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Double Letter License Plate 'XX' Up For Auction
Double Letter License Plate 'XX' Up For AuctionEstimated Reading Time: 3 minutes • Last updated: 05/05/2023Blog by ZaneLicense plates are not just a functional requirement for vehicle registration, but also cultural artifacts that reflect the identity and history of different regions and nations. Collecting license plates can provide a unique opportunity to explore and learn about t...
Maximizing Your Museum and Back Vintage Wine Experience
MAXIMIZING YOUR MUSEUM AND BACK VINTAGE WINE EXPERIENCEEstimated Reading Time: 3 minutes • Last updated: 29/03/2023Blog by ZaneFor those unfamiliar with museum and back vintage wines, drinking them can be a unique and exciting experience. To ensure you get the most out of your wine, we have put together some advice.When opening an older bottle of wine, it is essential to be gentle. ...
Guess the Object #6: A Japanese Clockwork Flycatcher
GUESS THE OBJECT #6: A JAPANESE CLOCKWORK FLYCATCHERLet's start off the year with our first Guess the Object game courtesy of our lovely vendors here at The Auction Barn!Dropped off as part of a collection of clocks, this object shares a few things in common with your typical timber-cased clock, but for a very different and innovative purpose.[To Right: A mysterious box!]Consisting of a timber box...
A Brief Guide to – CloisonnéCloisonné (in English Clo-so-nee) is an ancient technique in which small cells are created from thin strips of wire and stuck all over a metal object to create a decorative pattern. The small cells, called cloisons, are then filled with coloured material. The wire usually remains visible in the finished piece, separating the different coloured cloisons.Cloisonné is beli...
GUESS THE OBJECT #7 So soon after our last fantastic item, a Japanese clockwork flycatcher, we wanted to share a much simpler little item with similarly exceptional craftsmanship. We asked a few things - what it’s made out of, who is featured on it, and what it’s for - and while you gave it a solid crack, no one managed to get a three out of three! [To Right: O...
Guess the Object: #3, 4, and 5 spectacular!
GUESS THE OBJECT: #3, 4, AND 5 SPECTACULAR!Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes • Last updated: 21/12/2022Blog by MoogIt’s been a while since we revealed the answers to a few interesting mystery items we’ve had the pleasure of selling at the Auction Barn over 2021 and 2022, and to close out the year we’ve made a post regaling the history of some of these most peculiar objects! In...
The Bob Baker (b.1937 - d.2018) Charity Auction for Rally for Recovery, Tomakin
THE BOB BAKER (B.1937 - D.2018) CHARITY AUCTION FOR RALLY FOR RECOVERY, TOMAKINEstimated Reading Time: 5 minutes • Last updated: 6/12/2022Blog by MoogThe Auction Barn would like to present – on behalf of one of our charity partners, Rally for Recovery - Tomakin – the sale of notable works by Bob Baker.A respected fixture of the Australian art world, Robert ‘Bob’ Baker (b.1937 – d.2018) t...
A Brief Guide to: CufflinksCufflinks were invented at the end of the 18th century. As men’s shirts moved from being only undergarments, ruffs fastened with string or ribbon emerged from jacket sleeves. But men’s fashion was highly competitive back then. Before long, trend-setters figured out they could better flaunt their wealth if they replaced the ribbons with bejewelled buttons linked with a sm...
An Out of this World Piece: A Star Wars Billboard from Toltoys
An Out of this World Piece: A Star Wars Billboard from ToltoysSome of our visitors may have noticed that the Auction Barn recently has become the home of a very large bit of Star Wars memorabilia – but did you know it’s a part of Australian Star Wars history?This huge three piece poster is a variation on one of the original 1977 Star Wars posters illustrated by the legendary Tom Jung, who created ...
(Un)sinking a Ship: The HMS Resource II in Pictures
(UN)SINKING A SHIP: THE HMS RESOURCE II IN PICTURESEvery week at the Auction Barn, we receive loads of fascinating objects, from the vintage to the ancient, from the luxurious to the everyday. Everything has a story, and today we’ll tell you the story we discovered from a small metal cigar tin filled with photographs. Recently in the news, we’ve heard of the finding of the wreck of the Endeavour, ...