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  • Archive for September, 2015

    THE CONTRACT THAT LAUNCHED THE BEATLES MAKES £365,000

    Tuesday, September 29th, 2015
    The Beatles contract.

    The Beatles contract.

    The contract that launched The Beatles, the most successful band of all time,  sold at Sotheby’s in London today for £365,000.  Signed on 1st October 1962, just days before the release of their first single ‘Love Me Do’, it bound together the Beatles with manager Brian Epstein.  This is the only management contract signed between the Beatles and Epstein after the band attained its final line-up of John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr.

    The story of Epstein’s relationship with the Beatles is more of a romance than a business deal. From the very first time he heard their sound, Brian Epstein was determined to be their manager. He had never managed a band before but he soon convinced them that he could do the job; he was, after all, a successful businessman, ran the best record shop in town, was smartly dressed, and, at 27, he had the wisdom of age!

    The young Beatles had long known Epstein by sight as the manager of NEMS (North End Music Stores), a treasure-trove of American 45s for the rock and roll-hungry teenagers. Epstein only became aware of the band when a fan asked him for a copy of ‘My Bonnie’, on which they featured as backing band. He soon tracked them down, and on November 9, 1961 visited the Cavern Club in Liverpool to hear them play for the very first time. He returned every day for a week.

    The Beatles agreed to take him on as their manager at a band meeting on December 10, 1961. Epstein immediately set to work putting together the look that would soon become famous around the world. More than a traditional manager, he was considered “The Fifth Beatle”. The band began to crumble after his sudden death in August 1967. As Lennon put it on hearing the news, “We loved him and he was one of us.”

    (See post on antiquesandartireland.com for September 5, 2015)

    A SELECTION OF WATCHES AT O’REILLY’S OF FRANCIS ST.

    Monday, September 28th, 2015

    There is an interesting selection of 20 vintage gentleman’s wrist watches from a private collection at O’Reilly’s sale of jewellery and silver at Francis St., Dublin on September 30. Estimates range from 80 to 8,000 (for a gold Rolex oyster perpetual day date wrist watch). There are diamond rings across various price ranges. The catalogue is online. Here is a small selection:

    A GENT’S 18CT GOLD ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL DAY DATE WRIST WATCH (7,000-8,000)

    A GENT’S 18CT GOLD ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL DAY DATE WRIST WATCH (7,000-8,000)

    A THREE STONE DIAMOND RING (8,500-9,000)

    A THREE STONE DIAMOND RING (8,500-9,000)

    A vintage Omega wrist watch (200-300).

    A vintage Omega wrist watch (200-300).

    A GENT’S 18CT GOLD PATEK PHILIPPE WRIST WATCH (3,500-4,500).

    A GENT’S 18CT GOLD PATEK PHILIPPE WRIST WATCH (3,500-4,500).

    WATERCOLOUR SOCIETY OF IRELAND EXHIBITION OPENS TODAY

    Monday, September 28th, 2015

    Paintings by some of the finest floral and botanical artists in Ireland will be on show at the Water Colour Society of Ireland’s 161st annual exhibition, which opens today at the Concourse Gallery at the Dun Laoghaire County Hall. Ireland’s largest exhibition of watercolours and one of the country’s biggest group art shows will run until October 4. There is work by more than 100 Irish artists including floral artists and botanical illustrators Siobhan Larkin, Yanny Petters, Patricia Jorgenson, Anne McLeod, Sue Van Coppenhagen, Nayana Sandur and Nicola Lynch Morrin.  The show will feature more than 280 paintings in watercolour, gouache and pastel, drawings and limited edition prints.

    ‘Peony Otto Froebel’, by Patricia Jorgenson

    ‘Peony Otto Froebel’, by Patricia Jorgenson

    ‘Violets’ by Sue Van Coppenhagen

    ‘Violets’ by Sue Van Coppenhagen

    A portrait of Neil Hannon, lead singer with The Divine Comedy, by Aine Divine

    A portrait of Neil Hannon, lead singer with The Divine Comedy, by Aine Divine

    ‘Wicklow Landscape 2015’ by Barbara Ellison

    ‘Wicklow Landscape 2015’ by Barbara Ellison

     

    A YEATS AT ADAMS SALE OF IMPORTANT IRISH ART

    Sunday, September 27th, 2015

    THE Old Landing Place by Jack Butler Yeats is the highest estimated lot at the James Adam sale of Important Irish Art in Dublin on September 30. The 1943 oil on board is estimated at 25,000-35,000. Gerard Dillon’s Resting Tinkers is estimated at 20,000-30,000 as are two works by Dan O’Neill, Barmaid and Frankie.  The catalogue, which is online, features 233 lots with estimates from 400. Here is a small selection:

    Jack Butler Yeats RHA (1871 - 1957)The Old Landing Place (1943) (25,000-35,000)

    Jack Butler Yeats RHA (1871 – 1957) The Old Landing Place (1943) (25,000-35,000)  UPDATE: THI S MADE 28,000 AT HAMMER

    Gerard Dillon (1916-1971)Resting Tinkers (20,000-30,000)

    Gerard Dillon (1916-1971) Resting Tinkers (20,000-30,000)  UPDATE: THIS MADE 17,000 AT HAMMER

    Daniel O'Neill (1920-1974) Barmaid (20,000-30,000)

    Daniel O’Neill (1920-1974) Barmaid (20,000-30,000)  UPDATE: THIS MADE 23,500 AT HAMMER

    Alexander Williams RHA (1846-1930) Maam Valley, Connemara Watercolour (600-800).

    Alexander Williams RHA (1846-1930) Maam Valley, Connemara Watercolour (600-800).  UDPATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

    A RARE SET OF IRISH 1786 SILVER TEA CADDIES

    Sunday, September 27th, 2015
    Antique Irish Silver Dublin Tea Caddies Dennis Fray 1786

    Antique Irish Silver Dublin Tea Caddies Dennis Fray 1786

    A rare and quirky set of Irish silver tea caddies made in Dublin by Dennis Fray in 1786 has surfaced with London and Dublin based L and W Duvallier.  The construction is unusual in that they are not symmetrical. They are slightly twisted.  The caddies are on four trefoil feet with bead borders.

    William Crofton of Duvallier’s remarked: “In nearly 30 years of dealing I have not seen a set of three Irish tea caddies on the market. The only other set of Irish tea caddies known are in the John Rowan Collection, now housed in the San Antonio Museum in Texas. They are by Ambrose Boxwell circa 1770 and are much smaller. This set is illustrated on page 63 of The Genius of Irish Silver A Texas Private Collection”.

    He remarked that they would make an important addition to any serious collection. They are priced at £22,500.

    THE LOCK BY CONSTABLE AT SOTHEBY’S IN DECEMBER

    Saturday, September 26th, 2015
    John Constable - The Lock.

    John Constable – The Lock.  UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR £9.1 MILLION

    John Constable’s The Lock will be offered at Sotheby’s in London on December 9 with an estimate of £8-12 million.  It has been in the same family collection for over 150 years and is on the market for the first time since 1855.  The Lock is one of the small group of monumental landscapes, known as the ‘Six Footers’, which for many define the pinnacle of the artist’s career. Depicting a bucolic scene on the River Stour in the artist’s native Suffolk, and painted in response to the huge critical acclaim that greeted Constable’s first treatment of the composition exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1824, the picture was treasured by the artist. He retained it in his studio till the end of his life. It was singled out by him for prestigious exhibitions, and chosen as the basis for the engraving that was to make it among the most familiar, and celebrated, images in the canon of British art.

    Works by Constable are extremely rare in private hands and on the market and this masterpiece will lead the Old Master and British paintings sale.  Of the other paintings forming the Six Footers – the Stour landscapes – all but two are in public institutions.

    Julian Gascoigne, Sotheby’s senior British pictures specialises said: “Constable’s absolute mastery as a landscape painter is everywhere in this picture”.

    DE VERES WILL OFFER 110 LOTS

    Friday, September 25th, 2015

    Work by Patrick Collins, Felim Egan, Nick Miller, Sean McSweeney and Peter Curling will be included among 110 lots at the Irish art auction at de Veres in Dublin on September 29. The sale will include fresh works from the studio of Desmond Carrick as well as early alloy pieces by Rowan Gillespie.  The catalogue is online. Here is a small selection:  UPDATE: The sale realised just under 150,000 for 110 lots with 75% of lots sold.

    Rowan Gillespie b.1953 JOY OF LIVING (1977) (4,000-6,000)

    Rowan Gillespie b.1953
    JOY OF LIVING (1977) (4,000-6,000)  UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR 15,000

    Desmond Carrick RHA, 1928-2012 TWILIGHT, NERJA (600-900)

    Desmond Carrick RHA, 1928-2012
    TWILIGHT, NERJA (600-900)  UPDATE: THIS MADE 700

    John Shinnors, b.1950 MANNEQUINS, EASTER WINDOW II (1,500-2,500).

    John Shinnors, b.1950
    MANNEQUINS, EASTER WINDOW II (1,500-2,500).  UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,300

    Desmond Carrick RHA, 1928-2012 VIEW OVER CLIFDEN, CONNEMARA (1,000-2,000).

    Desmond Carrick RHA, 1928-2012
    VIEW OVER CLIFDEN, CONNEMARA (1,000-2,000).  UDPATE: THIS MADE 1,400

    ART ON SALE IN DUBLIN NEXT WEEK

    Thursday, September 24th, 2015

    It is art sales weeks in Dublin next week.  Whyte’s will get the ball rolling on September 28 with a sale of Irish and International art at the RDS.  There is a wide variety of offer.  A rarity is Galway artist Joseph Patrick Haverty’s A Family Group from c1850 (30,000-50,000) with astonishing detail of consumes and the figures as a family disembark from their painted rowing boat.  Sir John Lavery’s  1931 portrait of The Earl of Lonsdale is estimated at 25,000-40,000.  He inaugurated The Lonsdale Belt for boxing in 1909 and his name was immortalized in 1959 when it was used for a range of boxing equipment and sporting.  Lavery described his as “the most paintable – not to say the best dressed – Englishman I knew”.  There is contemporary art too  from Sean Scully and John Shinnors to William Crozier and Rowan Gillespie.  Whyte’s will offer 216 lots and the catalogue is online.  Here is a small selection.

    (See post on antiquesandartireland.com for September 19, 2015)

    Joseph Patrick Haverty (1794-1864) Group Portrait of a Family c1850 (30,000-50,000)

    Joseph Patrick Haverty (1794-1864) Group Portrait of a Family c1850 (30,000-50,000)  UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 42,000

    Sir John Lavery (1856-1941) The Earl of Lonsdale KG, 1931 (25,000-40,000).

    Sir John Lavery (1856-1941) The Earl of Lonsdale KG, 1931 (25,000-40,000).  UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

    John Shinnors - Terrible Day, Loop Head, Co. Clare (8,000-10,000).

    John Shinnors – Terrible Day, Loop Head, Co. Clare (8,000-10,000).  UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 8,000

    Rowan Gillespie - maquette for WB Yeats, Sligo, 1989 1/9 (8,000-10,000).

    Rowan Gillespie – maquette for WB Yeats, Sligo, 1989 1/9 (8,000-10,000).  UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 17,000

    50TH IADA FAIR OPENS IN DUBLIN THIS EVENING

    Thursday, September 24th, 2015

    Over 70 million euro worth of antiques will be on show at the 50th Irish Antique Dealers Fair in the RDS in Dublin. A special celebratory preview night will be opened by the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys tonight and the Fair proper runs from September 25-27. Around 15,000 people are expected to discover the delights of Irish antiques at the fair.

    Antiques Roadshow stars Judith Miller and Mark Hill head a packed programme which has been organised to celebrate the golden jubilee of the annual fair that manages to combine contemporary design history with the best of Irish antiques. Here is a small sample of what you can find.

    A diamond double clip brooch.

    A diamond double clip brooch.

    .

    (See post on antiquesandartireland.com for September 21, 2015).

    A selection of antique silver mounted claret jugs.

    A selection of antique silver mounted claret jugs.

    A pair of chiffoniers

    A pair of chiffoniers

     Late 19th century oval carved gilt-wood mirrors. English.

    Late 19th century oval carved gilt-wood mirrors. English.

    Pair of 19th century bronze statues on marble bases. Circa 1860. French

    Pair of 19th century bronze statues on marble bases. Circa 1860. French

    VASES MAKE 560,000, IRISH AUCTION RECORD FOR PORCELAIN

    Wednesday, September 23rd, 2015
    One of a pair of large powder blue Chinese vases, Qing Period (30,000-40,000).

    One of a pair of large powder blue Chinese vases. SOLD FOR 560,000.

    A pair of large Chinese powder blue vases sold for 560,000 at the opening day of Sheppards two day sale at Capard House in Co. Laois yesterday. This was an Irish auction record for porcelain.  The purchaser was a bidder in the room who had travelled to the auction from Beijing.  They had been estimated at 30,000-50,000.  Each of the vases had the mark of Qianlong on the base and were on carved gilt wood stands.

    The opening day of the sale went on to 10 pm as bidding was heavy on the internet, on the telephones and in the room.

    (See post on antiquesandartireland.com for September 11, 2015).