RELATIVES of Ned Kelly successfully bid $55,000 for an image of the bushranger because “it was the right thing to do as a family”.
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The 1874 photograph of Kelly in a boxing pose was predicted to sell for $20,000 to $30,000 at auction but a fierce contest between the outlaw’s family and a North East consortium saw it knocked down for $55,000.
Kelly’s great grand niece Joanne Griffiths said: “We didn’t want to go quite that high, but it had to be done.
“It was definitely more than we expected, but we couldn’t not have it, it was the right thing to do as a family.
“It’s an important piece of Australian history and cultural heritage but to us it’s our own personal heritage.”
Ms Griffiths plans to display the photograph at a complex showcasing the outlaw’s life and times.
“Our focus is on getting a dedicated Ned Kelly Centre going in Glenrowan, so this will be part of the collection and we’ll take it home to where it belongs,” she said.
Ms Griffiths said a deal had been done earlier this year for land on the road to Greta, south of the Hume Freeway, to house the centre which would be 1200 steps from the Kelly Gang siege site.
Ned Kelly Centre Ltd has been established as a registered charity, with donations being sought via a web page.
“Our focus was to be ready for the 140th anniversary (of Kelly’s death) but as each month goes by that will be that much harder,” Ms Griffiths said.
“We’re hoping that people out there that believe in Australian history will put their hands in their pockets and help us out.”
The consortium bidding against the Kelly family included Ms Griffiths’ former Wangaratta lawyer John Suta.
If it had been successful the photograph would have been housed at the Ned Kelly Vault at Beechworth.
Mr Suta said the image had sold for “over the odds”.
“Congratulations to her, it’s going to stay in Victoria, which is good, we just don’t want it to go overseas so that’s good, but I am disappointed,” Mr Suta said.
Ned Kelly Vault founder Matt Shore said the price paid was a record for a Kelly photograph.
“I just hope it will be treated with proper curatorial care because it is very fragile,” Mr Shore said.
“I hope they build the museum for it go in.”
Ms Griffiths should take possession of the photograph on Tuesday, having seen it in person for the first time last Wednesday, a day before it was auctioned in Melbourne by the firm Leonard Joel.
Bidding started at $16,000 and rose in $1000 and $500 increments before a $2500 jump at $42,500 and $1000 rises from $47,000 to the sale.
The family also bought a photograph of gang member Dan Kelly for around $5000.
