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MAO’S LETTER TO CLEMENT ATTLEE AT SOTHEBY’S

Tuesday, December 1st, 2015

A 1937 letter written by Mao Zedong, the Communist Party leader and brilliant guerrilla commander, to British politician Clement Attlee, then head of the Labour Party and future British Prime Minister, comes up at Sotheby’s in London on December 15. It is only the second time that a letter signed by Mao has come to the international market in latter years and it is estimated at £100,000-150,000. It is believe to be one of the first communications between the Communist leader and any Western politician.

Dated November 1, 1937, the letter was written from Yan’an, a remote part of north-western China where the Communists had set-up their headquarters following the full-scale Japanese invasion of the country. After stating Mao’s solidarity and goodwill to the British people, the letter calls for the Labour Party’s urgent practical assistance in the fight against Japanese Imperialism.

UPDATE: It sold to a Chinese private collector for £605,000

Tags: Mao Zedong, sotheby's
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MORE THAN 800 VARIED LOTS AT SHEPPARDS

Saturday, November 28th, 2015

There is a wide ranging choice among more than 800 lots at Sheppards sale in Durrow on December 1. One of the more expensively estimated lots is an Irish George III white marble and scagliola chimney piece in the manner of Pietro Bossi (30,000-50,000). There is antique furniture, lighting, rugs, art, Chinese porcelain, decorative items and clocks in a sale which includes jewellery from the collection of the Hon. Doreen O’Brien (1888-1960), daughter of the 14th Baron of Inchoquin. Among these is a diamond tiara estimated at 6,000-9,000. Lot 601 in this auction is a prime Irish George II walnut settee c1745 estimated at 8,000-12,000. The catalogue is online.

An Irish George II walnut and upholstered settee at Sheppards on December 1. UPDATE: THIS MADE 9,100

A diamond tiara from the collection of the Hon. Doreen O’Brien UPDATE: THIS MADE 20,000

An Irish George III fireplace. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

Tags: Baron Inchiquin, Irish George II settee, Sheppards Durrow
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19TH CENTURY NATURAL PEARL NECKLACE FROM ISABELLA OF SPAIN

Thursday, November 19th, 2015

The 19th century natural coloured pearl necklace with Royal connections. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £224,500

A rare, 19th century natural coloured pearl necklace that belonged to Queen Isabella II of Spain will come up at Christie’s important jewels auction in London on December 2. Estimated at £500,000-700,000 they were originally collected by King Ferdinand VII of Spain for his wife Marie Christina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (she was also his niece). Queen Isabella II of Spain was born in Madrid in 1830 and on the death of her father King Ferdinand VII was proclaimed sovereign at the age of three, with her mother acting as regent.

Against a backdrop of succession disputes and conspiracies, Isabella was finally declared to be of age at 13, where she reigned directly until the revolt of 1868, known as the Glorious Revolution, forced her into exile in France and ushered the First Spanish Republic into power. The necklace originally described as being formed from 46 pearls was later offered for sale at auction in Paris on July 1, 1878 consigned directly by Isabella II, along with other magnificent jewels in her collection. It came up again at Christie’s in London in April 1960 as ‘the property of Frank H. Hargrove, Esq.’ and has since remained in the same family.

Tags: Christie's, Queen Isabella 2 of Spain
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DOLAN’S ART AND ANTIQUES AUCTION IN LIMERICK

Thursday, November 19th, 2015

The first five lots at Dolan’s Limerick art and antiques auction on November 22 are 19th century Irish topographical photographs from the Lawrence Collection. Featuring counties Kerry, Down, Monaghan and various locations from Bray Head to the Corkscrew Road at Lisdoonvarna each volume is estimated at 350-450. There is work by a diverse range of artists from Kenneth Webb and Arthur Maderson to Mark O’Neill and Markey Robinson as well as some silver, furniture, comics and boxing memorabilia. The sale of 197 lots takes place at Castletroy Park Hotel. The catalogue is online. Here is a selection:

Manus Walsh
b.1940
HEIGHTS OF VALPARAISO (650-900). UPDATE: THIS MADE 759

Tom Greaney
KELL’S BAY, CO KERRY (300-450). UPDATE: THIS MADE 275

John Shinnors
b.1950
EASTER WINDOW,
MANNEQUINS (2,800-3,500). UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,800

Arthur K Maderson
b.1942
EVENING SUN,
TALLOW HORSE FAIR (900-1,200). UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

Brian Ballard RUA
SPRING FLOWERS (900-1,200). UPDATE| THIS MADE 1,100

A 19th Century French St Helena Bronze
Medal, issued in 1857 by Napoleon III for
survivors of Napoleon 1st ‘Grand Armee’,
who had served 1792 – 1815 (120-160). UPDATE: THIS MADE 250

Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay) v
Sonny (Ugly Bear) Liston, Miami Beach, 25th Febuary 1964 (400-600). UPDATE: THIS MADE 600

Tags: Dolans, John Shinnors, Lawrence Collection, Markey Robinson
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MUCH TO INTEREST COLLECTORS AT ADAMS SUNDAY INTERIORS

Thursday, November 19th, 2015

The Sunday interiors sale at James Adam at St. Stephen’s Green in Dublin on November 22 offers much of interest to a wide cross section of collectors. The catalogue, which lists 496 lots, is online. Here is a small selection:

SAMUEL SPODE (1798-1872) ‘Gladiateur’ (1,000-2,000). UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

AN EARLY 19TH CENTURY BRASS HEXAGONAL HALL LANTERN (400-600) UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 740

A PAIR OF EARLY VICTORIAN GILTWOOD, PLASTER AND GESSO RECTANGULAR OVERMANTLE MIRRORS (6,000-8,000). UPDATE: THIS LOT SOLD FOR 7,000 AT HAMMER

Alfred de Breanski Junior (1877 – 1957)
Early Morning, Derwentwater (3,000-4,000). UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 2,800

A LOUIS QUINZE STYLE KINGWOOD VITRINE (1,500-2,500) UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 1,600

AN ARTS AND CRAFTS WALNUT UPRIGHT SHEET MUSIC CABINET (400-600). UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 400

Tags: james adam, Sunday Interiors
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A COPPER SAUCEPAN FROM THE SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL

Monday, November 16th, 2015

The Sebastopol saucepan. UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR £300

One of the more unusual items at Thomas del Mar’s auction of arms and militaria in London on December 2 is a copper saucepan. Not just any copper saucepan. This one has strong historic connections and is from the Crimea. It is inscribed: “taken from the ruins of Sebastopol, the day after the fall, Septr 9, 1855” by A Farquharson, cook of the S.S. Imperatrix. It is estimated at £150-200.

The siege of Sebastopol had lasted a year, from September 1854 to September 1855 and is regarded as one of the classic sieges of all time. It was the final episode of the Crimean War.

Tags: Siege of Sebastopol, Thomas del Mar
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AN ORIGINAL PROCLAMATION AT SOTHEBY’S

Friday, November 13th, 2015

An image of part of the Proclamation.

An original copy of the Proclamation comes up at Sotheby’s in London on December 15 estimated at £80,000-120,000. The Proclamation of the Independence of the Irish Republic is at a sale of English Literature and History. It is one of a small number, probably less than 50, printed at Liberty Hall during Easter Sunday, 1916. Around 2,500 were intended to be produced, but only about 1,000 were printed and most were destroyed during the storming of Liberty Hall and the ensuing street fighting.

This copy was acquired at the time of the Rising by a Dublin resident and has remained with the family ever since.

Tags: Ireland, Proclamation, sotheby's
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FIRST EDITION OF 1854 BOOK THAT LED TO CREATION OF INTERNET

Monday, November 9th, 2015

An inscribed first edition of George Boole’s theory which led to the creation of the internet comes up at Fonsie Mealy’s rare book auction in Dublin on December 15. In the year when UCC is celebrating the bicentenary of the birth in 1815 of their first Professor of Mathematics and inventor of Boolean Logic this extremely rare work is conservatively estimated at just 5,000-7,000. The first 1854 edition of An Investigation into the Laws of Thought published by Walton and Maberly is inscribed to: “Mrs. Hill, with the Author’s respects”.

The book is in good condition with some light spotting and an errata leaf at the end. It is in its original black bind stamped cloth,which has suffered slightly from damp. Often described as the father of the internet Boole in this work expounds the theory which invented the first practical system of logic in algebraic form. This enabled more advances to be made in the science of logic in the latter decades of the 19th century than in the previous twenty two centuries combined. His work led to the creation of set theory and probability theory in mathematics, to the philosophical work of Peirce, Russell, Whitehead and Wittgenstein and to computer technology via the master’s thesis of C.E. Shannon (1937). Shannon recognised that the true/false values in Boole’s algebra were analogous to the open and closed states of electric circuits. The invention of the binary digit or bit made possible the development of the digital computer.

UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR A HAMMER PRICE OF 11,000. IT WAS PURCHASED BY UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, CORK.

The first edition of George Boole’s theory.

The inscription by George Boole to Mrs. Hill.

Tags: Fonsie Mealy, George Boole
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IRISH PROVINCIAL SILVER AT WOODWARDS

Sunday, November 8th, 2015

Cork, Limerick and Dublin silversmiths will feature at Woodwards bi-annual auction of silver and art in Cork on November 11. Highlights include a c1750 Limerick Georgian silver French style serving spoon by Samuel Johns (3,000-4,000) and a Cork silver dish or potato ring by William Egan 1916 (1,500-2,000). There is a George III bright cut Limerick silver serving spoon by Patrick Connell c1785 (1,000-1,500). Cork made pieces include a pair of c1827 George IV cream or sauce ladles by Richard Garde (300-500), a bright cut serving spoon in the neo-classical style by Joseph Gibson c1790 (100-150), a sugar bowl with Celtic design band and Sword of Light hallmark for 1966 by William Egan (80-120) and a sugar tongs with fiddle pattern handles by Carden Terry and Jane Williams with Dublin hallmarks for 1813 (50-100).

A George III London silver tankard c1768, makers mark FC

A Limerick Georgian serving spoon by Samuel Johns c1750 (3,000-4,000).

Tags: Irish silver, Samuel Johns, Woodwards
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MARGARET THATCHER AT AUCTION AT CHRISTIE’S

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2015

Mrs Thatcher: Property from the Collection of Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven, will come up at Christie’s in London December. In the year that ‘The Iron Lady’ would have celebrated her 90^th birthday around 350 historic and personal lots will be offered across two landmark sales. There will be an auction of 150 lots in London on December 15. An online only sale of 200 lots opens for bids on December 3 and runs to December 16.

The sale includes her red leather Prime Ministerial Dispatch box (£3,000-5,000), signed copies of key speeches and an award presented to her from President Ronald Reagan, alongside jewellery, clothes and handbags. Among the most personal lots is Mrs Thatcher’s wedding outfit, as well as much loved early English porcelain, silver and gold boxes. The most valuable lot is an Art Deco emerald and diamond necklace by Chaumet (£120,000-180,000). The property is being sold on behalf of beneficiaries of Baroness Thatcher’s estate as part of the arrangements following her death in 2013. Estimates range from £200 up to £180,000.

A classic navy blue leather handbag by Launer, London (£2,000-3,000). Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2015.

An Art Deco emerald and diamond necklace by Chaumet, circa 1930
(£120,000-180,000) Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2015.

Margaret Thatcher’s Wedding outfit comprising Mrs Thatcher’s midnight blue velvet wedding dress, with a sweetheart neckline and long sleeves, labelled Constance Gowns and Suits, Old Bexley; a blue velvet soft brimmed cap with a curled pink ostrich feather and a blue velvet muff, with an Art Deco double clip silver and marcasite brooch (£10,000-15,000). Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2015.

Red leather Prime Ministerial Dispatch Box (£3,000-£5,000). Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2015.

Tags: Christie's, Margaret Thatcher
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Archive for the ‘COLLECTIBLES’ Category

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