Introducing our Team – Amelia Scott
In the next of our team blogs, we’re delighted to introduce Amelia Scott, our Head of European & Asian Decorative Arts. Amelia joined Theodore Bruce Auctioneers over five years ago, having already worked with some of Sydney’s leading galleries and auction houses. She specialises in presenting outstanding and unique collections of the rare and the beautiful.
A Background in Art & Antiques
Majoring in photography, Amelia completed a Fine Arts Degree at COFA (now UNSW Art & Design), before becoming active in the Sydney art and auction worlds.
“I initially interned with Boomali (the long-running Aboriginal Artists Co-op & Gallery), then worked with Diana Palmer at Palmer Art Projects, and Carriageworks. From there, I joined Sotheby’s Australia.”
Whilst at Sotheby’s, Amelia was involved with many memorable auctions – including the John Shaeffer Estate Collection, the Hans & Gertrud Mueller Collection of Lalique Glass, and the high-profile Russell Crowe The Art of Divorce auction.
“I always had a strong interest in art and antiques. When I was young, my parents dragged me to auction centres around Sydney, and I discovered a love of the curious, eclectic and interesting. I became passionate about vintage cameras after studying photography and I was able to build on my knowledge of decorative arts and antiques while working at Sotheby’s.”
After Sotheby’s, Amelia came on board with Theodore Bruce Auctioneers as our Front of House Manager. With her experience in cataloguing and across diverse auctions, she was soon promoted to our Decorative Arts department, before also embracing Asian Arts.
Moving into Asian Decorative Arts
After five years managing our Decorative Arts auctions, Amelia was given the opportunity to oversee our Asian Decorative Arts department after the departure of a colleague.
“I have a sound knowledge of decorative arts and antiques, but I realised after a few years that I wanted to specialise in Asian objects. My major focus is Chinese porcelain and in particular, Ming and Sung Dynasty porcelain.”
As our Asian Arts specialist, Amelia has worked with some outstanding collections – including the Dr John Yu AC Collection, which Theodore Bruce has presented over a series of auctions since 2023.
“I’ve had the privilege to work with Dr John Yu, cataloguing and showcasing his wonderful pieces. There’s an amazing array spanning important Sung Dynasty kiln pieces, Japanese bronzes and coins, as well as textiles including rare Sonkats and Ikats from Indonesia and Southeast Asia. I’ve developed a new appreciation for antique textiles and many of those objects.”
In addition to The Dr John Yu Collection, other favourites have included An Impressive Single Collection of South East Asian & Chinese Pottery – “it’s amazing to handle pottery that had been under the sea for centuries” – The Kumar Collection, a single vendor collection of Chinese and Southeast Asia antiquities, and A Private Collection of Antique Snuff Bottles, acquired by a couple after years of travelling through Asia.
“I get so much enjoyment from going through a new collection, cataloguing and researching pieces like the snuff bottles in jade or stone. Getting to know and understand porcelain glazes and the types of kilns has been fascinating, and I find the symbolism in Chinese objects so interesting. Every symbol has a meaning. The gourd is really important, a pomegranate means luck, and the double fish signifies eternal love. Longevity, prosperity, good fortune, all correspond to specific motifs.”
Pictured: A Chinese Ding Ware Bowl Depicting Central Incised Floral Sprays with Transparent Glaze, 12th Century from the Dr John Yu AC Collection
Collecting the Rare & Beautiful
Like many of the Theodore Bruce team, Amelia collects, and she has found some interesting and rare objects over the years.
“I mainly collect antique Chinese and southeast Asian porcelain. The first piece I ever bought was a Pomegranate Chinese vase that I came across at Rozelle Markets. It was gorgeous, shaped like a pomegranate and with a beautiful oxblood glaze. That really got me interested in glazes and Chinese stoneware.”
“I live in a small apartment” she adds, “so I enjoy collecting small Sung and Ming jarlets and porcelain pieces.”
Some of her favourite Theodore Bruce buys include a beautiful Sawankhalok Kilns Porcelain Mangosteen Lidded Box dating to the 14-15th Century (pictured), and three Ming Dynasty Blue & White Jarlets with Chrysanthemum & Scroll Motifs.”
From art glass to antique furniture, there have been other eclectic finds – including a Sky Blue Glazed Bottle Vase, an Italian Marquetry Triangular Music Table and a Ben Edols Blue and Lime Green Candy Striped Art Glass Jug from 2010.
Anything she has missed out on? “Yes, many pieces. One in particular was a little Celadon Dish with Twin Fish from The Dr John Yu Collection. It was so lovely.”
Discovering the World at Auction
Working in an auction house provides our team with the chance to meet wonderful collectors and work with fascinating collections.
For Amelia, one of the most memorable was A Private Collection of Antique Snuff Bottles. “That collection was incredible. It was one of those auctions that didn’t have many lots, but it had fantastic pieces.”
“There was one item in particular that blew me away – an Antique Chinese Celadon Jade Snuff Bottle with Carved Russet Sakura Relief & Coral Stopper. It drew incredible bidding, selling thousands above the estimate, for A$4,800.”
“The materiality of that piece gave me a whole new appreciation for Chinese jade, and the subjective nature of value when several buyers fall in love with a piece.”
There’s another reason that Amelia loves working with rare and antique items.
“I always had a passion for old, beautifully made things such as antique timber furniture. It’s not particularly popular at the moment and you can find antique pieces at auction for very low prices. I have a huge respect for these pieces. We just don’t make them like that anymore, and they deserve to be maintained.”
“From a young age, it was very apparent that looking after old things is so important.”
Pictured: An Antique Chinese Set of Hornbill Snuff Bottles Depicting the Eight Taoist Immortals, Qing Dynasty
Theodore Bruce Auctioneers offers regular auctions in Decorative Arts and Asian Decorative Arts. We also have a new regular auction – The Fine Monthly Collection – featuring beautiful Asian objects, decorative arts, antique furniture, toys and collectables.
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