Renowned family of musical Brisbane immigrants sell their heritage home

The last member of the musically renowned Benvenuti family has sold the family home they constructed over a century ago, for more than $1 million over the reserve price. SEE AUCTIONS LIVE

27 Agnes Street, Fortitude Valley

The last member of the musically renowned Benvenuti family has sold the family home they constructed over a century ago, for more than $1 million over the reserve price.

Having immigrated from Italy to Australia in the 1800s, the family was a group of musicians who influenced Brisbane's cultural life as it began to grow into its own.

Building three properties next to each other over twenty years, they lived in the middle home: 27 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, which became a heritage home after they passed. 

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This was the first time the four-bedroom, two-bathroom home had ever been sold, with the last member of the family giving it up to go to auction.

Five registered bidders attended the event at the property, each of them active participants in the auction.

While it took a vendor bid to get the auction started at $1.3 million, the pace of the bidding soon shot up, and quickly went on the market at $1.7 million.

Auctioneer David Holmes of Holmes Auctions described the following 65 bids as an "Absolutely brutal mathematical test", with the two main bidders each quickly raising the price with "odd and strategic increments".

"One bidder would bid, say, $1.863 million," he said. "Then the other would say, 'I'll throw 25 on top'."

Its neighbours, 23 and 31 Agnes St, were also built by the Benvenuti family, but this was the family home they remained in for many years.

Eventually, bidding ended with a final offer of $2.75 million, more than $1 million over both the reserve price and what it went on the market for.

Sixty Four Property New Farm agent Ivo Kornel said the winning bidder was a local resident of Fortitude Valley, and understood the popularity heritage homes often have.

"There’s definitely a bit of a cult following," he said. "We were probably happy with a result of $1.6-1.7 million. To get a result of $2.75 million is truly just amazing”

The Benvenuti family had an orchestra of four in the 1870s. Father Antonio played the violin, with his sons Luigi, Victor and Italo playing the double bass, piano and flute.

Victor Benvenuti was also a composer known for works such as 'Britons to the Fore'.

Only one known direct member of the Benvenuti line remains.

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Originally published as Renowned family of musical Brisbane immigrants sell their heritage home

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