John Olsen

John Brack and Fred Williams.

Margaret Olley, the prolific and loved painter of still life, Brett Whiteley, and John Olsen, too, for good measure.

And somewhere in Canberra, this top-shelf collection of Australian art has been the backdrop for one anonymous family's life for most of this century.

Now, 28 lots will be auctioned in Sydney next week in a rare and significant auction run by Deutsche and Hackett, with a total estimated sale price somewhere between $7.2 million and nearly $10 million.

And Donald Friends and all that.

John Olsen was here in the 60s when he came back from Spain.

There's a whole history here.

Mm-hmm.