Auction 125 Highlights

Welcome to Smalls Auctions Sale 125.

In this sale we have included a number of items celebrating heroes. For lovers of motor sports look to the back-end of the sale where there is a library of books written about Australian Racing Legend Peter Brock as well as fascinating books on Formula One.

For the more historically inclined there is a Bravery Award from the residents of the Patterson District (N.S.W.) to Sergeant James Wells who navigated the treacherous waters of the Great Flood of March 1875 to save stranded settlers. Also included is a scarce Lord Mayor's Soudan Medal presented in 1885 by the citizens of Sydney to returning members of the N.S.W. contingent who had been despatched to ‘Khartoum’ to relieve General Gordon (Charlton Heston) who was under an Islamist siege led by the mad Mahdi (Laurence Olivier). This was the first overseas engagement of Australian troops but alas the troops arrived too late to save Gordon.

Also of historical import are a several items related to Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies who is regarded as Australia’s greatest conservative leader. The most impressive is a miniature naval cannon in silver presented to Menzies by the Maltese Government whilst he was enroute to the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference in London. There is also some personal correspondence signed by ‘Bob’ Menzies including him organizing if a ‘smoko.’ Details of this peculiar Australian custom can be found in the notes attached to Lot 42.

As usual there is a fine selection of coins and banknotes including three exceedingly rare proofs of New Guinea struck when it was a mandated Territory of Australia. The 1936 Proof Penny is particularly intriguing being one of only a handful of coin issues struck for King Edward VIII.

All in all, there is a good selection of collectables across many fields and we hope you find something for your particular interest in our Sale.

Smalls Auctions