AUSTRALIAN V.C. AUCTION Sunday 23 July

[Kev in Deva]

http://www.bonhamsandgoodman.com.au/about_....php?article=39

The link will take you to the relevent web page, I also posted a copy of what is written here:

Records Set to Break

Bonhams & Goodman July Sydney Sales

17 July 2006

Bonhams & Goodman's July sales feature some of the most intriguing items to have appeared at auction in Australia.

The auction series will begin this Sunday 23 July with the auction of Collectors' Cars and Automobilia. The impressive catalogue of 11 cars and bikes includes a 1934 Talbot 95/101 (85,000 - 120,000) and a 1926 Rolls Royce Phantom I Smith & Waddington Roadster ($80,000-120,000).

Of particular interest at the sale of Automobilia is an important trophy (image 3) awarded to the winner of the first official Australian Grand Prix (1929). The trophy awarded to AJ Terdich takes the form of a mahogany and glass cocktail cabinet with a silver plaque affixed to the front. It has remained in the Terdich family's hands since it was presented in March 1929. The Bugatti car that won the race was acquired by the Power House Museum in Sydney.

The collectables auction will conclude with 165 lots of Maritime collectables including 150 ship models, Balmain Bugs, steam engines, toys, chronometers and maritime pictures from the Maritime Model Museum Maritime Model Museum once on display in the old Department Store Gowings (now closed) in Sydney (due to expiration of lease). One of the highlights in the sale is an extremely rare museum quality model of a Gun Brig. Built in England, circa 1790-1800, it is fully rigged with comprehensive scratch built deck detail and hand sewn sails. Expected to fetch $15,000 - 20,000, this model is important from Australia's perspective as it depicts the type of of small ship that formed part of the 'First Fleet' to Australia.

New records are expected to be set on Monday night, 24 July, when important medals (image 1) are included in the auction of Decorative Arts and Furniture. The interest in Gallipoli war hero Captain Alfred John Shout's medals, including his infamous Victoria Cross*, is expected to create a substantial stir on the night of the sale and set a new world auction record with bidders from Australia and abroad vying for the medals. Also included in this sale is the First Fleet White/Hamond Table c. 1790s (image 2). Made from casuarina (native to the coast of NSW) with tulip wood banding, the table has strong historic significance as it was made from timber (then referred to as ?beefwood') gathered at Botany Bay by the First Fleet. John White (1757-1832), Chief Surgeon to the First Fleet, sent the timber to London where it was made into a table for Sir Andrew Snape Hamond (1738-1828). The table has an estimate of $70,000 - $90,000 but may fetch considerably more.

207 lots will be offered at the sale of Australian, International and Aboriginal Art on Tuesday 25 July. The highlight is undoubtedly Conrad Martens' lost masterpiece View of Sydney from the North Shore (image 2), circa 1840-42. It is an early and large format work painted by Martens within seven years of his arrival in Sydney and was discovered by Bonhams specialists in rural England while undertaking a routine appraisal. The work has an estimate of $240,000 - $340,000.

A Kevin Charles (Pro) Hart oil triptych, The Broken Hill Mural 1973, is expected to set a new auction record for the artist when it goes under the hammer. The image captures the true sense of Broken Hill mid last century and the town's history which is inseparable from Pro Hart's own story. Since the artist's death earlier this year, the demand for his work has increased dramatically as evidenced at the Bonhams & Bruce June sales in Adelaide. The large work (90 x 364.5cm) has an estimate of $80,000 - $120,000.

All catalogues for the sales are available now online.

More Images1234- - - - - - - End of Article - - - - -

Next News Story can be found here with regards the sale of the medals:

http://seven.com.au/todaytonight/story/?id=29324

* Why they list a V.C. as Infamous is beyond me, and why a V.C is rated beneath a load of Cars and steam models is also curious, apparently they are being sold to raise money for medical care for the Grandson of the V.C. winner.

Kevin in Deva

Edited July 23, 2006 by Kev in Deva

[Vatjan]

Here's the sales pitch:

The World War One medals of Capt. A.J. Shout : An Exceptional Gallipoli World War 1 Victoria Cross

Lot No. 1078

To Capt. A.J. Shout, 1st Australian Infantry Battalion A.I.F.

Victoria Cross; Military Cross (GVR); Star 1914-15; British War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-19; Captain A.J. Shout, 1st Australian Infantry Battalion A.I.F., first medal inscribed on reverse, the group mounted in a later, custom made display case; a cap badge; an officer's pip; a typed soldier's verse by Lce. Cpl. Alex. McQueen ?A Tribute to the Memory of Captain Shout on behalf of 1st Battalion'; a sepia photograph of Shout; two non-military posthumous awards presented to Shout's widow; and two other medals awarded to Shout: Queen's South Africa Medal named Sjt A J Short Border Horse with class cape Colony Transvaal, Wittenbergen and King's South Africa Medal bars SA01 and SA02 to "359 Sjt AJ Shout SAMIF" (the latter is a re-named medal); also including an additional medal QSA with class Cape Colony Orange Free State and Transvaal named to "36449 TPR AE Howe S.A.Lt Horse"

Victoria Cross citation: London Gazette 15th October 1915: ?For most conspicuous bravery at Lone Pine Trenches, in the Gallipoli Peninsula. On the morning of 9th August, 1915, with a small party, Captain Shout charged down trenches strongly occupied by the enemy, and personally threw four bombs among them, killing eight and routing the remainder. In the afternoon of the same day, from the same position gained in the morning, he captured a further length of trench under similar conditions and continued personally to bomb the enemy at close range, under very heavy fire, until he was severely wounded, losing his right hand and left eye. This most gallant officer has since succumbed to his injuries.'

Military Cross Citation: London Gazette 1st June 1915: On 27th April, during operations near Kaba Tepe, for showing conspicuous courage and ability in organizing and leading his men in a thick bushy country, under very heavy fire. He frequently had to expose himself to locate the enemy, and led a bayonet charge at the critical moment'.

Shout's actions that day were described by Private Charles Huntley Thompson of the 13th Battalion: "That was the bravest thing I ever saw".

Notes:

- Only ninety-six Australians have ever been awarded the Victoria Cross.

- Capt. Shout was the most decorated soldier to serve with the Australian Imperial Force at Gallipoli; he was the only soldier to be awarded the Military Cross and the Victoria Cross

- A total of nine Victoria Crosses were awarded to Australian soldiers serving at Gallipoli.

- Captain Shout's Victoria Cross is the only Gallipoli VC still in private hands; the other eight currently reside at the Australian War Memorial.

- The Capt. Shout Victoria Cross Group is arguably the most important medal group ever to be offered at auction on the international market.

Alfred John Shout (1881-1915) was born in Wellington, New Zealand on 7th August, 1881. He was the son of London-born John Shout, cook, and Agnes, n?e McGovern.

From 1900 he served with the New Zealand contingent in the South African War, as a sergeant in the Border Horse and from 1903 as a sergeant in the Cape Field Artillery.

Shout and his family moved to Australia in 1905. They settled in Sydney and Shout found work as a carpenter and joiner. In 1907 he joined the 29th Infantry Regiment (militia). He obtained his commission on 16th June, 1914 and joined the Australian Imperial Force in August. He was appointed as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1st Battalion and then promoted to 1st Lieutenant on 1st February 1915 whilst in Egypt.

1st Lieutenant Shout landed with 1st Battalion in Gallipoli on 25th April 1915 and was immediately in the thick of some ferocious fighting against the Turks. On 27th April, in a conspicuous show of courage, he led a bayonet charge whilst under extremely heavy Turkish fire for which he was awarded the Military Cross, and was mentioned in dispatches for his actions between 25 April and 5 May. He was promoted to captain on 29th July.

On 6th August the A.I.F. attacked Lone Pine. During the battle Shout again distinguished himself for his leadership and bravery and was awarded the Victoria Cross (see citation above). He was mortally wounded during action on 9th August and died on board the hospital ship on 11th August 1915.

[notned]

Well aint that amazing...another Kiwi born VC winner....

We breed em tough here!

Nice to see all the medals together in this one....Dunno about the $750,000 price tag expected

(Just seen it on the news!)

Cheers

Paul

Edited July 24, 2006 by notned

[Guest Rick Research]

What's the point?

That lunatic billionaire life-Lord Wuzziname will just pay any price AGAIN to squirrel it away for his sinister melting them all down for a symbolic turtle of peace statue (abstract) or whatever the nutter is doing with

A-L-L

of them.

So, like ebay is this all bids and just force it up on him, or is one obliged to Show The Money?

It WOULD be nice to force him to pay 857 zillion ? AND tuppence ha'penny.

[Stogieman]

NOW you know why he (Rick Research) is the REAL (Truly) Evil Twin?

[Jacky]

Wonderfull story,

also wonderfull gallantry of this officer.....

I'm wondering what will happen with his group...........

p.s who is the "lord" who hunts down all VC's coming on auction where-ever???

[Kev in Deva]

Hallo Gentlemen

please read the following with regards the V. C. Auction in Australia:

news.com.au network Source: AAP

VICTORIA CROSS SELLS FOR RECORD ONE MILLION!

July 24, 2006.

AUSTRALIA'S last privately owned Victoria Cross medal awarded at Gallipoli has sold at auction tonight in Sydney for a world record $1 million.

Lot 1078 was purchased by a prominent Australian who wishes to remain anonymous and who bid over the phone.

The medal, awarded posthumously to New Zealand-born Australian soldier Captain Alfred Shout, was sold by his grandson, 67-year-old Graham Thomas.

Auctioneer Tim Goodman, of Bonhams and Goodman auction house, told the crowd it was hoped the medal would soon end up on public display.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new world auction record for a medal," Mr Goodman said as he brought down the hammer.

"I can confirm the buyer is a prominent Australian who is going to work with the RSL to make sure the medals go on display at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra."

Captain Shout was mortally wounded when the last of three grenades he ignited blew up in his face.

He was the most highly decorated Australian soldier to serve during the Battle of Gallipoli in 1915, being awarded the Military Cross during the landing at Anzac Cove in April, and then the Victoria Cross for his actions in the Battle of Lone Pine in August that year.

Tonight's $1 million price tag breaks the record of $595,000 set in 2005 for the VC won by Captain Thomas Hardy at Lord Nelson's victory at Trafalgar in 1805.

Capt Shout's collection of medals also included the Military Cross (GVR) for the landing at Gallipoli, Star 1914-15, British War Medal 1914-18, Victory Medal 1914-19, and Queen's South Africa medal and King's South Africa medal, awarded for his service in the Boer War earlier that century.

Mr Thomas, a retiree from Sydney, who sold the medal to benefit his family, said he was "overwhelmed by the price".

"I didn't think it would get anywhere near that, it just goes to show," Mr Thomas said seconds after the auction.

"We didn't expect anything like that."

Mr Thomas has two children and three grandchildren.

Before the auction, he said now was a good time to sell the medal to help his family.

"Otherwise, they would just be sitting in a box and if I just sent it off to the war memorial, it wouldn't benefit my family."

Mr Thomas said his decision to sell the medals, passed to him by his mother, had met with very little criticism.

The war memorial holds the other eight VCs awarded to Australians for service at Gallipoli.

The auctioneer's head of collectibles, Giles Moon, said the medals were never at risk of leaving Australia.

"These medals are protected from being granted an export licence due to them being classed as a class A item under the moveable cultural heritage act."

The bidder will pay a $1,214,500 (Australian Dollars), including commission and other charges.

Goodmans international head of coins and medals John Millensted said "the Victoria Cross would account for more than 90 per cent of the value of the collection" that was sold tonight. Mr Thomas later said his grandfather would have approved of the sale.

"He'd probably say 'you did a bloody good job'," said Mr Thomas, who planned to celebrate over a beer.

He said he would have liked to have been able to put the medal on display himself.

"But you've got to be honest. If you get a few dollars, it's certainly going to help my family," the retired estimator said.pe"To get both, to get it on show and get the money, you can't ask for much more than that. I'm tickled pink."

Speculation about the purchaser was rife but Mr Thomas could only suggest it may have been a Melbourne plastic surgeon or a group from Queensland who invest in war memorabilia.

All the auctioneers would say was that the purchaser was a prominent philanthropic Australian businessman.

-END OF ARTICLE-

Any guesses from Forum members down under as to who the lucky buyer is???

Kevin in Deva

[Michael Johnson]

Tonight's $1 million price tag breaks the record of $595,000 set in 2005 for the VC won by Captain Thomas Hardy at Lord Nelson's victory at Trafalgar in 1805.

Yes, but that one was incredibly rare, since the V.C. wasn't created until 1856.

Wikipedia is reporting that the Shout V.C. was purchased by Kerry Stokes.