Hundreds of items, collected by the Tattersalls gambling fortune heir, will be for sale in what has been labelled the biggest estate auction in Canberra's history.
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Vincent John Adams Flynn, more commonly known as Dr John Flynn, died in 2016 leaving his large collection of collectible cars and antiques behind.
Shortly after his death, the collection of more than 160 classic Rover cars and classic American cars from the mid-1920s onwards were auctioned off in Queanbeyan.
This month, up to 500 pieces of furniture from Dr Flynn's collection will be sold, with all proceeds raised to go to charity.
Rob Evans of Allbids.com.au, who is running the auction, said much of Dr Flynn's estate remained in storage. The collection was so big, it needed to be auctioned off in groups.
"We were approached by the executor of Dr Flynn’s estate about our abilities to sell off the non-real estate assets and over the past six months have been selling parts of the collection that was in storage units around Canberra," Mr Evans said.
"Most of the assets from this sale were kept in Westridge House in Yarralumla, which has only recently been sold and the antiques and collectibles moved to our premises."
Westridge House in Yarralumla was sold to a mystery buyer in December last year, but only settled this month.
Items in the auction include a Pleyel piano, longcase clocks, a collection of antique British and Australian furniture including chairs and sofas, chests, bookcases and cabinets, tables, and mirrors.
"He clearly had a great love for early British and Australian antiques and was often seen buying pieces locally as well as bringing in numerous pieces from his travels," Mr Evans said.
"He was a great lover of the arts, academia and history."
Mr Evans said he would conduct rolling auctions, starting this week, where bids close every Thursday for a month.
Chairs and sofas are for sale in the first auction, followed in later weeks by bureaus, chests, bookshelves, cabinets, tables, clocks and other items.
Mr Evans said buyers had already walked away with $250,000 of Dr Flynn's possessions, with low-digit number plates totalling $100,000. He expected the auctions would raise about $1 million.
Charities and organsiations receiving the proceeds include Jesuit Mission Australia, the National Trust of Australia NSW, St Ignatius College, Riverview, St Aloysius College, Milsons Point, Kincoppal-Rose Bay, and School of the Sacred Heart.
