Miscellaneous

Lot 2123    SESSION 9 (2.30PM WEDNESDAY 26TH JULY)    Miscellaneous

Estimate $7,500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $5,500

WOOD DUNBAR COLLECTION, from the shipwreck of the Dunbar that sank off Sydney's South Head in 1857; the collection comprises the following items listed as Schedule 1 on the Permit,
Artefact 52560 Set of nested Troy weights.
Artefact 52561 Dessert spoon - silver with 'D' engraved on handle.
Artefact 52562 Gold Sovereign coin dated 1835 (GB William IV).
Artefact 52564 Silver coin dated 1834.
Artefact 52565 Gold heart locket with cabochon stone.
Artefact 52566 Gold fob watch case inscribed with initials 'G.C.' dated 1856.
Artefact 52567 Gold ring with red gemstone, two side stones missing.
Artefact 52568 Silver Half Crown coin dated 1834 (William IV) (actually a George IV penny [see photo], date not legible) with pierced hole.
Artefact 52569 One shilling coin dated 1834 (William IV) pierced with hole.
Artefact 52570 Bank of Ireland - ten pence token dated 1805.
Artefact 52571 British coin dated 1819 - pierced with hole.
Artefact 52572 Fountain or dip pen nib.
Artefact 52573 Belt buckle (military) snakes head clasp.
Artefact 52574 Holloways Ointment jar and pot lid.
Artefact 52575 Telescope - 5 sections, retractable.
Artefact 52576 Dessert spoons x 6.
Artefact 52577 Dessert spoons x 8 encrusted together.
Artefact 52578 Soup ladle.
Artefact 52579 Dessert forks - silver x 3.
Artefact 52580 Spoons x 4, handles engraved with 'D', hallmarked.
Artefact 52581 Cake spoon - silver.
Artefact 52582 Seal of Thomas Milne (cabin passenger) - Gold (remains of)
Artefact 52583 Trunk label holder plate.
Artefact 52584 Spurs (horse riding) - pair of.
Artefact 52585 Trigger guard - musket rifle.
Artefact 52586 Plate - silver, ornamental surround, crest in centre.
Artefact 52587 Belt buckle - cannons and shields design.
Artefact 52588 Belt buckle (military) (2 piece) - kangaroo design.
Artefact 52589 Belt buckle - lady's head motif.
Artefact 52590 Britannia and lion from brooch or belt buckle.
Artefact 52591 Belt buckle - cricket design, standing man wearing hat.
Artefact 52592 Hull sheathing - piece with Muntz Metal stamp.
Artefact 52593 Belt buckle - Florence Nightingale, VR, Crimea motif.
Artefact 52594 Belt buckle (2 piece) - thistle design.
Artefact 52595 Belt buckle (military) (2 piece) - snakes head clasp.
Artefact 52598 Lid - possibly ornamental pot lid.
Artefact 52599 Key - silver.
Artefact 52600 Dessert spoon - silver with 'D' engraving.
Artefact 52601 Adams Patent 54 Percussion Revolver bullet mould.
Artefact 52602 Adams Patent 54 Percussion Revolver bullet mould.
Artefact 52603 Bullet mould - left side.
Artefact 52605 Tablespoons x 3 encrusted together.
Artefact 52606 Telescope lens - glass with outer copper alloy ring.
Artefact 52607 Telescope - ships - engraved Flavelle Bros & Co Sydney.
Artefact 52608 Telescope - ships (telescopic) - engraved Flavelle Bros & Co Sydney.
Artefact 52609 Musket or rifle butt plate.
Artefact 52610 Musket or rifle butt plate.
Artefact 52611 Musket or rifle trigger guard.
Artefact 52612 Bugle horn - small (in two pieces).
Artefact 52613 Crucible.
Artefact 52614 Sextant or survey instrument - folding.
Artefact 52615 Small bell - table bell - brass.
Artefact 52616 Air Vent - sliding (Garton & Jarvis, Exeter).
Artefact 52617 Flint tinderbox decorated with transport images.
Artefact 52618 Spigot for barrel (Fiddian).
Artefact 52619 Belt buckle (military) - snakes head clasp design.
Artefact 52620 Dessert spoon - silver with calligraphic engraving 'GPD' on handle.
Artefact 52621 Teaspoon - silver.
Artefact 52622 Projectiles - (2) musket ball and expanding bullet head.
Artefact 52623 Dessert forks - silver (x 2) - engraved with 'D' on handle.
Artefact 52624 Dessert fork - silver.
Artefact 52625 Tablespoon - engraved with 'M'.
Artefact 52626 Berry serving spoons (x 2) - ornate berry design.
Artefact 52627 Dessert fork - EPNS with 'D' engraving.
Artefact 52628 Spoon - possibly bouillon spoon - dashed line design and calligraphic engraving on handle.
Artefact 52629 Knife - fish or cake serving knife - engraved with 'D'.
Artefact 52630 Dessert spoons (x 3) - possibly EPNS plated.
Artefact 52631 Dessert spoon - with 'D' engraving on handle.
Artefact 52632 Spoon thread and handles (x 2) - silver.
Artefact 52633 Printing plate for visiting card for Captn & Mrs Kilner Waller.
Artefact 52634 Musket or rifle stock (in two pieces).
Artefact 52635 Explorers compass - Flavelle Bros, Sydney.
Artefact 52636 Belt buckles (x 2).
Many items affected by corrosion from being in the ocean for many years, overall poor - fine. (lot)

Together with the following,
1) Piece of flat timber (approx 13.5x9cm) and on it is written, 'Dunbar/20th August 1857', this piece of timber has been used as the backing for a framed penned note that reads, 'This ?? (illegible) made ????? (illegible) of the Dunbar wreckage at Sydney Heads August 20th 1857. The right to collect the wreckage was bought by T.Milson of Milson's Point and Mr Spain who built a boat shed out-of a large portion of the wreck that drifted into Middle Harbour.' (signed, WE Thomson, SS Wyandra) and below this written, 'This piece was given to me by a son of Mr Spain, Sydney Oct-30 1912'.
2) The Wreck of the Dunbar, an Original Poem by the Late Mr. Samuel Bennett, matt framed under perspex (frame size 37x58.5cm), frame damaged around edges. This poem was written by Sydney journalist and historian Samuel Bennett and was printed for independent sale in about 1880.
3) A group of five spoons and another single spoon believed to be from the Dunbar.
4) Permit No. 100547 registered under the Australian Government Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018, which lists all artefacts and also has colour photos of all items.
5) Also included are items that were not on the Dunbar but were located in the vicinity of the wreckage, probably thrown into the ocean by well-wishers, these items are: a) Galatea Medal 1867 in white metal (C.1867/1); and b) USA silver dollar 1883S.
6) Wreck of the Dunbar, a 15 page booklet plus photographs and maps published in 1857.
7) The Wreck of the Dunbar, another 3 page booklet, no publication date, signed on front cover by Rev J. G. Rees.
8) Other research and photos.

Important Note: The Wood Dunbar Collection is recorded under Permit No. 100547 for Possession of Protected Underwater Cultural Heritage in accordance with Australian Government legislation. The conditions are:
(a) That this permit authorises the permit holder to be in possession, custody or control of the underwater cultural heritage listed in schedule 1, providing possession has been lawfully obtained and is in accordance with the requirements of the Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018 and Underwater Cultural Heritage Rules 2018.
(b) That the permit holder may transfer by way of sale, exchange, gift, lease, loan hire or hire-purchase (the supply) the underwater cultural heritage listed in schedule 1 to another person, providing the supply is in accordance with the conditions of this permit and all other requirements of the Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018 and Underwater Cultural Heritage Rules 2018.
(c) That this permit must accompany the underwater cultural heritage listed in schedule 1.
(d) That the underwater cultural heritage listed in schedule 1 is not removed from Australia and is not supplied to a person located outside Australian jurisdiction.
(e) That if a person advertises for sale (including for auction) the underwater cultural heritage listed in schedule 1, the unique number of this permit must be included in the advertisement.
(f) That if the permit holder (the transferor) transfers this permit and the underwater cultural heritage listed in schedule 1 to another person, the transferor must provide notification of this fact in the approved form within 14 days after the transfer.
(g) That if a person receives this permit (the transferee), the transferee must provide notification of their possession of the underwater cultural heritage listed in schedule 1 in the approved form within 14 days after the transfer.
(h) That the permit holder must provide the underwater cultural heritage listed in schedule 1 with appropriate storage, protection and conservation to ensure its continued preservation.
(i) That a copy of any existing notices issued under Section 39 of the Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018, requiring actions to be taken regarding the storage, handling, preservation or access to the underwater cultural heritage listed in schedule 1, are forwarded to the person receiving possession.
(j) That this permit does not transfer or diminish any legal title, rights or privileges the Commonwealth of Australia has over the underwater cultural heritage listed in schedule 1.
(k) That the underwater cultural heritage listed in schedule 1 must be maintained as a single collection and this collection may not be broken up or dispersed.

The Dunbar was a timber three-masted full-rigged ship built from British oak and East India teak with copper fastening throughout and was 61.5 metres long, 11 metres wide and 6.9 metres in depth. It was built by James Laing & Sons of Deptford Yard in Sunderland, England and was launched on 30 November 1854 for London shipowner, Duncan Dunbar to be used as a first class passenger and cargo carrier. It was initially used as a troop ship in the Crimean War and then reverted to a passenger and cargo vessel for travel to Australia, particularly as demand was high for travel to Australia due to the gold rush.

On the night of 20 August 1857 as the ship approached the entrance to Port Jackson from the south in heavy rain and a strong gale it appears that the ship's captain, James Green, believed he had already passed the headland or else mistakenly believed that a small break in the coastline known as The Gap was the entry to the port. Subsequently he steered the ship onto the rocks at South Head and it rapidly broke up with only one crewman, Able Seaman James Johnson, surviving from the 59 crew and 63 passengers on board. Wreckage and bodies filled the harbour. The remains of victims were recovered and a mass burial was held at St Stephens Cemetery in Newtown with several victims having individual monuments. Memorial services for the victims of the Dunbar sinking are held annually at St Stephens Church.

The sinking of the Dunbar ranks as one of Australia's worst maritime disasters. The location of the wreck beneath the South Head cliffs near the Signal Station is now a heritage site at Watson's Bay with a rock cut inscription on the flat sandstone cliff top above the actual wreck site together with a large iron anchor recovered from the wreck site in 1910.