INDEPENDENCE SALE RESULTS

The letter written by Kevin Barry on the night before his execution which made a record 105,000 at the annual Adam's Mealy's Independence sale.

Kevin Barry’s last letter, written the night before his execution in 1920, was the top lot at the Adams/Mealy’s annual Independence sale in Dublin.

It made 105,000, seven times its estimate. The buyer was the son of one of Mr. Barry’s friends, who was mentioned in the letter. The auction, which was 75 per cent sold, realised a hammer of 450,000 which becomes 550,000 after fees are added.

A set of seven sculpted bronze heads of the signatories of the Proclamation by Rory Breslin made 26,000 while the cap badge reputedly worn by MIchael Collins when he was shot sold for 21,000, A letter announcing the discovery of the North West Passage made 16,000 while a file of War of Independence documents relating to the East Limerick Brigade of the Old IRA made 10,000.

An original typescript document of the interrogation of Kevin Barry sold for 8,500, a set of husband and wife medals from the War of Independence awarded to Philip and Katherine Murphy of Enniscorthy made 8,000 and a collection of letters from 1916 Volunteer and Wakefield Prison and Frongoch internee James Mallon made 7,500.

THE new owner of the letter has since given in on extended loan to the National Museum of Ireland and it is on view at Kildare St.

MORGAN O’DRISCOLL SALE IN CORK

This scorching Louis le Brocquy image entitled Orange is the top lot at the Morgan O'Driscoll sale in Cork on April 26.

The top lot at the next Morgan O’Driscoll Irish art auction at the Radisson Hotel, Little Island, Cork on Monday, April 26 is a scorching Louis le Brocquy work entitled Orange. Painted in 1972 it bears the label Gimpel Fils Gallery on the back and is estimated at 50,000-70,000 euro. Many of the works on offer are far more affordable with estimates from about 300 euro up. The sale of 285 lots offers something for every collector at all price ranges. This is a buyer’s market and there is plenty of evidence to suggest that more and more buyers are waking up to this fact. This is a sale with much of interest from William Harrington’s charcoal and wash drawing Chatting from 1973 (600-900) to a wooden sculpture of the Virgin Mary by Markey Robinson estimated at 400-600 and a limited edition colour print by Picasso entitled Au Bain estimated at 1,500-2,000. Among the major works on offer are Going to Mass by Daniel O’Neill which is estimated at 20,000-30,000, Morning South by John Shinnors (20,000-30,000), Wilton by Sir John Lavery (10,000-15,000), Dunmanus Bay by Letitia M Hamilton (10,000-15,000), Rock Pool, Connemara by Kenneth Webb (12,000-18,000), Parkland by Basil Blackshaw (12,000-15,000) and Golden Frog by Pauline Bewick (10,000-15,000). Many lots have no reserves and Morgan O’Driscoll remarked that there is value that has not seen for the last 10 years. Viewing is from noon to 10 p.m. on Sunday April 25 and from 10 a.m. to the start of the sale at 6.30 p.m on Monday, April 26.

Whyte’s Sale

This Iron Age carved stone head found near Claudy in Co. Derry in the 1930’s was the top lot at the Whyte’s History Literature and Collectibles Auction which took place on April 23 . It made 26,000.  The 523 lot sale featured historical artefacts, manuscripts, printed documents, posters, pamphlets, ephemera, medals, militaria, coins, banknotes, stamps and sports programmes.

An archive relating to the Cork Distilleries including nine bottles of samples of Irish whiskey made from the 1930’s to the 1950’s sold for 1,450. A posthumous 1916 Rising medal issued to Volunteer John Owens made 15,000 and a rare edition of the 1937 Constitution signed by all the members of Eamon de Valera’s cabinet made 6,200.

A collection of programmes for Irish Rugby 1922-82 made 4,000 and a pair of 1966 Padraig Pearse and 1916 Rising commemorative gold medals designed by Paul Vincze for Worboys, Dublin made 5,000.

DE VERE’S RESULTS

THE top lot at the de Veres sales in Dublin on April 13 was Paul Henry’s Achill Head from Keel. It made 60,000 in a sale where about 70 per cent of the 181 lots found buyers.

Tommy Orr the Blacksmith, an oil on canvas by Basil Blackshaw, made 40,000 and Ballywillan Church by Colin Middleton made 32,000.

A five piece oil on canvas by John Shinnors, entitled English Alottment, Winter made 29,000 and Paul Henry’s Western Landscape made 26,000.

The sale brought in over 500,000. In a comment afterwards auctioneer John de Vere White said that there are buyers out there, but they want value. Vendors must be realistic about this.