Australia - Bonhams is delighted to offer to market the jewellery collection of the late Joan Crebbin, who with husband Dick Crebbin, amassed an elegant and innovative collection including pieces by some of Britain's most celebrated and sought-after jewellers.

Dick Crebbin, who died in 1989, was a founding director of Marrickville Holdings, which produced brands including Miracle Margarine and ETA Peanut Butter. He was also an art administrator, appointed chairman of the interim council of the Australian National Gallery in 1974, under the Whitlam Government, and becoming the first chairman of the permanent council under the Fraser Government.

Joan Crebbin died two years ago, aged 94, and Bonhams is offering 64 lots of her jewellery, representing most of her collection. The Crebbins were celebrated for their love of art and design, and lived in a Walter Burley Griffin-designed home in the Sydney harbour-side suburb of Castlecrag.

Fiona Frith, Senior Specialist, comments, 'Joan Crebbin's collecting started in the 1950s so some pieces are quite formal. In the 1960s, Joan moves into the avant garde, with pieces by Andrew Grima, Rod Edwards, and Gerald Benney. It's such a treat to see one person's collection and evolution in taste.'

The collection features some wonderfully crafted pieces by leading international jewellers, including a gold cuff bracelet from circa 1964 by the Yorkshire-born Gerald Benney, one of the most outstanding gold and silversmiths of the 20th century. So highly regarded, at one point in his career Benney held no less than four Royal Warrants, producing exceptional pieces for members of the Royal Family including Queen Elizabeth II and the late Queen Mother.

There are also pieces by Englishman Roy King, whose clients included musicians The Beatles and Tom Jones, as well as Australian Rod Edwards. Although synonymous with British jewellery, Edwards was born in Australia and studied sculpture and design Sydney. He moved to England in 1954 and became a jewellery apprentice. By the 1960s, he was recognised as a unique voice, exhibiting at Goldsmith's Hall in London.

Later in life, Joan Crebbin's collecting shifted away from the diamond and sapphire encrusted bracelets of her youth. She acquired many pieces from celebrated Danish silversmith Georg Jensen, and 24 lots are featured in this sale.

Australia Jewels

Auction highlights

Lot gallery

1 — PLATINUM, SAPPHIRE AND DIAMOND BRACELET, Retailed by Hardy Bros,

2 — PLATINUM, SAPPHIRE AND DIAMOND BROOCH, Retailed by Hardy Bros,

3 — OPAL AND DIAMOND BROOCH, Retailed by Hardy Bros,

4 — PLATINUM, RUBY AND DIAMOND BRACELET, Retailed by Hardy Bros,

5 — PLATINUM DIAMOND PENDANT/BROOCH

6 — DIAMOND SINGLE STONE RING

7 — DIAMOND ETERNITY BAND

8 — DIAMOND SINGLE STONE RING

9 — IWC | DIAMOND DRESS WATCH

10 — DIAMOND NECKLACE, Retailed by Hardy Bros,

11 — VACHERON & CONSTANTIN | SAPPHIRE AND DIAMOND LADIES BRACELET WATCH

12 — BUECHE GIROD | GOLD AND DIAMOND BRACELET/WATCH

13 — ROY KING | GOLD AND DIAMOND BRACELET, 1961

14 — ROY KING | A GOLD AND DIAMOND NECKLACE, Circa 1960

15 — GOLD STRAP BRACELET

16 — VACHERON & CONSTANTIN | GOLD LADIES BRACELET WATCH

17 — ROD EDWARDS | TOURMALINE AND GOLD RING, Circa 1969

18 — ANDREW GRIMA | DIAMOND-SET BROOCH, 1964

19 — GOLD, DIAMOND AND SYNTHETIC EMERALD CRYSTAL RING

20 — GOLD AND DIAMOND BROOCH AND EARRING SUITE

21 — GOLD AND DIAMOND RING

22 — ANDREW GRIMA | RUBY AND DIAMOND RING, Circa 1967

23 — GERALD BENNEY | GOLD CUFF, Circa 1964

24 — LAPIS LAZULI AND DIAMOND RING

25 — TWO COMPACTS (2)

26 — GOLD NECKLACE

27 — GOLD AND DIAMOND FLORAL BROOCH

28 — GOLD FANCY-LINK NECKLACE AND BRACELET SUITE, Circa 1957

29 — COLLECTION OF BRACELET CHARMS

30 — GOLD FANCY-LINK BRACELET

31 — GOLD FANCY-LINK BRACELET

32 — GOLD FANCY-LINK NECKLACE

33 — FANCY-LINK NECKLACE AND BRACELET SUITE

34 — AMETHYST AND DIAMOND RING

35 — PEARL AND DIAMOND COCKTAIL RING

36 — GOLD FANCY-LINK BRACELET, Italy

37 — ED WIENER | AQUAMARINE AND GOLD PENDANT/BROOCH

38 — JAEGER LE COULTRE | LADIES GOLD BRACELET WATCH

39 — GOLD FANCY-LINK BRACELET

40 — A TRI-COLOURED RUBY AND DIAMOND FLORAL BROOCH

41 — PAIR OF GOLD AND DIAMOND EARCLIPS

42 — GOLD FANCY LINK BRACELET

43 — CARTIER | GOLD 'MAILLON PANTHÈRE' EARCLIPS

44 — PAIR OF GOLD AND RUBY BROOCHES

45 — PAIR OF RUBY AND GOLD EARRINGS

46 — RUBY AND GOLD BROOCH

47 — GOLD AND ENAMEL BRACELET, RING AND EARCLIP SUITE,

48 — DIAMOND BROOCH

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Bonhams' Australia Jewels to Present Collection of Joan Crebbin

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Conditions of Sale

1 —
PLATINUM, SAPPHIRE AND DIAMOND BRACELET,
Retailed by Hardy Bros,

2 —
PLATINUM, SAPPHIRE AND DIAMOND BROOCH,
Retailed by Hardy Bros,

3 —
OPAL AND DIAMOND BROOCH,
Retailed by Hardy Bros,

4 —
PLATINUM, RUBY AND DIAMOND BRACELET,
Retailed by Hardy Bros,

5 —
PLATINUM DIAMOND PENDANT/BROOCH

6 —
DIAMOND SINGLE STONE RING

7 —
DIAMOND ETERNITY BAND

8 —
DIAMOND SINGLE STONE RING

9 —
IWC | DIAMOND DRESS WATCH

10 —
DIAMOND NECKLACE,
Retailed by Hardy Bros,

11 —
VACHERON & CONSTANTIN | SAPPHIRE AND DIAMOND LADIES BRACELET WATCH

12 —
BUECHE GIROD | GOLD AND DIAMOND BRACELET/WATCH

13 —
ROY KING | GOLD AND DIAMOND BRACELET,
1961

14 —
ROY KING | A GOLD AND DIAMOND NECKLACE,
Circa 1960

15 —
GOLD STRAP BRACELET

16 —
VACHERON & CONSTANTIN | GOLD LADIES BRACELET WATCH

17 —
ROD EDWARDS | TOURMALINE AND GOLD RING,
Circa 1969

18 —
ANDREW GRIMA | DIAMOND-SET BROOCH, 1964

19 —
GOLD, DIAMOND AND SYNTHETIC EMERALD CRYSTAL RING

20 —
GOLD AND DIAMOND BROOCH AND EARRING SUITE

21 —
GOLD AND DIAMOND RING

22 —
ANDREW GRIMA | RUBY AND DIAMOND RING,
Circa 1967

23 —
GERALD BENNEY | GOLD CUFF,
Circa 1964

24 —
LAPIS LAZULI AND DIAMOND RING

25 —
TWO COMPACTS
(2)

26 —
GOLD NECKLACE

27 —
GOLD AND DIAMOND FLORAL BROOCH

28 —
GOLD FANCY-LINK NECKLACE AND BRACELET SUITE,
Circa 1957

29 —
COLLECTION OF BRACELET CHARMS

30 —
GOLD FANCY-LINK BRACELET

31 —
GOLD FANCY-LINK BRACELET

32 —
GOLD FANCY-LINK NECKLACE

33 —
FANCY-LINK NECKLACE AND BRACELET SUITE

34 —
AMETHYST AND DIAMOND RING

35 —
PEARL AND DIAMOND COCKTAIL RING

36 —
GOLD FANCY-LINK BRACELET,
Italy

37 —
ED WIENER | AQUAMARINE AND GOLD PENDANT/BROOCH

38 —
JAEGER LE COULTRE | LADIES GOLD BRACELET WATCH

39 —
GOLD FANCY-LINK BRACELET

40 —
A TRI-COLOURED RUBY AND DIAMOND FLORAL BROOCH

41 —
PAIR OF GOLD AND DIAMOND EARCLIPS

42 —
GOLD FANCY LINK BRACELET

43 —
CARTIER | GOLD 'MAILLON PANTHÈRE' EARCLIPS

44 —
PAIR OF GOLD AND RUBY BROOCHES

45 —
PAIR OF RUBY AND GOLD EARRINGS

46 —
RUBY AND GOLD BROOCH

47 —
GOLD AND ENAMEL BRACELET, RING AND EARCLIP SUITE,

48 —
DIAMOND BROOCH