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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
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SNEAKERSA fashion statement
turned highly prized collectable
CHEMISTRY ANDCOLLECTING: BEING SAFE
Identifying potentially hazardoussubstances in old objects
and materials
THE ENGINE COLLECTOR’SGUIDE TO HISTORIC ENGINE & STEAM MACHINERYRallies to visit, associations to join
WHEN IN LONDONA shortcut guide for collectors:From high end chic to steampunk treasures
FEATURE ARTICLES
10 Dolls’ houses & furniture
An Australian interpretation
Lila Rait
16 The art of silversmithing
Two artisans keeping history intact
24 The golden age of make-up boxes
The first half of the 20th century saw
the emergence of this exquisite new
art form
Amanda Stücklin
30 Surprisingly affordable silver
to collect
Melody Amsel-Arieli
40 Chemistry and collecting:
being safe
Dr Geoff Crawford
66 Sneakers – a fashion statement
turned collectable
Rob Ditessa
INVESTMENT ANDCOLLECTING
50 Modest medallions for the
national collection
Sydney Harbour Bridge
mementos are a
significant investment
Peter Lane
82 Bicentennial of Australia’s
first coins
How Governor Macquarie
re-purposed Spanish coins into
our first domestic currency
KNOWLEDGE BASE
74 The Aesthetic Movement
in Britain
REGULAR FEATURES
47 Conundrum
49 Fairs and more
84 Notice Board
86 Online Magazines
87 Collectables Subscription
88 Trader
94 Advertising Rates
96 Advertisers’ Index
SPECIAL INTEREST FEATURES
60 Early water filters
In the collection
of the
National Museum
of Australian Pottery
Geoff Ford OAM
36 Engine & steam rallies
The many clubs and popular regular
rallies reveal an enormous interest in
historic machines
Paula Towers
FOCUS ON THE MIDDLE EAST
54 The legacy of Herod
Recent archeological finds shed light on
this infamous ruler’s reign
78 Snapshots of history from an
Armenian perspective
Old photos reveal the life and times of
communities past
Melody Amsel-Arieli
DESTINATIONS
6 When in London
From chic to shabby, where to find the
best collectables in London
Roy Williams
CollectablesTrader 3
WINconundrumenter our prize draw
See page 47
collectablestrader
CONTENTS
What started out as a casual sports shoe has
become a highly prized icon and fashion statement
Rob Ditessa
Visiting an exhibition is an
opportunity to access collections,
acquire knowledge and perhaps
become inspired to collect. This
enthusiasm is not limited to visitors as Kirsten
Fitzpatrick, curator of an exhibition dedicated
to sneakers discovered. She soon became
inspired with a sneaker collector’s
enthusiasm. Early one morning Fitzpatrick
found herself at 7 am outside a sneaker store
contemplating queuing for one of the only 18
pairs of Nike Air Yeezy II that were about to
be released locally. There were already about
60 people waiting. Some had spent the night
on the street so as not to miss out. Fitzpatrick
did not persist, but reflects that one can
become easily seduced by the object and
culture, and so begins a collection.
Top: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Kanga Leather, c. 1940. Image courtesy Artisan Gallery, Brisbane
Kirsten Fitzpatrick says, ‘The shoes in the Reboot exhibition are primarily recent collaborations and rare,
limited edition and over-the-top sneakers. There is a small selection of historical shoes from Converse,
which includes a pair of 1940s Chuck Taylor All Star, made from Kangaroo leather. They are surprisingly
weighty compared to new athletic shoes.’
Above: Nike Air Jordan 1. Image courtesy Simon Wood
Popularised by their namesake Michael Jordan, the outstanding basketball player, the Air Jordan 1
remains as collectable as ever. It was released in 1985 and gained a certain notoriety when Jordan broke
the rules about colours of shoes for playing on the court but continued to play – and win – in his Nikes
66 CollectablesTrader
Left: Nike Air Yeezy II. Image courtesy Artisan
Gallery, Brisbane
Kirsten Fitzpatrick says, ‘The Nike Kanye
West Yeezy IIs are highly sought after, limited
edition new releases, and indicative of the
creative potential in iconic brand and
celebrity collaborations.’
SNEAKERSthe story of an iconic
global commodity
take a PEEK inside this
EDITIONof Collectables ...
Collectables is published
bi-monthly with each edition bringing
fresh insights and fun collecting
themes. Discover the latest collecting
craze; explore the quirky and
traditional collectable; learn how best
to start a collection. There are tips on
preserving and caring for valued
possessions. Read the diary
and plan a visit to a fair.
“ This article is for the general
information of collectors and should
not be relied on for health and
safety matters. This is not an
exhaustive listing. If in doubt always
consult an expert for advice.
”I was intrigued to read ‘A dress to dye
for’ by Eleanor Keene in the December
2012 edition of Collectables Trader for
a number of reasons. Firstly, I give talks
at Probus Clubs on poisons and poisoners
and one of the examples I use involves a
similar dress worn during the 1862 ball
season in London. In that case the dress
was cotton coated with copper arsenite
(Schweinfurt Green) and polished to look
like silk. The outcome was tragic. The
young lady died of arsenic poisoning early
the next day. This excellent story of the
40 CollectablesTrader
investigating antiques,
COLLECTABLESAND POISONSWith a number of old objects and materials housing potentially
hazardous substances, Geoff Crawford has found his
knowledge of chemistry unusually beneficial and
shares his wealth of knowledge with readers
Profiling two artisans
whose talents help keep
history intact
The three techniques of hand
decorating metal – repoussé,
chasing and engraving – are
traditional methods which have
been employed at W J Sanders for the
over 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 repoussé; work on the metal is
done from the outside. The two techniques
are used in conjunction to create a
finished piece. Embossing is used by W J
Sanders to create some of Australia’s most
beautiful and unique trophies.
Engraving is another important aspect of
the business. Many important and historic
trophies have been vandalised by unsightly
engraving while records of previous
winners have faded due to the lack of
permanence of computer engraving.
Cherie Ireland engraving the Gold Logie Candela Riveros decorating a sterling silver shield
using the technique of chasing
16 CollectablesTrader
the art of silversmithing in the
WORKSHOP OF
WJ SANDERS
The significance of a bridge worker’s rare
survival from his fall is a worthy investment by
the National Museum of Australia
Top: Two from a collection of Sydney postcardsand photos showing the bridge being built and completed
Left: Sydney Harbour Bridge silver medalmade by WJ Amor sold for $815
Peter Lane
Australia is internationally known
for two man-made structures –
the Sydney Harbour Bridge
and the Sydney Opera House.
Anything relating to these structures is
collectable, some more desirable than
others. A recent highlight was a group of
three modest silver and gold fob medallions
relating to the bridge which went under the
hammer at Noble Numismatics auction as
one lot. They were acquired by the National
Museum of Australia.
Two were made in 9 ct gold and the
other was a 1927 Canberra two shilling
coin. The hammer price was $11,000 and
I believe that it was very good value. When
50 CollectablesTrader
iconic sydney harbour bridge mementos
HIGHLIGHT ITSHISTORY
More to read
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Lila Rait
The earliest known dolls’ house
was built in 1558 for Duke
Albrecht of Bavaria. However it
was not made for his children,
but for his own enjoyment and display.
This house and its contents set the trend
for the next four centuries. The cabinet
houses of Holland, the Dockenhausen of
Germany, and the Baby Houses (meaning
miniature houses) of England were all
(with minor exceptions) built for adults and
intended as displays of wealth.
Underlying purposes
A second purpose came about in the early
17th century when a Dockenhaus was built
and used as an educational tool to teach
young women household management.
These two uses continued until the
middle of the 19th century when changing
philosophies regarding children saw dolls’
10 CollectablesTrader
Originally made to be enjoyed by
adults, these miniature masterpieces
from Europe were also
transported to Australia
Top: Dolls’ house library, this early Australian made home built model
probably started life as a cupboard
Above: Doll’s house made by William Godley and Sons (Pahran Vic),
1899, for Margareta Webber
the magical world
OF DOLLS’
HOUSES
For engine and machinery aficionados, regular rallies held all
over the country showcase rare Australian examples as well
as offer expertise and delight enthusiasts
F or many years, all types ofmachinery have appealed to large
numbers of collectors as themany clubs which have
proliferated throughout Australia – as well
as internationally – attest to. Most of the
Australian clubs fall under the umbrella of
the National Historical Machinery
Association (NHMA) which has been in
existence for 25 years. About the NHMAThe NHMA, now covering 180 member
clubs and around 9,000 individual
members, was established at Lake
Goldsmith by the committee of the Lake
Goldsmith Steam Preservation Association
for those with an interest in collecting,
restoring, preserving and exhibiting old
stationary engines, tractors, machinery and
vehicles. The association generates
national safety guidelines followed
Australia-wide and fosters fellowship
between member clubs.
36 CollectablesTrader
ENGINE & STEAMRALLIESrevving up collector interest
PAULA TOWERS
C O L L E C T A B L E S T R A D E R
How to SubscribeOnline: http://www.worldaa.com takes you to our home page
and follow the prompts.Phone: Order on + 61 02 9389 2919 between 8.30 am-5:00 pm EST,
Monday to Friday.Post: Complete a subscription form and post to:
Antiques & Art in Australia Pty LtdPO Box 324, Bondi Junction NSW 1355 Australia
Payment: We accept Australia Post money orders and credit cards. Please do not send cash.
Note: Charges are in Australian currency $AUD
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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
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FROM AUSTRALIATO LONDON
An expat dealer securesthe deal of a lifetime
CONNECTING PEOPLEA teenager’s diary becomesmusic memorabiliaSpecial eventsremembered and shared
UNUSUAL GIFT IDEASTake a shortcut tour of antiquecentres and dealers from aroundthe country for those specialpieces that won’t break the bank
COLLECTING IDEASWhat do collectables fromNew Guinea and New Mexalthough very different havin common?
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
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COLLECTORS AND THEIR STORIES
Three very different collections
FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS to priceless heritageA jug and its convict maker
TERRY INGRAM looks at Irish and Scottish artworks with Aussie connections
SATSUMA FROM JAPANHow to identify the copies
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