19th century lead fountain. UPDATE: THIS MADE 340 AT HAMMER
Maybe this is not the best June ever to talk about such garden features but water, as distinct from incessant rain and cool weather, can add interest, tranquility and even a touch of glamour to many gardens. You can take your pick from various ways of introducing decorative water at two days of sales at Sheppards in Durrow where the annual Glantelwe Gardens sale will be held next Tuesday and Wednesday.
The daddy of them all is a large bronze neo-classical fountain (€20,000-€30,000). Among the other choices are moulded stone fountain heads (€250-€350), a large Italianate stone fountain (€2,000-€3,000), a cast iron wall mounted miniature (€100-€150), an 18th century carved stone basin (€800-€1,200), a 19th century lead fountain (€300-€500), a set of Regency cast iron fountain heads (€500-€800), large moulded fountains and some wonderfully weathered offerings.
Nestled along the River Erkina at Durrow Glantelwe – by renowned garden designer Arthur Shackleton – is a superb showcase for a sale which includes statues, lions, urns, sundials, planters, benches, seats, patio set, staddle stones, estate railing and stone troughs. Viewing gets underway today and continues on tomorrow and Monday.
A large Portland stone arch. UPDATE: THIS MADE 3,000 AT HAMMER
The accessories of a Manchu gentleman at Adams. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
The embroidered silk accessories of a Manchu gentleman and a fine pair of arts and crafts hanging tapestries or a suite of sapphire, ruby and diamond ring with ear clips and a homage by Harry Kernoff to Francois Boucher’s portrait of Marie Louise O’Murphy, mistress of King Louis XV of France, the choice is yours at sales in Ireland next week.
These unusual lots can be found respectively at a Fine Asian and African art sale at James Adam and Aidan Foley’s online auction of contents from the Convent of St. Joseph of Cluny in Killiney on June 25 and at The Jewellery Box sale at Adams and Morgan O’Driscoll’s online art auction on June 24.
If lot 101 at Adams is any guide the Manchurians dressed to impress. They conquered China in the 17th century, established the Qing Dynasty and ruled for more than 250 years, The 19th century gentleman’s embroidery yellow silk accessories showcase a peacock, three goats representing peace and prosperity and a phoenix surrounded by peonies as part of a set featuring a fan holder, a double gourd betel nut pouch, a wallet and a pocket watch holder. The estimate is a cool €6,000-€8,000. Among 574 lots on offer are Tibetan fabrics, Chinese ceramics, ritual bronze vessels, carved jades, gilt bronze figures, a Japanese lacquered tray, cloisonne, mother of pearl inlaid furniture and even a fetish statue from the Congo.
A pair of Art and Crafts hanging tapestries at Aidan Foley’s sale. UPDATE: THIS LOT MADE 720 AT HAMMER
Nearer home but no less exotic is a pair of Arts and Crafts hanging tapestries (€600-€1,000) at Aidan Foley’s online auction in conjunction with Niall Mullen of contents from the St. Joseph of Cluny convent offers all sorts of choices. There is a selection of antique furniture, a brass and gilded tabernacle, a walnut organ, a collection of linen, kneelers and church pews and ecclesiastical brass items. The sale will be on view at the convent in Killiney from today.
Early 20th century aquamarine and diamond earrings at Adams. UPDATE: THESE MADE 7,000 AT HAMMER
A pair of early 20th century aquamarine and diamond pendant earrings of chandelier design feature among an appetising selection of 289 lots at the Jewellery Box sale at Adams on Monday afternoon. The estimate is €4,000-€5,000, not quite as much as a single stone diamond ring of 3.01 carats graded as G colour which is, at €7,000-€8,000, the most expensively estimated lot of the auction. Other top lots include a diamond and sapphire crossover bangle (€6,500-€7,300), a pair of diamond pendant earrings (€5,000-€7,000) and three c1987 gem set Patrizia rings by Marina B with pink tourmaline, citrine and blue topaz (€5,500-€6,500). There are lots from €50 euro upwards.
Marie Louise O’Murphy after Boucher by Harry Kernoff at Morgan O’Driscoll. UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,000 AT HAMMER
At Morgan O’Driscoll’s online art auction next Monday evening Harry Kernoff’s homage to Marie Louise O’Murphy after Boucher is estimated at €2,000-€3,000. In later years Boucher’s painting was also referenced by Michael Farrell (1940-2000) who produced political versions in a Miss O’Murphy series in the 1970’s and ’80’s. There is a 2024 Famine Ship by John Behan (€15,000-€20,000), a Cubist Still Life by Nano Reid (€500-€700), continental landscapes by Letitia Hamilton (€6,000-€9,000), three offset lithographs from Andy Warhol’s Endangered Species series (1,500-€2,000) and Duffy’s Circus by Barbara Warren (€400-€600) among a particularly wide selection of art. All catalogues are online.
This exceptionally large mirror, probably by Robert Strahan, is lot 270 at Aidan Foley’s online auction of contents from the St. Joseph of Cluny convent in Killiney on June 25. There will be viewing at the convent from June 22. The sale is being held in conjunction with Niall Mullen and there ar e 388 lots on the catalogue, which is online. Subject to removal, the mirror is estimated at 500-1,000. The early shaped Victorian serving table on which it rests is lot 269 and estimated at 1,000-2,000. UPDATE: THE MIRROR MADE 740, THE TABLE 2,100
SEVRES ORMOLU-MOUNTED POWDERED LAVENDER AND GOLD-GROUND VASE c1805-1806 MADE $94,500. Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd.
There was energetic participation by bidders and buyers from 33 countries at Christie’s online sale of two American collections which brought in $2,157,624. More than 200 lots of mostly 18th and 19th century European decorative arts were from the estates of two passionate collectors, Adolphus and Emily Andrews, San Franciso and Donald Bruce Wilson of Memphis. The top lot of the sale came from the Andrews collection, a rare pair of marquetry table screens made for Joachim Murat, King of Naples, which made $378,000, more than seven times its low estimate. The top lot of the Wilson collection was a Sevres ormolu-mounted powdered lavender and gold-ground vase which made $94,500.
This mosaic mural made with hand cut Venetian tiles is lot 433 at Sheppards Glantelwe gardens auction in Durrow on June 25 and 26. It is a large piece and the estimate is €3,000-€5,000. The catalogue for the online and live in Durrow sale of architural ornaments and garden lots is online and viewing gets underway on June 22. More than 600 lots will come under the hammer. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
An Art Nouveau silver belt, a set of six Cork silver tablespoons by Carden Terry and Jane Williams and a c1775 silver sauce boat by Matthew West of Dublin are among the appetising lots at Hegarty’s online sale in Bandon on June 12. The belt, estimated at €500-€800, is made up of 16 shamrock shaped plates with raised relief decoration linked by looped chains. It dates to 1902. The sale, titled the Dromkeen country house collection, offers a selection of silver, art, antique furniture and collectibles. UPDATE: THIS MADE 380 AT HAMMER
19th century Irish landscape mirror in the Rococo style. UPDATE: THIS MADE 1,000 AT HAMMER
If you are searching for mirrors, Irish furniture, art or a piece of interesting silver there are good examples to be found at the James Adam At Home sale in Dublin on June 11. This online only sale offers interesting, affordable and collectibles antiques and furnishings.
The catalogue cover features an attractive giltwood mirror (€500-€800) and a giltwood and marble topped console table (€1,500-€2,000). An early 19th century circular wall mirror with a gilded and decorated frame is estimated at €2,000-€3,000 and a large overmantle with scallop shell and scrollwork cornice has an estimate of €1,500-€2,000. There is a similar estimate on a c1880 overmantle surmounted by a faience dish. A 19th century Irish carved giltwood landscape mirror in the rococo style is estimated at €600-€1,000.
A pair of George III mahogany dining room urns on pedestals. UPDATE: THESE MADE 3,200 AT HAMMER
Among the more expensive antique furniture pieces are a pair of George III dining room urns on pedestals with domed fluted covers and acorn finials, a pair of mahogany framed Gainsborough armchairs and a c1790 Irish sycamore and rosewood banded demi-lune pier table. All are estimated at €3,000-€5,000. Signed pieces include a Victorian love seat by Robert Strahan (€400-€600) and a pair of marquetry inlaid mahogany settees by the British maker James Schoolbred whose workshop was on Tottenham Court Road (€1,000-€1,500).
A Korean ebonised storage chest UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
The selection of furniture ranges from a Georgian hunt table, a Dutch marquetry display cabinet and a Georgian bowfront sideboard to some Irish George III brass bound plate buckets, a Louis Quatorze walnut bureau de dame, a Victorian circular breakfast table and a Georgian slope front bureau.
The auction of more than 400 lots kicks off with a selection of garden furniture headed by a large Victorian cast iron Warwick Vase garden urn (€2,000-€3,000). A pair of 20th century pottery waisted planters (€300-€500), garden benches, terracotta plinths, Italian terracotta lions and a Victorian cast iron classical figure all feature.
Art offerings include landscapes and still lives, portraits and seascapes and the array of collectibles includes a 19th century French gilt and porcelain clock, a Waterford Crystal nine branch chandelier and a large Edwardian hexagonal hall lantern. A c1775 silver salver made in Cork by Stephen Walsh will attract interest as will an Irish provincial silver sauceboat struck “Sterling” and a pair of Irish George III silver oval trays. This will be the last At Home sale by Adams before the summer break.
A large Edwardian hexagonal hall lantern. UPDATE: THIS MADE 1,100 AT HAMMER
WILLIAM IV GILTWOOD AND MALACHITE CIRCULAR TABLE. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
This malachite topped circular William IV table comes up as lot 29 at the James Adam At Home auction. The top is supported on a fluted centre column with carved cabochons and rim masks on scroll legs carved with leaves. The estimate is 1,500-2,500. The timed online only auction is now up and running and will begin to close from 11 am on June 11. Viewing for the sale gets underway in Dublin today.
A pair of Art Nouveau figures on marble bases UPDATE: THESE MADE 300 AT HAMMER
Lovers of antique furniture, and there are still plenty of them out there, will find plenty of options that are both affordable and attractive, not to mention sustainable, at Marshs sale in Cork on June 12. The selection on offer ranges from an antique Queen Anne walnut bureau bookcase (€2,000-€3,000) and a pair of early Irish Georgian dining chairs (€1,500-€2,000) to an early walnut secretaire campaign chest (€500-€800) and a set of eight Cork dining chairs (€800-€1,000).
There is a choice of card tables led by a Regency marquetry inlaid example (€500-€1,000) as well as a large oval end Victorian dining table with an estimate of just €1,000-€1,500. There are collectible lithographs of Cork Harbour scenes by Robert Stopford and others, some Waterford Crystal and a private collection of around 150 lots of Irish, English and European coins.
A pair of Edwardian knife boxes. UPDATE: THESE MADE 600 AT HAMMER
An oversized bronze of a crab at Victor Mee. UPDATE: THIS MADE 10,000 AT HAMMER
The possibilities seem limitless at two day sales by both Fonsie Mealy in Castlecomer and Victor Mee in Belturbet on May 28 and 29. A 16th century tapestry once in the Rathcormac collection of American actor Hurd Hatfield and the advertising mirrors from the old Clancy’s Bar in Cork city centre give some idea of the breadth and scope of Fonsie Mealy’s two day summer fine art auction with 1,200 lots.
You could opt instead for a seven foot tall bronze sculpture of a crab (€8,000 – €12,000) or a wrought iron Victorian style conservatory with remotely controlled windows (€15,000-€25,000) at Victor Mee’s annual summer garden sale.
Fonsie Mealy will offer art by Montague Dawson, Gerard Dillon, Harry Kernoff, Augustus Burke, Dan O’Neill, Sean Keating and others, quality affordable and decorative furniture, Irish Provincial and Dublin silverware, clocks and jewellery. Lot 723 in this sale is the Ladbrokes Epsom Gold Cup from 1963 (€3,000-€5,000). The Choice of Hercules, the Flemish tapestry from the Hatfield collection is estimated at €10,000-€15,000. The actor was best known for playing the lead in the Oscar winning 1945 film of The Picture of Dorian Gray.
Among the feature lots at Victor Mee are the Victorian bandstand from the famed St. Louis Convent in Co. Monaghan, a 19th century Carrara marble bath, a cast iron statue of a pig, a pair of majestic moulded sandstone lions, a sandstone fountain, a statue of boxing hares, a tree trunk bench and an Art Nouveau style stone figure of a lady along with an array of planters and gates, piers, pillar caps, steps and exterior lighting. Full catalogues for both sales are online.
A mirror advertising Paddy from Clancy’s Bar in Cork at Fonsie Mealy. UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,500 AT HAMMER
