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The censored film poster. A dress was superimposed on the bikini worn by Ursula Andress in the original. UPDATE: This made 3,800 at hammer.

THE connection between the actress Ursula Andress and the onward march of time in Ireland might not at first sight seem all that obvious.  But it is neatly captured in one particular lot at Whyte’s sale of History, Literature and Collectibles in Dublin on March 9.  On offer  among more than 900 lots is a censored James Bond film poster for Dr. No.  In it a dress has been superimposed on Ursula Andress, who wore a bikini in the original.  The poster is estimated at 600-800 and the auction is now on view at Molesworth St. in Dublin.

The Sunday interiors sale at James Adam in Dublin on March 9 is now on view.  The auction, with more than 580 lots in total, is strong on silver and also offers furniture, art, wine and collectibles.  Two of the more unusual furniture items are some oak Gothic Revival pieces after Pugin.  The catalogue is online.  Here is a small selection:

A SET OF SIX GOTHIC REVIVAL OAK DINING CHAIRS, AFTER EDWARD WELBY PUGIN (1834 – 1875), 19th Century (2,000-3,000)  UPDATE: THESE MADE 13,000

A GOTHIC REVIVAL OAK DESK AFTER EDWARD WELBY PUGIN (1834 – 1875), 19th Century (800-1,200)  UPDATE: SOLD FOR 1,100

A Cork 18th century silver punch bowl by William Reynolds (2,500-3,500)  UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,500

A ROMAN MARBLE STATUE OF THE YOUNG HERCULES
CIRCA 2ND CENTURY A.D. three and a half inches high (£100,000-150,000). Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd.,2014.

A rare statue of the young Hercules leads Christie’s sale of Antiquities in London on April 2.  A total  of  199  lots which span the ancient world from the 3^rd Millennium B.C. to the 11^th Century A.D. are on offer.  The sale expected to realize more than £2 million.  The Hercules, formerly in the Roger Peyrefitte (1907-2000) Collection in Paris is estimated at £100,000-150,000. Peyrefitte was a French diplomat and novelist, whose collection, including this piece, was published in 1972. Further highlights include a pair of Egyptian alabaster canopic jars for Tau-Iert-Iru (£50,000 – 70,000) and a Roman marble Fortuna, previously in the collection at Harewood House (£25,000 – 35,000).

The statue shows him wearing the Namean lion skin, which was won in his first labour.  The Romans followed the Greek taste for artistic  renderings of infants. Depictions of Hercules as an infant abound but there are few representations of him evident as a plump child, as here.

Nearly 2,000 collectors from across the globe registered to bid for the collection of the late Stanley J. Seeger at Sotheby’s in London on March 5 and 6.  So it is hardly surprising that bidders came out in droves to vie for objects collected by Seeger whose taste was  eclectic, but always refined.  The sale offers everything from dinosaur eggs to a replica of  Tutankhamun’s golden throne.  Among the pieces sold yesterday were Admiral Lord Nelson’s teapot which made £56,250 over a top estimate of £12,000; a claret jug from the Titanic which made £40,000 over a top estimate of £3,000 and Sir Winston Churchill’s c1880 armchair which made £27,500 over a top estimate of £5,000.

UPDATE: ON the second day of the sale Orson Welles own working copy of the script for Citizen Kane sold for £98,500 over a top estimate of £20,000 and Al Capone’s cocktail shaker made £50,000 over a top estimate of £1,500.  The sale concluded with an outstanding total of £7,348,009, well above pre-sale expectations  of £3-4.5 million.

Admiral Lord Nelson’s Bachelor Teapot, 1799

A claret jug from the Titanic

Sir Winston Churchill’s Armchair, circa 1880.

(See post on antiquesandartireland.com for February 4, 2014)

The range of interest at Whyte’s sale of History, Literature and Collectibles in Dublin on March 9 is astonishing.  Ranging from architectural drawings for St. Petersburg in the middle of the 18th century to a photograph of a Flying Squad, guerrilla soldiers who operated in Ireland during the War of Independence, to a campaign post for President  John F. Kennedy, this is a sale which offers something for all collectors.  The catalogue with more than 900 lots is online.  Here is a small selection:

1960: John F. Kennedy Presidential Campaign Poster (400-500).  UPDATE: THIS MADE 420

St. George Hare RI ROI (1857-1933) oil painting of Princesses Madeleine and Olga Von Dembinska, Pretenders to the Polish Thron (600-800)  UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

Arkhitekturnye chertezhi Sankt-Peterburga serediny XVIII veka = St Petersburg in the middle of the 18th century : architectural drawings (800-1,000).  UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

1919-21: Original photograph of a ‘Flying Squad’ (100-150).  UPDATE:  Identified as the West Mayo Brigade this made 420.

Drawing of County of Dublin Militia reviewed by their Colonel Lord Meath c1870 (300-500). UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD.

Picture postcards, mainly Irish, 1905-1920 (150-200).  UPDATE: THESE SOLD FOR 340

An original letter relating to the campaign of William of Orange in Ireland (300-500).  UPDATE: THIS MADE 500

A resurgence of interest in natural history, climate change and extinction has fuelled the collecting market for natural history.  Christie’s sale of Travel, Science and Natural History in South Kensington on April 10 will feature a very rare Dodo bone and a cave bear skull from the upper Pleistocene era.  Cave bears became extinct in the last Ice Age, Dodo’s in the 1700’s. When Christie’s offered a Dodo bone last year it was the first to come to auction since 1934. It sold for £8,125. Now they have another one.  The rarity of the piece is reflected in the estimate of £10,000-15,000. Cave Bear Skull’s are not as rare as this, but it is becoming much more difficult to trade in them legitimately.

James Hyslop, Head of Travel, Science and Natural History, Christie’s South Kensington commented: “As an icon of extinction, the dodo is second to none”.

UPDATE: The sale realised £850,625. The top lot was an ice axe associated with legendary mountaineer George Mallory which sold for £132,100.  An elephant bird egg sold for a world record price of £122,500.

A rare Dodo bone, expected to realise between £10,000-15,000. Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2014. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

Cave Bear Skull
From the upper Pleistocene, 126,000-12,000 years old (£2,000-3,000). Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd. 2014.  UPDATE: THIS MADE £2,125

Vintage brooches and contemporary rings are among the lots at O’Reilly’s sale at Francis St., Dublin on February 24.  Around 400 lots across accessible price ranges will come under the hammer.  The catalogue is online. Here is a small selection:

A VERY FINE QUALITY EMERALD RING, the trap cut emerald to stepped diamond shoulders. (20,000-25,000).

AN AMETHYST AND DIAMOND RING, set with a brilliant cut diamond, mounted in gold (900 – 1,000)

TWO PEARL AND GEM SET BROOCHES, modelled as bees, 9ct gold set (180 – 220)

TWO VINTAGE GOLD BROOCHES, set with pearls, signed Winard (80 – 120)