CHARLES LESKI AUCTIONS PTY. LTD.
13 Cato Street, Hawthorn East 3123, Victoria, Australia
Telephone: 61-3-9864-9999
Facsimile:
61-3-9822-2788
Email: contact@leski.com.au
A.B.N.13 081 928 921
Media Release
October
19th, 2010
COAT OF ARMS STRIKES GOLD AMID THE CHAOS
In 1855 the first Royal Mint to be established outside of England was opened in Sydney, four years after the
gold rush began in NSW. It took very little time for the world’s attention to focus on this outpost of the
British Empire, bringing all manner of men on a variety of missions to the goldfields.
Among them was Lewis Steffanoni who had already established a reputation as a master craftsman in gold
embroidery, despite being only 17 when he arrived with 48 needlewomen in Sydney in 1852.
Three years later
he is credited with creating a remarkable embroidered coat of arms that draws its
inspiration from the goldfields. The delicate work using gold and silver thread on silk includes motifs
representing the miners, their equipment, the kangaroo and emu, and the words ‘Advance Australia’.
“There are two aspects of this embroidery that makes it quite extraordinary,” says Charles Leski. “It is clearly
the work of an unique talent using a technique known as three dimensional needlepoint, and as far as we can
tell the only work of its kind to be so specific about Australia and the goldfields.”
Lot 1 has a pre-sale estimate of $5,000
-
$8,000. (NB: The image is available at
=jpg&width=700&height=700)
The lot will be sold by Leski Auctions in Melbourne on Tuesday, October 26th at 5.00pm.
Leski Auctions was established in 1973 and is one of Australia’s leading auctioneers of Sporting Memorabilia,
Australiana, Collectibles and World Philately.
Leski Auctions is a recognised leader in the area of early photography, art, wine, cameras, books, autographs,
entertainment memorabilia, medals, coins, stamps, aerophilately, cigarette and trade cards, maps, railway
memorabilia, advertising artwork and posters, and the Olympics, football and cricket..
It was the first auction house in Australia to introduce an on-line, real-time bidding system ‘Live Bid Online’™,
which allows participation from anywhere in the world. It currently runs 22 auctions per year.
Leski Auctions has previously sold many significant collections, including those of Shirley Strickland, Ron Clarke,
Sir Reginald Ansett and former RSL President, Bruce Ruxton. It has sold more ‘baggy green’ caps than any other
auction house in the world, and is one of the largest auctioneers of cricket memorabilia by value and volume.
Leski Auctions recently sold the newly-discovered Phar Lap horse tonic recipe book. It recently achieved a world
record price for a Bradman bat.
Managing Director Charles Leski is a registered valuer for the Cultural Gifts Program through the Department of
Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. He is also the valuer of the displayed items at the National Sports
Museum at the MCG, Melbourne.
The company is located at 13 Cato Street, Hawthorn East 3123 Australia. Tel +61-3-864 9999 and
Issued by:
Charles Leski, Leski Auctions
Michael Krape, Michael Krape Consulting
Tel: 61-3-9864 9999
Tel: 0403 135 880
charles@leski.com.au
michaelkrape@krape.com.au
NEWS 
