The J. and J. Altmann Collection of Australian Silver

Like many great private collections, The J. and J. Altmann Collection of Australian Silver had very humble beginnings. Eighteen years ago, during a prolonged visit to England, Mr and Mrs Altmann’s attention was drawn to the electroplate-mounted emu egg watch-stands, inkstands and trophies which at that time were to be found in considerable numbers in London markets and second-hand shops. In the process of assembling a small collection of these curiosities the Altmanns became aware of a much rarer and more interesting class of objects: hollowware, flatware, trophies, presentation pieces, etc. made of or mounted in Australian silver. No literature existed on the subject (it was not until 1969 that Kurt Albrecht’s Nineteenth Century Australian Gold and Silver was published), and it appeared to the Altmanns that they were alone in their interest and enthusiasm. Great excitement accompanied their discoveries of objects with Australian hallmarks, inscriptions or subject matter in the long-discarded backroom stocks of London dealers, and, piece by piece, an intriguing picture of the silversmith’s craft in colonial Australia emerged.

In about 1966 the Altmanns’ attention turned to the Australian market, and many important works were acquired from dealers, auction houses and private vendors in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. In 1972 the collection, which had now assumed impressive proportions, was given a great impetus by the acquisition of twenty-two outstanding pieces from the Sydney gallery owner Barry Stern. Fine works continued to be secured but by the later 1970s it had become apparent that the market was drying up. At this stage, in 1979, the Altmanns decided to withdraw from the field and present their collection through The Art Foundation of Victoria to the National Gallery of Victoria. The first instalment of the collection came to the Gallery in April, 1979, with the second and third instalments in September, 1979 and May, 1981 respectively. The remaining part of the collection is expected to be handed over within the next few years.

Sourced from: Judith O’Callaghan and Terrance Lane, The J and J Altmann Collection of Australian Silver, National Gallery of Victoria, 1981.