Irish George II mahogany silver table. UPDATE: THIS MADE £5,080
This Irish George II silver table comes up as lot 65 at Sotheby’s in London on December 6. The rectangular top with has a raised moulded edge, the shaped apron is centred by a carved scallop shell and the gently curved legs terminate in paw feet. The estimate is £4,000-£6,000. It is part of the Albany: An Important Private Collection sale of items housed within the famous Albany on Piccadilly, the neo classical masterpiece originally built in 1770 by Sir William Chambers. The auction consists of furniture from the 17th to the early 19th centuries.
Edwin Mercer will display this Victorian lady’s vanity box at the Limerick fair this weekend.
In the run up to Christmas the antique and art season is beginning to really hot up. Limerick racecourse is the venue for the National Antiques, Art and Vintage fair today and tomorrow. Outstanding Irish art will come under the hammer at de Veres in Dublin next Tuesday and Sotheby’s expects around €2 million worth of Irish art to change hands at evening and day sales in London on Tuesday and Wednesday. The calendar for the next few weeks is brimful of interest and offers a huge array of choice to eager collectors across all price levels and genres. Limerick Racecourse has proven to be an ideal venue for Hibernian Antique Fairs. There is easy access and lots of space for antique shops, art galleries and vintage dealers. An across the board selection this weekend includes a Victorian vanity box complete with travel accessories, bottles and even hat pins. Along with a covetable selection of antique furniture including a c1790 Irish double sided library table with hairy paw feet and Irish art there are selections of clocks and watches, militaria, jewellery, porcelain and silver.
Rugby Sculpture (2007) by Barry Flanagan at de Veres. UPDATE: THIS MADE 40,000
Art by Paul Henry, Walter Osborne, Gerard Dillon, Tony O’Malley, Norah McGuinness, William Scott, John Shinnors and Barry Flanagan will feature strongly at de Veres on Tuesday evening. Bidding on this timed online sale which draws to a close from 6 pm on November 21 is already open. It is on view at Kildare St. in Dublin for the next four days.
Bathers, Naylor’s Cove, Bray by Harry Kernoff at Sotheby’s in London. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
The evening and day sales at Sotheby’s in London on November 21 and 22 are part of British and Irish art week, a series of events celebrating the art of Ireland and Britain from the 19th to the 21st centuries. A total of 54 lots of Irish art will feature with the evening sale headed by two works from Sir John Lavery and two by Jack B Yeats. The Lavery’s have emerged from the collection of the artists family. Another evening highlight is a significant early carving by F.E. McWilliam titled Woodhenge. The estimate for the piece is €229,220-€343,830. Meantime Bonhams first sale on the island of Ireland is now open for bidding online. The Irish Sale: Vision and Voice will offer art by Paul Henry, Donald Teskey, Sir William Orpen, Maeve McCarthy, Margaret Clarke, Frank McKelvey, Wiliam Leech and Jack B Yeats along with an annotated typescript of Finnegans Wake by James Joyce and handwritten lyrics of Your Song Saved My Life by Bono. The auction will be on view at the City Assembly House in Dublin from November 24-28, when the sale will be held.
Woodhenge by F.E. McWilliam at Sotheby’s. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
An oak carved pulpit UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,100 AT HAMMER
A 19th century neo Gothic pulpit is among the more unusual items at Victor Mee’s three day sale next week. On offer are contents from the Medusa antique and salvage yard in Belgium, a hub for collectors since 1984. There are arch fanlights, carved wooden statues, African granary doors, gothic windows, fireplaces, chandeliers, door surrounds, outdoor lamps, gates and railings, gargoyles, bronze sculptures, garden furniture and all sorts of everything among the 1,500 lots. The pulpit, by Charles Buisine-Rigot, comes up as lot 355 and is estimated at €1,800-€2,800. Among a variety of unusual items is a driftwood bar counter, Great Dane statues, an oak and brass ticket booth, a 20th century haberdashery cupboard, iron deck cannons, a distillery pump and an early 19th century apartment post box cabinet with tendoors. The sale, in association with Derrys of Armagh, will be on view at Derrys at Annaghmore, Co. Armagh on November 19. The catalogue is online.
One of a pair of Great Dane statues. UPDATE: THESE MADE 1,200 AT HAMMER
Circle of Augustus John – Portrait of Lady Gregory
This c1920 portrait of Lady Gregory from the circle of Augustus John sold for a hammer price of €5,600 at day two of Fonsie Mealy’s sale in Castlecomer today. The sitter is clearly in mourning and Lady Gregory perpetually wore black in memory of her late husband William. In the National Portrait Gallery in London there is a lithographed portrait of Lady Gregory, by Flora Lion, dating to 1913, that compares with the present work. Lady Gregory often welcomed visiting artists and poets as guests at her house, Coole Park, in Co. Galway, and this work may have been painted by an artist such as Augustus John, who stayed several times at Coole Park, and at Mount Vernon, the Gregory summer home in the Burren. It had been estimated at €3,000-€5,000.
The drawing room of Cuskinny House, Cobh, Co. Cork, home of Mrs. Wanda Ronan who died last year aged 101, displaying a pair of large Cork Regency convex mirrors and a fine pair of Famille Rose Canton Export vases and lids.
A pair of fine antique Cork convex mirrors with a label for R & W Clarke, a Cork longcase clock by John Elliot, a pair of Famille Rose Canton export vases and an 1837 maritime painting of the ship Madagascar with the white cliffs of Dover in the background by William John Huggins are among the top lots at an important country house contents sale by Lynes and Lynes in Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork on November 18. On offer are contents from Cuskinny House, Cobh, home of Mrs. Wanda Ronan – widow of noted Cork lawyer John Ronan – who died aged 101 last December. Cuskinny was passed onto Wanda Ronan (nee Goolden) in 1950 when she inherited it from her uncle and godfather Hugh French. The French family bought Cuskinny in 1806 so it has been in the ownership of the same family for more than two centuries.
One of a pair of Cork convex mirrors. UPDATE: THESE MADE 10,000 AT HAMMER
A total of 496 lots, including some from Sprayfield, Sandycove, Kinsale will come under the hammer. There is period furniture, quality porcelain, silver, paintings and interest effects. The photo of the drawing room at Cuskinny shows some of the pieces in situ, including the Cork Regency mirrors and a fine pair of Chinese vases with lids. Estimated at €8,000-€10,000 the mirrors are in rope twist circular frames with reeded insets surmounted by a seahorse with decorative swag bases and lions head insets. They were known in the family as the Trafalgar mirrors. The Canton export vases on the mantelpiece are estimated at €5,000-€7,000. An early Georgian longcase clock by John Elliott, Cork is a rarity estimated at €7,000-€9,000 as is the painting by William John Huggins (1781-1845).
The hall at Cuskinny with lots including a Cork clock by John Elliot and a seascape by W.J. Huggins. UPDATE: THE CLOCK MADE 6,000 AT HAMMER, THE SEASCAPE WAS UNSOLD.
Prime lots of antique Irish furniture include a Georgian hunt table (€4,000-€5,000), an early 19th century server table (€3,000-€4,000), a pair of brass banded turf buckets, an Irish Georgian circular dining table, a Regency Cork cylinder bookcase and desk and a Cork Regency sofa table all estimated at €2,000-€3,000. Auctioneer Denis Lynes expects strong interest in a large pair of Chinese blue and white jars and covers with Buddhist lions. Even though there is some damage he estimates them at €6,000-€8,000. A 19th century sofa table (€700-€1,000) and a pair of knife boxes (€300-€400) are among the more affordable options.There is a collection of portraits, mostly by the Cork artist James Butler Brenan (1825-1889) and a collection of books. Among the latter is six volumes of An Account of the Voyages from making Discoveries in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres performed by Commodore Byron, Captain Wallace, Captain Carteret and Captain Cook (€500-€600) and The Ancient and Present State of the County and City of Cork by Charles Smith (€300-€500). There is Cork, Dublin and English silver and collectibles include medals, fishing rods and reels, Cork Morgan views, old Pewter, a large stuffed Buffalo head from 1912, maps and trunks. Viewing in Carrigtwohill will continue from 10 am to 6 pm daily until next Friday and the catalogue is online.
Pair of large antique Chinese blue and white jars and covers.
A c1780 Irish Provincial bottle carrier. UPDATE; THIS WAS UNSOLD
From a portrait of Oliver Cromwell on Horseback to an Irish Provincial bottle carrier on stand, probably Limerick, the Chatsworth winter fine art sale by Fonsie Mealy on November 14 and 15 has much to interest collectors. Among more than 1,000 lots there is period furniture, paintings, Irish and international art, silver, militaria, clocks, glassware, jewellery and collectibles.
Thomas Wyck’s (1616-1677) c1655 portrait of Cromwell on a white horse with a Moorish attendant has an estimate of €20,000-€30,000 and is the most expensively estimated lot. Collectibles include a Victorian Birmingham silver castle top card case depicting Queen’s College, Cork after Robert Lowe Stopford (€1,200-€1,500), a pair of Georgian carved coconut cups presented to the Duke of Wellington when he was Ambassador to St. Petersburg in Russia in 1826 (€1,000-€1,500), a George III flintlock musket stamped Dublin Castle (€800-€1,200), a 19th century Irish vernacular elm hedge armchair (€400-€600), two large wood bound travel trunks (€1,000-€1,500), a 17th century oak armchair said to have belonged to Dean Swift (€4,000-€6,000) and a portrait of Lady Gregory by the circle of Augustus John (€3,000-€5,000). The c1780 bottle carrier (€7,000-€9,000) was commissioned by William Stacpoole, High Sherriff, Co. Clare for his new residence at Eden Vale, Killone, Ennis. The sale is on view in Castlecomer on tomorrow and Monday and the catalogue is online.
Thomas Wyck (1616-1677) Portrait of Oliver Cromwell on Horseback with Moorish Attendant c 1655. UPDATE: THIS MADE 20,000 AT HAMMER
18TH-CENTURY LACQUERED CABINET ON STAND. UPDATE: THIS MADE 1,800 AT HAMMER
This brass bound 18th century lacquered cabinet on stand comes up as lot 96 at Sheppards two day Gentleman’s Library sale on November 7 and 8. It is estimated at 2,000-3,000. The sale offers library furniture, lighting, early Irish cartography, Irish and European art, sculpture and objets d’art, Irish and continental art, 16th- century religious art, Egyptian and Roman artefacts, pre-Colombian art, Irish Provincial silver, rare Killarney furniture and collectibles, vintage wines and rare whiskies, together with rare books and recently discovered manuscript letters from Michael Collins and Padraic Pearse. More than 1,000 lots will come under the hammer and the catalogue is online. Viewing in Durrow, Co. Laois is from 10 am to 5 pm on November 4, 5 and 6.
‘Transat’ chair designed by Eileen Gray. UPDATE: THIS MADE 6,000 AT HAMMER
This Transat chair designed by Eileen Gray (1878 – 1976) comes up as lot 29 at the James Adam Mid Century Modern sale on November 7. In leather, lacquer and metal the c1980 chair is estimated at 4,000-6,000. There is a selection of modern design, art and collectibles on offer in this timed online auction. The catalogue is online.
A five piece Camaleonda sofa by Mario Bellini UPDATE: THIS MADE 12,000 AT HAMMER
Legendary designers like Eileen Gray, Niels Otto Moller, Arne Vodder, Mario Bellini, Finn Juhl and Angelo Lelli and a curated selection of artists from Dorothy Cross, Nathalie du Pasquier, Sinead ni Mhaonaigh to John Shinnors, John Boyd and Guggi feature at Adams autumn Mid-Century Modern timed online sale which runs until November 7. Design highlights in a selection that includes tables, chairs, lighting, mirrors, cabinets, glassware and desks include a five piece “Camaleonda” sofa by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia, one of the first truly modular sofa designs (€10,000-€15,000), and the Transat chair by Eileen Gray (€2,000-€3,000). Art highlights include Road to Carraroe by John Shinnors (€15,000-€20,000), Untitled by the French born Milan based artist and designer Nathalie de Pasquier (€4,000-€6,000) and Brompton V by the English expressionist abstract artist Albert Irvin (1922-2015). Viewing from this sale of 20th century design and contemporary art gets underway at Adams next Friday (November 3) and the catalogue is online.
Untitled (B12) by Nathalie du Pasquier UPDATE: THIS MADE 5,500 AT HAMMER
A signed handwritten letter by Michael Collins. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
With everything from a signed January 1922 letter written by Michael Collins to a set of ten armorial side chairs from Fota House, a Killarney wood library table and an Egyptian New Kingdom amulet the Gentleman’s Library sale at Sheppards in Durrow on November 7 and 8 is brimful of interest. It offers an exceptional array of fine library furniture, lighting, early Irish cartography, Irish and European art, Pre-Colombian art, sculpture, Egyptian and Roman artefacts, vintage wine, rare whiskeys and books including a collection of 84 broadsides by Jack B Yeats and recently discovered manuscript letters from Michael Collins and Padraig Pearse.
The Collins letter, written on Gresham Hotel embossed note paper, is dated 2/1/1922 and estimated at €4,000-€6,000. Dated 27/6/12 the letter signed by Padraig Pearse is estimated at €3,000-€5,000. A fine Killarney wood arbutus library table is estimated at €15,000-€25,000 and a set of 10 Fota House Armorial side chairs has an estimate of €8,000-€12,000.
A set of ten Fota House armorial side chairs. UPDATE: THESE MADE 7,500 AT HAMMER
Any library would be set off by a 19th century hide upholstered roll back settee or an Edwardian brass and hide upholstered club fender, each estimated at €1,400-€1,800. A George III Irish breakfront bookcase and an 18th century carved giltwood console table are each estimated at €4,000-€6,000.There is a selection of early Irish cartography in the form of four c1610 engraved and hand coloured maps of Munster, Leinster, Ulster and Connaught by John Speed. Each one is estimated at €500-€800. An Extensive landscape with travellers and cattle by James Arthur O’Connor has an estimate of €25,000-€35,000 and an untitled oil on envelope laid on board by John Constable is estimated at €15,000-€20,000. Art by George Barret, Hugh Douglas Hamilton and Dan O’Neill is among the highlights. Lots on offer from around the world include an Egyptian New Kingdom faience amulet (€3,000-€5,000), a 16th century Peruvian ceramic character ewer (€500-€800), a Roman bronze mask (€800-€1,200) and a c1680 Flemish tapestry (€2,000-€3,000). Silver includes two bright cut Limerick serving spoons by Maurice Fitzgerald (€3,000-€5,000) and an 1893 Russian Imperial silver and rock crystal urn (€800-€1,200). The wine selection includes a 2010 case of Chateau Lafite-Rothschild and there is a bottle of Midleton Very Rare Whiskey from 2000. The sale will be on view in Durrow from November 4 and the catalogue is online.
A Killarney library table. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
