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)
An AA Crosshaven road sign at Aidan Foley’s sale (€100-€200). UPDATE: THIS MADE 700 AT HAMMER
From antique wooden butter churns,Tilley lamps and antique weights to vintage tools, old road signs, petrol pump tops and tractor seats the Aidan Foley online sale of the John Smith Collection at noon on August 30 will be a memory jogging exercise for many. The auction, in conjunction with Niall Mullen antiques, features 672 lots of hardware and collectible kit. There is a vintage Ford tractor (€4,000-€6,000) and some cast iron ploughs (€200-€400) along with a fully restored horse trap, some cartwheels and a selection of milk churns.
A mahogany table in the Irish 18th century manner at Adams (€3,000-€5,000). UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,800 AT HAMMER
Silver, antique furniture, jewellery, artworks, porcelain, rugs, chandeliers, mirrors, lamps and even an elmwood shovel feature at the James Adam At Home sale Dublin on September 4. The selection from 518 lots is wide ranging and appetising. If your mind is turning towards autumn home renovations and style changes, or if you are seeking singular inspiration, then this sale is an ideal place to start.The most expensively estimated lot, at €7,000-€8,000 is a sapphire torque necklace. Furniture, like a 19th century tilt top circular mahogany tea table €200-€300) or a lady’s rosewood writing desk (€300-€500), offers good value. There is Oriental porcelain, Meissen, Dresden, Worcester and Sevres pieces and a Satsuma tea set and silver wine jugs in Italian contemporary or George IV London 1788 style. The catalogue is online.
18th century Beauvais Tapestry The Emperor’s Voyage
Some contents of the legendary Four Seasons George V Hotel in Paris will be auctioned by Artcurial on September 7 and 8 next. It is part of an ongoing drive to embellish the interiors of this iconic palace. More than 800 lots of art, furniture and objects are to be sold including items from the Imperial and Royal suites and Le Cinq, the three star restaurant. One of the most important lots is this tapestry depicting the Chinese Emperor Kangxi. Lot 733 is estimated at €40,000-€60,000. The majority of the lots on offer, including headboards, chairs, lamps, curtains, porcelain and tables are estimated at under €1,000.
