The top lot at Fonsie Mealy’s three day sale in Castlecomer this week was a set of four Killarney paintings by James Arthur O’Connor (1792 – 1841) which made a hammer price of 22,000. The oil on board works in matching gilt frames were commissioned by the Godfrey family in Co. Kerry and came to auction by direct family descent. A bronze figure of Cu Chulainn by Edward Delaney made 19,000. Other top lots included an early 19th century Korean storage cabinet (15,000), a mid 18th century Chinoiserie decorated and lacquered kneehole desk (12,000) and a 17th century Flemish tapestry (8,500). The sale realised just over one million euro on the hammer.
One of four views of Killarney by James Arthur O’Connor
A Cork Republican Silver strawberry dish made a hammer price of 7,000 over a top estimate of 3,000 at Fonsie Mealy’s sale in Castlecomer today. It was described by the auctioneer as rare and important. The dish has a lobed rim and beaten surface and the W.E. (William Egan) punch. Cork Republican silver refers to silverware produced in the city during the Civil War. Only about 60-80 pieces are known to have survived. At the height of the war it was impossible for silversmiths Egans to send their pieces for assay to Dublin and so they devised their own hallmark based on the Arms of Cork. This depicts a two masted left facing ship with a single towered castle on either side. These marks were destroyed once the silver could once again be sent to Dublin.
This 18th century embroidered silk panel sold for a hammer price of 8,500 at Fonsie Mealy’s Chatsworth autumn fine art sale at Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny today. The large panel, which depicts a mythical scene with figures and birds by a rocky stream with two figures riding on birds in the clouds, had been estimated at 600-800. The live online sale continues until September 30.
These exceptional George III gilt bronze commodes date to the early 1760’s and are attributed to the celebrated English cabinet makers William Vile and John Cobb. After Thomas Chippendale they were arguably the most accomplished cabinet makers of the mid Georgian period, a golden age of carved mahogany furniture. On the open market for the first time since 1955 they come up at the Exceptional Sale at Christie’s in New York on October 14 from the collection of Abby and George O’Neill. Their passion for the arts was a tradition begun by Abby’s grandparents John D. Rockefeller Jr. and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. Selected works from the collection will be offered at various sales at Christie’s in coming months. The commodes are estimated at $150,000-$250,000.
The wine cellar from Luggala, a pair of sculpted whippets attributed to John Hogan, the intact electrical unit installed by the Jennings family at the first home in Cork with residential electricity and a pair of opium chairs from Korea are among the lots at Fonsie Mealy’s Chatsworth Fine Art sale in Castlecomer on September 28, 29 and 30.The 1,631 lots on offer range from antique furniture and paintings to silver, Oriental ceramics, jewellery, carpets, fireplaces, taxidermy and even vintage cars. Viewing continues to be available by appointment from 1 pm to 5 pm today and tomorrow and the entire sale is online. More than 100 lots of wine from Luggala, the Guinness family home of the late Garech Browne, will come up on day one from lot 410. The selection includes vintages from 1959, 1960 and ‘6i. There are various lots of unopened cases of wines from the Medoc and Bordeaux, champagnes, wines from Spain, Portugal and Chile, vintage port and four bottles of 1990 Chateau d’Yquem. On offer too is a 1939 red Austin 8 convertible and a stylish two tone 1959 Morris Minor with retractable red soft top. Brookfield, now part of the UCC medical campus, was the first private residence in Cork with electricity. The brass and copper wall mounted unit in an Edwardian walnut cabinet installed by Porter Sykes & Co., Electrical Engineers, Cork & Dublin remains intact with amp and volt meters. Lot 1267 is estimated at €2,000-€3,000.
A carved oak breakfront overmantle by Pugin originally at Fonthill Abbey, Wiltshire is estimated at €4,000-€6,000. A selection of sculpture by Edward Delaney from the collection of Garech Browne includes a figure of Cu Chulainn (€6,000-€8,000). Lot 1357, a pair of sculptured marble whippets attributed to John Hogan, is estimated at €15,000-€20,000. Lot 153 is a pair of large Korean opium hardwood benches (€350-€450) and lot 154 is a pair of small opium benches (€200-€300). The three day online auction starts at 11 am on each day.
Pair of sculptured marble whippets attributed to John Hogan (1800-1858). UPDATE: THESE MADE 13,000 AT HAMMER
This Chinese Qing Famille Verte charger made a hammer price of 12,000 at Sheppards in Durrow, Co. Laois today. It had been estimated at 150-250. The central cartouche depicts figures in a garden surrounded by cartouches with anthropological and zoological subjects interspersed with objects of virtu. The charger measures 40cm in diameter.
Antique furniture, art, jewellery and collectibles will come under the hammer at a live online sale at Hegarty’s in Bandon, west Cork on September 27. The catalogue features 330 lots including an Irish marble statuary fireplace in the manner of Pietro Bossi, an Art Deco sapphire and diamond ring, a two page handwritten letter from Terence MacSwiney – the Cork Lord Mayor who died on hunger strike in Brixton Prison in 1920 – to Pauline Henley in 1916, a Killarney trinket box and an Irish 18th century mahogany fold over tea table.
IRISH 18TH CENTURY MAHOGANY FOLD OVER TEA TABLE. UPDATE: THIS MADE 1,400 AT HAMMER
This distinctive Victorian chaise longue covered in Irish beetled linen is at the Pimlico Road sale at Sotheby’s online until September 30. The unique process of ‘Beetling’ involves linen being dampened and wound around an iron cylinder. The linen is then passed through a machine and pounded with heavy wooden blocks. This technique produces a hard, flat surface with a glaze and makes the linen fabric less porous.
The sale features property from ten galleries and shops on London’s Pimlico Road and offers everything from country house articles to cutting edge contemporary design. There are more than 200 lots with estimates from £400 to £120,000.
VICTORIAN CHAISE LONGUE (£2,000-3,000). UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
A 19th century walnut bedroom suite once possibly at Castle Freke comes up at the online Lynes and Lynes sale in Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork on September 26. The nucleus of this 368 lot auction is two long undisturbed house contents, one at Monkstown, other at Rossa Street Clonakilty. No less than six watercolours by Lady Kate Dobbin emerged from the house in Monkstown. There is silver, period furniture, old swords, jewellery, glass, porcelain and antique paintings.
It is known that lot 120, the walnut bedroom suite estimated at just €800-€1,200, emerged from one of the great west Cork house auctions of times past. Mr. Lynes speculates that this could well have been the three day contents auction of Castle Freke conducted by the venerable Cork firm of Marshs in October 1919. Books on offer include Elephant and Seladang Hunting in the Federated Malay States, London 1905 by Theodore R. Hubback (€1,000-€1,500).
Walnut bedroom suite at Lynes and Lynes. UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,600 AT HAMMER
A communal three handled drinking vessel previously on loan to the National Museum kicks off three days of online sales at Sheppards in Durrow on September 22, 23 and 24. The design of the Liam McCarthy Cup is based on this particular medieval Celtic vessel, known as a mether. Found at Corran, Co. Armagh it is estimated at €8,000-€12,000.
With everything from a portrait of an old man wearing a turban in the style of Rembrandt to a Japanese ivory chest this Legacy of the Big House sale offers an extraordinary range of art, furniture, Oriental pieces and collectibles. The Morgan Family collection of portrait miniatures is brimful of interest not least because of the portrait of Capt. Tony Morgan by Frederic Buck. This is almost certainly the same Tony Morgan who witnessed the charge of the light brigade in 1854. Reports of this most famous incident of British military history are littered with references to him. Frederic Buck was a successful artist in Cork at a time when it was a busy port of embarkation for troops during the Peninsular War. He fulfilled many orders for portraits for officers going to war. Based at Bunalun near Skibbereen the Morgan family were descendants of the Welsh born pirate captain whose name is synonymous with a brand of rum.
Art on offer includes a limited edition bronze of Arkle and Pat Taaffe by Emma McDermott (€8,000-€12,000), a Head Study of a young girl after Renoir (€80,000-€120,000) and An Irish Jig by Nathanial Grogan (€1,500-€2,500). The auction offers a selection including silver, antique furniture, old maps, garden furniture, jewellery, an Irish taxidermy collection, Oriental porcelain, garden furniture, rugs and collectibles including a collection of more than 200 Irish whiskey labels from 1840-1950 (€5,000-€8,000).
A medieval Irish three handled mether UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 11,000
