In a year when so many projects are behind time and skills are hard to come by the words “hold that building job” are difficult to utter. It might be just worth the risk for lot 624 at Victor Mee’s upcoming decorative interiors, architectural and pub memorabilia sale. If your concept of Les Liasons dangereuses revolves around a risky rush of blood at the auction room and your taste runs to gilded French interiors of the 18th century then this is the lot for you.
On offer is a totally over the top richly gilded panelled room with etched glass panel doors and original fireplace from a chateau near Versailles. The estimate for the lot is €25,000-€35,000 and good luck to anyone prepared to take it on. Armed with this piece of kit any purchaser would be in a perfect position to utter the words: “welcome to my humble abode” or mutter “a mere bagatelle I picked up at a sale”. These recreations really do work. There are wonderfully atmospheric French rooms recreated from original panelling at the Metropolitan Museum in New York where you need a pinch to know that you are in the US and not in France. The illustration here includes a pair of life size stone lamp statues on marble bases. These are a separate lot numbered 715 in a brimful of interest catalogue of 1,124 lots, and the estimate is €2,750-€3,750. UPDATE: THE STONE LAMP STATUES MADE €2,800 at the sale of BG salvage in October 2023.
Victor Mee is based in Co. Cavan but is an offsite online sale which is on view at Tallbridge Road, Cranagill, Co. Armagh, BT62 8NP in Northern Ireland on July 16 and 17 from 11 am to 4 pm on each day. Among the lots are doors of various types, pediments, dividers, cast iron radiators, panelling, corbels, gates, lighting, chairs, display units, clocks, mirrors, a crocodile skin, tables, prints, bar fittings, urns, cast iron models of models, a gazebo, a stone fountain and a 19th century carved oak pulpit.
UPDATE: IN OCTOBER 2023 THE PANELLED ROOM CAME UP AT A VICTOR MEE SALE OF BG SALVAGE IN NAAS AND MADE A HAMMER PRICE OF €15,000