It might be a cliched marketing claim, but the former Carlton tavern supposedly frequented by 1920s gangster Squizzy Taylor has sold at its weekend auction.

The 1850s property on Barkly Street, which had a price guide of between $2.25 million and $2.5 million, fetched $2.6 million through Nelson Alexander agent James Keenan.

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The property, which was built in 1856, was a tavern before being transformed into a two-level, five-bedroom home renovated by architect Shane Murray.

It last traded for $478,000 in 1989.

Taylor was fatally shot by rival John “Snowy” Cutmore in 1927 at a house in the street.

The Barkly Street home has a clerestory-windowed dining room open to a bespoke kitchen with extensive timber cabinetry. Photo: Supplied

It has four double bedrooms. Photo: Supplied

Sydney’s weekend went without any of its cliched ‘Henry Lawson slept here’ offerings.

But a Glebe property with a fascinatingly disturbing past did go to auction without initial success.

However the historic 1833 Georgian Regency villa, Lyndhurst, which had $7 million-plus hopes sold soon afterwards.

It was the home designed by esteemed architect John Verge as a marine villa for the colonial surgeon James Bowman, the husband of the iconic pastoralist John Macarthur’s daughter, Mary.

Lyndhurst’s colourful history saw it briefly as the headquarters of an Australian neo-Nazi party in the late 1960s.

Regarded as one of inner Sydney’s most historically significant homes, it last sold at $3.3 million in 2005 to stockbroker Tim Eustace and his partner Salvatore Panui.

Lyndhurst sits on 1507sqm of gardens with palm trees and fragrant shrubbery. Photo: Supplied

The house has a grand central hallway boasting soaring 4m ceilings. Photo: Supplied

Lyndhurst was built in 1833 as a ‘Marine Villa’ for colonial surgeon James Bowman. Photo: Supplied

Eustace and Panui are bound for Darlinghurst, where they bought another historic inner city landmark, Iona, for $16 million from entertainment industry couple Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin.

The top result under the auction hammer at the weekend was in Strathfield, in Sydney’s inner west where Dr Vipin Goyal sold his seven-bedroom home for $6.83 million through Devine Real Estate.

The nation’s top weekend private treaty result was secured by actress-turned-author Sophie Lee and her husband, advertising agency boss Anthony Freedman.

Their Bronte home, Shell House, sold Friday evening through private treaty having $10 million-plus expectations through D’Leanne Lewis of Laing + Simmons Double Bay.

The Bronte home has breathtaking views. Photo: Supplied

It’s located on a generous block atop a natural sandstone landmark ridge. Photo: Supplied

The house has 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, and a 4-car garage. Photo: Supplied

Lee appeared as an actor in roles including Muriel’s Wedding, Holy Smoke and The Castle, but she is now better known as an author.

Anthony has founded two agency groups, Host and One Green Bean.

The other big coastal offering, the Tamarama home of the pioneering former Oxford Street fashion retailer Robby Ingham and his wife Sarah, was pulled from auction.

Its listing with $12 million-plus hopes came as they have finished construction of their new home just around the corner.

The Gaerloch Ave property, listed through Pauline Goodyer of Goodyer Real Estate, has point blank ocean vista and views back to beach given its position above the iconic coastal walk.

The national clearance rate across the combined capital cities rose this week, up from 69 per cent the previous week to 70 per cent.

The level of activity across the capital city auction market was similar to the previous week, with 1863 auctions held this weekend, compared to 1876 last week.

Auction activity remains well below the comparable week last year, however, when 2599 capital city auctions were held and 79 per cent cleared.

This week, there were 825 auctions held in Melbourne, down from 871 last week, and also lower compared to one year ago (1162).

Preliminary results show that 70 per cent cleared this week, falling from 71 per cent last week and well below the 82 per cent one year ago.

CoreLogic RP Data noted over the past seven weeks, Melbourne has maintained a clearance rate above 70 per cent.

Its top reported sale was $3.9 million in Brighton on Champion Street.

The Brighton house was designed for family harmony. Photo: Supplied

The house was sold for $3.9 million. Photo: Supplied

The four-bedroom house on 840 sqm had last sold in 2006 at $2 million.

Sydney’s preliminary clearance rate was 74 per cent this week, retaining its status as the nation’s strongest property market.

Brisbane results showed a strong 55 per cent, compared to 49 per cent last week, and the strongest clearance rate in 12 weeks.

Adelaide’s clearance rate sat in equal second place at 70 per cent. 

The nation’s cheapest sale was in Adelaide’s Rostrevor.

The one-bedroom renovated homette was Australia’s cheapest sale. Photo: Supplied

The one-bedroom Radnor Avenue villa offering fetched $209,000. It had sold at $166,500 in 2008. It was a $235 a week rental.

Jonathan Chancellor is editor-at-large at Property Observer.