Oval centre table estimated at just €400-€600. UPDATE: THIS MADE 600 AT HAMMER
Just like Patrick Kavanagh you might meet your object of desire on Raglan Road on an autumn day. In the case of the poet it was a lady whose dark hair would weave a snare which he might one day rue. In yours and mine, more prosaically, it could just be something from the timed auction that de Veres is running at 25 Raglan Road until September 19. The auctioneers say this entire sale offers a window into the mind of an interior designer and that this is an opportunity to pick up pieces as new. The mix of antique, modern and contemporary furniture is complemented by lighting, prints, mirrors, soft furnishings, porcelain and household items. One of the most expensively estimated lots is an Andrew Martin sofa (€1,000-€2,000). Mirrors, chairs, curtains, dressing tables, lamps, lined curtains, chests of drawers and porcelain are all very reasonably estimated, many at under €300. There will be viewing at the house next Friday, Saturday and Sunday week. The catalogue is online now.
EMERALD AND DIAMOND SERPENT BROOCH, BY MEISTER, 1968. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
This emerald and diamond serpent brooch comes up as lot 85 at the James Adam sale of fine jewellery and watches in Dublin on September 13. The realistically modelled snake with brilliant and single-cut diamond highlights and emerald cabochon eyes, with engraved body and underside is by Zurich based jewellery Meister and was made c1968. The estimate is 4,500-5,500. The auction offers a selection of 243 lots, the catalogue is online and viewing gets underway today in Dublin.
SIR JOHN LAVERY, R.S.A., R.H.A., R.A. (1856-1941) Lady Gwendoline Spencer-Churchill in The Merchant of Venice. COURTESY CHRISTIE’S IMAGES LTD. 2021. UPDATE: THIS MADE £44,100
Paintings and furniture in the home of a husband and wife over a remarkable span of almost 125 years will come under the hammer at ‘Churchill to Eden: The Collection of The Earl and Countess of Avon’ at Christie’s in London on October 21. On offer is an eclectic collection – the property of Sir Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, K.G., M.C., P.C. (1897–1977), the former British Conservative Party politician who served as Foreign Secretary (1935–1938; 1940– 1945 and 1951–1955) and Prime Minister of the UK (1955 – 1957) and his second wife, Clarissa Spencer-Churchill (1920–2021).
The sale is an evocative journey into an almost vanished world of politics, society and inter-connections. It will include English furniture, Impressionist and Modern Art, Modern British Art, Antiquities, Chinese Works of Art, Islamic Works of Art, Books and Manuscripts and Silver, all collected by Lord and Lady Avon over many decades. The couple met at a dinner party in 1947 and were married in 1952 in London, garnering international media attention. The reception was held at 10 Downing Street, the official residence of the Prime Minister and hosted by Winston Churchill. Eden eventually succeeded Churchill as Prime Minister in 1955. Upon retiring from the House of Commons and being elevated to the House of Lords, Eden was created Earl of Avon in 1961.
UPDATE: THE SALE TOTALLED £2,766,176
Georges Braque, Verre et Huîtres, a gift from Anthony to Clarissa, Courtesy CHRISTIE’S IMAGES LTD. 2021. UPDATE: THIS MADE £378,000
Away from his life of politics Eden had a passion for art from an early age, with a keen eye which helped to form this collection. Clarissa Eden counted friendships with Lucian Freud and Greta Garbo among others. Unsurprisingly for a British Prime Minister the collection is led by important Modern British Art; including two paintings by Winston Churchill given to Eden during his political career, three works by Sir John Lavery and works given to Lady Avon by her friends Cecil Beaton and David Jones. There is art by Picasso, Braque, Degas, Laurencin and Corot. The sale also features highlights from Lord Avon’s library including signed Churchill, Field Marshal Montgomery and de Gaulle editions, alongside signed works to Lady Avon from notable authors Evelyn Waugh, Noel Coward and Cecil Beaton.
Many lots graced the Eden’s Green Drawing Room at 10 Downing Street and featured in archive issues of Country Life in 1961 and in Apollo in 1969 when Lord and Lady Avon were living at Fyfield Manor in Wiltshire where they resided until Lord Avon’s death in 1977. Clarissa lived to the age of 101 and died in 2021.
LILY OF THE VALLEY DONEGAL CARPET ATTRIBUTED TO C F A VOYSEY. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
A Donegal carpet attributed to C F A Voysey, one of the most noteworthy designers of the Arts and Crafts Movement, is the most expensively estimated lot at an auction by Reilly’s Antiques of Prosperous, Co. Kildare on September 10. It is estimated at 3,400-3,700. The Donegal Carpet Factory was founded in 1898 by the Scottish textile manufacturer Alexander Morton. The work of the factory became world famous in the opening decades of the 20th century. Carpets were made on a 42′ wide hand knotting loom mainly by local women to designs by notable designers like Voysey. There are 418 lots of antique furniture and collectibles in the sale. The catalogue is online.
Paul McCartney performs with a custom Gibson Guitars For Peace Les Paul Standard guitar in Syracuse. Photo credit: MJ Kim.
Gibson, the iconic American-made instrument brand, and Gibson Gives–its philanthropic arm–are bringing the music community together to stand behind the Ukraine Relief effort, raising awareness and funds for the people of Ukraine. Gibson luthiers have crafted a limited edition run of Guitars For Peace Les Paul Custom electric guitars, displaying the colours of the Ukrainian Flag. Gibson partnered with artists to perform with the Ukraine guitars on stage this summer. Autograph books traveling alongside each guitar have been signed by Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Slash, Fher Olvera of Maná, Nile Rodgers of Chic, Mark Knopfler, Lzzy Hale, Margo Price, Alex Lifeson, Blossoms, The Fratellis, Kasabian, Madness, Maisie Peters, Paloma Faith, The Charlatans, The Vaccines, Toyah, My Chemical Romance, and actor Jason Momoa, among others.
Bidding at Julien’s Auctions will open on October 11 as part of the ”Icons & Idols: Rock ‘N’ Roll” live and online auction which runs until November 11, 12 and 13. The sale will be at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York
Portrait of a young lady in a period frame. UPDATE: THIS MADE 1,700 AT HAMMER
A stylish portrait requiring further research, a 19th century walnut carved bench with a motto we could all adopt, vintage hats in their original Munster Arcade boxes, a clock carved with the Cork coat of arms and a valuable Patek Philippe wristwatch will contribute to an interesting sale at Lynes and Lynes on September 10. Viewing gets underway in Carrigtwohill today for an auction made up of contents from Ballynoe House, Rushbrooke, Cobh, a large Cork city residence and several individual clients. The most expensively estimated lot is the Patek Philippe Nautilus automatic gentlemans’ wristwatch from Ballynoe House, which has recently been sold. It is estimated at a cool €30,000-€50,000 and auctioneer Denis Lynes reckons that it could well exceed the top figure.
A 19th century walnut carved long hall bench with a central heraldic shield is also from Ballynoe and estimated at €1,000-€1,500. It is carved with the motto ‘Nun Quam Non Paratus’ meaning Never Unprepared. A half portrait of a young lady painted in the style of Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830) bears an Agnews label on the back. In a period frame it was purchased at the contents auction of Galtee Castle, Co. Tipperary, which was demolished circa 1941. The castle was built in 1780 by the Kingstons and remodelled in 1892 by Abel Buckley, MP of Ryecroft Hall near Manchester. The venerable firm of Agnews, a leading London Old Master art dealer since 1860, was founded in Manchester in 1817. Located since 1877 at a prominent gallery at Old Bond St. the firm of Thomas Agnew and Sons closed in 2013 and re-opened at St. James’s Place in London. Their archive was given to the National Gallery. The painting is estimated at €1,000-€2,000.
A pair of Irish Georgian peat and plate buckets. UPDATE: THESE MADE 1,600 AT HAMMER
A curiosity of the sale is an oak mantel clock carved on the top with the Cork Coat of Arms. The nautical theme is enhanced with flanking cannons and anchors set on a cushion base with swag decoration. This product of the Cork School of carving is estimated at €300-€500. Of vintage interest is a collection of ladies hats in their original Munster Arcade boxes (€50-€80). A top hat by W. Dennehy and Sons of Patrick St. and Castle St., Cork (€40-€60) is accompanied by a shooting stick.The sale kicks off with a pair of Irish Georgian mahogany and brass bound turf and plate buckets (€600-€1,000) and a large Waterford 10 branch chandelier comes with an estimate of €2,000-€3,000. The catalogue for this sale of 354 lots is online.
Danish walnut crossbanded drinks cabinet. UPDATE: THIS MADE 1,300 AT HAMMER
This 19th century Danish walnut crossbanded drinks cabinet is lot 465 at the James Adam At Home sale in Dublin on September 4. Viewing for this auction is now underway and the catalogue is online. There is a selection of furniture, silver, art, jewellery and collectibles among the 518 lots on offer. The cabinet here is estimated at 1,000-2,000.
This 19th century rank badge, embroidered with silk thread on a dark ground, comes up as lot 50 at Hegarty’s online sale in Bandon. The Chinese tradition of wearing rank badges (Buzi), also known as Mandarin Squares, to demonstrate civil, military or imperial rank began in 1391 during the Ming Dynasty and continued throughout the Qing Dynasty up until 1911. A badge featuring a bird (such as the one here) identified the wearer as a civil official. It is estimated at 180-250. The sale gets underway online at 6 pm on August 31 and there are 260 lots.
This pair of silver four branch candleabra made a hammer price of €17,000 over a top estimate of €3,000 at Mullens of Laurel Park on August 28. Stamped Hull and Roskill, late Storr and Mortimer London 1873-79 they weigh 296 troy ounces. The pair is of naturalistic form with four sconces on fruiting vine branches raised on puttis with lions frolicking on a platform above a circular foot decorated with vines on scroll legs.
Thomas Henry Kavanagh VC (1821-82) being disguised as a native during the Indian mutiny at the siege of Lucknow, 9th November 1857, c.1860 by Chevalier Louis-William Desanges (c) The National Army Museum
The Victoria Cross awarded to a Mullingar civil servant for an epic and daring escape and rescue during the Siege of Lucknow comes up at Noonan’s in London on September 14. Months into the siege during the Indian Mutiny of 1857 Thomas Henry Kavanagh crept out in disguise from the surrounded Residency at night. Against all odds the Irishman, a clerk at the Lucknow office, successfully crossed enemy lines, made contact with the Commander in Chief 15 miles away at Cawnpore and guided a relieving force through the city to the beleaguered garrison by the safest route.
Even though Kavanagh was a tall man with fair hair and blue eyes he made the trip dressed as a sepoy accompanied by a Brahmin scout, Kananji Lal. This painting at the National Army Museum in London by Chevalier Louis-William Desanges shows him being disguised. The siege had begun in June and by November the situation was becoming critical. He himself devised the plan for what was to become one of the best known episodes of the defence of Lucknow. Thomas Henry Kavanagh was the first civilian to be awarded the VC, Britain’s highest honour. His wife was wounded during the siege and his youngest child (of 14) died at the Residency as a baby.
He was promoted to the post of Assistant Commissioner at Oudh, given a reward of £2,000 and granted leave to return to England. He was presented with his medal by Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle and became a Victorian celebrity, touring England and Ireland and publishing an account of the Siege entitled: “How I won the Victoria Cross”. A first edition copy of this book is included with the lot. Photographs of him became popular postcard images. Afterwards he continued his career in India and his spendthrift ways, which had almost cost him his job prior to the siege. Seriously in debt again by 1875 he was asked to resign. Born in Mullingar in 1821 he took ill while returning from India in 1882 and died at Gibraltar, where he is buried. His VC is estimated at £300,000-£400,000 (€353,410-€471,210).
UPDATE: THIS MADE £930,000 – A WORLD RECORD PRICE FOR A V.C.
(See post on antiquesandartireland.com for September 18, 2022)
