The Armorial ‘hatchment’ for Anglo-Irish military officer, statesman and twice-serving UK Prime Minister Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852) at Dreweatts fine furniture sale on September 10 and 11. A hatchment is a panel on which a coat of arms of a deceased person is temporarily displayed and lot 414 is estimated at £4,000-£6,000. It bears the motto ‘Virtutis Fortuna Comes’ (Fortune favours the brave). Wellesley is revered as one of the leading military and political figures in Britain during the late 18th and early 19th centuries and in his military role, was one of the pivotal commanders to end the Anglo-Mysore and Napoleonic wars – most famously he is celebrated for ending the Napoleonic Wars in victory, when the Seventh Coalition defeated Napoleon at the legendary Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
Born into Irish aristocracy (his grandfather was Richard Wesley, 1st Baron Mornington, who served in the Irish House of Commons representing Trim in County Meath), his childhood was spent between the family homes of Mornington House in Dublin and Dangan Castle near Summerhill in County Meath.
This Gibson Flying V electric guitar formerly owned by Johnny Marr and used by Noel Gallagher during The Monnow Valley sessions prior to the final recording of Oasis’ 1994 debut album ‘Definitely Maybe’ at Sawmills Studio is at Sotheby’s inaugural Popular Culture sale which runs until September 12. Lot 45 is estimated at £60,000-£80,000. There are 64 lots on offer in a sale of artefacts from the worlds of music, film and celebrity.
Van Cleef & Arpels diamond brooch c1945-50. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
This Van Cleef & Arpels diamond brooch is among the leading lots at the James Adam auction of fine jewellery and watches in Dublin on September 10. It is designed as two elongated stylised leaves, both set with brilliant, baguette and tapered baguette-cut diamonds of 8.0 – 10 carats in total. Signed VCA it is mounted in platinum and 18 carat gold. There are French assay marks and a partial indistinct maker’s mark. The estimate is €35,000-€40,000. There are 220 lots in total in the sale.
A surreal collection described by Christie’s as a true theatre of the imagination that perfectly captures its founders’ creativity and intellectual curiosity comes up in Paris on September 24. A total of 150 lots from the collection of Paul and Jacqueline Duchein of Montauban will come under the hammer. Artists featured include Marie Toyen, Yves Tanguy, Max Ernst, Wolfgang Paalen, André Breton, Salvador Dalí, Victor Brauner, Josef Sima and Man Ray. Their collection combines Surrealism with folk art, Art Brut, and tribal art and their home, illustrated here, would become a cabinet of curiosities, rapidly earning a reputation as the city’s second major museum alongside the Musée Ingres Bourdelle. Highlights of the sale include Flux et reflux de la nuit by Marie Cermínovà, also known as Toyen (€800,000–1,200,000), and Trois monstres ou la Horde, a remarkable oil on canvas painted by Max Ernst in 1927 (€400,000–600,000). The global estimate is €4.6-7 million.
Upholstered Howard style sofa and some maritime art. UPDATE: THE SOFA MADE 2,600 AT HAMMER, THE PAINTING BY HERMAN DIETZ MADE 3,600
In their appealing catalogue for an At Home sale in Dublin on August 28 Adams has very consciously set out to stage antique pieces in fresh contemporary settings. The aim is to highlight the versatility of antique furniture and show how easy it is to adapt to a 21st century interior, not to mention sustainability in a country where the EPA reckons over 1.2 million reusable bulky items, primarily furniture, go into landfill each year.
So how about it? Take a long look at this photograph of an upholstered Howard style sofa (lot 22, estimated €400-€600) in a New England style painted panelled setting under a maritime oil on canvas of the clipper Manalope painted in 1889 by the Russian American artist Herman R Dietz (1860-1923) (lot 21, estimate €2,000-€3,000). Howard & Sons created this iconic chair design in 1866. It is not old and stuffy – timeless and classical is a description that would fit the bill, which in any case will not be large.
The online only sale, on view in Dublin from August 24, presents 394 lots of interesting and affordable furnishings for the home. The idea that you do not need an old house to own antiques should not be a novel one, but at a time of crisis in the antique furniture trade not nearly enough auctioneers in Ireland market furniture in a way that shows this.
Victorian harewood and satinwood Carlton House Desk at Adams. UPDATE: THIS MADE 1,600 AT HAMMER
Antique furniture is beautiful and serviceable yet an entire generation of younger buyers appear to be uninterested. In an era when many fine old pieces are practically given away at auction new ways of selling day to day antiques must be found to get this cohort back to the saleroom. A presentation which demonstrates that antique pieces can stylishly embellish a contemporary setting might be the answer. Maybe a sale presented and marketed like this one points to a better way forward.
You could build an atmospheric and comfortable room around a Chesterfield sofa like the one in this sale (€ 800-€1,200) and if you must have a big brand and only a big brand there is a Louis Vuitton trunk on offer (€2,000-€3,000). With estimates from €60 (for a Victorian stationary box) to €3,000-€5,000 for an oil of an American Clipper in full sail by Henry Scott and everything from silver goblets to hall chairs to a Chinese camphor wood blanket chest in between there is much to choose from here.
The Camilla Mirror at de Veres. UPDATE: THIS MADE 750 AT HAMMER
Many lots will be sold without reserve at de Veres house contents auction of antique and designer modern furniture, art, collectibles and garden pieces at 25 Wellington Road, Dublin at 2 pm on August 27. The online auction embraces everything from the Camilla mirror designed by Christopher Guy to commemorate the hat Camilla Parker Bowles wore at her royal wedding (€600-€1,000) to a watercolour of Wexford by Maurice MacGonigal, an Afghan carpet and a club fender. There is viewing at the house from August 24 and the catalogue is online.
KEN PARKER – BALLYCOPELAND WINDMILL CO. DOWN. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
This acrylic on wooden panels by Ken Parker comes up at Hegarty’s online auction in Bandon on August 28. The sale of 300 lots offers antique furniture including a 19th century Killarney davenport in country house condition (€3,500-5,500), silver, jewellery, garden furniture and 44 lots of paintings. The one illustrated here is estimated at €400-600. The catalogue for the auction is online.
19TH CENTURY PAINTED AND PARCEL-GILT BUREAU BOOKCASE. UPDATE: THIS MADE 3,600 AT HAMMER
Auctions deliver unlikely lots and the timed online At Home sale running at James Adam until August 28 is no exception. Take lot 264, this 19th century painted and parcel gilt bureau bookcase. Complete with mirrored doors, slope front, moulded cornice, drawers, gilt handles and lock plates and bracket feet it is painted with Mongolian warriors in the midst of battle. Mongolian warriors were part of a genuine meritocracy, the more heroic their deeds, the more enemies they vanquished the more they were awarded. Funny old world. Then it was women and gold. Now, in the western world on a scale of unattainability, successful young warriors might instead seek a house. The estimate for this unusual object of furniture is 1,500-2,500.
Collection of 10 Midleton Very Rare Irish Whiskeys, 2016 to 2024. UPDATE: THIS MADE 5,800 AT HAMMER
Collectible whiskey is a growing trend. The global market for rare Irish whiskey is moving up and this collection of ten bottles of Midleton Very Rare at Dolan’s timed online auction of art, rare whiskeys and antiques is estimated at €6,000-8,000. The sale runs until August 26 and features a selection of single bottles of rare Irish whiskey along with work by 20th century and contemporary Irish and international artists. The catalogue is online.
Marble altar sculpted by J.F. Davis. UPDATE: THIS MADE 1,400 AT HAMMER
This marble altar, sculpted by John Francis Davis in Cork around 1910, comes up at O’Donovans online only sale of the contents of the Redemptorist Esker Monastery near Athenry in Newcastle West on August 24. A total of 315 lots, including church pews, altars, statues, paintings and household effects will come under the hammer. All are to be sold without reserve. There are two altars and a set of altar rails with Celtic Cross motifs by J F Davis in the auction. No estimate has been issued and there is a stipulation that the altars must be removed without causing damage to the building. John Francis Davis was a stone and marble mason born around 1860 in Kilkenny. He had a workshop near College Road in Cork city until 1914 and many of his commissions were ecclesiastical. He left Cork for Belfast in 1914 and started a new business under the name of JFD Malcolm. UPDATE: The second altar made 1,900 and the set of altar rails made 720 (hammer prices).
William Sadler II, c.1782-1839 – POOLBEG LIGHTHOUSE. UPDATE: THIS MADE 4,000 AT HAMMER
This oil on panel by William Sadler comes up at de Veres timed house contents auction at 25 Wellington Road, Dublin which runs until August 27 with an estimate of €4,000-€6,000. Poolbeg Lighthouse in Dublin Bay was a favourite subject of the artist. Sadler records the original 1767 appearance of the lighthouse before it was rebuilt to the present design in 1820. Initially lit by candles it became one of the first lighthouses to be illumination by oil light. The auction includes 200 lots of both antique and designer modern furniture to be sold often without reserve and a collection of paintings. The catalogue is online and there will be viewing at Wellington Road from September 23.
