Provenance always adds a level of excitement to sales. In Ireland, where so many records like bills of sale have been lost, the early history of a work is often elusive. It can be impossible to say with certainty who made this or that piece. An Italian Mannerist painting of The Baptism of Christ which came up at Sheppards sale of contents from Seafield House, Donabate, Dublin did offer some interesting provenance. It was once in the collection of Cork Lord Mayor Augustine Roche and came up at his dispersal by Marshs in 1916. The three day sale was originally scheduled for April of that year and it had to be postponed until July because of the Easter Rising. The painting sold for a hammer price of €1,300 at Sheppards.
THIS ITALIAN MANNERIST PAINTING OF THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST MADE €1,300 at hammer
A hammer price of €160,000 for a small oil by Jack B Yeats at the James Adam sale in Dublin last week is testament to the health of the Irish art market as 2021 draws to a close. Through the Streets to the Hills measures just 9″ x 14″ and easily sailed past the top estimate of €150,000. Bogland Connemara by Paul Henry made €100,000 and an Aubusson tapestry by Louis le Brocquy made €80,000 at hammer. A Western Lake and Mountain Landscape by Henry made €75,000 and Composition by Evie Hone sold for €46,000. A Cubist Landscape by Mary Swanzy made €38,000 and Looking Westward by Dan O’Neill made €40,000.At least €12 million euro worth of Irish art changed hands in the winter selling season at Sotheby’s, de Veres, Bonhams, Whyte’s, Morgan O’Driscoll and Adams. The market is rock solid, rather than frenzied in the way it was before the 2008 crash. At Adams three works by Colin Middleton made hammer prices respectively of €29,000, €25,000 and €23,000. A Bahamas painting by Tony O’Malley made €22,000 and Bird in Blue by Breon O’Casey made €20,000 over a top estimate of €12,000.Art by Basil Blackshaw, William Leech, George Campbell, Donald Teskey, Edwin Hayes, Edward McGuire, F E McWilliam and John Shinnors all sold well at Adams last week. Little Blue Piece, an etched, stained and blown cut glass work by the Cork based Maud Cotter made a hammer price of €2,400 over a top estimate of €1,600.
Maud Cotter (b.1954) Little Blue Piece. Etched, stained and painted antique mouth blown glass panel,
Home to Cuas by the Dingle based artist Liam O’Neill made a hammer price of €14,000 at Morgan O’Driscoll’s off the wall art auction last week. It is a colourful treatment of three men in a currach returning from a fishing trip. Cuas is located near Brandon Creek, reputed to be the starting point for St. Brendan to set sail across the Atlantic in the 6th century.
It has been a record year at Sotheby’s so far in 2021. Driven by strength and depth of demand and an influx of new collectors the consolidated sales at the company now stand at $7.3 billion. This is the strongest total in Sotheby’s 277 year history.
With more than 20 sales still to go, Sotheby’s standout year to date results includes auctions with a running total of $6 billion and private sales achieving $1.3 billion. As auctions rebounded and clients responded to a seamless digital and physical experience new sale formats and categories attracted a wider audience. A record number of bidders joined in Sotheby’s sales – 44% them new to the auction house. A rise in quality works coming to the market is meeting strong demand from new and established collectors.
A view of the white glove sale of the Macklowe Collection, which made $676.1 million in New York in November
FRANÇOIS-XAVIER LALANNE (1927-2008) ‘MOUTONS DE LAINE’, SHEEP AND TWO OTTOMANS, 1969-1971
Two days of design sales at Christie’s in New York achieved $18,162,375. The iconic ‘Moutons de Laine’ by François-Xavier Lalanne was the top lot of the sale. It made $1,590,000. Works by Alberto Giacometti from the collection of a member of the Matisse family – ‘Lampe Coupe aux deux figures’ and a ‘Grande Feuille’ floor lamp respectively made $930,000 and $1,170,000. Notable results were also realised for iconic designs by the French master Jean Royère, including a beautiful and rare ‘Croisillon’ sofa which sold for $562,500 as well as an exceptional ‘Ours Polaire’ salon suite, a sofa and armchair, which totalled $1,110,000.
Digging up Glass by David Hockney at Whyte’s. UPDATE: THIS MADE €950 AT HAMMER
An etching by David Hockey, a watercolour by Robert Gregory, son of Lady Gregory who was mourned by Yeats, a sculpture by Edward Delaney and Christmas cards by Patrick Scott all feature at Whyte’s affordable timed online Christmas art and collectibles sale of 278 lots. It runs until next Monday evening. Digging up Glass by Hockney, number 53 from an edition of 100, dates to 1969 and is from a suite of illustrations for Six Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm. It is estimated at €700-€1,000.
Meantime with everything from some Midleton Very Rare Whiskey to a 1960 Chateau D’Yquem from Sauternes (€900-€1,100) the selection at the James Adam timed online sale is enough to tickle any palate. The timed online sale runs to next Wednesday (December 15).
Pair of large silver sauceboats by Matthew West, Dublin 1794. UPDATE: THESE MADE 4,400 AT HAMMER
Christmas is coming and there is still time to pick up stuff. In fact next week is unusually busy with a raft of last minute Christmas auctions. Given that the need to make merry is very great under the sorry circumstances of this year a pair of very large Irish George III silver sauceboats at the James Adam At Home sale next Tuesday might be just the thing for the festive Christmas table. Made by Matthew West in Dublin in 1794 this pair, complete with scroll handles and hoof feet, are functional, big and beautiful. Estimated at €2,000-€3,000 they take pride of place in a silver section where the selection ranges from decanters, cutlery and strawberry dishes to wine funnels, ladles, plated candlesticks and salts. Lot 20 is a Cork silver sugar bowl stamped sterling and estimated at €600-€800.
An attractive George IV serpentine front bookcase with twin glazed doors would definitely add a touch of superiority to any home office. It is estimated at just €600-€1,000, The catalogue cover lot is a burnt orange leather Chesterfield sette (€1,500-€2,000).Reproductions of the distinctive Art Nouveau work of Czech illustrator Alphonse Mucha were all the rage with the advent of high street art print shops in the 1970’s and are never out of fashion. A pair of lithographic poster prints on board by Mucha with the trade label G Garrault, Rue Pigalle, Paris – Spring and Summer – are estimated at €4,000-€6,000.
Lot 386 is an unusual and historic papier mache picture frame made for the Royal Art Union by the English artist Charles Frederick Bielefeld. The union was established in 1839 to promote fine arts in Ireland. The frame is estimated at €1,000-€2,000.This At Home auction is ideal for those looking for a less traditional gift from a selection of furniture, furnishings, paintings, silver, glass, ceramics and jewellery. The catalogue with 485 lots is online. This is just one of a larger than usual number of last minute pre-Christmas auctions in Ireland next week. Normally the season in Ireland would have more or less wrapped up by the first week of December. It underlines how 2021 has been different. In terms of auctions, easy availabilty and online activity it has not been at all bad for much of the antique trade.
Mid 19th century Royal Irish Art Union picture frame by Charles Frederick Bielefeld UPDATE: THIS MADE €1,000 AT HAMMER
This watercolour by Gerard Dillon is lot 92 at Whyte’s Christmas sale of art and collectibles. It is estimated at €1,000-€1,500. The timed online only auction ends at 6 pm on December 13. It is on view at Molesworth St., Dublin from 1 pm to 5 pm n December 11 and 12 and from 10 am to 5 pm on Monday. There are 278 lots in the auction.
Paul Henry RHA (1877-1958) – Bogland Connemara (1930 – 32) sold for €100,000 at hammer
Bogland Connemara by Paul Henry was one of the top three lots at the James Adam sale of Important Irish Art in Dublin this evening. It made a hammer price of €100,000. Through the streets to the hills, a 1950 oil by Jack B Yeats made €160,000 on the hammer and Cavanagh, an Aubusson tapestry by Louis le Brocquy made €80,000. This sale marked the culmination of a highly successful winter selling season for Irish art, which has finished the year on a high note. At least €12 million worth of Irish art changed hands during the season of winter sales at Sothebys, de Veres, Bonhams, Whyte’s, Morgan O’Driscoll and James Adam.
This c1780 pair of Louis XVI gilt console tables made a hammer price of €14,000 at Sheppards today. Sheppards four day sale of the Cronin Collection of Seafield House, Donabate continunes on December 9 and 10.
