Welcome to Smalls Auctions Sale 325. It is said that “a picture is worth a thousand words”, and this is amply demonstrated by three lots in this week's sale. The first is a photograph of The Beatles, the iconic Liverpudlian band that stormed the world’s stages in the mid-1960s. Ken Brodziak, a canny Australian promoter, signed them up for a pittance for an Australian tour before they hit the big time in the U.S. Their manager, Brian Epstein, being a man of his word, held them to the contract. The original owner of this signed fan photo was a waiter at the Lennons Hotel, Brisbane, where The Beatles stayed during the Queensland leg of their Australian tour. It captures a simpler time in history when pop culture changed the world and The Beatles were at the centre of the rock ’n’ roll universe. We also have on offer two signed large-format photographs of astronaut Buzz Aldrin on the surface of the Moon. Aldrin was the second man to set foot on the Moon and was captured by Neil Armstrong descending the steps of the Eagle, the lunar landing module. The second photo is the famous 'Visor Shot', with cameraman Neil Armstrong’s reflection clearly seen in Aldrin’s visor. This is the only photograph of Armstrong on the Moon. In our jewellery section, we have assembled a selection of organic materials—such as coral, amber, shell, and pearls—set to great effect in silver and gold. We hope there is something here that brings you closer to nature.

Welcome to Smalls Auctions Sale 326. As we watch the unfolding disaster in Gaza, it’s also important to reflect on the injustices committed closer to home—reminders of humanity’s long history of inhumanity. This week, we present ten haunting first-generation photographs of watercolours by Thomas Bock, commissioned by George Robinson in the 1830s to depict the last surviving full-blood Tasmanian Aborigines after their forced relocation to Flinders Island—an act cloaked as protection but marked by devastating consequences. Also featured is a rare Aboriginal King Plate, a relic of colonial attempts to impose European social structures on Aboriginal communities, now viewed by many as symbols of cultural disrespect. These powerful pieces serve as sobering reminders of Australia’s complex and often painful past. Complementing these are over a hundred newly issued coins, many struck in fine silver or gold, commemorating significant historical milestones and offering both numismatic and investment appeal.