THE clock is ticking and time is running out in the hunt for a sponsor for a valuable silver collection for the National Museum of Ireland at Collins Barracks, Dublin. The 107 piece collection, valued at approximately 1.75 million, is available to the museum until February 28. After that it will be broken up and sold via London on the international market.
Despite some interest no one has yet emerged to buy it for the nation, despite a process whereby an Irish taxpayer could offset 80 per cent of the value of the purchase. Meantime the international market is aware of some of the pieces and already lining up to buy them. There are many rarities, pieces of early Irish silver and Irish Provincial silver and the collection is capable of transforming the Irish decorative silver holdings at the National Museum into the best in the world. A catalogue of the 107 pieces can be seen online on the website of silver dealers L and W Duvallier at www.antiqueirishsilver.com
See post on antiquesandartireland.com for Monday, December 23, 2013.
UPDATE: Unfortunately no sponsor emerged and the silver is currently being shipped to London where they will go on general sale around St. Patrick’s Day. There has been plenty of interest from collectors seeking individual pieces. Most of the best pieces are likely now to end up abroad.
A Cork coffee pot by Michael McDermott c1780.
An inverted Cork Pear Shaped teapot by Stephen Walshe 1750.
An early George II coffee pot by William Williamson, 1729.
A Dublin George II coffee pot by James Warren, 1755.