ARTICLES

Roger Elliott, on behalf of Zena Thomas: “Wedgwood, Jane Austen and White Ware.” Writer Jane Austen wrote to her sister Cassandra that she visited Wedgwood’s London Showroom where her brother chose a dinner set in White Ware for his household. With notes and illustrations provided by Zena Thomas, Roger told this remarkable tale of the association of the Austens’ with Wedgwood. Zena is a committee member of the Wedgwood Society of Australia, and generously assisted Roger with material to deliver this talk.

DOUGLAS STEWART FINE BOOKS

From a historical perspective, this painting is of great significance as a rare example of early nineteenth- century Pacific voyage art. More specifically, its rarity is underlined by the fact that there are no finished watercolours by de Sainson held in public collections in either Australia or New Zealand. Despite the best efforts of David Scott Mitchell, Sir William Dixson and
Rex Nan Kivell – the latter of whom ‘at one stage spent 35 years tracking down a painting ascribed to Louis Auguste de Sainson’ in his quest for a…

LAURAINE DIGGINS FINE ART

Celebrated as the ‘father of batik painting’ Malaysian artist Chuah Thean Teng is credited as the pioneer of developing batik to a fine art painted medium, elevating the everyday craft to an art form. Combining his training at the Amoy Art Institute in Fujian, China with his batik skills, Teng used the technique of batik to create unique paintings of decorative patterns and intricate figure compositions, depicting contemporary life in Malaysia, including landscapes, flora, fauna and figures. Teng held his first solo exhibition at the Arts Council of Penang…

JOHN HAWKINS

RUTHERFORD

18ct yellow gold necklace set with a cushion cut peridot of estimated weight 1.66ct set into a crimp setting (remade) fixed to a length of 18ct yellow gold chain which fastens with a bolt ring the necklace hallmarked for items made in Egypt of 18ct gold in 1919.

Circa 1890, 18ct yellow and white gold ring claw set to the…

The Johnston Collection is delighted to announce a new partnership with the Australian Antique and Art Dealers Association (AAADA). 

The Johnston Collection (TJC) is an award-winning house museum located in leafy East Melbourne at the historic 1860s townhouse, Fairhall. The museum holds a superb collection of English Georgian, Regency, and Louis XV fine and decorative arts and hosts a unique program of guided tours, lectures, workshops, and events. 

Fairhall and the Collection were a gift to the people of Victoria from…

Tira Lewis, Australian Antique & Art Dealers Association 

Let’s first dissect these two ideas. Maximalism is the art of pairing bold colours, bright patterns, various woods, and patinas with silver, gold, and glass of every colour and style! If this sounds like visual overload, the trend may not be for you, but you can still incorporate elements of it.

Start with something you love, like a set of silver cutlery you’ve had tucked away. Begin by setting the table for dinner, then layer it with additional elements such as a bunch of…

J.B. HAWKINS ANTIQUES

Between 1885 and 1905 Frank Hyams ran a watchmaking and jewellery business in Princess Street, Dunedin. When his first wife Elle Hallenstein died in 1895, he married her London-based cousin Hilda in 1897 and he moved to London in 1898. The Hallensteins founded a clothing, retail and manufacturing empire in Otago with 34 stores throughout New Zealand by 1900. In New Zealand in 1901 he had made the gift…

TRINITY ANTIQUES

Charles Jones was a jeweller and silversmith from Birmingham who was transported to Tasmania as a result of an altercation in his workshop. He arrived on the ‘Georgiana’ in 1833 and was assigned to David Barclay.

Previously recorded work by Jones includes the ‘Mezger’ silver snuff box c. 1848, the ‘Williamson’ silver snuff box c. 1850 and the ‘Allison’ silver presentation cup c 1850.

This ring, crafted from Tasmanian alluvial gold features natural gold nuggets…

BY ROBERT (BOB) METSELAAR

Just like the Harbour Bridge, this is an iconic painting about the construction, prior to its accidental partial collapse in 1970 of Melbourne’s Westgate Bridge, used by millions of motorists every week, and currently being expanded.

Born in Berlin, Ernest Marcuse (1900–‘85) studied at the Berlin School of Interior Design & Cabinetmaking and at the Reimann School (1) before working as a freelance commercial artist, specialising in architectural, industrial and figurative drawing. When Ernest Marcuse fled…