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Georgian Irish silver buttons. UPDATE: THESE MADE €1,420 at hammer
A set of seven c1760 Georgian Irish silver buttons, inscribed ‘Armagh Hunt’ and with an engraving of a hare is one of the more unusual lots at the online sale by O’Donovan’s of Newcastlewest on June 3. The estimate is €300-350. The evening auction offers 439 lots of period furniture, hallmarked silver, shop and pub clearances, enamel signs and collectibles. The catalogue is online.
A rare smaller scale version of Sir John Lavery’s celebrated Belfast “Madonna of the Lakes” triptych discovered in the former Sisters of Mercy Convent in Newry will be auctioned in June by Victor Mee. A copy or study for Lavery’s triptych in St. Patrick’s Church, Belfast, is believed to have been presented by the artist to Fr. John O’Neill.
The provenance has been significantly strengthened by a report published in the Belfast Gazette on June 17 , 1960, following the death of Fr. O’Neill, which records among charitable legacies a bequest of “Sir John Lavery’s presentation copy of ‘The Madonna of the Lakes’ to the Sisters of Mercy, Crumlin Road, Belfast. A dedication along the lower edge of the work reads: “To Fr. O’Neill. From John Lavery, 1919,” while an inscription on the reverse reads: “Received Oct 21 st , 1919. J. O’Neill.” It is estimated at €5,000-€10,000.
Victor Mee will conduct a three day convent sale in Newry on June 9, 10 and 11. Believed to be one of the largest such sales ever held in Ireland it will include contents sourced from several former Convent of Mercy properties together with a substantial selection of fine furniture, decorative arts, silver, sculpture and garden pieces. The sale will be on view at the historic convent location on Catherine St., Newry from June 5-8.
The first edition of the first book published by an Irish author. UPDATE: THIS MADE €10,000 AT HAMMER
A landmark in Irish bibliography will lead the sale by Purcell Auctioneers in Birr on May 27. The first edition of the first book by an Irish author to write for the printing press rather than the scriptorum is estimated at €10,000-€15,000. Maurice O’Fehily: Questiones Subtilisme Scoti Metaphysicam Aristotelis (Most Subtle Questions of Duns Scotus on the Metaphysics of Aristotle) was published in Venice on November 20, 1497. It is thus an inculabula, the term which refers to the earliest printed works up to the year 1500. Maurice O’Fehily was born in Baltimore, Co. Cork. The Franciscan friar, theologian and author was appointed Archbishop of Tuam in 1506 and died in 1513.
A 15th century medieval legal manuscript written in middle French or law French from the library of Sir Thomas Phillipps (1792 – 1872) made €36,000 and original ordnance survey maps of Co. Louth from 1835 made €10,500.
George Best’s 1968 European Cup Winners Medal
George Best (1946-2005) – considered one of the greatest footballers of all time – would have been 80 today. His European Cup Winners medal from 1968 comes up at an online sale of sports memorabilia at Bonhams from June 15-24. This is the only European cup winners medal Best received. In 1968 he was named European Footballer of the Year at just 22 years old. As Northern Ireland never qualified for a World Cup during Best’s career, the 1968 win is seen as the summit of the career of one of the most recognisable names in the history of football. The estimate is £150,000-£250,000.
GILT GOTHIC CLOCK GARNITURE, 19TH CENTURY. UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,000 AT HAMMER
The summer online auction of Irish paintings, rare whiskeys, French and English furniture by Dolan’s runs until the evening of May 25. Artists in the sale include Arthur Maderson, Charles Harper, Susan Cronin, Mark O’Neill, Maurice C. Wilks, Dermod O’Brien PPRHA, George Gillespie, Maurice C. Wilks, Manus Walsh, Norman Teeling, Robert Egginton, Mat Grogan, William Crozier, John Brobbel, James MacIntyre, Patrick Cashin, Douglas Hutton, Jennifer Maskell Packer, Paul Stephens, Dave West, Tom Nisbet, Desmond Carrick, Peter Curling, and more. Lot 50 is a lithograph by Miro. The sale features 52 Irish whiskeys, mostly very rare Midletons and the catalogue is online.
George III Satinwood Ladies Writing Desk c1790, UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
A selection of lots at Marshs.
A pair of circular gilt framed oval portraits (€1,500-€1,800), a heavily carved mahogany couch ( €1,000-€1,500) and a circular gilt mirror surmounted by an eagle will lend instant atmosphere to any interior. All can be found at Marshs online sale in Cork on May 23. A Georgian inlaid and crossbanded circular dining table (€1,000-€1,500), an early Georgian mirror door bureau bookcase (€700-€1,000), a Regency amboyna wood writing cabinet (€450-€500), sets of dining chairs and the law books from the library of a solicitors office in Cork are all available at Marshs, along with two sets of Italian Art Deco patio furniture, clocks, rugs, porcelain and interesting collectibles in a selection of 253 lots.
A pair of Irish George II style side tables with green marble tops. UPDATE: THESE WERE UNSOLD
This pair of side tables is among the leading lots at Adam’s House to Garden auction in Dublin on May 19. The estimate is €12,000-€15,000. There are 470 lots of garden furniture, statuary and architectural salve in the sale. The catalogue is online.
A group photograph of students at Magdalen, Oxford, c. 1876 – Oscar Wilde is fifth from left on the second row with a dark top hat and facing the camera. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £5,308.80
An unrecorded photograph featuring Oscar Wilde has turned up in an auction of photographs, posters, postcards and autographs by Dominic Winter Auctioneers in Cirencester on May 20. Oscar arrived as an undergraduate in 1874 and graduated four years later, by which time he had become one of Oxford’s most recognisable figures, known for his wit and presence. The group photograph of students and teachers is estimated at £3,000-£5,000.
An exhibition Killarney davenport by James Egan. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
A Killarney davenport exhibited at the RDS in the 19th century, a Cork silver coffee pot, a micromosaic panel of the Doves of Pliny, the Farnese bull and a French Empire eagle standard are among the collective delights at Sheppards Stradbally Hall sale in Co. Laois next on May 19-20.
The emphasis is on Irish country house provenance in an auction of great variety and more than 1,200 lots. It is on view at Stradbally Hall from today.
The most expensively estimated lots are a bronze of The Farnese Bull from the workshop of Antonio Susini (1543-1632) in Florence (€50,000-€80,000), a landscape dated 1792 by Claude Louis Chatelet (€45,000-€65,000), a pair of George III satinwood and marquetry cabinets on stands attributed to Ince and Mayhew (€40,000-€60,000), a Killarney davenport by James Egan purchased at the RDS exhibition in 1864 by the Corcoran family of Wexford (€40,000-€60,000) and a c1780 Adam breakfront bookcase from Temple House, Co. Sligo (€40,000-€60,000).
A George III Adam breakfront bookcase from Temple House UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
Much more affordable, and highly collectible, is a 19th century grand tour micromosaic panel of doves after the celebrated Roman model of the Doves of Pliny in a gilt frame (€500-€800), a William IV rosewood and mother of pearl tea caddy (€150-€250) and a Napoleonic gilt bronze eagle standard from Dirk House in Co. Limerick (€500-€800) with provenance to Jean-Baptiste Lynch, Count of the first French Empire, Mayor of Bordeaux and peer of France who inherited the Chateau Lynch estate in 1779.
The 18th century Cork silver coffee pot is of baluster form. Made by Carden Terry it is estimated at €8,000-€12,000. Lot 242 is an 18th century portrait miniature of Lady Dunraven (€800-€1,200). A portrait of Norah Hill (1835-1920), Jane Austen’s Irish born grand niece, by John Joseph Slattery is estimated at €3,000-€5,000. A 19th century neo-classical statuary and white marble chimneypiece from Seafield House, Donabate is estimated at €5,000-€8,000 and an Adam chimneypiece is estimated at €8,000-€12,000.
John Joseph Slattery – Portrait of Norah Hill, Jane Austen’s Irish born grand niece UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
A limited edition pair of lifesize Kingsale Hounds with bronze mounts on bases (€10,000-€15,000) heads up 67 lots of garden and outdoor pieces.
There is an estimate of €30,000-€50,000 on an 18th century Irish mahogany side table complete with lion mask. A pair of Irish William IV rosewood and gilt side tables (€20,000-€30,000), a Georgian two pillar dining table (€8,000-€12,000) and a William IV inverted breakfront serving table (€10,000-€15,000) hark back to the country house elegance of former times.
There is much to choose from in furniture from a Chinese Chippendale style four poster bed (€3,000-€5,000) and an 18th century Hepplewhite breakfront secretaire (€7,000-€9,000) to a Georgian brass bound plate bucket (€800-€1,200) and a pair of French Empire mahogany and parcel gilt torchéres (€800-€1,200). There are four classic cars, a Porsche 944 turbo, a 1997 Bentley Brooklands, a Lotus Elan and an Alfa Romeo sprinter. With estimates from €20 up the catalogue will reward a long slow perusal. The auction will take place at Stradbally Hall and online. It is divided into four segments for the convenience of buyers.
A baluster form dragon vase. UPDATE: THIS MADE 3,600 AT HAMMER
A carved door from the Baule People UPDATE: THIS MADE 340 AT HAMMER
The Baule People from the Ivory Coast in west Africa are renowned for their artistry. A high relief carved door with figures and a large animal (€500-€1,000) at Gormleys auction of contents from Frankfort Castle, Dundrum, Dublin (once the home of hotelier P V Doyle) the evening of Tuesday May 19 is freighted with culture and centuries of tradition. The current owner recently sold the home after 30 years in residence. The auction offers a lifetime collection of antique furniture, tribal art and art by, among others, Patrick O’Reilly, Taylor Carson, Felim Egan and Craigie Aitchison. The most expensively estimated lot is an arresting still life entitled Joseph et ses Freres by Nathalie du Pasquier (€10,000-€15,000). The auction, curated by Niall Mullen, is now on view at Frankfort Castle.
