What do you look for.
Flaws, additions, or replacements in the furniture; cracks anywhere; excessive soldering in the gold and silver; crazing, chips, or restoration in the ceramics. If I get to a piece and you think there’s something I ought to know about, speak up. Otherwise I’ll just go ahead and write it all down from where I’m standing. That all right with you.
You’re the one who can do it.
She wrote out loud. One silky oak hallstand with rugbox, seat, umbrella rack, coat hooks and bevelled mirror. One settee, two matching armchairs, upholstered in striped poplin, skirting with neoclassical crests. One ‘Cavaliers’ solid brass fire screen. One extra large Chesterfield, shaped back, double sprung, horsehair stuffed, upholstered in cream tapestry, fitted with loose rose brocade cover. One tubshaped easy armchair, upholstered in same, loose covers to match. One china cabinet, blackwood finish, leadlight doors. Eight English lily-shaped china teacups and saucers. Six New York plain white china cups and saucers. Two Paragon china saucers. One tin box. One blackwood fern tub, copper bands. One matching floor ottoman. One blackwood occasional table. One small fumed oak escritoire with pigeon holes. One chair to match. What used to be here.
A piano.
A bookcase.
The piano was before. We sold the bookcase. It was really old, a relic. Max thinks we got rorted.
Don’t use words you don’t know the meaning of. I have to be careful what I hear. Unauthorised removal of relics is prohibited by the Heritage Act. There’s an old law but the government has had its respectful eye on significant places since ’75, even tapped Holland’s palm for East India wrack. Happy holidays! Whatever you dig up that’s nice belongs to Canberra. You follow me.
Not exactly.
Good for you. Blind eye to R. v. Forty-nine Casks of Brandy, R. v. Two Casks of Tallow, or R. v. Toole, not to mention buried treasure, which is not uncommon. Onward. One Brussels carpet, beyond repair. One antique silk Persian prayer rug, about 6ft. 7in. x 4ft. 3in. One antique silk Persian rug, fringed, 6ft. x 4ft., medallion centre, red and blue colourings. One tall red lacquer standard lamp, with hand-painted shade. One stained pine Jacobean tub chair. One orange television set. Does it work. No. Can’t get any reception. Just snow. That can be fixed. One passport-sized studio portrait, nature scene, antique print, ambrotype or similar, xylonite frame. Two pairs blue silk chenille curtains, oxidised metal rods and fittings. Eight Chippendale dining chairs, backs carved in motifs of shells and foliage, cabriole legs and carved terminals, fitted with suede leather moveable seats. One patent spoon-backed sprung seat, liftout, upholstered in chase leather, solid blackwood frame. One maple dining table. One sideboard of same with two drawers, two cupboards and bevelled mirror. One complete Bleu de Roi dinner set, blue band and lace. One complete Black Avon dinner set, filigree black lace pattern with solid gilt handles. One Pall Mall glass suite, with sherries, ports, clarets, champagne, liqueur, two pint jug, three pint jug, quarter pint tumblers, decanters, ice plates and finger bowls. One tall cut-glass claret jug with oxidized silver mounts. One cut-glass whisky barrel, five cut-glass nobblers, hall-marked silver label and mounts. One large Venetian cut-glass basin. One wicker-covered milk bottle. One Venetian glass liqueur decanter, burnished gilt, three glasses, circular tray to match. One cut mustard dish. One hobnail crystal cut-glass fern pot, loose electroplated lining. One shaped sugar basket on ball feet. One cut and engraved glass biscuit barrel, electroplated mounts. One set small engraved finger bowls. One heavy cut-glass ice bucket, electroplated mounts, drawer and tongs. One shaped crumb tray and brush, buckhorn handle. Two covered vegetable dishes with handles, reeded edge. One octagonal saw-pierced cake basket. One shell-shaped saw-pierced cake basket, twisted handle. One double saw-pierced sandwich basket, on feet. One teaset, incl. large teapot, sugar basin and cream ewer. One four-egg cruet, complete with spoons. Two sauceboats on feet (James Dixon & Sons, Sheffield). Two tall trumpet-shaped flower vases, 12 inches. Two smaller trumpet-shaped flower vases. One case containing six each cake knives and forks, coloured handles. Ten fruit knives and eleven forks, ivory handles, in case. One large shaped silver covered entrée dish with moveable handle. One plain brass urn. One engraved silver covered claret jug with shaped handle, decorated with scrolls and floral trophies, height 13 inches. One large circular-shaped salver, on four feet, shell decoration, 14 inches. One round pewter serving tray, inscribed twice, worn, can’t make out original, second engraving says, May good digestion wait on appetites and health on both are the best wishes of B.H. and L.H. 1938. Two silver cigar ash trays with clips. One silver rat-tail soup ladle and gravy spoon. One tall silver embossed sugar sifter, shell and floral decoration. One small silver toast rack (Hardy Bros. Ltd.). One small silver wine strainer. Two shaped silver butter dishes on feet. One small Georgian sugar basin and cream ewer, circular bases. One small double-handed sugar basin and cream ewer, embossed floral decoration, on ball feet. One candlestick telephone, black enamel and brass, on oak box. One silver sycamore inlaid china cabinet, shaped front, clear glass doors, plate glass shelves, lined with grey silk poplin. One porcelain Little Polly Flinders, marked Lefton, missing one loop on the ribbon of her hat. One porcelain Southern Belle Green, no head. One porcelain Victorian lady, myosotis patterns on her dress. Royal Worcester, cows and flowers. One Spode sugar basin and cream ewer, small candlestick, butter dish and transfer mug. Nine fine Coalport china coffee cups and saucers, blue and burnished gold. One Royal Doulton Flambe coffee set with silver gilt mounts, incl. coffee pot, six cups and saucers, sugar basin. Nine Coalport teacups, ten saucers and ten small plates, heavily burnished in gold, decorated with floral bands. Three Royal Doulton dessert plates with medallion centre, with portrait painting, could be Boullemier, cream ground, heavy gilt enrichments. One Royal Doulton character mug. One maple twotier occasional table. Five pairs black, silver and gold brocade fringed curtains, silk poplin linings, complete with pelmets. One large functioning oak refrigerator, four doors, enamelled lined, 6ft. x 4ft. x 2ft. 6in. One pine table. One aluminium coffee pot (faulty). Two aluminium trays. One aluminium casserole dish. One aluminium lemon squeezer. Eight silver dinner knives. Eight silver dinner forks. Eight silver luncheon knives. Six, no eight electroplated spoons. Eight silver luncheon forks. Eight silver salad forks. Eight electroplated knives. Eight electroplated forks. Eight large silver soup spoons. Eight large silver teaspoons. One electroplated cake basket, saw-pierced design. One silver gravy ladle. One electroplated coffee pot with ebonite handle. One silver cold meat fork. One silver pie slice. One silver butter knife. Eight silver cream soup spoons. Eight silver butter spreaders. Eight silver coffee spoons. Eight silver seafood forks. Eight silver bouillon spoons. One bronze Art Deco urban female figurine signed Bruno Zach. Eight silver orange spoons. One silver sugar/preserve spoon. One silver lemon fork. One zinc teaspoon. Two piece silver carving set. One pierced silver tablespoon. One silver pâté server. One pair silver sugar tongs. One silver berry spoon. One silver stuffing spoon. One electroplated jam dish and spoon. One mixing bowl, one pestle and mortar. One aluminium egg poacher. One picnic hamper. One cake safe. One deed box. One white enamelled bin. One enamelled flour bin and sugar bin. One small bread crock, and enamelled salt box. Four chairs, blackwood rails. One pacific oak kitchen cabinet, sliding glass door cupboards, fly-proof wire gauze sides. One flour, one sugar, one rice, one tea, one sago, one coffee canister, white and blue enamelled, stackable in descending size. One Kande toaster. One plain brown china teapot. One milk jug. One glass sugar basin with lid. One enamelled pie dish, block tin. One Palace brand canvas butter cooler. Two enamelled stewpans. One washup dish, block tin. One enamelled crockpot. One gridiron. One enamelled kettle. One pair bellows. One china candlestick. Three lipped enamelled saucepans. One washing board. Six tumblers. Two wooden mixing spoons. One enamelled colander. One aluminium canister. One aluminium boiler. One aluminium gravy strainer. Two aluminium dinner plates. Two aluminium soup bowls. One wood serving bowl. One all-hair brush. One tin bucket. One gilt framed circular convex mirror. One Jacobean-style auto tray with drawer and rubber tires, Australian oak, nut brown finish. One patent two-roller mangle. Do you use this. One porcelain laundry tub with candelabra stand. One large pine ironing table. Three canary cages. One parrot cage. Two dixie mats. One black Wedgwood vase, decorated with rams’ heads and classical figures and floral trophies, profusely overlaid with burnished gold. Four pairs silk poplin and lace curtains. One electric two-globe radiator. One antique silk Persian fringed rug, cream ground, floral design, about 9ft. 3in. x 6ft. 1in. One sea-grass and poker-work soiled linen basket. One copper embossed fuel box, panels in high relief of battle scenes. One byzanta lustre bowl with decoration of fairies, 12 inches diameter. Two fine oriental bronze vases on circular bases, decorated with dragons, fish and foliage in high relief, each 18 inches high. One mechanical whistling bird. One small carved ivory mouse, ear missing. One small Rouge Doulton fox ornament. One Royal Doulton Rouge Flambe vase. One Royal Doulton Rouge Flambe penguin. One small Royal Doulton Rouge Flambe duck and axe. One Royal Doulton octagonalshaped flat bowl. One Royal Worcester jardiniere with decoration of lions, satyr heads and scrolls in relief. One wax maple bedstead, wire mattress, three-ply woven, to fit pure flock mattress. One bolster and two pillows, manchester ticking. One full-size Marcella quilt, satin finish. One electric lamp with tall Corinthian column on square base, hobnail cut-glass bowl. Two Axminster hearthrugs. One set art-shaded toilet ware. One cast iron shower bath, porcelain, nickel-plated paw feet. Two pairs extra long royal blue silk velvet curtains with tasselled Holland blinds. One Mah Jong set in carved and gilt case, complete with four lacquered walls. One brown oak square card table on four carved columns, leather lined top, four drawers and loose baize cover. One oriental bronze elephant on wood base. No of ambre, and a Grasshopper. One cedar cigar box, plated lid enamelled with signal flags. One aluminium damp-proof cheroot case. One dark mahogany cigar cabinet with two drawers, enclosed by bevelled glass doors. One case containing part set of chess men. One set of benzoline snooker balls. One brass telescopic smokers’ stand. One electric flexible reading lamp. One comfortable cretonne chair. Oriental matting. One electric fire log stand. One black and nickel bedstead, wire mattress, pure down mattress. Four pillows. One four-fold screen, grained and panelled in Tasmanian blackwood. One bedpan. One brass electric radiator, shell-shape, with four globes. One very large white polar bear specimen rug, with head and claws. One seagrass commode armchair. One eau-forte of three rigger, crest with some kind of bird perhaps a cormorant, on a helmet, profuse with ivy, moulded frame, Hoffnung. One white enamel soiled linen basket. One mole grey oak dressing table, kidney-shaped, cabriole legs, with two long linen drawers and triplex bevelled mirrors, and wardrobe, nicely panelled with two bow-front curtained glass panels, good hanging space, 3ft. 6in. One wicker tray, water bottle and glass. Three tinted pencil nude studies by Gustave Brisgand. One nickel frame bevelled wall mirror. One cast iron parallel bath, porcelain enamelled inside, with threequarter brass hot and cold smooth body hospital pillar taps, one-and-a-half trapped waste, overflow and chain. One nickel sponge, soap and tumbler holder with plain lip. One Tokalon electric hairbrush. One cork bath mat, rotten. Two brooms and a mop. One pair heavy rose silk velvet-embroidered curtains, brass rods and fittings. Nine geranium tubs and stands. Four sea-grass armchairs. One thermograph.