Latest news with #TheodoreBruceAuctioneers
The Advertiser
6 days ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
Watches, laptops and an air fryer: airport auctions lost and found treasures
An airport's lost property collection is going under the hammer as hundreds of headphones, watches, handbags and laptops are auctioned for a good cause. Thousands of personal items were lost at Sydney Airport as more than 41 million travellers passed through the NSW transport hub in 2024. Sydney Airport has a dedicated lost property team, but anything that cannot be reunited with its owner is sold at auction to benefit young swimmers in the city's inner west. This year's auction includes 250 laptops, 200 earbuds and headphones, 60 Kindles, 100 pairs of sunglasses, 250 pieces of jewellery and watches, 250 pieces of clothing and 80 handbags and wallets. But there were also some more unexpected items in the haul. A vacuum cleaner, a frying pan, an air fryer, a coffee machine, two pairs of binoculars, the Lord of the Rings book collection, a violin and an electric keyboard will also be auctioned. The auction will be run online by Theodore Bruce Auctioneers, with bids coming from around the country. The proceeds go towards free swimming lessons for Sydney families at risk of not participating in learn-to-swim or other dedicated water safety programs. "This auction is more than just a chance to score a great find, it's about giving back to our local community," Sydney Airport corporate affairs general manager Josh Clements said. "Together, the Inner West Aquatics team and Sydney Airport are committed to improving water safety, promoting health and wellbeing, giving more of our local children the chance to learn to swim," he said. "We've kicked this fund off with a $100,000 donation and hope the Lost Property Auction will help triple that amount. "For every $25 raised, another child gets a free swimming lesson, equipping them with life-saving skills and confidence in the water, right here in the communities around the airport." More than $1.9 million has been raised for charities and community initiatives through Sydney Airport's Lost Property Auctions since 2013, the airport said. The auction closes between June 9 and 12. An airport's lost property collection is going under the hammer as hundreds of headphones, watches, handbags and laptops are auctioned for a good cause. Thousands of personal items were lost at Sydney Airport as more than 41 million travellers passed through the NSW transport hub in 2024. Sydney Airport has a dedicated lost property team, but anything that cannot be reunited with its owner is sold at auction to benefit young swimmers in the city's inner west. This year's auction includes 250 laptops, 200 earbuds and headphones, 60 Kindles, 100 pairs of sunglasses, 250 pieces of jewellery and watches, 250 pieces of clothing and 80 handbags and wallets. But there were also some more unexpected items in the haul. A vacuum cleaner, a frying pan, an air fryer, a coffee machine, two pairs of binoculars, the Lord of the Rings book collection, a violin and an electric keyboard will also be auctioned. The auction will be run online by Theodore Bruce Auctioneers, with bids coming from around the country. The proceeds go towards free swimming lessons for Sydney families at risk of not participating in learn-to-swim or other dedicated water safety programs. "This auction is more than just a chance to score a great find, it's about giving back to our local community," Sydney Airport corporate affairs general manager Josh Clements said. "Together, the Inner West Aquatics team and Sydney Airport are committed to improving water safety, promoting health and wellbeing, giving more of our local children the chance to learn to swim," he said. "We've kicked this fund off with a $100,000 donation and hope the Lost Property Auction will help triple that amount. "For every $25 raised, another child gets a free swimming lesson, equipping them with life-saving skills and confidence in the water, right here in the communities around the airport." More than $1.9 million has been raised for charities and community initiatives through Sydney Airport's Lost Property Auctions since 2013, the airport said. The auction closes between June 9 and 12. An airport's lost property collection is going under the hammer as hundreds of headphones, watches, handbags and laptops are auctioned for a good cause. Thousands of personal items were lost at Sydney Airport as more than 41 million travellers passed through the NSW transport hub in 2024. Sydney Airport has a dedicated lost property team, but anything that cannot be reunited with its owner is sold at auction to benefit young swimmers in the city's inner west. This year's auction includes 250 laptops, 200 earbuds and headphones, 60 Kindles, 100 pairs of sunglasses, 250 pieces of jewellery and watches, 250 pieces of clothing and 80 handbags and wallets. But there were also some more unexpected items in the haul. A vacuum cleaner, a frying pan, an air fryer, a coffee machine, two pairs of binoculars, the Lord of the Rings book collection, a violin and an electric keyboard will also be auctioned. The auction will be run online by Theodore Bruce Auctioneers, with bids coming from around the country. The proceeds go towards free swimming lessons for Sydney families at risk of not participating in learn-to-swim or other dedicated water safety programs. "This auction is more than just a chance to score a great find, it's about giving back to our local community," Sydney Airport corporate affairs general manager Josh Clements said. "Together, the Inner West Aquatics team and Sydney Airport are committed to improving water safety, promoting health and wellbeing, giving more of our local children the chance to learn to swim," he said. "We've kicked this fund off with a $100,000 donation and hope the Lost Property Auction will help triple that amount. "For every $25 raised, another child gets a free swimming lesson, equipping them with life-saving skills and confidence in the water, right here in the communities around the airport." More than $1.9 million has been raised for charities and community initiatives through Sydney Airport's Lost Property Auctions since 2013, the airport said. The auction closes between June 9 and 12. An airport's lost property collection is going under the hammer as hundreds of headphones, watches, handbags and laptops are auctioned for a good cause. Thousands of personal items were lost at Sydney Airport as more than 41 million travellers passed through the NSW transport hub in 2024. Sydney Airport has a dedicated lost property team, but anything that cannot be reunited with its owner is sold at auction to benefit young swimmers in the city's inner west. This year's auction includes 250 laptops, 200 earbuds and headphones, 60 Kindles, 100 pairs of sunglasses, 250 pieces of jewellery and watches, 250 pieces of clothing and 80 handbags and wallets. But there were also some more unexpected items in the haul. A vacuum cleaner, a frying pan, an air fryer, a coffee machine, two pairs of binoculars, the Lord of the Rings book collection, a violin and an electric keyboard will also be auctioned. The auction will be run online by Theodore Bruce Auctioneers, with bids coming from around the country. The proceeds go towards free swimming lessons for Sydney families at risk of not participating in learn-to-swim or other dedicated water safety programs. "This auction is more than just a chance to score a great find, it's about giving back to our local community," Sydney Airport corporate affairs general manager Josh Clements said. "Together, the Inner West Aquatics team and Sydney Airport are committed to improving water safety, promoting health and wellbeing, giving more of our local children the chance to learn to swim," he said. "We've kicked this fund off with a $100,000 donation and hope the Lost Property Auction will help triple that amount. "For every $25 raised, another child gets a free swimming lesson, equipping them with life-saving skills and confidence in the water, right here in the communities around the airport." More than $1.9 million has been raised for charities and community initiatives through Sydney Airport's Lost Property Auctions since 2013, the airport said. The auction closes between June 9 and 12.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
From gold bangles to belts, the bizarre items on auction at Sydney Airport
Sydney Airport's annual lost property auction kicked off this Monday, offering an eclectic mix of forgotten items—from luxury jewellery to household appliances—all starting at just $10. Within hours, some bids soared to nearly $1,000. Roughly 2,000 unclaimed items are up for grabs this year, with proceeds going to a charity initiative funding swimming lessons for local children. The auction is run by Theodore Bruce Auctioneers and has already raised more than $1.9 million since 2013. Items range from the mundane to the truly bizarre: over 250 laptops, 200 headphones, designer belts, unopened perfumes, bottles of duty-free liquor, a CPAP machine, and even an Electrolux vacuum cleaner. One item labeled a 'Hooverboard' (possibly a hoverboard) also made the list—likely left behind due to airline bans. Tech gear is in high demand, with unopened AirPods and bundles of used headphones drawing attention. But it's the jewellery that's creating a bidding frenzy: one 18-carat gold bracelet attracted 19 bidders and quickly reached $600. A black Gucci bag climbed to $320 after just a few hours. According to the Yale Budget Lab, items are sourced from more than 40 million passengers passing through the airport annually. While over 7,000 items were successfully returned to their owners last year, others—like a circular saw or a sun lounge—remained unclaimed. Live Events And yes, some 'personal pleasure items' also make it into the mix, with staff noting at least one suitcase packed entirely with such belongings. 'This auction is more than just a chance to score a great find, it's about giving back to our local community,' the airport's corporate affairs general manager, Josh Clements was quoted as saying by The Guardian. The auction not only offers potential bargains but also a quirky glimpse into the curious habits—and forgetfulness—of travelers. And for those living under the airport's flight path, there's a good chance the auction's proceeds will soon make a splash at their local pool.
7NEWS
7 days ago
- 7NEWS
Sydney Airport's lost property auction includes tech gadgets, perfume, surfboards and Lego sets
Thousands of items have been left behind by travellers passing through Sydney Airport this year. From duty-free booze and frequently forgotten items like laptops and cameras, to more bizarre items such an electric keyboard and The Lord of the Rings book collection — all are up for auction, with bidding to start at $10. In the last year, travellers lost about 7000 items in the airport, and while about 5000 of those items were reunited with their owners, a huge collection was sent to Theodore Bruce Auctioneers for auction. The jewellery category is worth exploring for any travellers who have lost sentimental pieces — a number of the lost gold and diamond-studded rings are engraved with names, dates and initials. Bidding is currently open, and is set to close next week. The annual auction supports a different charity each year, with this year's funds going towards free swimming lessons and water safety programs in Sydney. For every $25 raised, a child will get access to a swimming lesson. 'Swimming is a vital life skill, but our research shows nearly half of Year 6 students in Australia can't swim 50m, and one in 10 children aged five to 14 have never had a swimming lesson,' Royal Life Saving Society Health Promotions Manager Louise Smalley said. Theodore Bruce Auctioneers Director Casi Prischl said the airport auction was one of their most-loved events. 'People from all over Australia log in to bid, not just for the bargains, but because it supports something meaningful,' Prischl said. Sydney Airport is also donating $100,000 to kick-start the initiative, which equates to 4000 free swimming lessons 'to children who might otherwise miss out', the airport said. 'In addition to swimming lessons for children, future programs aim to include adult learn to swim and water safety programs as well as broader community-based water safety and recreation programs.' 'Inner West Aquatics will roll out the program to its community in the coming months.' The items up for auction and when to bid The items up for auction are separated into five different categories, with auctioneers bringing down the hammer at a different time for each. For lost property in the technology and gaming category, bidding closes at 11am next Monday. For the jewellery and watches category, bidding closes at 11am next Tuesday. For the clothing and shoes category, bidding closes at 11am next Wednesday. Bidding also closes at 2pm that day for the sunglasses, bags and accessories category. For beauty, alcohol, and home category, bidding closes at 11am next Thursday. Laser tag sets, sleep apnea machines, mahjon and backgammon sets, breast milk pumps, a footy signed by the 2020 Sydney Swans AFL team, and a large stainless steel time capsule, are among some of the items on offer in the last, largely miscellaneous category. Here is an idea of the quantity of items up for grabs: 250 laptops 200 earbuds/headphones 60 Kindles 100 pairs of sunglasses 250 pieces of jewellery & watches 250 pieces of clothing 80 handbags & wallets 50 cameras 50 bottles of perfume 40 gaming consoles 40 hair dryers & straighteners 30 plush toys, including a giant 90cm teddy bear 10 boxed Lego sets four bikes three surfboards two sets of golf clubs a vacuum cleaner a frying pan and an air fryer a coffee machine two pairs of binoculars The Lord of the Rings book collection Violin Electric keyboard 'It's worth noting that checked baggage is managed by individual airlines and is not included in the auction. Travellers looking for lost baggage should contact their airline directly,' Sydney Airport said. Any items up for auction that are not sold will be donated to charity or put up in the 2026 airport auction.
