Art by Donald Teskey, Peter Curling, Elizabeth Cope, Arthur Maderson, John Doherty, William Crozier and Norman McCaig from the Ulster Bank Collection will be among the lots to be auctioned for charity by Morgan O’Driscoll on August 28. Proceeds from the online sale of more than 250 lots donated by Ulster Bank – which has now closed all its branches in the Irish Republic – will be donated to Community Foundation Ireland. This philanthropic hub strives to achieve equality for all in communities through a network of 5,000 voluntary, community and charitable partners around the country. The foundation has provided more than €120 million in grant supports to communities since 2000.
With everything from an abstract screenprint by Cecil King, sculptures by Laurent Mellett and Sandra Bell, an oil on board by Henry Healy (1901-1982) entitled Near Clifden, Preparing to go to Mass and Ornamental Trees, Fota by Victor Richardson this is a very wide ranging collection catering to a variety of artistic tastes. The sale is significant in many ways. Before making their way into the Ulster Bank Collection all these works will have been analysed and deemed worthy by art world professionals. Artworks in a collection like this will have been acquired with the assistance of serious advisors.
Even though the art on offer is significant the estimates are wide ranging and reasonable. They span a range from €300 euro for 1992 lithograph – West Cork, Morning by William Crozier to €7,500 for Five Musicians, an oil on canvas by John B. Vallelly.Other works on offer include The Garden of the Wreck, 1998 by John Doherty (€1,200-€1,800), Winter Farm by Nancy Wynne-Jones (€1,000-€1,500), Traffic Lights, Athy by Eugene Conway (€700-€1,000), Day’s work done by Peter Curling (€1,200-€1,800), Donegal Landscape by Arthur Armstrong (€1,500-€2,500), Liffey by Peter Pearson (€600-€900), Primary Structure in Grey by Francis Tansey (€1,000-€1,500), Street with Figures by Donald Teskey (€5,000-€7,000), Gathering the Turf by Charles McAuley (€800-€1,200), My Roman Balcony by George Potter (€1,500-€2,500) and Apple Blossom Time by Norman McCaig (€400-€600).
“This generous gift from Ulster Bank will enable us to impact so many deserving recipients amongst our 5,000 voluntary, community and charitable partners across Ireland. We are hugely appreciative that Community Foundation Ireland has been entrusted to deploy these funds,” Denise Charlton, ceo of Community Foundation Ireland, said. Morgan O’Driscoll remarked that the collection will generate interest from art lovers and collectors alike as well as supporters of the Foundation from across the island of Ireland. The catalogue is online and there will be viewing in Skibbereen on August 24 and 25 and on August 28.
