Saved at the last minute from a skip, a collection of Aboriginal weapons drew worldwide interest at Martel Maides’ (17.5% buyer’s premium) St Peter Port sale on June 26.

Extracted from Antiques Trade Gazette | Terence Ryle

Catalogued as probably 19th century, they included a 3ft (91cm) long decorated parrying shield and a 2ft 7in (80cm) long hardwood club incised with lightning strikes alongside a large 3ft (91.5cm) long boomerang and a hardwood oar with one end chiselled as a paddler.

With very good aged patina, they attracted sufficient interest to make the £200-300 estimate at the Guernsey auction irrelevant and sold to an Australian collector at £10,500.