Provenance always adds a level of excitement to sales. In Ireland, where so many records like bills of sale have been lost, the early history of a work is often elusive. It can be impossible to say with certainty who made this or that piece. An Italian Mannerist painting of The Baptism of Christ which came up at Sheppards sale of contents from Seafield House, Donabate, Dublin did offer some interesting provenance. It was once in the collection of Cork Lord Mayor Augustine Roche and came up at his dispersal by Marshs in 1916. The three day sale was originally scheduled for April of that year and it had to be postponed until July because of the Easter Rising. The painting sold for a hammer price of €1,300 at Sheppards.
