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.
Evie Hone HRHA (1894-1955) In the Woods at Marley (2,500-3,500) AT ADAMS IRISH ART SALE
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.
Prince’s Blue Cloud guitar. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR $563,000
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.
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
This pair of cast iron skillet pots is estimated at 40-70.
With 37 online auctions totalling nearly $70 million since March Sotheby’s reports increased collector engagement. An update today from ceo Charles Stewart highlighted their plan to hold evening and day sales of Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary Art in New York the week of June, 29 pending the lifting of certain restrictions and confirmation from the relevant authorities. The Spring sales series in Hong Kong will take place from July 5-11.
Sotheby’s has invested in its “buy now” capability with significant inventory for sale. The Gallery Network launched with some of New York’s most pre-eminent galleries allows galleries make immediate sales through Sotheby’s website. The ceo reports continued demand and competition for rare and iconic works across categories. A Cartier tutti frutti bracelet achieved $1.3 million last week.
Roy Lichtenstein’s White Brushstroke Ifrom 1965 will be a highlight Sotheby’s Contemporary Art evening auction in New York on the week beginning June 29.
With everything from the theatre programme for the first production of The Playboy of the Western World at the Abbey Theatre in 1907 to the poetry of Terence McSwiney to the GAA medals of Leonard McGrath and a cache of old IRA documents from 1924-31 the online Collectors Sale by Fonsie Mealy is brimful of interest.The timed auction of 439 lots runs at The Saleroom until the evening of May 5. It features scare modern literature items, signed copies, limited editions, manuscripts, sporting memorabilia, Republican material, cinema posters, pub memorabilia, rare Irish and Scotch whiskies, bourbon and liqueurs and even some designer handbags, purses and scarves.The Leonard McGrath collection is, at €15,000-20,000, the most expensively estimated lot. He played a starring forward role in Galway’s first All Ireland hurling win in 1923 and also played on the winning 1925 football team. A member of the elite group of 16 players to achieve such a success in both codes the Australian born Galway reared McGrath was, as a member of the winning Galwegians rugby team in the 1926-27 season, expelled from the GAA for playing a foreign sport. The lot includes a large bundle of musical scores signed by Leonard McGrath and used at competitions and various singing events and Feis CeoilsA programme for the 1931 All-Ireland Hurling Final in which Cork drew with Kilkenny is estimated at €500-700. Cork won the replay.Lot 274 is a file of IRA Army Council archives from 1924-25 and 1929-31. It comprises document sent to and issued by the IRA’s Chief of Staff who for much of the period covered was Moss Twomey. More than 300 documents over 500 pages give detailed accounts of activities and internal procedures. The lot is estimated at €1,000-1,500.A scarce 1918 book of poetry by Terence MacSwiney, Battle Cries, in grey printed wrappers with proceeds in aid of the Dependents Fund has an estimate of €150-200. There is no publisher or censor’s approval. The author was elected Lord Mayor of Cork after the murder of Tomas MacCurtain in March of 1920. Arrested later that year and charged with having seditious documents the Lord Mayor of Cork died aged 41 on the 74th day of his hunger strike in Brixton Prison on October 25, 1920.There is a limited edition book of poetry from John Montague. A Fair House: Versions of Irish Poetry was printed in 1972. It is being sold together with another Montague work, The Lost Notebook, with illustrations by John Verling published by the Mercier Press in 1987. The estimate is €100-150. There are first editions by authors ranging from Liam O’Flaherty and Frank O’Connor to Ian Fleming as well as cinema posters and historic rugby programmes.The Abbey Theatre programme for Saturday, 26th January 1907 for seven nights including the first production of The Playboy by Synge is estimated at €200-300. This was one of the most celebrated and controversial productions of the Irish theatre. All lots can be viewed on The Saleroom.
UPDATE: The sale realised in excess of € 120,000 on the hammer with 85% sold. The Leonard McGrath medals made 28,500 at hammer.
Sotheby’s is offering an arresting image of Kate Moss in a torn veil, Marrakesh 1993 by Albert Watson at an online sale entitled Eclectic, London which runs to May 7. It is estimated at £7,000-10,000. Bonhams will offer British and Irish art online on May 12 with Irish lots by artists Cecil Maguire, Graham Knuttel and William Crozier. Meantime the London Original Print Fair, normally held at the Royal Academy, is online this year. It continues for the entire month of May.
