In Melbourne this weekend with my gorgeous mother Anne who has a stall at the inaugural Australian Antique Dealer Show at the World Heritage Listed Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton Gardens. Mum has the most divine collection of antique jewellery, some of which she has brought down from her shop in Queen Street Woollahra Sydney especially for the occasion.
The show stopper is a presentation box once owned by Tsar Alexander the second and given by him to a Swedish physician who then passed it on to his son who in turn offered it up as a gift in a tombola raffle to raise funds to build a children’s hospital. The winner of the diamond encrusted enamel and gold box then passed it down through his family until it reached my mum’s expert hands. Visitors to the stall have been calling it ‘Best In Show’.
She also has a knock out emerald and diamond brooch which features on the front cover of the Antique Dealers Association’s catalogue. Come and say hi if you’re in town!
p.s. Mum provided many fabulous jewels for Rachel Blake to wear in the film ‘Sleeping Beauty’ which has just screened at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.