NEWELL CONVERS WYETH (1882-1945) – Wild Bill Hickok at the Cards
This painting by N C Wyeth, father of the artist Andrew Wyeth, is from the William I Koch collection to be sold by Christie’s in January. The Visions of the West sale is billed as the most valuable western American art auction in history. The low estimate is in the range of $50 million. There will be an evening sale on January 20 followed by a high noon sale on January 21 at the Rockefeller Center in New York. The auctions will offer an array of American western art, including masterworks by Frederic Remington, Albert Bierstadt, and Charles Marion Russell. The Remingtons, featuring 16 rare and important sculptures, as well as some of his greatest paintings, are particularly noteworthy. William I Koch is known as a collector, industrialist, scientist, winner of the America’s Cup and more. The Wyeth is estimated at $1 million – $1.5 million.
PAUL HENRY – AN ACHILL BOG AT BLACKSOD BAY UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £45,000
This oil on canvas by Paul Henry – An Achill Bog at Blacksod Bay – was painted in 1918 and comes up at Woolley and Wallis in Salisbury on December 11. It has been in the same family for three generations. Lot 535 is estimated at £20,000-£30,000.
Lennox Robinson, Author by the caricaturist Mac is part of an exhibition of 18th to 21st century Irish paintings at the Gorry Gallery in Dublin. Isabella Mary Macnie (Mac) (1869-1958) was a sports woman, suffragist and actress who turned to creating caricatures in the early 1920’s. Her skill was discovered by accident at a dinner party. She revealed that she saw people in geometric shapes and created the first Mac caricatures to illustrate the point. Her subject matter was the politicians and artists in newly independent Ireland and the work was published in many newspapers. In 1925 Mac published a book of 20 caricatures – The Celebrity Zoo – which included W B Yeats, George Russell and William Cosgrave. The Gorry Gallery show, which runs until December 19, features a number of works by her.
A c1900 enamel, sapphire and rose quartz brooch by Carlo and Arthur Giuliano at O’Reilly’s of Francis St., Dublin. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
Jewellery and books make acceptable Christmas presents so two sales on December 10 have potential to offer inspiration at across the board price points. Estimates at O’Reilly’s of Francis St., Dublin – who will offer 511 lots at a live and online sale – range from €25-€80 for a collection of costume jewellery, an Irish sterling silver signet ring and an Egyptian revival pill box to €42,000-€52,000 for a round cut diamond solitaire of 5.35 carats and €34,000-€40,000 for a diamond line bracelet with radiant cut stones. The selection in between these figures ranges from rings, necklaces and brooches to watches, earrings and a 1947 Mexican 50 peso gold coin.
More than 600 lots, from limited, rare and signed first editions to Marvel comics and works of sporting and antiquarian interest, will come under the hammer at Purcell Auctioneers in Birr. The sale will be led by a 1920 book of Irish Fairy Tales by James Stephens with illustrations by Arthur Rackham (€1,750-€2,250). A rare catalogue from the May 1939 sale of 2,711 lots from Ashford Castle by Jackson, Stops and McCabe (€200-€300), a programme from Ireland’s Grand Slam winning match against Wales on March 13, 1948 (€350-€600), Marvel’s Amazing Spiderman from 1984 featuring the first appearance of his black suit (€300-€400) and a signed first edition of Normal People by Sally Rooney (€200-€250) are among the highly collectible lots.
The programme for Ireland’s 1948 Grand Slam winning rugby match at Purcell Auctioneers in Birr. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
William Harvey’s Exercitatio anatomica de motu cordis et sanguinis in animalibus, 1628 Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2025. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £1,016,000
The groundbreaking first description of blood circulation, William Harvey’s 1628 Exercitatio anatomica de motu dordis et sanguinis in animalibus, is a highlight at Christie’s books, manuscripts and photographs sale in London on December 10. The sale will include a selection of 100 books, manuscripts and photographs from the library of the Royal Society of Medicine, featuring some of the most important names and breakthroughs ever made. The Harvey book is estimated at £800,000-£1.2 million (€913,120-€1.37 million). A first edition Essay on the Shaking Palsy by James Parkinson, published in 1817, is estimated at £50,000-£70,000 (€57,070-€79,900). UPDATE: THE PARKINSON BOOK MADE £101,600.
River Run Poppies by Kenneth Webb at Sheppards. UPDATE: THIS MADE 15,000 AT HAMMER
Old favourites and new names combine to make an interesting selection at art sales by Sheppards in Durrow, de Veres in Dublin and the newly formed Lot 100 which is based in Lismore in the coming week.
An arresting view of River Run Poppies by Kenneth Webb is the catalogue cover lot for Sheppard’s evening sale of Irish and international art on December 11. Choices here range from Donald Teskey’s take on Kilkee, a dramatic abstract composition by the Norwegian artist Thorvald Hellesen, an image of Samuel Beckett by Louis le Brocquy and houses by Mary Lou, a self taught painter from the Glens of Antrim.
Abstract Composition by Thorvald Hellesen at Sheppards. UPDATE: THIS MADE 26,000 AT HAMMER
Her contribution is an oil on board of a village in the west of Ireland in a bold, graphic style against a mountainous backdrop. A vibrant studio still life by Gladys MacCabe reflects a modernist style while a pen and ink drawing by Sir William Orpen was once in the collection of Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones. A Walled off Hotel box set by Banksy, a lithograph of Queen Beatrix from the Reigning Queen series by Andy Warhol, a screenprint of birdflight by Braque and a signed etching by Renoir of a seated bather are among the international lots on offer. The sale is on view in Durrow and the catalogue is online.
An Italian tinted mirror and tiered hall table at de Veres. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
The Christmas art and furniture online auction at de Veres on December 10 at 2 pm is headed by The Children of Lir, an oil on board by Patrick Collins. Artists in the sale include Peter Collis, Arthur Armstrong, William Carron, Yvonne Moore, Felim Egan, Mark Francis, Anne King Harman,Markey Robinson, Gerard Dillon and Patrick Scott.
There is a range of 20th century design furniture and period pieces by Hicks including a Georgian style semi-elliptical side table, a set of Dutch 18th century style dining chairs and a pair of compartmental wall mirrors. An Italian tinted and mirrored hall table and a pair of 1970’s black leather Swedish easy chairs cater for a contrasting taste in furniture.
An original and vintage portrait of Fellini’s Amarcord at Lot 100. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
A large scale, rare vintage poster for Federico Fellini’s Amarcord is among the highly collectible lots at the online auction by Lot 100 which runs until next Tuesday (December 9). Amarcord is set in his hometown of Rimini in the 1930’s and the extraordinary characters that surrounded him. Fellini commissioned the Italian painter Giuliano Geleng to create a portrait of some of the people and events that shaped his young life in this film classic.
There is art by Eithne Jordan, Joan Miro, Damien Hirst, Richard Long, Patrick Scott and a photographic portrait of Martin McDonagh by Steve Pyke in an eclectic selection that can be seen online and is on view this weekend in Lismore.
Noel 1960 – Variation II by Joan Miro. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
This limited edition lithograph by Miro, printed by Mourlot Brothers in Paris, is at the Deck the Walls online art sale by Lismore based Lot 100 which runs until December 9. The estimate is €600-€800. Over 120 lots of paintings, sculpture, prints, vintage posters and photography from Irish and International artists are on offer.
Robert Carver (c1730-1791) – Figures conversing in a classical landscape
This painting by Robert Carver in its original Irish carved giltwood frame is at an exhibition and sale of 18th – 21st century Irish paintings which opens today at the Gorry Gallery in Dublin. Along with George Barret he was the leading landscape artist in Dubin in the 1750’s-60’s. The exhibition runs until December 19.
SAPPHIRE AND DIAMOND RING, FIRST QUARTER OF THE 20TH CENTURY SOLD FOR €280,000 AT HAMMER
This cushion-shaped Kashmir sapphire weighing 5.08cts made a hammer price of €280,000 at Adam’s sale of fine jewellery and ladies watches in Dublin this evening. With French assay marks and signed Boucheron Paris it was accompanied by a Swiss report authenticatings its Kashmir origin with no indications of heating. The ring was acquired circa 1930’s in Paris by a member of the Guerlain family of perfume fame and has remained with the family by descent.
Hans Eworth – Portrait of Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk (1538-1578). UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £3,212,000
One of the most significant Tudor portraits remaining in private hands is at Sotheby’s Old Master and 19th century paintings evening auction in London on December 3. Painted in 1562 by Hans Eworth, the leading English painter after Hans Holbein, it depicts Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk, one of the most powerful noblemen at the court of Elizabeth I. A second cousin to the Queen and heir to one of England’s greatest dynasties, he was the son of Henry Howard, the ‘Poet Earl of Surrey’, and the grandson of the formidable 3rd Duke of Norfolk. Yet even his towering status could not shield him from political peril: he fell from favour and was executed for treason in 1572 – just ten years after this portrait was painted – following a conspiracy to replace Elizabeth I with Mary, Queen of Scots.
Born in Antwerp and active in London from the 1540s, Hans Eworth emerged as England’s leading portraitist in the years following Holbein’s death.
