b"5I was born a year later, in 1969, and famously, my firstand craftspeople. She also focussed heavily on Australian destination out of Royal North Shore Hospital was thepotters and was passionate in supporting emerging Lyndsay Antique Fair; mum and dad were definitely notceramicists. It was not unusual for my parents to attend going to miss out on that! This event continued to benumerous exhibitions each week. They wanted to support something they visited annually, a regular opportunity forand encourage the work of up-and-coming creatives, them to catch up with dealer friends and experts and buildas well as more established craftspeople, and enjoyed their growing collections. My brother Andrew came alongpurchasing items to add to their extensive collections. in 1971, but sadly, our family experienced a devastatingThey delighted in the creative jumble they lived in, with loss when he died through suicide in 2007. While thisdiverse colours, shapes, eras and materials to be seen in was a difficult time for them, I know that my parentsevery direction. Definitely not for everyone, but for my mum connection to the antique and arts community in Sydney,and dad, a wonderful record of a passionate collecting life.and their love of art and antiques and passion for collecting,I am delighted that Leski Auctions agreed to take on helped to sustain them during this hard time. the mammoth task of cataloguing and organising these It was natural for dad, as a Guernsey man, to focus hiscollections. Thank you also to Allan Landis, a dear collecting on British and Channel Islands silver. Overrespected friend of my mother and father, for wisely decades, he has built up one of the most extensivesetting up this connection, as their lifes work is certainly Channel Islands silver collections in private hands, with adeserving of the great care and respect that the Leski team bias towards the work of Guernsey silversmiths. He alsohave demonstrated. As these objects of beauty now begin enjoyed collecting Antique English ceramics and porcelain.their journey to new custodians, I hope those of you who He was the president of the Ceramic Collectors Societypurchase something from their collections receive as much and they are still both Patrons of this society and lifetimejoy from them as my parents did.members of the Australiana Society. Louise Kissane, Mums focus broadened and began to move towardsSydney, February 2024collecting Australian furniture, ceramics, jewellery and pottery. She and my father felt great respect for our Australian First Nation's people and mum demonstrated her respect of this traditional earth honouring culture through her collections and connections to indigenous artists, supporting them and galleries such as Cooee, who showcased and dealt fairly with many indigenous artists"