antiquesandartireland.com

A rare Irish Regency crested mahogany Hall Seat with leaf carved scroll top rail above a frieze and an oval painted crest was the top lot at the Mealy’s country house sale at Hermitage, Drinagh, Co. Wexford on July 20.  It made a hammer price of 24,000 (around 30,000 when fees are added) over an estimate of 4,000-6,000.  Mealy’s said that examples with such close resemblance to James Wyatt’s design for the Castle Coole Suite of Hall Benches in Co. Fermanagh are widely admired and desired, but are rarely encountered on the open market.

This piece captured the essential features such as scrolled arms and splayed legs with the additional symptomatic characteristic of a painted oval crest, heralding the prestige of its original owners. Families with comparable insignia included Baker, Bowdler, Carleton, Colt, Elliot-Murray-Kynunmount, Mackenzie, Pickford and others.

The sale of 486 lots brought in an above estimate total of around 290,000. A painting by John E. Fernely Sn. (1782 – 1860) and studio – Mares beside a Stable – made 7,200 against a top estimate of 6,000.