse tables. After 24 years in the village of Eaglemont, Dawn Davis of Eaglemont Antiques is on the move. She has always been busy, keeping up with all the new technology, sourcing some very interesting items during an overseas foray and many other trips interstate exhibiting at fairs and shows around the country. However the opportunity to sell the property and to re-locate came along. She plans to take the business to a different level, proposing to continue to trade from a new and

much larger showroom in a semi-rural location. Dawn invites you to her selling exhibition during December that will embrace the shop, the dwelling and the courtyard, all full of wonderful items, all for sale. She will announce her new location soon.

THE Australian Antique & Art Dealers Association For a copy of the AAADA’s Essential Buyers Guide for Antiques & Art which lists all current members and service providers, please contact our Executive Secretary by secaada@ozemail.com.au or phone 03 9576 2275. The advantages of buying and selling antiques and the decorative arts through a registered member of the AAADA members • Members of the AAADA are fully qualified professional dealers in their chosen disciplines. • The AAADA represents around 130 members Australia wide with a collective of some 5000 years experience in the industry, their disciplines and interests stretch across all fields of the decorative arts and collecting. • Unlike non-member dealers and auctioneers, all members are governed by a strict code of ethics and practice. • The AAADA operates a conciliation service that assists buyers to resolve any dispute that may arise with any of its dealer members. WHAT members of the AAADA do for you • Buy and sell quality antiques, decorative arts and related items. • Provide after sales service to ensure you will continue to enjoy your purchases. • Guarantee all items with written authentication when selling goods. • Give you the agreed price immediately when you sell your antiques to an AAADA member – no added commissions as with an auction house. • Abide by a strict code of ethics and business practice. • Offer additional services to the public: restoration, valuations, educational forums and seminars, lecturing services and advice on selling ● AUSTRALIAN ANTIQUE & ART DEALERS ASSOCIATION 03 9576 2275 secaada@ozemail.com.au www.aaada.org.au

ANTIQUES & ART IN VICTORIA

Sidney Nolan (1917-1992), Gallipoli, 1963 oil on hardboard [two panels], 158 x 241.8 cm [each panel]. Australian War Memorial

Sidney Nolan (1917-1992), Gallipoli landscape VI, c. 1961, coloured crayon, textile dye on coated paper, 25.4 x 30.4 cm. Australian War Memorial

Sidney Nolan (1917-1992), Head of Gallipoli soldier, 1977, alkyd on hardboard, 122.2 x 91.4 cm. Australian War Memorial

Sidney Nolan (1917-1992), Identification disk, 20 November 1957, coloured crayon with textile dye on coated paper, 30.4 x 25.4 cm. Australian War Memorial

AT THE GEELONG GALLERY Sidney Nolan’s Gallipoli Series 19 February – 1 May

idney Nolan (1917-1992) was one of Australia’s most complex, innovative, and prolific artists. He is best known for his iconic paintings of Ned Kelly, Burke and Wills, Mrs Fraser, Leda and the Swan, and the Desert and Drought series. Of equal importance, but less well known, is his magnificent Gallipoli series. Many of these works reflect Nolan’s profound interest in myth and legend, and arose out of events that were disastrous failures. The themes that resonate through these works – the nobility of failure, the innocence of heroes – testify to his life-long fascination with questions of Australian history and identity. Sidney Nolan’s Gallipoli works have become an important part of the Australian War Memorial’s art collection since the artist donated 252 of them in 1978. On 26 April 1977 the Australian War Memorial’s chairman, Sir Thomas Daly, wrote to Nolan ‘to enquire ... whether your haunting images of “Gallipoli” might be available to the nation, and in particular to the War Memorial.’ Within days Nolan telephoned back, agreeing to donate the Gallipoli works he still retained in memory of his younger brother Raymond, a

soldier who drowned while awaiting demobilisation at the end of WWII. Gallipoli was a theme to which Nolan constantly returned throughout his artistic career. The exhibition Sidney Nolan: the Gallipoli series showcases a selection of these works, which constitute both a personal and a public lament, commemorating not just the death of Nolan’s brother but the campaign that had cost so many Australian lives. Nolan had been fascinated by the ANZAC story since his childhood in post-war Australia, and it continued to intrigue him. He saw Gallipoli ‘as the great modern Australian legend, the nearest thing to a deeply felt common religious experience shared by Australians – even today.’ Nolan began the Gallipoli series in 1955 when he was living on the island of Hydra, close to the Gallipoli peninsula. The series was inspired by the Gallipoli campaign and the legends surrounding it, as well as by the myths and legends of the Trojan Wars. He saw them as interconnected through time and imagery. Nolan often combined histories with personal experiences and perceptions in his artworks, and the Gallipoli series is

characteristic of this method. He continued working on the series for over 20 years. Included in the exhibition are his magnificent portraits of soldiers, vibrant landscapes, drowning figures, and the hauntingly beautiful Gallipoli diptych. Sprawled across the vast panels of the diptych is a mass of tortured, floating figures in what has been described as ‘an aquatic vision of hell.’ The painting brings together imagery from several sources, including photographs of soldiers swimming at Gallipoli, and the imagined situation of the soldiers shot in the water or drowned during the landing. Nolan’s brother Raymond is portrayed at the far left of the diptych, with their father struggling in a futile attempt to save him. The Gallipoli diptych conveys a great sense of despair as it weaves together the horror at the loss of life in 1915 and the anguish of family tragedy. Head of a Gallipoli soldier, 1977, is one of the final works painted in the series, showing a soldier who appears to be in a state of shock and apathy. These later portraits were painted in lurid colours which accentuated the trauma of battle. Nolan described these

later works and their evolution: ‘The first paintings are a very youthful generation of soldiers. They then begin to absorb the fatigue, the weariness, the suffering, the mass experience of war … There is one in the later section of a young soldier. He is neither dead nor alive. He is kind of stopped by war.’ These young soldiers have distorted faces, their eyes shaded or blood-shot, and they are disengaged and distant. Nolan’s Gallipoli works present a differing vision from the iconic images of Gallipoli that are often seen. The exhibition offers a rare opportunity for visitors to experience these striking works, many of which have not been seen for almost 30 years.

GEELONG GALLERY is accessible to everyone Free admission: Open seven day, hours 10 am to 5 pm. Closed Christmas, Boxing and New Year’s Day. Located in Geelong’s arts precinct in Johnstone Park, enter from Little Malop Street. Walk three minutes from Geelong Railway Station or drive no more than 60 minutes from Melbourne CBD (Melway 452 A3) ● Laura Webster Co-curator of Sidney Nolan: the Gallipoli series GEELONG GALLERY 03 5229 3645 www.geelonggallery.org.au

Sidney Nolan â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Gallipoli series An Australian War Memorial Travelling Exhibition Drawings and paintings commemorating the Gallipoli campaign that cost so many Australian lives.

19 February to 1 May 2011

FREE ENTRY Open daily 10am to 5pm Guided tours of the permanent collection Saturday from 2pm

Sidney Nolan (1917-1992) Head of Gallipoli soldier, 1977 alkyd on hardboard 122.2 x 91.4 cm Collection: Australian War Memorial

This Australian War Memorial travelling exhibition is supported by Visions of Australia, an Australian Government Program supporting touring exhibitions by providing funding assistance for the development and touring of Australian cultural material across Australia.

Annual Program Sponsors

G E E L O N G G A L L E RY Nagle & Co Chartered Accountants

The Geelong Gallery is supported by the Victorian Government through Arts Victoria and the Community Support Fund, and through the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, an initiative of the Australian, State and Territory Governments.

Little Malop Street, Geelong T 03 5229 3645 www.geelonggallery.org.au

Dealers in Fine Art Established 1988

Dorothy Braund

Robert Grieve

Roger Kemp

Jill Noble

John Baird

Richard Crichton

Les Kossatz

John Neeson

Philip Davey

Grahame King

Ken Knight

Hélène Grove

Illustrations of paintings, works on paper and sculpture from twelve of our exhibiting artists

Fine Contemporary Art from the 1930s to the present day

158 Burwood Road Hawthorn 3122 03 9818 1656 Monday to Friday 9 – 5 Saturday 10 – 4 Directors: Jillian Holst and Rod Eastgate eastgategallery@optushome.com.au www.eastgateholst.com.au