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  • Archive for June, 2025

    IMPOSING PAIR OF STONE KINSALE HOUNDS AT SHEPPARDS

    Saturday, June 21st, 2025

    One of a pair of stone sculptures of Kinsale hounds UPDATE: THESE WERE UNSOLD

    A monumental pair of stone sculptures of Kinsale hounds might be a tad over the top for your average apartment entrance but with a mansion, a castle or even a large imposing garden it is another story entirely. The Great Danes, in the style of the favourite hunting hound of the 25th Lord Kingsale, John de Courcy (1717-1776) are among a number of remarkable lots at Sheppards annual Glantelwe Gardens sale in Durrow on June 24.

    A keen deer hunter Lord Kingsale lived at Old Head Castle and imported a pair of hunting dogs to help him deal with wolves. It is claimed the Kinsale hounds killed the last wolf in Ireland. 

    A pair of classical style terracotta campana urns UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

    Sheppards auction, on view from today at Glantelwe Gardens along the banks of the River Erkina in Co. Laois, offers more than 600 lots of statuary, sculpture and architectural pieces.  Here you will find everything from a monumental Italian bronze fountain with four classically draped female figures (€15,000-€25,000) to a bronze patinated cannon (€3,000-€5,000), a contemporary bronze sculpture of boxing hares (€2,500-€3,500), a cast iron frog ornament (€50-€80) and a 19th century horse drawn carriage formerly owned by actress Maureen O’Hara.

    With classical and contemporary statues, moulded stone urns, cast and wrought iron furniture, architectural salvage sourced from an Irish demesne, antique follies and ornamental ironwork this sale should be a mecca for collectors, gardeners and designers in search of a show stopping centrepiece or a discreet focal point.

    A large green patinated bronze sculpture of Mercury,  a pair of 19th century arched entrance gates, a set of six cast iron standard urns, a pair of Italianate stone dogs on plinths, neo-classical moulded urns, a pair of large Medici lions in composite stone, a 19th century cast iron bistro set and even a monumental bronze sculpture of a jockey on horseback all have the capacity to inspire.

    The Kinsale hounds will set you back an estimated €8,000-€12,000.

    A 19th century horse drawn carriage owned by Maureen O’Hara. UPDATE: THIS LOT WAS WITHDRAWN

    RARE IRISH FREE STATE £50 NOTE AT NOONANS IN MAYFAIR

    Saturday, June 21st, 2025

    UPDATE: THIS MADE £14,000 at hammer

    A rare early Irish £50 note dated September 10, 1928 and featuring Lady Lavery could make up to £15,000 (€17,600) at Noonans in Mayfair on June 25.  That was the month when legal tender notes, pegged in value to the pound sterling, came into circulation. It followed a determination by the then Irish Free State in the mid 1920’s to design its own coins and banknotes.  Until the advent of the euro three series of legal tender notes were issued by Ireland. The Irish Free State £50 note is considerably rarer than the £100 note. This particular one was described by Andrew Pattison of Noonan’s as: “one of the finest-known examples of this first date for the iconic Lady Lavery series”.  A proof £100 note from 1978-79 featuring a vignette of 16th century pirate Grace O’Malley (Granuaile) is estimated at £2,000-£2,600 (€2,350-€3,052).

    VERY RARE LOTUS VASE AT ADAMS FINE ASIAN ART SALE

    Saturday, June 21st, 2025

    This very rare blue and white Lotus vase with Yongzheng mark is at Adams with an estimate of €60,000-€80,000. UPDATE: THIS MADE €51,000 AT HAMMER

    A rare blue and white globular Lotus vase leads the sale of Fine Asian Art at Adams in Dublin on June 25. Estimated at €60,000-€80,000 it carries the Yongzheng (1723-1735) six character mark in underglaze blue.  The Yongzheng emperor took an unprecedented personal involvement in ceramic production and actively participated in the design and oversight of Imperial porcelain.  Precious pieces from his era hold a revered place in Qing Dynasty ceramics.  The auction offers more than 400 lots with estimates from €200 up.

    AMERICAN GOLD EAGLE INDIAN HEAD COINS AT ADAMS

    Friday, June 20th, 2025

    A GROUP OF NINE AMERICAN GOLD EAGLE TEN-DOLLARS INDIAN HEAD COINS, 1926. UPDATE: THESE MADE €10,000 AT HAMMER

    This group of nine American gold eagle coins is the top lot at Adams timed online Jewellery Box sale which runs until June 24. The ten dollar Indian head coins from 1926 have a total gross weight of 150.8 g and are estimated at €10,000-15,000. Viewing for the auction gets underway in Dublin today. A total of 394 lots will come under the hammer.

    IRISH ELK HORNS AND OSCAR WILDE’S DESK THE TOP LOTS AT FONSIE MEALY

    Thursday, June 19th, 2025

    A GIGANTIC IRISH DEER SPECIMEN

    A very fine pair of enormous fossilized Irish Elk Horns and Skull, the horns with 14 points and spanning 98″ made a hammer price of €40,000 at Fonsie Mealy’s Chatsworth summer fine art sale in Castlecomer today. Oscar Wilde’s desk made €29,000, a second specimen Irish elk horns made €28,000, a pair of large early 19th century terrestrial and celestial globes by John and William Newton, London, 1818 made €15,000, a French bateau bed owned by Oscar Wilde made €15,000, a Louis XV Cartel clock and barometer set made €12,000 and a bronze of The Cossacks Crossing the Balkans by Evgeny Alexandrovich Lanceray made €9,000.

    (See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for June 14 and June 9, 2025)

    IRISH SILVER SPARKLES AT NEW YORK INTERIORS AUCTION

    Thursday, June 19th, 2025

    Pair of Irish silver strawberry dishes by Joseph Walker

    A pair if Queen Anne Irish silver strawberry dishes by Joseph Walker, Dublin 1709, made $32,760 over a top estimate of $6,000 at Christie’s in New York. The dishes were from the collection of investor, documentary film maker and collector Anne H Bass (1941-2020) in one of New York’s most iconic private residences. They had been acquired from S J Shrubsole in New York in 1983. A set of four George II Irish silver candlesticks by John McLaughlin Sr. Dublin c1755 made $18,900 and a similar era set of four candlesticks by Thomas Williamson, Dublin c1755 made $11,970. The online sale of 185 lots – Anne H Bass: The New York Interiors – made $4.3 million

    VIEWING FOR WHYTE’S SUMMER ONLINE ART SALE IS OPEN

    Wednesday, June 18th, 2025

    SEAMUS COLEMAN – NEAR ROUNDSTONE, CONNEMARA, 2004

    This oil on canvas by Seamus Coleman is lot 32 at Whyte’s summer online art auction which runs until June 30. Viewing for this sale gets underway today. It offers a range of affordable art from Ireland and around the world. On offer is art by Graham Knuttel, Gerard Byrne, Cecil Maguire, Paul Henry, Jack Butler Yeats, Sidney Nolan, Pauline Bewick, Damien Hirst, Diana Copperwhite and many more. The catalogue is online. The estimate for lot 32 is €500-700.

    ROSEWOOD SIDEBOARD BY GIANFRANCO FRATTINI AT DE VERES

    Tuesday, June 17th, 2025

    A ROSEWOOD SIDEBOARD, ITALIAN 1960’s, BY GIANFRANCO FRATTINI. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

    This 1960’s sideboard with shelf gallery back, shaped drawer handles and metal legs by the Italian design master Gianfranco Frattini is lot 62 at de Veres timed online summer auction which runs until June 23. The estimate is €800-1,400. The auction offers design pieces by Missoni, Niels Vodder, Charles and Ray Eames and more. Included in the auction are Irish artworks by Markey Robinson, Cecil Maguire, Desmond Carrick and many more across 230 lots.

    THE TREASURE HOUSE FAIR IN LONDON FROM JUNE 26

    Monday, June 16th, 2025

    Coulbourn and Sons will bring this 18th century child’s wardrobe in the form of a doll’s house to the Treasure House Fair in London.

    No less than 70 internationally renowned exhibitors will take part in the Treasure House Fair at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea in London from June 26-July 1.  Among leading British dealers taking part are Ronald Phillips, Richard Green, Osborne Samuel, Wartski, Adrian Sassoon, Butchoff Antiques, MacConnal-Mason, Godson & Coles, Koopman Rare Art, Frank Partridge, S.J. Phillips, Adrian Alan and Frank Partridge.  They will present a spectacular selection of furniture, silver, decorative arts and jewellery.

    International galleries include three New York institutions: the antique jeweller À La Vieille Russie, silver specialists S.J. Shrubsole and the leading authority in antique porcelain Michele Beiny.  “We like to think of ourselves as a festival rather than an art fair” director and co-founder Thomas Woodham-Smith said.  His grandmother was the historian Cecil Woodham-Smith, author of The Great Hunger.  The Treasure House Fair was founded in 2023 by Woodham-Smith and Harry Van der Hoorn, co founders of the famed Masterpiece fair which ran from 2009-2022.

    Phillip Mould will bring this c1932 Still Life with Fan by Vanessa Bell to the Treasure House Fair.

    VICTORIAN CAST IRON STAIRCASE AT GORMLEY’S SALE

    Sunday, June 15th, 2025

    Victorian Cast Iron Spiral Staircase. UPDATE: THIS MADE 320 AT HAMMER

    This Victorian cast iron spiral staircase (€400-€800) is among the feature lots at Gormley’s online sale of the collection of Arthur Livingstone of Cuiltybar House, Coolaney, Co. Sligo and other clients on June 17 and 18. The top lot is a 1971 Citroen DS21 with rare right hand drive and refurbished interior (€40,000-€45,000).  The sale is now on view at Coolaney. A total of 850 lots including vintage cars, pocket watches, walking sticks, clocks, scientific instruments, books, furniture and art will come under the hammer. The catalogue is online.