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This silver epergne was the top lot at the Mount Congreve sale in London.

The Hampden Epergne, A George III Silver Epergne, mark of Thomas Pitts, London, 1763 was the top lot at the sale of 116 lots from Mount Congreve at Christie’s on May 23.  It sold for £343,250. The sale brought in £3,447,275, selling 91% and 78% by lot.  It had been estimated to bring in around £2.5 million.

A second sale of contents from Mount Congreve by Christie’s and Mealy’s takes place at Mount Congreve on July 10-11.  Another 900 lots will be auctioned, including fine furniture, mirrors, chandeliers and even a Rolls Royce.

After the auction Charles Cator, deputy chairman, Christie’s International and Amelia Elborne, Private Collections & Country House Sales department issued the following statement: “The strong results achieved for the auction of ‘Mount Congreve: The London Sale’ are a testament to the discerning taste, connoisseurship and care with which the collection at Mount Congreve was formed over six decades. The collection attracted interest from around the world and there was fierce bidding on the internet, on the phones and in the room for the best pieces. We are extremely pleased with the prices realised for the wonderful Hampden Epergne – £343,250 – over three times the low estimate, the beautiful George II overmantel mirror made by William Linnell for the Earl of Coventry, and the pair of George III pier-tables designed by Robert Adam for Robert Child, which each realised £313,250, all demonstrating the importance of quality, provenance, and design to today’s collector market. We look forward to ‘Mount Congreve: The House Sale’ to be held on the premises in Ireland on 10-11 July by Mealy’s of Kilkenny, in association with Christie’s.”

See post on antiquesandartireland.com for Monday April 16, 2012.

THERE is much to choose from in two jewellery sales in Dublin on Wednesday, May 23.  At O’Reilly’s on Francis St. there is a sale of 405 lots of jewellery silver and paintings at 1 p.m.  Over at St. Stephen’s Green James Adam will conduct a sale of jewellery and watches at 6 p.m. Both catalogues are on line.  Here are a few lots to whet the appetite.

An antique diamond and sapphire panel bracelet at O'Reilly's is estimated at 8,000-9,000.

An early 20th century gold bracelet with chased foliate quatrefoil motifs estimated at 4,000-6,000 at Adams. UPDATE: THIS MADE 3,800.

This early 20th century emerald and diamond ring at O'Reilly's is estimated at 4,500-5,000.

Adams will offer this 8.53 carat certified J colour diamond ring estimated at 85,000-100,000. UPDATE: THIS MADE 85,000.

A c1910 Ard Deco diamond plaque ring at O'Reilly's is estimated at 12,000-15,000.

This dress ring with emeralds and sapphires at Adams is estimated at 300-500. UPDATE: THIS MADE 400.

A George III Irish provincial soup ladle with shell bowl with the mark of William Ward of Limerick (2,200-2,400). (Click on image to enlarge). UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,000.

Around 200 lots of Irish and English silver will feature at Woodwards sale of silver and art in Cork on May 23.  The top lot is a George III twin handled soup tureen made in Dublin c1765 by Richard Williams and later fitted with a similar lid by James Scott in Dublin in 1821.  It is estimated at 12,000-14,000. A George III swing handled fruit or bread basket made by James Scott in 1803 has an estimate of 2,800-3,000 and a George III soup ladle with shell bowl by William Ward of Limerick, hallmarked in Dublin in 1772 is estimated at 2,200-2,400.

A 1970 Royal Irish Silver sugar bowl is estimated at 450-500 and a swing handled bright cut sugar based on pedestal by William Doyle, Dublin 1803 is estimated at 820-880.  A George III sauce ladle with fiddle pattern handle by Samuel Neville, Dublin 1808 is estimated at 120-150 and six George IV forks by Richard Garde, Cork with Dublin hallmarks for 1829 are estimated at 300-350.  There are bone handled dessert services, coasters, tea spoons, sauceboats, bon bon dishes, dressing table jars, cigarette boxes, sugar nips, tea services, mustard pots, vases, salvers, trays and bowls and dish rings.  Artists whose work is in the sale include Arthur Maderson, Markey Robinson, Kenneth Webb, William Perring Hollyer, Carol Anne Waldron, Philip French, Andrew Nicholl, John Bosanquet, Liam Treacy, Cecily Brennan,John Morris, Barbara von Seida and Norah McGuinness.

Set of six silver bright-cut teaspoons by Carden Terry and Jane Williams, Cork, c1810. (400-600). UPDATE: THESE MADE 500.

A George III silver serving spoon in the neoclassical style by John Nicholson, Cork, c1770. (200-300). UPDATE: THIS MADE 300.

A silver dish ring with Cork scenes including Blackrock Castle by William Egan is estimated at 1,800-2,200. UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,600

An Irish George III tureen by Richard Williams, Dublin c1765 with later lid by James Scott, Dublin 1821 is estimated at 12,000-14,000. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD.

The Beau Sancy sold for $9,699,618 US dollars. (Click on image to enlarge).

The Beau Sancy, one of the most important historic diamonds ever to come to auction, sold for $9,699,618 US dollars, almost five times the pre-sale low estimate of $2-4 million at Sotheby’s  in Geneva tonight. It was bought on the telephone by an anonymous bidder. Five bidders competed.

Worn in her crown by Marie de Medici at her coronation as Queen Consort of Henri IV in 1610 the 34.98 carat modified pear double rose cut diamond has passed down through the Royal Families of France, England, Prussia and the House of Orange.  It has been the witness of 400 years of European history. David Bennett of Sotheby’s commented: “Its supreme historical importance was reflected tonight in the strength of the bidding and the remarkable result realised”.

The sale realised $108,377,219, a world record for a various owner jewel auction.

See post on antiquesandartireland.com for February 28, 2012.

Meissen Coronation Service dish at Bonhams in London. (Click on image to enlarge). UPDATE: THIS MADE £12,500.

Yellow ground plate from the only Meissen dinner service known to have a coloured background. (Click on image to enlarge). UPDATE: ONE PLATE SOLD FOR £12,500, THE OTHER MADE £13,125.

A Meissen treasure, an armorial dish from the ‘Coronation Service’ circa 1733-34, features at Bonhams in London on May 23.   Part of the first Meissen armorial table service it is estimated at  £10,000-15,000. Painted  with the arms of Saxony and Poland – scattered floral sprigs and bound wheat-sheaves –  it was delivered to the Royal collection at the Japanese Palace in Dresden in 1734. The Japanese Palace was built by Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland and Lithuania to house his finest porcelain.

Bonhams sale of a European private collection includes a Meissen yellow-ground plate from the ‘Gelbe Jagdservice’, (Yellow hunting service) circa 1733-34. This is the only Meissen dinner service known to have a coloured background.  The lobed panel in the centre is painted with a phoenix and three sprigs of flowers,  with three quatrelobe panels around the brown-edged rim painted with flowering branches. Ordered around 1730 by Augustus the Strong it too is estimated at £10,000-15,000.

The 1913 Ulster Proclamation at Bonhams. (Click on image to enlarge).  UPDATE: IT MADE £18,750

The only copy of the 1913 Ulster Proclamation of a Provisional Government known to have survived will be offered by Bonhams  in London on June 12. Dated 24 September 1913 it takes the form of a poster, printed in blue, declaring the formation of a Provisional government with the proviso that it would not take executive power until needed to resist the formation of a Nationalist government in Dublin.

On the previous day Sir Edward Carson persuaded 500 Ulster Unionist Council delegates to endorse the proclamation.  This was a tactic to secure the exclusion of Ulster from the Irish Home Rule Bill which was enacted but set aside for the duration of the First World War. In 1912  nearly 500,000 people signed the Ulster Solemn League and Covenant in opposition to the Home Rule Bill.

Eventually in 1921 the Six Counties was separated from the rest of the island of Ireland by partition. The Ulster Proclamation features at Bonhams sale of books, maps, manuscripts and historical photographs.  It is estimated at £20,000-30,000.

UPDATE:  THIS SOLD FOR £18,750.