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THE SECOND part of the Riahi collection, which holds a legendary position among the great collections of French furniture, will be offered at Christie’s in London on December 6.  The name Riahi is synonymous with French 18th century furniture and works of art, collecting and connoisseurship. On offer is the very best mid 18th century marquetry and lacquer furniture, many pieces with Royal and illustrious provenance. Comprising around 50 lots the collection was formed over half a century by M. an Mme. Riahi and is expected to realise more than £20 million. The sale of 59 lots from the first part of the collection in 2000 realised $40 million.

Exceptional Louis XV lacquer furniture by Bernard II van Risenburgh is led by the magnificent ormolu-mounted Japanese lacquer secretaire-à-abattant, circa 1755 (£3,000,000 – 5,000,000) illustrated above on the left. It is almost certainly from the collection of Mme de Pompadour, as recorded in Lazare Duvaux’s journal of 19 February 1757. It entered the collection of Dukes of Richmond at Goodwood House, Sussex in 1765, where it remained until 1993. The pair of silver soup tureens illustrated in the centre above are by King Louis XVI of France’s goldsmith Robert-Joseph Auguste (1723-1805). They are estimated at £400,000-600,000.

A further highlight is a Louis XV ormolu-mounted Chinese celadon porcelain pot-pourri vase and cover, Kangxi (1662-1722), with mounts dating to circa 1740. This unusual vase can be traced back to 1756, when it was sold from the collection of Marie Joseph d’Hostun, duc de Tallard. Many of the pieces in his collection came from the cabinet of the Dauphin, son of Louis XIV, whose property was sold to different collectors after his death. Illustated on the right of the image above it is estimated at £250,000-400,000.

From porcelain Parisian clocks to Irish 18th century chairs to a side table attributed to the renowned Dublin cabinet maker William Moore there is much to interest collectors at Sheppards.  Their three days sale of 1,617 lots at Durrow in County Laois on September 25, 26 and 27 is fittingly entitled “The Legacy of the Big House”.  Here is a small selection. The entire catalogue is on-line.

A George III period satinwood card table attributed to William Moore, Dublin, circa 1790 (6,000-9,000).  UPDATE: IT MADE 5,000

Antique log carriage with mask head ends and lion mask handles (2,500-3,500).  UPDATE: IT MADE 2,400

Louis XVI period Paris porcelain Rococo scroll mantle clock on stand, Henri Florentin Chanon et Comp with bee decoration (1,400-1,800). UPDATE: THIS WAS WITHDRAWN.

Pair of 18th century Irish walnut, parcel gilt and crossbanded side chairs (8,000-12,000).  UPDATE: THESE MADE 7,400

Regency bracket clock by James Booth and Son, Capel Street, Dublin (2,500-3,500).  UPDATE: THIS MADE 4,200

Irish George III period mahogany and brass bound plate bucket (2,500-3,500). UPDATE: THIS WAS WIHDRAWN.

Large 19th century Copeland Parian group (400 – 600).  UPDATE: THIS MADE 540.

A 1914 Princess Mary World War I Christmass brass gift tobacco box and the original contents, received by Frederick Bennett, Guardsman, Gurtmullen Roscrea, Co. Tipperary (50-80).  UPDATE: THIS MADE 120

This eight-panel screen, circa 1921-23, by Eileen Gray is estimated at $1,500,000-2,500,000. Image courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2012. (Click to enlarge).

A magnificent eight panel screen by Eileen Gray (1878-1976) comes up at Christie’s in New York this winter.  It is one of the highlights of the Steven A. Greenberg Collection, Masterpieces of French Art Deco to be auctioned on December 12 and 13.  This museum quality collection chronicles a unique chapter in 20th century design. The focus is one some of the most distinguished artists associated with the historic Paris Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in 1925 –  Jean Dunand, Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann, and Jean Dupas. Two important lacquer screens by Eileen Gray, perfect complements in their rarity and stature to the works of these artists, constitute another key facet of the collection.

Unlike her contemporaries Dunand and Ruhlmann, Eileen Gray never courted publicity, preferring to work for a very small circle of clients. Two key clients were Mme Mathieu Lévy and Mme Jean Henri-Labourdette. The former commissioned Gray to fully refurbish her apartment.  A central feature of the work, executed between 1919 and 1922, was a series of lacquer wall panels with a decoration of fine sweeping and intersecting lines. The Eileen Gray screen illustrated here is one of three variations on a theme with incised linear decoration in a deep brown lacquer ground. It defines a moment where the artist has evolved from the figurative to the abstract, with linear graphics as a constant. It was among the works bought by Mme Labourdette from the artist and remained in her family’s possession until acquired in the 70s by Paris dealer-collector Jean-Claude Brugnot. He sold it at auction in New York where it was bought by Steven Greenberg. The estimate for the piece is $1,500,000-2,500,000.  The auction of around 210 lots is expected to bring in more than $15 million.

One of the mirrors from Castle Freke. (Click on image to enlarge).  UPDATE: The mirrors were unsold but are under offer.

A pair of Irish 19th century mirrors from Castle Freke in west Cork will feature at Hegarty’s auction in Bandon on September 18. They were last sold at the dispersal sale at Castle Freke in 1919. They have remained with the same family since 1919.

The mirrors have the same makers mark, but are not an identical matching pair. They will be offered separately, as lots 99 and 100.  The gilt edge mirrors, with mask decoration and floral carving, are each estimated at 3,000-5,000.
The auction of 250 lots features a set of Regency dining chairs, a bureau bookcase by Edwards and Roberts, a Victorian two door library bookcase and a Victorian pier mirror. There is around 20 lots of Irish and English silver and an antique glass vase with the Mary Gregory stamp.

The mirrors were unsold. Bidding reached 2,300 and they are now likely to be sold privately.