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The Return of Ulysses by Hughie O’Donoghue comes up as lot 90 at Whyte’s Irish and International art sale online in Dublin on May 31. It dates to 2006/7, two years before the Irish Museum of Modern Art celebrated this acclaimed artist with a major exhibition of 27 works. O’Donoghue is now represented by the prestigious Marlborough Gallery in London. This work is estimated at €8,000-€12,000. UPDATE: THIS MADE 8,500 AT HAMMER.
A total of 443 lots will come under the hammer at Morgan O’Driscoll’s online sale of affordable Irish art on May 31. Among them is Black Brolly, Blue Brolly by Simeon Stafford. Lot 31 is estimated at €1,000-€1,500.
THIS work by the American Abstract Expressionist painter Helen Frankenthaler features at Sotheby’s online sale of Women Artists which runs until May 27. The artist was a major contributed to American painting in the post war years. It is estimated at £90,000-£120,000. The sale, dedicated to female artists across the centuries, spans 400 years. Among the artists represented, many of whom have been marginalised over time, are Lavinia Fontana, Rachel Ruysch, Dame Laura Knight, Berthe Morisot, Dorothea Tanning, Dame Elisabeth Frink, Cindy Sherman, Dame Magdalene Odundo and Helen Frankenthaler.
The Old Mill by Norah McGuinness (1901-1980) comes up at Morgan O’Driscoll’s online Irish art sale which ends this evening. It is estimated at 2,500-3,500. The sale has aroused considerable interest and large numbers have already placed bids. UPDATE: THIS MADE 4,000 AT HAMMER
THIS painting by Jack B Yeats with the intriguing title Muldoon and Rattlesnake, Drumcliffe Strand, Co. Sligo, 1928 comes up at Whyte’s sale of Irish and International Art in Dublin on May 31. Drumcliffe farmer Mike Muldoon was a famous amateur jockey and athlete in Sligo in the late 19th century. His successes at the strand races caught the imagination of many local people and the artist. He and his horse Rattlesnake were the subject of two other works by Yeats and his prowess as an athlete inspired an 1899 watercolour titled In the Foot Race there are many to Compete now in the collection of Ireland’s National Gallery. The races on the strand were a favourite theme of many early works by Yeats and Hilary Pyle speculates that Muldoon may have been the inspiration for one of the jockeys in Before the Start at the National Gallery. Memories of the strand races, the crowds and the excitement obviously resonated deeply with Yeats as this painting was made at least 30 years after he had seen Muldoon in action. It is estimated at €100,000-€150,000. UPDATE: THIS MADE 160,000 AT HAMMER
Something about house contents auctions brings on the urge to rummage. Drawn from no less than four house clearances the catalogue for Matthews auctions in Kells, Co. Meath on May 22 and 23 offers plenty of scope for rummaging among everything from an antique dinner gong to gilded mirrors, garden fountains, silver mounted mirrors and brushes, an Edwardian cake stand, boxes of books, porcelain and antique furniture. The past year has demonstrated that much of what we do in real time can be done virtually and an online rummage through a catalogue with 1,000 lots might prove fruitful. Matthews will follow this sale with an auction of gold, silver, jewellery and collectibles on the evening of May 25.
This limited edition lithograph of a portrait of Michael Collins by Sir John Lavery is signed by both men. The artists proof was published by Wilson Hartnell and is from a private collection. It comes up as Lot 6 at Morgan O’Driscoll’s Irish art online auction which runs until May 24. The estimate is 3,000-5,000. UPDATE: THIS MADE 5,400 AT HAMMER
This 18th century engraved Irish Map containing Plans of Drogheda, Derry, Kinsale Harbour, Charlemont Fort, City of Dublin, Coleraine, The Harbour of Cork, Galway, The City of Kilkenny, Carrickfergus, The City of Cork, Athlone, Waterford, Belfast, The Royal Fort of Duncannon and
Limerick comes up as Lot 321 at Fonsie Mealy’s sale of contents from Killoughter House, Ashford, Co. Wicklow online on May 18. It is estimated at €200-€300. UPDATE: THIS MADE 360 AT HAMMER
From Italian and Danish furniture in the 1950’s, ’60’s and ’70’s at de Veres to a crocquet set and an 18th century engraved Irish map with plans of Drogheda, Derry, Kinsale Harbour, Cork Harbour, Kilkenny, Cork, Waterford and Limerick at Fonsie Mealy’s there is plenty to choose from at online sales next week. The Design of our Times timed online sale at de Veres until May 18 offers classic 20th century design, period Irish Georgian and Victorian furniture and contemporary and traditional art. Among the artists featured are Donald Teskey, Bridget Riley, Mark Francis, Kenneth Webb, Erskine Nichol and Edwin Hayes. Renowned designers from Eileen Gray, le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe to Arne Jacobsen, Finn Juhl, Eero Saarinen, Ron Arad and Verner Panton all feature in a sale of nearly 400 lots.
Fine furniture, antiques, ceramics, paintings, outdoor and garden effects and wines will feature at Fonsie Mealy’s online sale of contents from Killoughter House, Ashford, Co. Wicklow on May 18. Among more than 600 lots are a pair of miniature pencil portraits of Philip Somerville of The Prairie, Schull, Co. Cork and his wife Henrietta Townsend, an 18th century engraved Irish map, a pair of minature portraits of Brisbane Warren of Union Hall and his wife Mary, daughter of Philip Somerville. Furniture includes a large 19th century French gilt console table once in the collection of Sir Alfred Chester Beatty.
A signed watercolour by Lin Fengmian will highlight Sheppards sale of Fortlands House, Charleville, Co. Cork – the home of Mary O’Connor – and other clients on May 19 and 20. Mary O’Connor is well known throughout Ireland as a lady who ran a successful antique business from Fortlands for many years. Lot 572, a watercolour portrait by Lin Fengmian (1900-1991), shows a young girl looking at her hat seated beside a vase of flowers. The face in this portrait by a pioneering artist known for blending Chinese and western styles recalls the style of Modigliani. While in Germany Lin became interested in the teachings of Schopenhauer, who conceived the notion of philosophical pessimism. Schopenhauer recognised certain similarities in Western and Eastern philosophy and suggested that aesthetic contemplation could be an escape from human suffering. This resonated deeply with Lin whose mother was sold when he was seven years old. He never saw her again. Back in China he fell foul of the Cultural Revolution and chose to destroy all his paintings to prevent them being used against him. He was imprisoned for four and a half years. His paintings are highly valued and very rare. This one is estimated at €80,000-€120,000.
The two day sale offers a selection of highly affordable lots from furniture and silver to ceramics and collectibles including swords and shillelaghs. There is a plentiful selection of jewellery including a diamond line bracelet (€10,000-€15,000) and Chinese and Oriental ceramics and bronzes, an Edwardian vanity set, modern bookshelves and a foxes head brass door knocker (€100-€150).Lot 209 is a 19th century French marquetry writing desk (€800-€1,200) and there is a similar estimate on a circular Regency dining table. A Victorian mahogany pedestal sideboard is estimated at a mere €300-€500, a Victorian dining table is estimated at €2,500-€3,500 and a Georgian breakfront bookcase at €2,000-€3,000. Given that Sheppards, more than any other Irish auction house, has been successful in selling precious Oriental objects back to collectors in China it seems likely that they will succeed in getting away lot 588 – a Chinese Qing white jade Imperial seal with an estimate of €80,000-€120,000. Of more local interest is a selection of cast iron garden pieces, staddle stones and benches. There is also some country furniture such as a famine chair, a brass bound noggin, a double fish oil light and a pair of elm benches. The auction takes place over four online sessions and the final session on Thursday afternoon will be entirely devoted to silver and plate.
