Lot 188

In good condition with no visible signs of repair or damage, overall light wear consistent with age and use.


The opinions expressed in the condition reports are a guide only and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Prospective buyers are encouraged to seek further information or request additional images during our pre-sale period where Leonard Joel staff are available for advice. Please note condition reports can be amended during the pre-sale period, so we strongly suggest any interested bidders check the published condition report available on the website before the auction commences. Leonard Joel makes no guarantee of the originality of mechanical or applied components. Absence of reference to such modifications does not imply that a lot is free from modifications.

Sailing and rowing regattas were popular in Pyrmont and held as early as 1847. The 1848 regatta, honouring Queen Victoria's birthday, featured eight races, with significant prize money. As the event evolved, some spectators observed from a decorated flagship, while booths on shore sold food and drink. From the mid 1860s Balmain's waterways became more popular and Pyrmont's regatta days declined in the 1880s with the increase of shipping and industrialisation in the bay.

Evan Jones' (1846-1917) obituary in the Sydney Daily Telegraph states that he "arrived in Australia from England whilst a lad and was educated at the Fort Street School. At the age of twelve, he went to work with Messrs. Hardy Brothers, Jewellers, Hunter Street in the city and later was employed by the firm of Hogarth & Erichsen. At the age of fourteen he was apprenticed to Mr. C.L. Qwist from whom he received his training in the jewellery trade. Many valuable trophies remain as monuments to Jones' skill." He worked from Qwist's former rooms in Hunter Street Sydney and later had several branches in the city. He was a major exhibitor at the Melbourne Exhibition of 1880 and famous for his mounted emu eggs. His works can be found in the collection of the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney and various private collections.