The conference on Huguenot history and crafts at the Medieval Museum in Waterford ON November 11 is open to everyone and promises to be fascinating. The enormous contribution made by these Protestant refugees to Ireland in the 1600’s and 1700’s resonates to this day. There will be a particular focus on gold and silversmiths, clock and watchmakers and cabinet making and map making will be touched on two. Speakers include Dr. Thomas Sinsteden, Professor Geraldine Sheridan, John Bowen, Dr. Tessa Murdoch and Julian Walton. Book on www.waterfordtreasuresbookings.com/Event/HUGUENOT
Sixteen Jackies by Andy Warhol at Christie’s. UPDATE: THIS MADE $25.9 MILLION
The 60th anniversary of the assassination of President John F Kennedy this month is recalled through Andy Warhol’s Death and Disaster series in New York next week. Sixteen Jackies will lead Christie’s 20th century evening sale next Thursday (November 9). The 1964 painting, a grid of a repeated press image of First Lady Jackie Kennedy during her husband’s funeral procession is estimated at $25 – $35 million and is one of many highlights in the sales. Led by the Emily Fisher Landau collection of key masterwork examples sales at Sotheby’s showcase over a century of artistic production. There are seminal works by Picasso, Jasper Johns, Willem de Kooning, Robert Rauschenberg, Mark Rothko, Ed Ruscha and Andy Warhol. This collection comes under the hammer at Sotheby’s next Wednesday and Thursday (November 8 and 9), followed by the Modern evening auction on November 13 and Now and Contemporary art sales on November 15. At Christie’s the 21st Century evening sale is next Tuesday the 20th century sale is on Thursday, the Post War and Contemporary day sale is on November 10 and the Impressionist and Modern day sale takes place on November 11.
Untitled XV 1983 by Willem de Kooning at Sotheby’s. UPDATE: THIS MADE $8.6 MILLION
Padraig Pearse’s membership card for the Irish Volunteers UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
Padraig Pearse’s 1913 membership card for The Irish Volunteers will highlight The History Sale at Whyte’s in Dublin on November 11. The rarity of this unique relic from the leader of the 1916 Rising inscribed in indelible pencil in his own hand is reflected in an estimate of €150,000-€250,000. Issued on December 9 it is signed by Pearse and renewals up to January 1914 are initialled by him. Pearse left the Irish Volunteers when the organisation split over John Redmond agreeing to support Britain in the war with Germany. It is inscribed: Padraic Mac Piarais Sgoil Eanna and numbered 100. Gifted by Pearse’s mother Margaret to Micheal Mac Ruaidhri who was with Pearse at the GPO on Easter Monday 1916 the provenance is impeccable.
The 295 lots in the auction span four centuries, with maps from the 1660’s to autographed photographs of Taoisigh of the 1970’s and ’80’s. A group of medals awarded to Vinnie Byrne is estimated at €10,000-€15,000. He was the most prominent member of the Michael Collins squad responsible for the assassination of British military intelligence officers during the War of Independence. A 1916 Rising medal awarded to Dublin volunteer Sean O’Shaughnessy is part of a group including a War of Independence medal and estimated at €4,000-€6,000. The extraordinary collection of medals formed by the artist Thomas Ryan (1929-2021), former president of the Royal Hibernian Academy, is a major feature of the sale. His interest was in the art and design of commemorative, history, educational and agricultural medals from the 17th to the 19th century. More than 250 medals will be sold in 130 lots.
A Cork Agricultural Association 1843 medal for the best five acres of thorough draining land UPDATE: THIS MADE 500 AT HAMMER
The earliest is a copper issued to Dorcas Brabazon, wife of the Secretary of State for Ireland George Lane. Other medals commemorate Oliver Goldsmith, Henry Grattan, the Duke of Wellington, Fr. Matthew, Wolfe Tone, Daniel O’Connell and Charles Stewart Parnell. There are farming medals, schools and university medals and a selection of church medals depicting popes from the 17th to the 21st century. There are lithographs of two portraits by Sir John Lavery of Michael Collins and Arthur Griffiths, each signed by both artist and sitter. Lavery painted the portraits in 1921 while they were in London negotiating the terms of the Irish Treaty. (€8,000-€12,000). Two volumes of engravings by the English caricaturist James Gillray (1756-1811) are estimated at €6,000-€8,000. There is a similar estimate on an extremely rare programme for the 1913 All Ireland Football Final between Kerry and Wexford. Among the other top lots is a selection of correspondence by Padraig Pearse from 1911-12 concerning St. Enda’s. regulations signed by Michael Collins as Minister for Finance, silver models of the domes of the Four Courts and Government Buildings by Lorcan Brereton and 1966 Rising Anniversary gold and silver medals.
A 1922 image of the men who fought for Ireland’s freedom at Beggars Bush barracks by Panograph Photo Co., New York. UPDATE: THIS MADE 660 AT HAMMER
18TH-CENTURY LACQUERED CABINET ON STAND. UPDATE: THIS MADE 1,800 AT HAMMER
This brass bound 18th century lacquered cabinet on stand comes up as lot 96 at Sheppards two day Gentleman’s Library sale on November 7 and 8. It is estimated at 2,000-3,000. The sale offers library furniture, lighting, early Irish cartography, Irish and European art, sculpture and objets d’art, Irish and continental art, 16th- century religious art, Egyptian and Roman artefacts, pre-Colombian art, Irish Provincial silver, rare Killarney furniture and collectibles, vintage wines and rare whiskies, together with rare books and recently discovered manuscript letters from Michael Collins and Padraic Pearse. More than 1,000 lots will come under the hammer and the catalogue is online. Viewing in Durrow, Co. Laois is from 10 am to 5 pm on November 4, 5 and 6.
‘Transat’ chair designed by Eileen Gray. UPDATE: THIS MADE 6,000 AT HAMMER
This Transat chair designed by Eileen Gray (1878 – 1976) comes up as lot 29 at the James Adam Mid Century Modern sale on November 7. In leather, lacquer and metal the c1980 chair is estimated at 4,000-6,000. There is a selection of modern design, art and collectibles on offer in this timed online auction. The catalogue is online.
A Victorian sleigh. UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,400 AT HAMMER
A sleigh might not be exactly what is needed in rainy Ireland right now but who knows what the rest of the winter will bring? This one comes up at Aidan Foley’s online two day relocation auction of lots from “Weddings by Franc” on November 7 and 8. From chair covers and tablecloths to decorative mirrors and candle holders, tables, lamps, lanterns and Frosty the Snowman this sale of more than 1,000 lots offers and enormous variety of lots for weddings, parties and Christmas events.
Jack B. Yeats’ – The Trotter. UPDATE: THIS MADE £88,900
Sotheby’s annual Irish Art sale in London on November 21 and 22 will be part of a newly created flagship sales series of Modern British & Irish Art. Evening and Day sales will comprise 54 lots of Irish art and feature the most beloved and esteemed names of the genre with works from the descendants of Sir John Lavery along with art by Jack Butler Yeats, F.E. McWilliam and Gerard Dillon. Together, they are estimated to bring in the region of £2 million. The sales will headline Sotheby’s British & Irish Art week – a dedicated week celebrating the artistic landscape of Britain and Ireland from the 19th to the 21st century.
Two works by Lavery, a Moorish Hareem and Ariadne, are each estimated at £300,000-500,000 / €343,830-573,050. They are from direct descendants of the artist. The Donkey Show and The Trotter by Yeats are estimated respectively at £400,000-600,000 / €458,440-687,660 and £80,000- 120,000 / €91,688 – 137,532.
The Day sale will comprise a dedicated 49 lot portion of Irish art, featuring classical Irish artists like Yeats and Dillon as well as a strong selection of works by contemporary artists including Hughie O’Donoghue, Linda Brunker, Orla de Bri, Richard Hearns, Melissa O’Donnell, Jack Coulter, Rowan Gillespie and Nick Miller. Works will be on view at Royal Hibernian Academy in Dublin between November 9-12 and in Sotheby’s New Bond Street galleries in London from November 17- 21.
Sir John Lavery – A Moorish Hareem. UPDATE: THIS MADE £381,000
Exquisite natural pearl and diamond tiara, late 19th century and later. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 393,700 SWISS FRANCS (€408,892)
This tiara from the collection of Baroness Inchiquin (1868-1940) comes up at Sotheby’s sale of Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels in Geneva on November 8. The descendants of Brian Boru went on to be the Kings of Thomond. In 1543, Murrough O’Brien, the last King of Thomond, submitted his realm to Henry VIII. In order to do so, he had to renounce his ancient Irish titles, instead he was granted the titles Marquis of Thomond, and Baron Inchiquin. Their ancestral seat is Dromoland Castle in Co. Clare.
Lucius O’Brien, The 15th Baron, Lord Inchiquin (1864–1929), Prince of Thomond and chief of the name was born in England and started his military career in Royal Irish Riffles. Upon succeeding to the title of Lord Inchiquin, 15th Baron, he served as an Irish representative in the House of Lords. His spouse, Lady Inchiquin, née Ethel Jane Foster attended the coronation of King George V in 1911 wearing the natural pearl and diamond tiara. Estimated at 170,000-180,000 Swiss francs (€176,980-€187,390) it is one of three jewels in the sale which belonged to the late Lady Inchiquin. Her diamond brooch is estimated at 6,000-8,000 Swiss francs (€6,250-€8,330) and a c1900 devant de corsage is estimated at 24,000-35,000 Swiss francs (€24,990-€36,440).
Diamond devant-de-corsage, circa 1900. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 76,200 SWISS FRANCS (€79.140)
