JEWELLERY, DECORATIVE & FINE ARTS AUCTION Tuesday, 29 April 2025 - 10:00 AM start

A fine old Japanese katana - possibly 16thC Mino school, unsigned, original polish with healthy undulating gunome temper, no flaws to the blade. Old mounts with Fuchi and Kojiri in dark Shibuichi carved with waves and gold highlights. Menuki of Shakudo and gold in floral design. The iron Tsuba in open design with samurai figures by a bridge. Quality black lacquer soya with maroon Sageo and fine blue/gold silk bag. L. 900mm.
Estimate: $5,500 - $7,500

A Japanese late 18th/early 19thC tanto - unsigned Hirazukuri blade in good polish with midare temper. Nice old mounts in excellent condition. Shakudo Tsuba, Fuchi Kashera with heron and figure with gold highlights, Shakudo double horse menuki. Fine black lacquer Saya with sash cord. Original old sword silk bag showing wear. L.530mm.
Estimate: $2,500 - $3,500

A well carved Japanese bone scabbarded and hilted tanto dagger - the scabbard carved in relief with an elephant and numerous attendants along with observers climbing a tree, the hilt with a group of figures, a small kodzuka blade inset to the scabbard. Straight blade, double edged top side for 90mm. Overall L.280mm.
Estimate: $340 - $500

An old katana in tachi mounts (handachi - with cloth bound ray skin covered hilt with tachi kashira, chrysanthemum menuki, chrysanthemum decorated tsuba, the tang with incised and stamped characters, single fixing hole. Overall surface oxidation to blade, multiple nicks to blade edge. In plain wood saya with tachi style koshirae. Blade L.650mm. Overall 925mm.
Estimate: $600 - $900

A Japanese katana blade in lacquer saya - L.610mm blade with few areas of surface oxidisation, unsigned tang with three fixing holes, hilt lacking all mounts except fuchi. Black saya with golden hatched pattern, a long bevel to one side revealing an alternate interior pattern. Overall in saya L.880mm,
Estimate: $300 - $600

A 19thC Russian niello silver cigar case - finely decorated in a diaper pattern with floral border and framed cartouche. Push button release, the interior with marks for the maker Mikhail Foydorovich Sokolov and Moscow assay master's mark for Victor Vasilyevich Savinsky. 1867. W.120mm. 163gms.
Estimate: $600 - $1,000

A French Lois XV painted Asian themed ivory gaming or card box - the lid with red and green stained incised scrimshaw like scene of a woman and attendant seated on a camel, entitled 'L'Assie' (Asia). The interior with decorative hinge and incised scene of a large rural building. The base with a heart decorated playing card. 80 x 60 x 15mm.
Estimate: $600 - $1,000

A 18thC Russian silver niello cigar case - of satchel form. The back engraved with a scene of a St. Petersburgh city monument framed by leafy scrolls. Lavishly gilded interior. Marks probably for the maker Fyodor Ivanof and for the assay master Aggey Grigori Svechin, Moscow 1862. W.120mm. 145gms.
Estimate: $500 - $800

An 18thC European tortoiseshell snuff box set with a portrait miniature of a nobleman - the oblong box with loose lid (hinge absent) set with an oval gilt framed hand painted portrait under convex glass, of a gentleman in fur collared blue frock coat. Signed indistinctly right edge. 82 x 47 x 16mm,
Estimate: $450 - $650

A 12 place 90-piece silver cutlery canteen by Walker and Hall, with eight additional silver plated serving utensils, Sheffield 1972 - double struck leaf and berry pattern with thread edge. Comprising 12 each: table forks, entree forks, dessert spoons, soup spoons, teaspoons, with six table spoons and 12 silver handled stainless bladed table knives and 12 entree knives. Total weight excluding knives 4255gms.
Estimate: $6,000 - $10,000

A Victorian silver mounted steel and Japanese carved bone handled carving set - the four pieces: knife, two forks and steel each with a carved bone handle featuring a monkey to the top and other animals and snake etc. One small loss. The collars Sheffield 1886 by William Yates a noted flatware and handle maker. Together with an old note about the set.
Estimate: $280 - $500

A New Zealand historical silver trophy cup - engraved 'Presented by The New Zealand Loan & Mercantile Agency Company To T.G. Smith, Wells Hill. For Best Pen 5 Merino Ewe Hoggets. Blenheim. 27th Nov. 1889'. Engraved to the front with a colonial mountain and pastoral landscape with sheep and a cow. H.235mm. 308gms
Estimate: $1,300 - $2,000

The New Zealand historic 1886 and 1890 silver 'Papakaio Ploughing Match' trophy cup - 'Won by AlexR. Hall'. Engraved to the reverse 'CUP For Champion Lot On Field to Be Won Twice by Same Competitor'. Large scrolling handles. Edinburgh 1882 for G & T Young Dunedin. H.325mm. 523gms. With stand.
Estimate: $1,400 - $2,000

Rex Homan (1940-) carved wooden modernist sculpture. L.380mm, two circular (owls eyes) piercings, raised on two stainless rods (legs) on carved base. Note: Homan was the recipient of the Supreme Award from TE WAKA TOI in 2019 for leadership, excellence of work and outstanding contribution to NGA TOI MAORI globally. Affiliated to three IWI Rex describes his style as Pacific with a contemporary edge. Committed to the power of minimalism he strives for a hint of realism.
Estimate: $500 - $1,000

Pauline Yearbury (Ngāpuhi 1926–1977) and James Yearbury (1921-2008) 'MARAKI-HAU' - incised and coloured wood panel, signed with incised cipher lower left. Labelled and entitled verso 'A Sea Monster of Māori mythology, with a long tubular tongue used for sucking up men and canoes'. Another label detailed 'Designed and Executed by Pauline and James Yearbury, Colonial Gallery, Russell, Bay of Islands, N.Z'. 405 x 165mm,
Estimate: $3,000 - $5,000

William Jones (UK/NZ 1900-88) 'Still Life' - oil on canvas on board c.1960s, signed. 580 x 760mm. Exhib. Webb's, 1992. John Leech Gallery exhibition label verso; typescript: Purchased from one man exhibition 1963. Note: Jones lived and painted for a time in Auckland in the 1950s. He was included in exhibitions at the Auckland City Art Gallery along with McCahon, Henderson, Mrkusich and others
Estimate: $300 - $500

Ruth Browne (1905-2002) 'Togetherness' - acrylic and mixed media on board, signed and dated '68. Entitled and detailed verso. 620 x 1240mm. Note: In the 1920's Browne graduated as a top student at the Canterbury College School of Art, she later attended the Slade School in London. She was a contemporary of Rita Angus and Olivia Spencer Bower. She moved to a more abstract style in the 1960's.
Estimate: $400 - $800

John Mandel (US 1941-) 'Squat Icon 5 - Portrait of Robert Alexander - Religious Painting II 1969' - acrylic on canvas.1830 x 1830mm - Whitney Museum label to reverse shows this artwork was exhibited as part of the 1969 Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Painting. Also exhibited at the Max Hutchinson Galley, New York.
Estimate: $500 - $1,000

A Bvlgari platinum gent's chronograph wristwatch - automatic, silvered dial with three sub dials, date aperture, 22/99, rubber strap and bezel, Bvlgari mark to strap, bezel and back of case, the rubber strap has snapped, with Bvlgari bag. Purchased new by our vendor for HK$200,000 in 2003.
Estimate: $6,200 - $10,000

A Louis Phillipe period French marble and ormolu cased three-piece clock garniture - the clock with bell striking movement in a cream marble drum case supported by ormolu putto and surmounted by a military trophy; raised on a plateau with further gilt bronze embellishment. With a pair of associated urn-candlesticks with ram's head handles and with reversible candlestick nozzles/knopped finials. Clock H.350mm,
Estimate: $700 - $1,000

A late 18th century mahogany bracket clock by George Mackie & Son, City Road, London - with 8-day twin-fusee, engraved movement, striking the hours on a bell, pendulum lock screw absent, with winding and door keys. The case of break arch form with carry handle, with circular convex repainted dial, with Arabic numerals, original brass scale fretwork to lower quarters and the sides, arched glazed door to rear, standing on brass ogee bracket feet. H.395mm,
Estimate: $1,500 - $3,000

Kobi Bosshard (1939-) modernist 18ct yellow and citrine ring - c.1980's/90's, the wide plain mildly tapered band with tall raised top set with an oval facet cut citrine. Marker's mark to inside band. 11.35gms. Note: Kobi Bosshard is recognised as one of New Zealand's founding pioneer studio jewellers.
Estimate: $1,400 - $2,400

A 14ct yellow gold and blue topaz modern design pendant and ring set - the pendant with three large oval facet cut blue topaz each with rub-over mount set in a vertical row with tubular suspension above. The ring of conforming plain design with single emerald cut blue topaz in rub-over mount. 8.93gms and 5.83gms. 14.76gms total.
Estimate: $800 - $1,400