Alfred Felton started his fortune during the Australian gold rushes, selling 'Felton's Quinine Champagne' to miners. Later, he partnered with Frederick Grimwade to found a successful pharmaceutical company, Felton Grimwade & Co., and built 'the handsomest drug house in Australia', a bluestone warehouse in Flinders Lane. Their empire moved into glass manufacture, and by the time of his death, Felton was a rich man. He bequeathed most of his wealth to the National Gallery of Victoria; the value of the works acquired has now reached more than $2 billion.
Flinders Lane: Recollections of Alfred Felton tells the story of this extraordinary benefactor. Illustrated with wood engravings by Helen Ogilvie, this new edition has a foreword by Sir Andrew Grimwade, great nephew of the author.