Collectables Trader Teaser 108

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


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


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


iconic sydney harbour bridge mementos

HIGHLIGHT ITSHISTORY

More to read

Trader: Buy & Sell

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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’


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.


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

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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?


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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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Collectables Trader Teaser 108

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