The Centenary Auction by Fonsie Mealy at the Gresham Hotel in Dublin on Saturday April 23 will take place on the 100th anniversary of Easter Sunday, 1916. The Easter Rising, centred diagonally across the road at the GPO, looms large in this auction of 642 lots. The original copy of the 1916 Proclamation in the auction is by tradition reputed to be a copy which hung in the GPO during the rising. Guaranteed provenance leads to Dr. James Ryan, medical officer at the GPO who subsequently became a TD, served as Fianna Fail Minister for Agriculture and Minister for Finance and founded the New Ireland Assurance Company.
Among many items of interest is a collection of letters, photographs and memorabilia of Captain Percival Lea-Wilson, Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) and his wife Dr Marie Lea-Wilson. Captain Lea-Wilson was known for the abuse and humiliation of Republican prisoners at the Rotunda Gardens. He was subsequently assassinated on the orders of Michael Collins. His widow is famous for presenting an Old Master painting to the Jesuits, later identified as by Caravaggio and now in the National Gallery of Ireland. Items relating to the rebellion of 1798 and the Fenian Rising will also feature. The catalogue is online.
(See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for April 4 and February 8, 2016)
The Lea-Wilson collection (4,500-6,500) UPDATE: THIS MADE 7,000
The GPO copy of the Proclamation (100,000-150,000) UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 150,000 AND WAS THE TOP LOT OF THE AUCTION
A Bloody Sunday 1st anniversary tournament gold medal 1921 (6,500-7,000) UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
An Irish Volunteers uniform worn by Thomas J. Byrne (3,500-5,000) UPDATE: THJIS MADE 6,400 AT HAMMER
A Victorian brass street lantern from O’Connell St. with a bullet hole (300-500) UPDATE: THIS MADE 1,200 AT HAMMER