CHARLES LESKI AUCTIONS PTY. LTD.
13 Cato Street, Hawthorn East 3123, Victoria, Australia
Telephone: 61-3-9864-9999
Facsimile:
61-3-9822-2788
Email: contact@leski.com.au
A.B.N.13 081 928 921
Media Release
October
20th, 2008
FIRST-EVER AUCTION OF OLYMPIC DOUBLE GOLD MEDALS
Ian Browne’s Gold Medals
They were the toast of the 1956 Australian Olympics after unexpectedly winning gold in the 2000m Tandem
cycling event. After 50 years of enduring mateship they are offering their gold medals, and selected Olympic
and sporting memorabilia, for sale in what is believed to be a world first.
Tony Marchant’s Gold Medals
Ian ‘Joey’ Browne and Tony ‘Tippy’ Marchant were both brilliant if unconventional sportsmen who teamed
up in the months before the Olympics. They were eliminated after losing their first two races but earned a
reprieve when the Soviet Union pair were hospitalised following a crash. The success that followed was
unexpected, mostly by them!
CHARLES LESKI AUCTIONS PTY. LTD.
13 Cato Street, Hawthorn East 3123, Victoria, Australia
Telephone: 61-3-9864-9999
Facsimile:
61-3-9822-2788
Email: contact@leski.com.au
A.B.N.13 081 928 921
Among the lots for sale are Olympic participation medals, Commonwealth Games memorabilia, and various
items of clothing.
The dual Olympic gold medals are being offered for sale by Leski Auctions on Thursday, November 6th at
5.30pm. Each gold medal has a pre-sale estimate of $40,000 - $50,000.
“This is an inspiring story of two friends who effectively made a pact to sell their significant collection of
Olympic and sporting memorabilia,” says Charles Leski. “This is Australian mateship writ large.”
NB: Both Browne and Marchant in a rare show of solidarity are putting up a total of 62 lots with a
pre-sale estimate of between $120,000 and $150,000. Their tandem bike from the 1956 Melbourne
Olympics is on permanent display at the National Sports Museum, Melbourne. Both men are
available for interview (please contact Leski Auctions, details below).
About Leski Auctions
Leski Auctions was established in 1973 and is one of Australia’s leading auctioneers of Sporting Memorabilia,
Australiana, Collectibles and World Philately.
Leski Auctions is a recognised leader in the area of early photography, art, wine, cameras, books, autographs,
entertainment memorabilia, medals, coins, stamps, aerophilately, cigarette and trade cards, maps, railway
memorabilia, advertising artwork and posters, and the Olympics, football and cricket..
It was the first auction house in Australia to introduce an on-line, real-time bidding system ‘Live Bid Online’™,
which allows participation from anywhere in the world. It currently runs 22 auctions per year.
Leski Auctions has previously sold many significant collections, including those of Shirley Strickland, Ron Clarke,
Sir Reginald Ansett and former RSL President, Bruce Ruxton. It has sold more ‘baggy green’ caps than any other
auction house in the world, and is one of the largest auctioneers of cricket memorabilia by value and volume.
Leski Auctions recently sold the newly-discovered Phar Lap horse tonic recipe book. It recently achieved a world
record price for a Bradman bat.
Managing Director Charles Leski is a registered valuer for the Cultural Gifts Program through the Department of
Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. He is also the valuer of the displayed items at the National Sports
Museum at the MCG, Melbourne.
The company is located at 13 Cato Street, Hawthorn East 3123 Australia. Telephone +61-3-864 9999 and
Issued by:
Charles Leski, Leski Auctions
Michael Krape, Michael Krape Consulting
Tel: 61-3-9864 9999
Tel: 0403 135 880
charles@leski.com.au
michaelkrape@krape.com.au
NEWS 
