The album of Barossa views (lot 17) – including Jacob’s Creek, which gave its name to one of Australia’s best-known wine brands – is by the Reverend David Sells, an Anglican priest sent to Lyndoch, South Australia, in January 1877.
The Creek is pictured in flood, as a roaring torrent in a rocky landscape, at a time when few vineyards were established in the area.
Other topographical views are in and around Adelaide and scenes on the SS Somersetshire, the vessel that brought the Rev. Sells to Australia.
He took up his post at Holy Trinity Church in Lyndoch, which was settled in 1839 and is one of the oldest towns in the state.
The head of Bonhams Travel and Exploration Pictures department, Giles Peppiatt, says it is remarkable to see these early images of such a well known area in Australia as well as such an iconic name and brand as Jacob’s Creek, painted 131 years ago.
He says the album remained in the collection of the artist and came by descent to the current vendor.
He says another album of sketches by Sells, a capable artist, is in the collection of the State Library of South Australia.
The album carries a presale estimate of 40,000 to 60,000 pounds.
Other works of Australian interest are scenes of the Dumaresq estate at Muswellbrook, NSW, an 1800 sketch of Mr Slaney’s house on Norfolk Island, and works by Nicholas Chevalier, Charles David Bryant and William Rubery Bennett.
