AUG – SEPT 2012
EDITION 105
trader A u s t r a l a s i a ’s l e a d i n g a n t i q u e s a n d c o l l e c t a b l e s m a g a z i n e GLORIOUS ART IN A PLATE Valuable insight into collecting porcelain
IS IT A BARBIE?
COUNTRY AUSTRALIA
A Hong Kong look-a-like becomes a collectable triumph. Capitalising on Barbie’s phenomenal success
Visit a regional museum and discover fascinating keepsakes from the past
THE JARGON OF AUCTIONESE Buying online or by auction, learn to read between the lines and avoid the pitfalls
contents FEATURE ARTICLES
62
Scrimshaw & scrimshammers
46
how the sea gives and takes
6
of Art and Archaeology
72
Roy Williams
12
Queensland’s Abbey Museum
Decoding ‘auctionese’ what are they really saying?
Human history in a postcard
Ancient civilisations housed in
Australia’s first coins
Michael Strong
a piece of colonial history for sale
KNOWLEDGE BASE SPE-
76
Elery Hamilton-Smith
Gold continues to strike interest
CIAL INTEREST FEATURE Focus on Porcelain 16
Out of this world trends aliens invade memorabilia market
28
Madame de Pompadour
John Harrison
& Sèvres porcelain Melody Amsel-Arieli
34
Shelley china how to tell when they’re faking it Gary Hoare
22
Silver lining found in
REGULAR FEATURES 43 45 71 78 80 86 88
Conundrum Collectables Fairs How to Subscribe Notice Board Trader Advertising Rates Advertisers’ Index
lost trophies Bella Scharfenstein
68
Worcester’s royal history line Michael Belham
52
Hello dolly: Barbie, Babs & Lilli grow up in value Rod Labbe
TRAVEL TO REGIONAL MUSEUMS 38
Henry Lawson remembered as Gulgong Pioneers Museum celebrates 50
collectables
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WIN conundrum
years
enter our prize draw
Peter Lane
See page 43
CollectablesTrader
3
. . . n a c e n o o n e M In spac A E R YOU SC
HEAR
collecting ALIEN MEMORABILIA Evil alien abductions threatened to cause nightmares for young children but spawned an industry of mesmerising merchandise that crossed the boundaries between horror and science fiction
John Harrison
R
eleased to American cinemas in May of 1979, Alien proved to be,
both commercially and critically,
a winning combination of the science fiction and horror genres. While the basic premise of its plot was little more than a rehash of ideas found in many low-budget films of the 1950s and 60s, Alien brought a sense of style and class to the proceedings thanks to a big budget, some stunning special effects and beautiful, yet disturbing production design, from Swiss surrealist artist H. R. Giger. Adding to the successful mix was a great cast that included Tom Skerrit, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt and Sigourney Weaver (in her debut), a haunting avantgarde soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith, and solid direction from future Oscar winner Ridley Scott (Blade Runner,
Thelma & Louise, Gladiator).
16
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preserving and caring for valued possessions. Read the diary and plan a visit to a fair.
LAIN E C R O by SP SÈVRE highly valued s is useum m d n a rs collecto
n porcelai Sèvres uis XV, est rol of Lo ly the fin nt on co t, e arke d th xury m prices dour an r the lu Pompa ry high nded fo ame de mand ve are. Inte of Mad es com r tablew rly piec tronage fte ea pa -a e so ht th s item Under ost soug Sèvres e the m hed on becam i was lavis sel-Ariel anship workm ody Am
Mel
in China t made ders was firs When tra orcelain rs ago. se 00 yea ed Chine over 12 introduc n me ntury, its and sea 14th ce in e rop rd n to Eu d, the wo porcelai . Indee sh ity soared an Engli popular y became lain. eventuall of porce ‘china’ all kinds for synonym
P
do you
AUCTI speak ONES E? Auctio n jargo n: wha t does These it all m questio ean? ns and more answer are ed by Roy W illiams
Images Moorabool courtesy Australia Galleries rabool.com oo www.m
-1799). t (1734 h Rosse : the rre-Josep lution ed by Pie d of the Revo ir alliance from , decorat the perio t c. 1793 the republic ick to change manufactory. and po tea ’s 93 Sèvres longs to tory were qu Republic ir mark in 17 pot be fac ing the the This tea at the Royal y to be ais – as en nufactor ue Franc workm Royal Ma – Republiq being the n using RF ga They be til 1804. un used it
28
B
work at is ased to t who ce The decoration of Rosse -99. tif mark pot to 1793 ns of the axe mo from the date the nifying the rui ars the ttering pot be g us to sig flu tea er win was ion is Th , allo ned tow Revolut ent. The artist e! in 1799 h the rui colour of the nc tim wit Sèvres Fra sen lf, trinary in itse tionary the large ong revolutio new revolu a story y, and str the wing a tory in monarch nts sho the fac battleme the survival of ensuring
Hong Kong Lilli in blue gown
er blesTrad Collecta
Catalog ‘A Ru ue descrip ss tio bearing ian silver pe n: rfume c. 1880 marks for St Pe flask ter mean . Correctly : A fin interp sburg, e reted enam to el perfu genuine sil ver Russia me fla sk ma and in the with fak de in late 20 Corre e late 19th th century ctly de ce scribed ntury ma rks as fak .’ e
BABS
and the forever kid 6
Co
llectab lespassions. Rod Labbe’s inner child has shaped his collecting It is Trader
a nostalgic journey shared as he relives the joy of rediscovering what is commonly known as a Hong Kong Lilli, a fashion doll patterned after the much-more famous Bild Lilli from Germany
I
t’s Christmas week, 1962, and I’m shopping with my parents at Centers, a home-grown five and dime store located
in bucolic Waterville, Maine, USA. On the second floor, baby boomer toys loom. Aisle one houses Mr Machine; Robot Commando; The Great Garloo, road racing sets, toy filling stations, space-age plastic rockets sporting lethally-sharpened tips, and Mattel’s newest technological advance, Vacuform – just perfect for a 10 year-old boy. Aisle two is where Barbie, Tammy, Pepper and Chatty Cathy dolls hold court; nah, not interested, thanks. Around the corner, I expect to see a plethora of bikes and sports equipment. Instead, I spy a huge bin piled high with jumbled legs and arms. No, wait – not only legs and arms, but torsos, too – and what torsos! Slowly, I step closer and spy, scattered in
The 1920 South Australian Chamber of Manufactures silver medal awarded to Longbottom and Tilemann. It depicts the chamber’s seal and the date it was established, 1869
52
CollectablesTrader
disarray and staring off at some distant point, dozens of Barbie clones, each wearing short shorts, a flimsy halter top and Babs in burgundy gown
y Fabe rge? Be aring marks Faberg ? Wha e t is th Many e diffe people rence? Faberg consul e and t me ab ot he r Russ them out go aw ian sil ay tear ve r. Mos have sp ful. Fr t of equent ent a lot of ly they (corpo money real or at auct online) ion was va on wh luable at they and ra be to the lieved re Fabe last tsa rge, sil r of Ru versm auction ssia. Ra ith has so rely, th ld fake e Buyer Faberg e unwi bewar ttingly. e! Rea betw
een th e
ding
catalo This is gue’s still th e prob lines the sm lem of all prin the bu t in an yer, as will at y auct test. Th ion ca e buye talogue house, r, not th is com e auct pletely determ ion respon ining sible fo the au conditi r thentic on of ity an the lot d upheld . This in cour has be t man en do your y tim homew es, so you m ork be paddle ust fore yo or pres u put s the up your An au button! ction is not differe a shop nt rules , an d quite prevail . Mos tly, ho wever,
HAW S M I R SC art and
ilors, a s e r e wh gether o t e m o craft c e away th
lp wile d to he Designe
whalers hours,
at form th a craft created
value iating in apprec today is aling to erage wh s the av m three ted fro ion las fill expedit rs would , whale ars their ye e fiv nts for ng prese fti ful art cra urs by ulting in long ho home res es back shaw. A loved on of scrim s ate works mand ha ric de d int an and its value rise in . recent in fakes ritime increase y a ma seen an originall s e wa aw the uniqu Scrimsh ed from whaling t develop onboard craft tha untered ry. The ns enco th centu conditio erican early 19 Am the an is in ships in ed e to it referenc 26 follow earliest May 18 novel dated 20 owned ship’s log ren the writer ntion in 51 by me 18 a in by shed ‘skrim ck publi erred to Moby Di who ref Melville Herman es.’ ced by r articl ft practi shunde cra a s ed of aw wa consist Scrimsh ose lives e nters wh s routin whale hu notonou ds of mo rio pe long
A
KNOW LEDGE BASE Ames bu © Salis ry Archer Ba bury an sk d South et Orname nts Wiltshir e Muse um
GOLD
A timel ess fa scinat ion for one o ancien f the w t and orld’s highlymost prized precio us met als
I
Intere sting proper t is ra ties re, he av
62
er blesTrad
Collecta
Lunula © The Drapers ’ Comp any. Ph otograp hy by
76
Collect ablesTra der
Richard Valen cia
ier than tarnish lead, and is doesn’ the m metals t ost du . One ctile of troy ou into a all nce ca wire m n be dr ore th wrappi an awn 62 mile ng silk, s long. linen gold it or wool By can be thread woven and co s with into clo uched th of go to crea embroid ld, te the ery op finest us angl Engla icanum nd wa s fam , for wh ed. Gold is ich also on e of th of all metals e mos t mall and ca sheet eable n be be spanni aten in ng 300 sq to a gold lea uare fe f trans et, wh forms ceram ile base m ics, gla etals, ss, lea wood, from th ther an e com d even monpl fo od ac Depos e to th e exce its ptional. Gold is found across form of the glo nugget be, in s or as well as the grains in vein in rock s and s, as alluvial deposit s.
A larg e prop ortion object of gold s that survive prehist from oric tim es wer discov e ered in graves .
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Collectables subscription IS IT A BARBIE?
COUNTRY AUSTRALIA
A Hong Kong look-a-like becomes a collectable triumph. Capitalising on Barbie’s phenomenal success
Visit a regional museum and discover fascinating keepsakes from the past
THE JARGON OF AUCTIONESE Buying online or by auction, learn to read between the lines and avoid the pitfalls
A u s t r a l a s i a ’s l e a d i n g a n t i q u e s a n d c o l l e c t a b l e s m a g a z i n e
CRUISE LINER KEEPSAKES
THE KING’S CAR
MOVEABLE BOOKS
COLLECTING TREND
Originally a holiday souvenir now a record of maritime history
From royalty to much loved family vehicle and the envy of vintage car enthusiasts everywhere
Did you know pop-up books were used in ancient Persia? Hailed as engineering marvels
What the market says about numismatics
APRIL - MAY 2012
JUNE – JULY 2012
AUG – SEPT 2012
GLORIOUS ART IN A PLATE Valuable insight into collecting porcelain
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A u s t r a l a s i a ’s l e a d i n g a n t i q u e s a n d c o l l e c t a b l e s m a g a z i n e
EDITION 104
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MEMENTOS FROM THE WAR
DO YOU RECOGNISE THIS CHAIR?
SLAVIC FOLK TRADITIONS
MECHANICAL MUSICAL MARVELS
A jeep in Sydney A cross in Changi
Windsors: England’s most successful seating design
Transforming a pagan symbol into an Easter egg
The original way to build a music library From music box to jukebox
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