A number of sales are to be held behind closed doors at Bonhams, which will temporarily close their offices to the general public on March 20. Among the sales going ahead in the near future in Knightsbridge in London are British and European Art on March 24, Modern British and Irish art on March 25 and Decorative Art and Design on April 1. There is to be a Home and Interiors sale in Edinburgh on April 1.
The following sales due to be held at New Bond Street and New York will be rescheduled: Impressionist and Modern Art, Islamic and Indian Art,The Greek Sale and Photographs. Bonhams remains open for business remotely via its Digital Consignment Hub for consigners, and for clients wishing to register for sales.
Summer Storm by William Crozier (1930-2011) (£5,00-7,000) at the Modern British and Irish Art sale on March 25.
A number of auctions will go ahead in Ireland over the coming weekend, though in changed circumstances. Sales by Aidan Foley in Doneraile in North Cork on March 21 and by Hegarty’s in Bandon on March 22 will go ahead as online only auctions. In each case the auctioneer will facilitate intending bidders with photographs and condition reports. Online bidding at easyliveauction.com
The two day sale by Matthews Auctioneers in Kells will take place at 2 pm each day. Social distancing will be observed in the auction room, on view and auction days. All safe physical and breathing space will be observed. Hand sanitiser will also be available and the sale will be held in a closed off area of the room. Online bidding is available through the illustrated online catalogue at matthewsauctionrooms.com
A pair of rosewood side tables at Hegarty’s in Bandon on Sunday. UPDATE: THESE SOLD FOR 1,550
The Patrick Kelly sale scheduled to take place at Sotheby’s in London tomorrow has been postponed at the eleventh hour. The sale 44 Fitzwilliam Square, works from the estate of the late Patrick Kelly, had been widely flagged nationally and internationally over the past six months.
The late property developer Patrick Kelly furnished his Dublin home with an array of Irish painting from the 18th to the 20th centuries, Georgian and Regency furniture, silver and decorative arts. An exceptional William Scott entitled Deep Blues and five works by Yeats was to highlight an auction which featured highly desirable pieces such as a pair of Irish mirrors and marquetry tables in the style of the great Dublin maker William Moore.
In a statement released today Sotheby’s said: “Following conversations with the family, the sale of works from the Estate of the Late Patrick Kelly, due to take place at Sotheby’s in London on 18th March, will be postponed owing to the exceptional circumstances. Since its announcement in October, the sale has been enthusiastically received by the public and collectors alike, and we look forward to holding the sale at a future date when the collection can be rightfully honoured.
A new sale date will be communicated in due course.”
One of the greatest treasures of the early Irish Church the Ardagh Chalice was discovered in the 19th century near Ardagh, Co. Limerick. The form recalls late Roman tableware, the method of construction is Irish with bowl and foot made of spun silver. The outer is decorated with applied gold, silver, glass, amber and enamel ornament. The underside of the foot is highly decorated and contains a polished rock crystal at the centre. It represents a high point in early medieval craftsmanship.
A Victorian silver gilt replica of this high point in early medieval craftsmanshi comes up at Sotheby’s sale in London on March 18 of 44 Fitzwilliam Square, works from the estate of the late Patrick Kelly. The silver gilt replica two handled rose bowl by Frederick Elkington, London 1879 is inscribed: “Presented to Sir Thomas George Fermor-Hesketh Bart of Rufford. On His Marriage 23. December 1880. By The Tenants on His Lancashire Estates”. It is estimated at £3,000-5,000.
THE global attention Ireland enjoys on St. Patrick’s Day in normal circumstances is set to continue at Sotheby’s in London on March 18 despite coronavirus. In a statement Sotheby’s ceo Charles Stewart said: “To the best of our ability, we are going to continue doing what we do best, which is to connect people with the world’s greatest treasures”. He added that Sotheby’s is technologically equipped to operate business in a variety of scenarios.
The London auction of contents from 44 Fitzwilliam Square in Dublin will go ahead. The late property developer Patrick Kelly furnished his Dublin home with an array of Irish painting from the 18th to the 20th centuries, Georgian and Regency furniture, silver and decorative arts. An exceptional William Scott entitled Deep Blues and five works by Yeats will highlight an auction which features highly desirable pieces such as a pair of Irish mirrors and marquetry tables in the style of the great Dublin maker William Moore. The catalogue with 126 lots is online.
One of a pair of c1740 Irish George II pier glasses
A rare first edition of one of the most popular books ever written, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone inscribed by author J. K. Rowling “to Bryony… the first person ever to see merit in Harry Potter” sold for £118,000 in Bonhams Fine Books, Atlases, Manuscripts & Photographs sale in London today. It had an estimate of £70,000-90,000.
Bryony Evens was the office manager for the literary agent Christopher Little, when in 1996, she picked up a three-chapter submission from the slush pile and started reading. Instantly hooked, Bryony asked Little to request that the author send the rest of the book. They soon received the full manuscript for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by the then unknown J.K. Rowling, and the rest is history.
Head of Bonhams Fine Books and Manuscripts Department, Matthew Haley, commented: “This unique copy of the highly desirable rare first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone really was a little piece of Harry Potter history. I’m not surprised that it attracted such interest and achieved such an impressive price”.
Memories of the goodwill shown by those working in the Irish theatre towards the arts in general and visual art in particular are contained in a lot at Fonsie Mealy’s Spring Rare Book Sale in Castlecomer on March 11. Lot 608 is a large Irish linen printed handkerchief sold by the Irish players at $1 towards a building for Sir Hugh Lane’s gift of paintings for Ireland. Dated April 1913 it is illustrated with a group scene of players and individual portraits, signed by W.B. Yeats, Lady Augusta Gregory and folded in its original envelope. The lot contains Irish plays by Yeats, Synge, William Boyle and Lady Gregory toured under the direction of Alfred Wareing in the summer of 1906. Consigned by Lady Gregory’s grand daughter Mrs. Catherine Kennedy, it is estimated at 250-350.
A nephew of Lady Gregory, Sir Hugh Lane established Dublin’s Municipal Gallery of Modern Art, the first known public gallery of modern art in the world. He was among the victims of the Lusitania disaster in 1915.
There is history, travel, sporting memorabilia and much more at Fonsie Mealy’s Rare Book sale in Castlecomer on March 11. The catalogue lists more than 900 lots covering a broad range of interests including literature, history, racing, an 1820 book on zoology from the library at Doneraile Court, folklore, local history and legends, maps, military history, postcards, sporting programmes and a miniature stamped sample of a hurley signed by Ollie Walsh. Travel may be going off the menu right now but the sale boasts a rare travel guide from the last days of the Georgian period. The first English (1832) edition of Tour in England, Ireland and France in the years 1828-29 by the German nobleman Prince Hermann Ludwig Heinrich von Puckler-Muskau is estimated at €300-400. He observed the manners and customs of the inhabitants and offered anecdotes about distinguished public characters in a series of letters.
A catalogue for the 1952 All Ireland Hurling Final between Cork and Dublin, the first of the Leesiders three in a row, has an estimate of €80-100. There is an estimate of €3,000-4,000 on a scrapbook of a collection of rugby material from Karl Mullen (1926-2009) regarded as Ireland’s first “professional” captain who won 25 caps between 1947-1952. There are news cuttings and tickets relating to Ireland’s 1948 Grand Slam and the 1950 Lions Tour to Australia and New Zealand, match programmes, action shots and pen pictures.There is about 60 boxed lots for foragers. The catalogue is online.
The words “Charity” and “Bank” are hardly synonymous but the first sale devoted entirely to Irish banknotes by UK specialist auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb in London on March 12 will include 120 lots from the archive of AIB (formerly the First Trust Bank) to be sold in aid of charity. There are around 200 other lots from various other sources. The archive includes proofs, specimens and high grade issued notes from the Provincial Bank, AIB and First Trust Bank. Among the most prized lots are four uncut sheets of 35 First Trust Bank £10 proofs from the 1994-96 issue estimated at £2,000-2,600 and three uncut sheets of 24 First Trust £100 dating from March 1, 1996 (£1,500-2,000).
Adrian Moynihan, Head of AIB (NI) said: “With a long and proud history of supporting the Northern Ireland community, AIB is delighted to bring forward for auction its banknote archive in the hope and anticipation that it will raise significant money for two local charities.” Proceeds will be split between Age Northern Ireland and the Alzheimer’s Society.
Prime lots from other sources include a rare and attractive high denomination Bank of Ireland £20, dating from November 1915, which is expected to make £3,000-£3,600. The auction will be preceded on March 11 by A sale of Irish Coins and Medals at Dix Noonan Webb which includes an extremely rare Free State (1921-1937) Proof Florin from 1934.
Provincial Bank of Ireland £5 note proofs. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £900
A facsimile of The Book of Kells – the most precious illuminated manuscript of the early Middle Ages – is among the lots at Fonsie Mealy’s Spring rare book sale in Castlecomer on March 11. It is from the first and only complete fine art facsimile, a limited edition of 1,480 books published by authority of the Board of Trinity College, Dublin. Published by Verlag, Luzern it comes in a specially created presentation box and is estimated at 6,000-8,000. More than 900 lots will come under the hammer.
