Adelaide Ethnographic Auction Oct 27
Published October 24th, 2008
There has been another remarkable find of great historical importance in South Australia. Following the exciting discovery in 2001 of the Burke and Wills breastplate awarded to the Cooper’s Creek aborigines, two Adelaide brothers recalled that their Great Uncle had bequeathed them an identical breastplate on his death in 1963. But where was it? They hunted high and low before finding it at the bottom of an old box, underneath a photograph album compiled by their uncle, Mounted Constable James de Pury. De Pury was a fine photographer who sold prints to the Adelaide press in the 1920s, when he was based at Innamincka.
The breastplate was one of three commissioned by the Burke and Wills Exploration Committee in 1861. Each brass “medal” was inscribed “Presented to (blank) by the Exploration Committee of Victoria for the Humanity shown to the explorers Burke, Wills and King. 1861.” This award is one of the first occasions in Australian history which recognises that a debt existed to indigenous people. Without their assistance, John King would have died.
The breastplate, photographs and aboriginal artefacts represent a unique link with a vanished way of life, both European and aboriginal. They will be offered for sale at Bonhams & Goodman’s Ethnographic Auction in Adelaide on Monday 27th October,2008.
Permission for the sale of the items has not yet been received from the office of the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation but the sale is anticipated to proceed without complication given the precedent set in May 2008 when a companion breast plate was sold by Bonhams & Goodman for $216,000, including buyer’s premium.
Auction info www.bonhamsandgoodman.com.au
