Gibson’s 19th July sale of Graham Joel’s Collection saw a buoyant response from the market, and although not quite a white glove sale on the day, post-sale interest closed out almost the entire inventory, bar six lots.

The 234 lot sale, extensive for the current climate when most other houses are restricting their inventory to much less, of a collection of silverware, decorative and fine art, and furniture, was developed over a 40 year period, by its owner Graham Joel, former head of the Leonard Joel auction house.  Graham Joel bought a piece from every significant sale he conducted.  Joel was of the view that one should “buy what they like”, and indeed, clearly the market ‘liked’ the items in this sale.

From the decorative arts segment, highlights included a stunning Gallé 'Noisette' Table Lamp, circa 1910 (Lot 31) achieve its high estimate of $40K; a rare silver mounted cameo glass claret jug attributed to Thomas Webb & Sonsmaker's Mark Joseph Cook & Son, Birmingham of 1880 saw some spirited bidding not quite achieving its high estimate of $8000, selling at $7000; and a pair of Worcester Barr Flight & Barr plates, circa 1810, surprising the room with a hammer price of $4600 clearly exceeding its high estimate of $600.

Extraordinary bidding saw a small group of hidden gems by Ethel Carrick Fox considerably exceed their allotted high estimates.  Ethel Carrick Fox’s oil on panel “Venice” was finally hammered down at $30K against a high estimate of $8000; her “Hydrangeas in Spring” saw an equal voracity in bidding knocking the work down at $32K against a high estimate of $6000; and Lot 121 saw something of a bidding war for “The Garden Terrace” finally selling for an impressive $55K. 

Other highlights within the fine arts segment included Louis Buvelot’s precise pencil sketch of 1880, “The Farm” selling for $4600 against its high estimate of $500; Max Meldrum’s 1923 typically tonal “Eltham” at Lot 151 selling for 10 times its high estimate of $600; and Frederick McCubbin’s watercolour of 1905, “The Pool” (Lot 153) selling for $18K against a high estimate of $6000.