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The photo of Oscar Wilde for sale at Bonhams. (Click on image to enlarge).

THIS inscribed large format photograph of Oscar Wilde is at Bonhams  Books, Maps, Manuscripts and Historical Photographs sale in London on November 22.  It is inscribed: ‘Arthur Fish/from his friend/Oscar Wilde/90’.  Fish was Wilde’s assistant when he edited ‘The Woman’s World’ from November 1887 to October 1889.

When Wilde could not be bothered to write the ‘Literary and Other Notes’ column he would leave Fish to fill in for him. The two men remained in touch after Wilde left the magazine and the photograph may well have been a present to mark Fish’s forthcoming wedding. Wilde wrote to him on August 8, 1890 saying that he would like to see him before his marriage and arranging for Fish to collect the photograph in person.

The photograph was owned by Hesketh Pearson whose classic biography, ‘The Life of Oscar Wilde’, was for many years the standard work on the playwright.  It is estimated at £4,000-6,000.

Paul McCartney's August 1960 letter. (Click on image to enlarge). UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR £34,850 TO AN ANONYMOUS TELEPHONE BIDDER.

A letter handwritten  by Paul McCartney inviting an unknown drummer to audition for The Beatles is to be sold at Christie’s Rock and Memorabilia auction in South Kensington, London on November 15. Dated August 12, 1960 it was discovered by an anonymous collector inside a book at a car boot sale in Bootle, Liverpool. This is one of the earliest occasions in which the band referred to themselves as The Beatles.

On August 15, 1960 The Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Stuart Sutcliffe, along with drummer Pete Best) travelled to Hamburg for almost two months. McCartney’s response to an advert in the Liverpool Echo was written four days after John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Stuart Sutcliffe had verbally committed themselves to travel to Hamburg on August 15 as a five-piece band.  It is not known if there was a response. There was no alternative but for Pete Best to travel with them to Hamburg. Best was dismissed from the band two years later, and replaced by Ringo Starr.  The letter is expected to make £7,000 to £9,000.

Bed Peace from John Lennon and Yoko Ono in 1969. (Click on image to enlarge) UPDATE: THIS WAS THE TOP LOT IN THE SALE. IT MADE £97,250.

Another lot is a John Lennon placard reading BED PEACE from the historic Montreal Bed-In for Peace, 1969. The Montreal ‘Bed-In for Peace’ was held two months after John and Yoko’s honeymoon Bed-In at the Amsterdam Hilton, and lasted for seven days between May 26 and June 2, 1969. Throughout the week the couple sat up in bed in their nightclothes and opened their doors to the worlds’ media, speaking to journalists and politicians. Most notably the Lennon’s, along with an enthusiastic congregation of friends and supporters, recorded the anthem ‘Give Peace a Chance’ during their stay. The placard is estimated at £80,000-100,000.

UPDATE: THE sale brought in a total of a total of £478,738

A Gilt-Bronze Cloisonne Enamel Tiger Waterpot and Cover Qianlong Mark (£200,000-300,000). Image copyright Sotheby's. (Click on image to enlarge). UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £825,250.

This beautiful gilt bronze and cloisonné enamel tiger waterpot of Qianlong mark and period is a highlight of Sotheby’s bi-annual sale of Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art in London on November 9.  The sale offers an exceptional range of Imperial porcelain monochrome ceramics, bronzes and jades from two of Britain’s greatest collectors of Chinese works of art. The tiger waterpot, from the private collection of Sir Peter Moores at Parbold Hall, is estimated at £200,000-300,000.

The auction includes Imperial Qing dynasty monochromes from the collection of Richard Fairfax William Cartwright at Aynhoe Park.

Sotheby’s Senior Specialist in Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Stephen Loakes said:  “The prestigious and diverse pieces  from Sir Peter Moores’ private collection at Parbold Hall, represent his passionate and scholarly approach to the field over some 50 years. Richard Fairfax William Cartwright’s exquisite monochromes delighted visitors to Aynhoe Park for decades and will present collectors with the opportunity to acquire pieces of the most refined and ravishing glazes.”

The auction of 560 lots is estimated to realise in the region of £12 million.

This Ming dragon dish made 310,000 at Adams at Slane. (Click on image to enlarge).

A Chinese blue and white Ming dragon dish made 310,000 at the Adams Country House Collections auction at Slane Castle on October 11.  It was bought on the telephone by a dealer in London.  It had been estimated at 2,000-3,000.

Over the last few days the dish had attracted interest from buyers in London, Beijing and Hong Kong.  The Ming dish, stamped with the mark of the Emperor Xuande who reigned from 1425 to 1435, is painted with images of a five clawed dragon.

The ten inch diameter dish had been brought to Ireland in 1905 by a member of a Derry family who served with the British Army in China during the Colonial era. In 1985 it was valued for probate purposes at around £1,000.

Around 70 per cent of lots on offer found buyers at an auction which brought in 960,000 at hammer.

Some of the broad selection of objects of interest to collectors at the James Adam Country House Collections sale at Slane Castle, Co. Meath on October 11.  The 700 lot catalogue is on-line. (Click on any image to enlarge).  See other posts on antiquesandartireland.comfor September 30 and October 6.

A pair of 19th century Famille rose Xian Feng bases of hexagonal form. (3,000-5,000). UPDATE: THIS LOT WAS UNSOLD.

ÉMILE GALLÉ (1846-1904), A nest of four Art Nouveau rosewood and marquetry tables c1895-1904. Provenance: Estate of the late Henriette and Serge Boissevain, formerly of Ballynatray, Youghal, Co Cork 3,000-5,000. UPDATE: THESE WERE UNSOLD.

A Ming Dynasty blue and white circular dragon dish, the base with six character mark of Xuande (1426-1435), within a double circle. (2,000-3,000). UPDATE: THIS MADE 310,000 (SEE POST FOR OCTOBER 11)

A set of seven early 18th century Chinese famille verte soup plates. Provenance: Kilruddery House, Bray. 600-800. UPDATE: THESE WERE UNSOLD.

A mid 18th century Irish dish ring, Dublin, mark of John Gumley. (4,000-6,000). UPDATE: THIS MADE 4,200.

Ino & Bacchus by John Henry Foley (1818-1874). This was Foley's entry for The Royal Academy in 1840. It was commissioned by Lord Ellesmere (for Bridgewater House). 4,000-6,000. UPDATE: THIS MADE 3,200.

A Chinese blue and white baluster vase. 500-800. UPDATE: THIS MADE 400.

LHOSTC, 20th CENTURY FRENCH Bronze figure of a Baboon. Estate of the late Henriette and Serge Boissevain, formerly of Ballynatray, Youghal, Co Cork 2,000-3,000. UPDATE: THIS MADE 1,700.