Perth's ‘most significant' auction unveils new WA treasures

Perth Now

09-07-2025

Artefacts of WA's early history owned by a renowned Peppermint Grove couple will go under the hammer in an auction hailed as the most significant of its kind.
From maps and paintings to Colonial-period WA furniture, David and Marie Louise Wordsworth's collection will all be on the market this Sunday.
The collection is led by a striking portrait of the first Governor of WA, Sir James Stirling, which has never been available for public viewing in Australia until now.
A diary by explorer John Eyre, who was the first European to traverse the coastline of the Great Australian Bight and the Nullarbor Plain by land in 1840–1841, along with artefacts owned by WA's first premier John Forrest and his explorer brother Alexander, are also up for grabs.
The couple's daughter Sara Wordsworth, who has helped collate the collection of some 800 lots for auction, said it was 'the right time' to let go of their family's most valuable treasures in a bid to help keep WA's history alive. Perth Now. Sara Wordsworth, the daughter of former Court government minister David Wordsworth, with some of the artwork from his collection that will be auctioned off this weekend. Jackson Flindell Credit: Jackson Flindell / Jackson Flindell / The West Aust
'We want to pass the baton of conservation of WA history on, and we want WA to be able to be proud of its history,' she said.
David Wordsworth — who died last year — was an MP in Charles Court's government.
Born in Kashmir in 1930, he grew up in Tasmania before bringing his family to WA in 1961, where they pursued pastoral interests in Esperance.
He had a distinguished political career, including serving as a State Government minister during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Ms Wordsworth said her parents, particularly her mother, were passionate historians. Auction for Collection of David and Marie Louise Wordsworth - Lot 195 - A very impressive and fabulously carved walnut hall seat of grand proportions, English circa 1860-1880 - $2,000-4,000 Unknown Credit: Unknown / Supplied
'My mum has always been really passionate and interested in WA history,' she said.
'So all her life she's collected early furniture and documents that she's thought are important to the State and that should be kept for the future, for posterity.'
The family sold their home in Peppermint Grove after Mr Wordsworth died, leaving all of the artefacts they had amassed through a lifetime without a real home.
'I was faced with a question of what to do with all these wonderful things. And so that's really why we're having this auction,' his daughter said.
'I'm hoping that those West Australians, who will value the history of the State, will purchase them and we can hand on the baton, so to speak.' Auction for Collection of David and Marie Louise Wordsworth - Lot 8 - Alexander Forrest's Octant. An Historical glass-cased Octant labelled 'Owned and Used by Alexander Forrest' Further inscribed Alexander Forrest 1849 to 1901, Often used for his Expeditions in Western Australia - $1,000-1,500 Unknown Credit: Unknown / Supplied
The auction is estimated to fetch more than $50,000 and is likely to attract strong interest from collectors around Australia, as well as public institutions.
But for Ms Wordsworth, it marks a significant chapter for her family in letting go of some of their most sacred antiques to help bring more tangible history back to the State.
'When we go overseas, we go to museums to see the history of their countries. It's important that we acknowledge what we've got here too. It might not be as old, but it's still as important,' she said.
'So we want to pass the baton on to others to help carry this history forward for all Australians.'