Haberdashery, Jewelry & Other Curios

May 8, 2022 12:00 PM AEST
Timed Auction

150 Lots

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Smalls Auctions

Location: Sydney, Australia

Phone: +61 (0)2 9357 5492

Payment

  • |
  • Accepts online payments
Accepted Forms of Payment: American Express, COD (cash on delivery), MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Other, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

AUSTRALIA :

Purchases within Australia will be charged a MINIMUM SHIPPING FEE of $10.00 and will be sent by Registered Post.

Additional insurance is optional at the buyer's expense.

Larger lots may incur an additional charge.

OVERSEAS :

Overseas purchases will be charged a MINIMUM SHIPPING FEE of $35.00 and will be sent by standard International Post.

Additional insurance is optional at the buyer's expense

Larger lots may incur an additional charge.

If we are unsure of the bona fides of a successful bidder we may request identification such as a Passport Photo or Drivers's Licence that matches the Credit Card details registered with Invaluable before we despatch an item.

Both Australian and International packages are traceable in transit and may require a signature on delivery.

Welcome to Smalls Auctions 169. In this Sale we look back on the menial tasks of the past which have largely been done away with in the modern throw-away age in which we live. We begin with over sixty lots of haberdashery from Bodkins, Buttons & Barrels to Needles, Pin Cushions, Hooks and Scissors. Those of a certain age will remember these sewing tools that once fixed the holes in our socks before fashionable young dandies decided to wear their shoes without them and so no longer could give a darn. My generation saw the disappearance of hats before sun awareness intervened but then suits and ties followed by belts were all relegated to the retro shops by the new fashionistas. It now seems unbelievable that women caught in public wearing ‘bikinis’ or ‘mini skirts’ once risked public scorn if not fines whereas today it is all but expected that you drop your pants to advertise the brand of your expensive underwear. And depending on your height or your take on fashion you can wear your trouser legs way too short or way too long. Tailors are no longer mainstream businesses, and few people bother to alter or even mend their clothes these days particularly since the ubiquitous ‘Made in China’ label has brought retail prices tumbling over the last few decades. ‘Wear it and throw it’ is the new mantra of western society and in a surprising turn it is the ‘noveau riche’ Chinese who now line up to buy the expensive foreign tailor made fashion labels. Regardless, these tools of craft are still intriguing collectables, and they might even make a comeback one day. I myself have a nephew who was so taken with the ‘Beatles’ that he taught himself to sew so that he could make himself a ‘mod’ suit for which the ‘fab four’ were famous in their early sixties. Also on offer are some items of organic origins. In the world of plastics, we sometimes forget that many fashionable items were once made from substances such as ivory and tortoise shell. These days it is illegal in ‘enlightened’ countries to make accessories from materials derived from endangered species but there are still plenty of objects from the past which are admired and freely traded. Of course, we should all stand up for the Planet, but it does appear illogical that collectors should steer away from ‘antiques’ made from materials now deemed controversial. In short, they come from a different time and place, and you will find examples of them in museum collections across the World. I read the other day that microplastics have recently been detected at the top of Mount Everest and at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, so it has not taken long for the new synthetics to spread from the top to the bottom of the World proving immeasurably worse for the environment than the organic materials that they replaced. The Sale also includes a strong selection of affordable Jewellery priced close to its intrinsic value. We give the gold carat and the weight in our descriptions and with Gold sitting at around AUD $2,650 at present it is well worth getting out the calculator. Smalls Auctions
Buyer's Premium
$0-99: 20.0%
$100-499: 20.0%
$500-999: 20.0%
$1,000-4,999: 20.0%
$5,000+: 20.0%
Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
A$0 A$249 A$5
A$250 A$999 A$10
A$1,000 A$4,999 A$25
A$5,000 A$9,999 A$50
A$10,000 + A$100

Conditions of Sale

VAT and taxes: The Buyer's Premium is inclusive of the Australian G(oods) & S(ervices T(ax) incurred by our service.

Shipping Terms: AUSTRALIA :

Purchases within Australia will be charged a MINIMUM SHIPPING FEE of $10.00 and will be sent by Registered Post.

Additional insurance is optional at the buyer's expense.

Larger lots may incur an additional charge.

OVERSEAS :

Overseas purchases will be charged a MINIMUM SHIPPING FEE of $35.00 and will be sent by standard International Post.

Additional insurance is optional at the buyer's expense

Larger lots may incur an additional charge.

If we are unsure of the bona fides of a successful bidder we may request identification such as a Passport Photo or Drivers's Licence that matches the Credit Card details registered with Invaluable before we despatch an item.

Both Australian and International packages are traceable in transit and may require a signature on delivery.

Buyers Premium: All purchases are subject to an all inclusive 20.0 % Buyer's Premium on the hammer price.

Tax Details: Taxes, Duties and Customs Charges that apply in the country of delivery are the express responsibility of the buyer.

Please notify us if you require a specific description on the outside of the package for customs purposes.