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The catalogue for the autumn fine and decorative art sale at Mealy’s in Castlecomer on October 22 and 23 lists more than 1100 lots with a pre-sale estimate of 300,000-500,000. Oriental art, decorative art, clocks, barometers, scientific instruments, silver, jewellery, light fittings and glass will feature on October 22.  On Wednesday it is the turn of 18th, 19th and 20th century furniture, paintings, watercolours, carpets, rare books and maps.  The catalogue is online. Here is a small selection (click on any image to enlarge it).

LATE 19TH CENTURY ITALIAN CARVED WHITE MARBLE FIGURE, (1,500-2,500). UPDATE: THIS MADE 3,300

Some of the lots due to come under the hammer.

LOUIS B. HURT (1856-1929) Highland Cattle resting near a Loch (4,000-6,000).  UPDATE: THIS MADE 4,000

A pair of 19th century Roman micromosaic circular panels (5,000-7,000).   UPDATE: THESE MADE 6,900

A total of 106 volumes, Thom’s Irish Directory, late 19th century-mid 20th century (1,500-2,500).  UPDATE: SOLD FOR 1,200

One of a pair of boulle and ormolu side cabinets sold for 21,000.

A pair of Napoleon III boulle and ormolu side cabinets more than doubled their top estimate on day one of the James Adam Country House Collections auction at Slane Castle on October 13.  Estimated at 6,000-10,000 the pair sold for a hammer price of 21,000.

An Irish Georgian brass hall door lock sold for 2,000; a 19th century white marble bust of Julius Caesar by John MacDonald made 4,000; a pair of Victorian billiard room benches made 5,000; a c1660 pair of English oak joint stools made 2,500; a mid 19th century percussion action five shot revolver made 10,000; an Irish 18th century double action flintlock fowling piece made 9,500; an 18th century Irish blanket chest made 4.000;  a French ormolu and marble figural cercle clock surmounted by a Cupid and signed Dubuisson made 8,000; an Irish satinwood foldover card table made 5,000; a longcase clock by William Haddock of Waterford made 3,000; a George II London walnut cased bracket clock made 4,000; a Victorian hexagonal red lacquered post box made 5,500; a George III breakfront wardrobe in the style of Gillows made 11,000; an oil on canvas of a standing nude by Emmanual Michel Benner (1873-1965) made 11,000 and a George III Gainsborough armchair made 7,200. (These are all hammer prices).

A celadon glazed longevity Ruyi handled vase, Qianlong estimated at US $1.3-1.5 million sold for $11.4 million US.

No less than 16 record-breaking auctions staged by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong over the last five days realised a total of US$538 million.   This is the highest grand total ever achieved by any international auction house operating in Asia.   Among the many records broken were the $23.3 million paid for Zeng Fanzhi’s The Last Supper and the $30.6 million paid for a 118.2 carat diamond, the record for a diamond at auction. Today there was a record for a Qing monochrome porcelain.  A Qing Celadon-Glazed ‘Longevity’ Ruyi-Handled Vase sold for $11.4 million.

The top lot at Sotheby’s sale in Beijing in December is Abstraction by Zao Wou-ki estimated at $5-7.7 million.  It has been consigned for sale by the Art Institute of Chicago.

Zao Wou-ki
Abstraction (click to enlarge)

Patti Wong, Chairman of Sotheby’s Asia, said: “With these latest sales in Hong Kong, we’ve taken the pulse of the Asian art market – it’s racing, and we are racing with it. Bidders from 35 countries participated in our most international sales series ever, at the same time as our reach extends in Mainland China.  In our Hong Kong sale rooms these last few days, countless records have tumbled, sale after sale has made more than any previous auction of its kind, and now – with a final total of $US$538m- we’ve reached a high watermark for auctions in Asia.  From this vantage point, we now look with a keen eye towards Beijing.”

An 18th century portrait, believed to be Anthony Denny of Tralee, by Robert Healy (1743-1771) is one of the many rarities to tempt collectors at the James Adam sale at Slane Castle on October 13 and 14.  The two day sale of nearly 800 lots will feature antique Irish furniture, silver, European and Chinese porcelain and  collectibles.  Here is a small selection. The catalogue is online.

Portrait of a Man by Robert Healy (1743-1771). The subject is believed to be Anthony Denny of Tralee, (20,000-30,000)  UPDATE: THIS MADE 42,000 AT HAMMER

A c1780 marquetry side table attributed to William Moore of Dublin (20,000-30,000)  UPDATE: THIS MADE 44,000 AT HAMMER

A Qing Dynasty moon flask (10,000-15,000) UPDATE: SOLD FOR 13,000 AT HAMMER

A Louis XV ormolu mounted tulipwood, kingwood and satine parquetry secretaire by Charles Chevallier Maitre CWC 1732 (3,000-5,000) UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

One of a pair of boulle and ormolu side cabinets (6,000-10,000).  UPDATE: SOLD FOR 21,000 AT HAMMER

A 19th century Italian limed-wood carved chest (1,000-1,500)  UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

A 19th century Russian lacquered papier-mache tea caddy (1,200-1,800).  UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

An impressive selection to tempt all levels of the market comes up at the Chatsworth Fine Art Sale at Fonsie Mealy Auctioneers on October 8.  The venue for the sale is The Old Cinema in Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny.  The catalogue, which is online, features 911 lots. Here is a small selection:

An early George III carved giltwood wall mirror (14,000-18,000)

A William IV centre table with specimen top (3,000-4,000)

A c1837 London silver butter dish and cover by Reilly and Storr (250-350)  UPDATE THIS MADE 1,700

A terracotta head of a Tibetan Goddess (400-600).

A 19th century Imari bowl and cover (550-750)

A diamond brooch with freshwater pearls (1,750-2,250)  UPDATE: THIS MADE 3,000

A 19th century snarling tiger head and skin by Van Ingen and Van Ingen, Mysore (750-1,250)  UPDATE: THIS MADE 3,200