Important Collections

Over our long history, Leonard Joel has been entrusted with the auction of some of the most interesting and important collections in Australia.

Leonard Joel celebrates every collection and the collectors who created them, devising highly targeted marketing and media campaigns, beautifully illustrated catalogues and expertly managed auctions which lead to outstanding auction results.

In 2017, Leonard Joel was honoured to present The Decorative Arts Collection of the late James Fairfax AC which sold for $1.74 million over two days in Sydney (twice its pre-auction estimate) as well as The Kozminsky Collection of Fine Jewels and the 1909 Ashes Urn as part of The Monty Noble Collection of Cricketing Memorabilia.

In 2018, Leonard Joel sold The Estate of Lady Porter in Adelaide and The Hose Collection of Clocks, the most important collection of its kind ever to appear at auction in Australia. Recently, we have offered at auction The Magical Studio of Mirka Mora and Important Works from the NAB Art Collection.

Please contact Chairman and Head of Important Collections, John Albrecht, for a confidential discussion if you would like advice on the management and auction of a collection or estate.

Auction Highlights

The Collection Of The Late John Schaeffer AO / Cyrus Edwin Dallin (American, 1861-1944) Nude Sleeping in the Landscape 1903

Sold for $212,500

The Ray Schlager Collection / A Diamond Set Enamel & Gold Russian Imperial Presentation Box with Monogram of Tsar Alexander II

Sold for $124,000

The Monty Noble Collection / A Rare 1909 Silver Ashes Urn, Cornelius Saunders & Francis Shepherd / Chester / Circa 1906

Sold for $80,600

Important Works from the NAB Art Collection / Mirka Mora, (1928-2018), Curlews in the Garden 1980

Sold for $200,000
Important Collections Specialists
John Albrecht

Managing Director & Head of Important Collections

John Albrecht belongs to one of Melbourne’s retail dynasties. His father Kurt Albrecht owned and operated the oldest jewellery retailer in Australia, Kozminsky, and had conducted business with the Joel family for many decades. After founding the modern day jewellery department at Leonard Joel two decades ago, John completed a bachelor of law degree and arts degree at Monash University. Later at RMIT he completed an MBA with a thesis on the commoditisation of Australian art and recent art fund activity. At Kozminsky, he was instrumental in the founding of their art gallery and was a director of the firm.

After a brief period as a securities broker John returned to his passion for all things auction and established Joel Fine Art for Leonard Joel in 2006. For two years John Albrecht and his team at Joel Fine Art conducted major Australian and Aboriginal fine art auctions and delivered numerous Australian art auction records. In 2009 John was invited to return to Leonard Joel as Managing Director and in 2011 completed a successful takeover of the company. He now oversees all important private collections.

David Parsons

Head of Private Estates & Valuations, Decorative Arts Specialist

Since taking his BA in art and architectural history, David has spent thirty years handling and studying antique furniture, objects, and art in salerooms, museums, and collections in Australia and England. He has a keen interest and depth of knowledge in earlier furniture and art but, as Leonard Joel’s Head of Private Estates and Valuations, is well versed in handling, researching, valuing, and cataloguing in all areas of the fine and decorative arts.

Having long observed the direct relationship between the quality of cataloguing and results at auction, David is a firm believer in the importance of well-written cataloguing that is confident, precise, and well-informed by strong technical knowledge and research – all of which he brings to the table to the benefit of Leonard Joel’s clients.

Chiara Curcio

Head of Decorative Arts, Design & Interiors

Chiara joined Leonard Joel in 2011 with a keen interest in antiques and the auction market. After completing her Bachelor Degree with a focus in Theory of Art and Design, Archeology, History and languages, Chiara joined Leonard Joel as a junior objects assistant. Her eager interest in object and furniture design and their histories moved her from junior assistant, to manager and then Decorative Arts specialist within a four year period.

In 2017, Chiara was appointed Head of Decorative Arts; within her tenure, she has pioneered two dedicated Asian Art auctions in this category per year and further developed partnerships with local and international collectors and societies within this field.

In addition to valuing and curating specialty auctions, Chiara is also a Senior auctioneer, offering eight years of auctioneering experience.

Ronan Sulich

Senior Adviser, Sydney

Ronan’s career is deeply grounded in the fine and decorative arts, with an arts degree from the University of Sydney majoring in Fine Art and Archaeology followed by a graduate diploma of Museum Studies. His ensuing three years at the storied David Jones Art Gallery, rounded out a practical understanding of the decorative arts as well as contemporary Australian art, followed by time spent as curator at the atmospheric and untouched Rouse Hill House.

Moving to London in 1988 he worked in a busy auction house in Chelsea cataloguing a weekly antiques sale and has calculated that in the five years he was there he catalogued 300 lots per week for 48 sales per annum, about 70,000 objects described in his time there. Christie’s Australia offered him the role as the decorative arts specialist in the Sydney office in 1995 and he had the opportunity to work on many of the milestone auctions of the time, the Whiteman Collection, the BinThuan Shipwreck sale, the collections of Leo Schofield at Bronte House and John Schaeffer at Rona in Bellevue Hill. With the closure of the Australian salerooms in 2006 he was made the Christie’s representative for Australia and until 2020 worked with major collectors and collections, institutions and artists.

Our Departments

Leonard Joel offers specialist experience and regular, curated auctions across a diverse range of categories.

Important Collections

Over our 100 year history, Leonard Joel has been entrusted with the auction of some of the most interesting and important collections in Australia.

Jewellery

Founded over four decades ago, Leonard Joel’s Jewellery department leads the market in Australia with regular, curated auctions in Melbourne and Sydney.

Art

Leonard Joel’s Art Department offers expertise and extensive market knowledge in traditional, modern, international and contemporary art.

Decorative arts

Leonard Joel presents fine European and Australian interiors in curated collections.

Asian Art

Featuring important Chinese jade, ceramics and textiles, Himalayan, Indian, Japanese and Korean works of art.

Modern Design

Modern Design is one of Leonard Joel’s most dynamic and increasingly popular collecting categories.

Luxury

Unique to the Australian marketplace, Leonard Joel’s Luxury department offers vintage and contemporary handbags and accessories.

Collectables

Leonard Joel provides unrivalled expertise in this eclectic collecting category.