A Charles I Irish provincial silver chalice dating from 1643 sold for £20,000 over a top estimate of £6,000 at Sotheby’s online sale of decorative and fine art in London yesterday. With an inscription reading ‘This Challice was made for Terlagh O Briene and Ellinorie Brieñe of Comoragh the 26th of 8bre [i.e. October] 1643″ it is from the collection of the late Garech Browne at Luggala in Co. Wicklow. Comoragh Castle was in Co. Waterford.
(See post on antiquesandartireland.com for May 11, 2020).
Kurt Cobain’s 1959 Martin D-18E will headline Julien’s Music Icons sale online in Hollywood on June 19-20. The guitar was played at what would become Nirvana’s most legendary performance in a live taping for MTV Unplugged on November 18, 1993, five months before his death. Cobain chose this guitar to paint what Rolling Stone called “his last self-portrait”. Nirvana’s acoustic performance that night produced one of the greatest live albums of all time, MTV Unplugged in New York. Cuts from the album, released seven months after Cobain’s death, would go on to become the most celebrated and defining versions of Nirvana’s songs, “About A Girl,” “All Apologies,” “Come As You Are,” and “Dumb,” as well as covers of David Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold the World,” The Meat Puppets’ “Lake of Fire,” and a haunting rendition of Lead Belly’s “Black Girl” renamed “Where Did You Sleep Last Night.” MTV Unplugged in New York debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard charts and is consistently ranked among the top ten live albums of all time. Cobain’s mastery of this guitar along with Nirvana’s flawless acoustic and vocal performance propelled the MTV Unplugged in New York album to multi-platinum certification and won the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album in 1996. It was the seventh of only 302 D-18Es built by Martin and was customized by Cobain who added a Bartolini pickup to the soundhole. The opening estimate is a cool $1 million.
A fine Cork clock from the collection of the late Garech Browne at Luggala comes up at Sotheby’s Decorative and Fine art online sale which runs to May 20. The c1780 George III mahogany and Chinoiseries carved fretwork longcase clock by James Aickin is reasonably estimated at just £800-1,200. Several other lots of Irish interest in this sale include an Irish provincial silver chalice from 1643, also from Luggala.Part of Garech Browne’s cellar is scheduled to come up at Fonsie Mealy’s next online sale at the end of June.
The onward march of the virtual world in this new era of online auctions, pent up demand and postponed sales cannot be overstated. Some of the rapid adjustments made in this time of pandemic are temporary, others will prove to be far more permanent.Just a few short months ago at the beginning of the year the idea of conducting a sale with no option to view physically would have been beyond the imaginings of many. Now they are not only commonplace, but working. At a time when traditional viewing is out of the question auctioneers are finding new and imaginative ways to sell.Take Christie’s, currently running a sale called The Collector online until June 1. This 264 lot auction with estimates from £200 to £35,000 is focused on bringing craft and design us in lockdown. To promote the auction of English and European furniture, silver, ceramics, gold boxes and works of art from the 17th to the 19th century, they have created a series of virtual viewing viewing rooms filled with the lots on offer. These virtual vignettes are designed to inspire the inner interior decorator unleashed by all this enforced time at home. Head of sale Paul Gallois commented: “During this unprecedented period in our lives, whilst a great many are spending more time than ever at home, interiors have become a major focus of comfort, familiarity and aesthetic expression.”
A Charles I Irish provincial silver chalice dating from 1643 is among the lots at Sotheby’s Decorative and Fine Art online sale which runs until May 20. From the collection of the late Garech Browne at Luggala, Co. Wicklow it is estimated at £4,000-6,000. The inscription reads: ‘This Challice was made for Terlagh O Briene and Ellinorie Brieñe of Comoragh the 26th of 8bre [i.e. October] 1643′. Comoragh Castle was in Co. Waterford.
The year 1643 found Ireland in turmoil at the beginning of the Confederate Wars (1641-1652). Hostilities had begun in 1641 when a group of Catholic landowners unsuccessfully challenged the English administration in Ireland under Charles I. Their aim had been to gain concessions for Catholics but their defeat led to widespread unrest when English Protestant settlers suffered attacks by the native Irish population. It is believed that Terlagh and Eleanor O’Brien sought safety in Kilconnell, co. Galway, 110 miles north of the disturbances in the vicinity of their native Comeragh.
In Dublin Adams has re-scheduled a number of postponed sales to July and September. The Important Irish Art sale which had been scheduled for March is now to take place on September 9. The most expensively estimated lot in this sale is The Sick Bed by Yeats at 250,000-350,000.
The Mid-Century Modern sale is now scheduled for July 28. The auction will be held as a live auction with telephone, commission and internet bidding all available, but there will be no bidding in the room. There will be a timed Works on Paper auction and a timed fine wines and spirits sale on July 31. There will be an At Home sale on August 23 and the fine jewellery and watches sale will now take place on September 15.
Prince’s 1984 custom made blue cloud guitar became part of his iconography after featuring in Purple Rain. It comes up at Julien’s Music Icons sale in Beverly Hills on June 19-20 with an estimate of $100,000-200,000. As well as Prince the sale will feature memorabilia relating to Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Johnny Cash, Jim Morrison, the Rollings Stones, Queen, David Bowie, The Police, Guns N’Roses, Bob Marley, Elton John, Phish, Whitney Houston and many more.
The original Bob Dylan lyrics for his Blond on Blond album are included in Sotheby’s English Literature, History, Childrens Books and Illustrations sale which runs online until May 12. They are estimated at £12,000-15,000.
AS of the morning of May 8 in Europe a private virtual recording with Sting is the most popular lot at Sotheby’s Mayday Covid-19 charity auction which runs to 7 pm New York time today. The sale of virtual experiences to aid the International Rescue Committee is heavily subscribed. The private virtual recording with Sting has been bid up to $38,000 and has so far attracted 63 bids.
UPDATE: THE recording session with Sting eventually sold for $137,500 and was the most expensive lot in a 24 lot auction which raised $451,375. Charles Stewart, Sotheby’s CEO, commented: “We are thrilled with the outpouring of support we received for this special charity auction to raise much-needed funds for the International Rescue Committee and their Covid relief efforts. We are also extremely grateful to our partner Google for providing the support needed to bring these virtual experiences to life, as well as sincerely thankful to each participant who so generously donated their time for this important cause.”
(See post on antiquesandartireland.com for April 27, 2020)
A Victorian silver automaton with pop up bird and musical accompaniment is among the lots at the live online sale by Matthews of Oldcastle on May 12. About seven inches wide and in original working order it is estimated at 2,500-3,500. Purchases are to be posted to all successful bidders. The sale offers 548 lots of gold, silver, watches, some Russian pieces and collectibles. The catalogue is online at Easy Live Auctions.
UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 2,900 AT HAMMER
Clonmel auctioneer Larry O’Keeffe will hold a timed auction of 200 lots of antique furniture, collectibles, jewellery and more to May 10. The catalogue is online at easyliveauction.com
