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    CHURCHILL’S VICTORY WATCH AT SOTHEBY’S

    Thursday, May 7th, 2015

    A unique Victory watch commissioned for Sir Winston Churchill – one of four created for the Allied Leaders after the Second World War – comes up at Sotheby’s on September 22.  The others were presented to Charles de Gaulle, Joseph Stalin, and Henry Truman. Estimated at £60,000–100,000 it features an enamel dial showing St. George slaying the dragon, with a trident as the hour hand.  ‘V’ for Victory is engraved on the back of case with a personalized dedication: “1939 – Prime Minister Winston Spencer Churchill – 1945”.

    Commissioned by a group of prominent Swiss citizens the timepiece was much treasured by Churchill. It was designed by Louis Cottier, who invented the world time mechanism, in collaboration with manufacturer Agassiz and Co. Cottier made the same complication for some of the most celebrated manufacturers like Patek Philippe, Rolex and Vacheron Constantin. This vintage and historic piece will be a highlight at Sotheby’s reintroduction of watch sales in London next September.

    UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR £485,000

    Sir Winston Churchill’s unique and historically important yellow gold World time Victory watch, Agassiz and Louis Cottier, circa 1945. Copyright Sotheby’s.

    Sir Winston Churchill’s unique and historically important yellow gold World time Victory watch, Agassiz and Louis Cottier, circa 1945. Copyright Sotheby’s.  UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR £485,000

    Sir Winston Churchill’s unique and historically important yellow gold World time Victory watch, Agassiz and Louis Cottier, circa 1945. Copyright Sotheby’s

    Sir Winston Churchill’s unique and historically important yellow gold World time Victory watch, Agassiz and Louis Cottier, circa 1945. Copyright Sotheby’s

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    TARRY FLYNN AND AN IRON AGE STONE HEAD AT WHYTE’S

    Monday, May 4th, 2015

    With everything from an Iron Age stone head to a copy of Tarry Flynn signed by Patrick Kavanagh Whyte’s sale of history and literature in Dublin on May 9 lives up to its name.  Tbe catalogue, which is online, lists 399 lots. Lot 385, Tarry Flynn, published by the Devlin Adair Company, New York, 1949 is estimated at 150-200. It is inscribed “with best wishes to whoever reads it”.  The Iron Age stone head, in granite, dates from 500 BC to 500 AD and has an estimate of 3,000-5,000.  A 1788 grant of a bounty of £100 signed by King George III  is estimated at 150-200 and a Shelmalier Cavalry, Co. Wexford cross belt plate has an estimate of 1,500-2,000.  There are military medals, militia badges, regimental badges, postcards, weapons, uniforms, and a collection of 1916 newspapers reporting on the Rising and its aftermath in an auction that is brimful of interest.

    An Irish Iron Age stone head (3,000-5,000)

    An Irish Iron Age stone head (3,000-5,000) UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

    An inscription by Patrick Kavanagh on Tarry Flynn.

    An inscription by Patrick Kavanagh on Tarry Flynn.  UPDATE; THIS MADE 1,000 AT HAMMER

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    KATHLEEN CLARKE’S 1916 BRONZE MEDAL AT ADAMS

    Sunday, May 3rd, 2015
    Kathleen Clarke with her 1916 Bronze Medal.

    Kathleen Clarke with her 1916 Bronze Medal. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

    Kathleen Clarke’s 1916 bronze medal is the top lot at The History Sale at James Adam in Dublin on May 12. It is estimated at 25,000-35,000.  The  Limerick born widow of Tom Clarke, first signatory of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic, went on to become a TD, Senator and the first woman Lord Mayor of Dublin.

    Other lots include a 1662 edition of Robert Boyle’s New Experiments Physico-Mechanical with an appendix announcing the discovery of what came to be known as Boyle’s Law (600-800), a rare copy of Spensers The Faerie Queene London 1596 (3,000-5,000) books, treaties, trial reports, pamphlets, literature and a Michael Collins memorial issue of An Saorstat dated August 29, 1922.  The sale, in two sessions, will include a collection of rare early Irish maps and sea charts.

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    RARE NEWSREEL FOOTAGE OF IRELAND’S WAR OF INDEPENDENCE AT WHYTE’S

    Saturday, May 2nd, 2015

    Rare newsreel footage of Ireland’s War of Independence comes up at Whyte’s auction of History and Literature in Dublin on May 9.   Lot 200 is 300 minutes of restored newsreel film from 1916 to 1922 from the Easter Rising to the funeral of Michael Collins, much of it unpublished. A total of 12 cans of safety film and one of nitrate is estimated at 150,000-180,000.  It was commission by Dublin based film distributor Jacob Baum, who sold some of it to newsreel companies. But much remained unpublished.

    Subjects include the aftermath of the Rising, the funeral of Thomas Ashe, the burning of towns and villages by the Black and Tans, the aftermath of Bloody Sunday in Croke Park, the killing of Sean Treacy in Talbot St., Dublin, sectarian murders and burnings in Belfast and Derry, the 1922 elections including Michael Collins in Cork and civil war footage.

    The auction will feature antiquities, artifact, manuscripts, documents, printed ephemera, maps, prints, photographs, postcards, medals, militaria, weapons and antiquarian books.  UPDATE: These were bid up to 90,000 at which point they were withdrawn.

    Stills taken from Ireland's War of Independence newsreels at Whyte's

    Stills taken from Ireland’s War of Independence newsreels at Whyte’s

    Stills taken from Ireland's War of Independence newsreels at Whyte's

    Stills taken from Ireland’s War of Independence newsreels at Whyte’s

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    EXCEPTIONAL CHINESE AND JAPANESE ART AT SOTHEBY’S

    Thursday, April 30th, 2015

    An exceptional range of Chinese and Japanese Works of Art comes up at Sotheby’s in London on May 13.  The Tsuneichi Inoue collection will be offered alongside the biannual auction of Important Chinese Art. The collection formed by the Tokyo collector Tsuneichi Inoue encapsulates the best of collecting taste in Japan in the early to mid-20th century.  Here is a small selection:

    A rare Beishoku Guanyao vase Southern Song Dynasty (£500,000-700,000) Copyright Sotheby's

    A rare Beishoku Guanyao vase Southern Song Dynasty (£500,000-700,000) Copyright Sotheby’s  UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £1,085,000

    A large amber glazed vase Sui Dynasty (£50,000-70,000) Copyright Sotheby's

    A large amber glazed vase Sui Dynasty (£50,000-70,000) Copyright Sotheby’s  UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £269,000

    A rare pair of Zitan armchairs, Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period (£200,000-300,000) Copyright Sotheby's

    A rare pair of Zitan armchairs, Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period (£200,000-300,000) Copyright Sotheby’s

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    IRISH SILVER SCORES AT SOTHEBY’S MANSION SALE

    Wednesday, April 29th, 2015

    Irish silver sold particularly well at Sotheby’s Mansion – Private Collection sale in London on April 28. A set of four George III Irish silver wine coolers by Thomas Johnston Dublin 1795 sold for £50,000 over an estimate of £25,000-35,000.  Two fine matching Irish George II silver cups sold for £35,000 , within the estimate of £30,000-50,000. One was by Robert Calderwood and both were made in Dublin in 1736 and 1739.

    A set of four George III Irish silver wine coolers, Thomas Johnston, Dublin, 1795 sold for £50,000.

    A set of four George III Irish silver wine coolers, Thomas Johnston, Dublin, 1795 sold for £50,000.

    Two fine matching Irish George II silver cups and covers, one Robert Calderwood, both Dublin, 1736 and 1739 sold for £35,000.


    Two fine matching Irish George II silver cups and covers, one Robert Calderwood, both Dublin, 1736 and 1739 sold for £35,000.

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    THE POWER OF PROVENANCE RAISES ITS HEAD AT SOTHEBY’S

    Wednesday, April 29th, 2015
    The Duc D’Aumont and Louis XVI’s Brûle Parfums: A pair of gilt-bronze-mounted Japanese Kakiemon porcelain and Egyptian porphyry Brûle Parfums – the porcelain 18th century, the gilt bronze mounts Louis XVI, circa 1770-1775. Copyright Sotheby’s

    The Duc D’Aumont and Louis XVI’s Brûle Parfums: A pair of gilt-bronze-mounted Japanese Kakiemon porcelain and Egyptian porphyry Brûle Parfums – the porcelain 18th century, the gilt bronze mounts Louis XVI, circa 1770-1775. Copyright Sotheby’s

    The power of provenance can never be under estimated.  A pair of exceptional vases once owned by Louis XVI sold for 10 times the estimate at Sotheby’s in London on April 28. They made £1,985,000 over an estimate of £150,000 – 250,000).  This is a worldwide record for a Louis XVI gilt bronze mounted porcelain work of art.

    The Brûle Parfums were bought in 1782 by Louis XVI, who planned to place them in the Louvre. With his demise the vases were taken to the State repository, the Dépôt de Nesle. The Dépôt was one of the cornerstones of the revolutionary drive to reorganize cultural properties. It was fundamental to the success of the creation of national and provincial museums. In 1797 these vases were exchanged for a significant natural history collection.

    Decorated with delicate phoenix birds and dragons this exquisite 18th century Japanese porcelain is of the finest quality. The gilt-bronze-mounts, later added by the great connoisseur the Duc d’Aumont, were executed by Pierre Gouthière probably to a design by François-Joseph Belanger and date to Louis XVI, circa 1770-1775.

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    SOUVENIR OF THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN ANYONE?

    Tuesday, April 28th, 2015
    The Spitfire in flight © 2011 John Dibbs

    The Spitfire in flight © 2011 John Dibbs

    Souvenir of the Battle of Britain anyone?  A remarkable piece of British history at auction – an authentic and immaculately restored Vickers Supermarine Spitfire Mk.1A – P9374/G-MK1A – comes up at Christie’s in London this summer.  The fighter plane will be offered at The Exceptional Sale in London on July 9. This is the 75th anniversary of  the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain.  The Spitfire P9374 is estimated at £1.5-2.5 million.

    There are only two Mk.1 Spitfires restored to original condition and still flying, P9374 and N3200.  Both belong to the American philanthropist and art collector Robert Kaplan. P9374 will be sold to support the RAF Benevolent Fund and Panthera, a leading wildlife charity. Spitfire N3200 will be going to the Imperial War Museum at Duxford. In September 1980 the wreckage of P9374 emerged from the sands at Calais beach where it had crash landed after being shot down in May 1940 during the air Battle of Dunkirk. Peter Cazenove, later a veteran of the Great Escape, was flying it when it was shot down.

    Robert Copley, Deputy Chairman Christie’s UK and Head of The Exceptional Sale: “Christie’s is proud to be entrusted with the sale of this Spitfire; a truly iconic aircraft which is symbol of the bravery ‘of the few’ in the Battle of Britain. We look forward to seeing this extraordinary Mk.1 Spitfire reach new heights at ‘The Exceptional Sale’, which will be a unique moment in auction house history.”

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    EARLY LAWRENCE COLLECTION PHOTOGRAPHS AT ROSSLARE AUCTION

    Monday, April 27th, 2015
    Queenstown, now Cobh, as it would have looked to hundreds of thousands of Irish seeking a better life in the New World.

    Queenstown, now Cobh, as it would have looked to hundreds of thousands of Irish seeking a better life in the New World.

    Three volumes of photographs from the Lawrence Collection sold to a Chicago dealer in the 19th century come up at Dolan’s Bank Holiday Sunday sale at Kelly’s Hotel, Rosslare on May 3.  There is a volume of Co. Wexford scenes, one of County Wicklow and one of Ireland in general including a view of Queenstown and Cork Harbour. Dolan’s understand that the photographer was a Mr. ffrench working for the Lanwrence Studio.  Each volume is estimated at 400-500.

    In 1865 at the age of 24 William Mervin Lawrence opened a photographic studio opposite the G. P .O. at Sackville Street (now O’Connell St.) in Dublin. Over the years the studio successfully photographed the length and breadth of Ireland from Howth Head in the East to Achill Head in the West, and from Malin Head in the North to Skibbereen the South. The collection consists of 40,000 glass plates mainly from the period 1880-1914, but some plates go back to 1870.

    (See post on antiquesandartireland.com for April 24, 2015)

    UPDATE: The three volumes sold for 350 each.

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    AN ELEPHANT BIRD EGG AT SOTHEBY’S

    Monday, April 27th, 2015
    An intact and complete Elephant Bird Egg, Madagascar, 17th-century or earlier. Copyright Sotheby’s.

    An intact and complete Elephant Bird Egg, Madagascar, 17th-century or earlier. Copyright Sotheby’s.

    An elephant bird egg, measuring over 30 centimeters high, comes up at Sotheby’s in London on April 30.  The extremely rare egg – believed to be over 400 years old – is from the largest bird ever to live on the planet.

    Now extinct, the great elephant bird – a giant flightless bird indigenous to the island of Madagascar – measured over three metres tall, and weighed over half a ton.

    The elephant bird became extinct at some point between the 13th and 17th centuries, so this perfectly intact example could be up to 800 years old.

    Due to their colossal size and rarity the eggs became sought-after in the late 19th century.  This one is from the collection of  Swiss carriage-maker and businessman Otto Alfred Heimburger.

    Estimated at £30,000-50,000 the egg is part of a Travel, Atlases, Maps and Natural History auction.

    UPDATE: This was unsold but a reassembled sold for £2,215

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