Reaction between NiCl2 center dot 6H(2)O, 2-hydroxy-4-methyl-6-phenyl-pyridine-3-amidoxime (H2L), benzoic acid, and M(NO3)(3)center dot 6H(2)O (M = Gd, Y) in MeCN under basic conditions yields the complexes [(Ni4Gd5III)-Gd-II (PhCOO)(10) (HL)(4)(HLzw)(4)(OH)(2)(NO3)(2)]Cl-13.6MeCN center dot H2O (1-13.6MeCN center dot H2O) and [Ni-4(II) Y-5(III)(PhCOO)(10)(HL)(4)(HL)(4)(OH)(2)(NO3)(1.5)(H2O) (0.5) ]0.5Cl(NO3)center dot 3H(2)O (2.3H(2) O). Both clusters display similar structures, consisting of a bell-shaped {(Ni4M5III)-M-II} unit, in which a linear "zigzag" {Ni-4} subunit bisects the central "ring". Direct (dc) and alternating current (ac) magnetic susceptibility measurements carried out in the 2-300 K temperature range for complexes 1 and 2 revealed ferromagnetic intermolecular interactions, while heat-capacity measurements for the Gd analogue suggest that complex 1 lowers its temperature from T = 9.6 K down to 2.3 K by adiabatically demagnetizing from B-i = 7 T to B-f = 0.