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 Victorian sleigh. UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,400 AT HAMMER
A sleigh might not be exactly what is needed in rainy Ireland right now but who knows what the rest of the winter will bring? This one comes up at Aidan Foley’s online two day relocation auction of lots from “Weddings by Franc” on November 7 and 8. From chair covers and tablecloths to decorative mirrors and candle holders, tables, lamps, lanterns and Frosty the Snowman this sale of more than 1,000 lots offers and enormous variety of lots for weddings, parties and Christmas events.
Jack B. Yeats’ – The Trotter. UPDATE: THIS MADE £88,900
Sotheby’s annual Irish Art sale in London on November 21 and 22 will be part of a newly created flagship sales series of Modern British & Irish Art. Evening and Day sales will comprise 54 lots of Irish art and feature the most beloved and esteemed names of the genre with works from the descendants of Sir John Lavery along with art by Jack Butler Yeats, F.E. McWilliam and Gerard Dillon. Together, they are estimated to bring in the region of £2 million. The sales will headline Sotheby’s British & Irish Art week – a dedicated week celebrating the artistic landscape of Britain and Ireland from the 19th to the 21st century.
Two works by Lavery, a Moorish Hareem and Ariadne, are each estimated at £300,000-500,000 / €343,830-573,050. They are from direct descendants of the artist. The Donkey Show and The Trotter by Yeats are estimated respectively at £400,000-600,000 / €458,440-687,660 and £80,000- 120,000 / €91,688 – 137,532.
The Day sale will comprise a dedicated 49 lot portion of Irish art, featuring classical Irish artists like Yeats and Dillon as well as a strong selection of works by contemporary artists including Hughie O’Donoghue, Linda Brunker, Orla de Bri, Richard Hearns, Melissa O’Donnell, Jack Coulter, Rowan Gillespie and Nick Miller. Works will be on view at Royal Hibernian Academy in Dublin between November 9-12 and in Sotheby’s New Bond Street galleries in London from November 17- 21.
Sir John Lavery – A Moorish Hareem. UPDATE: THIS MADE £381,000
Exquisite natural pearl and diamond tiara, late 19th century and later. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 393,700 SWISS FRANCS (€408,892)
This tiara from the collection of Baroness Inchiquin (1868-1940) comes up at Sotheby’s sale of Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels in Geneva on November 8. The descendants of Brian Boru went on to be the Kings of Thomond. In 1543, Murrough O’Brien, the last King of Thomond, submitted his realm to Henry VIII. In order to do so, he had to renounce his ancient Irish titles, instead he was granted the titles Marquis of Thomond, and Baron Inchiquin. Their ancestral seat is Dromoland Castle in Co. Clare.
Lucius O’Brien, The 15th Baron, Lord Inchiquin (1864–1929), Prince of Thomond and chief of the name was born in England and started his military career in Royal Irish Riffles. Upon succeeding to the title of Lord Inchiquin, 15th Baron, he served as an Irish representative in the House of Lords. His spouse, Lady Inchiquin, née Ethel Jane Foster attended the coronation of King George V in 1911 wearing the natural pearl and diamond tiara. Estimated at 170,000-180,000 Swiss francs (€176,980-€187,390) it is one of three jewels in the sale which belonged to the late Lady Inchiquin. Her diamond brooch is estimated at 6,000-8,000 Swiss francs (€6,250-€8,330) and a c1900 devant de corsage is estimated at 24,000-35,000 Swiss francs (€24,990-€36,440).
Diamond devant-de-corsage, circa 1900. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 76,200 SWISS FRANCS (€79.140)
This 2021 unique Carrara marble sculpture by Eilis O’Connell entitled Thornmorph (maquette) is from Hardware / Software at the Solomon Gallery in Dublin until November 18. Working with materials like steel, bronze, stone and bio resins O’Connell explores material properties to make organic forms carved or constructed by hand. The title of this solo show – borrowed from Jack Burnham’s 1974 publication Great Western Salt Works: Essay’s on the meaning of Post-Formulist Art – refers to the dual aspects of an artist’s practice, physical and conceptual. The abstract watercolours on display mirror the sculpture. With an exhibition history that includes the Venice and Sao Paulo Biennales, the Guggenheim in Venice and E1027, the home designed by Eileen Gray in the South of France, O’Connell is one of our most internationally recognised contemporary artists,
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
François-Xavier Lalanne – Oiseau d’argent c1990 UPDATE: THESE SOLD FOR €76,200
Highlights of the Karpidas collection to be sold at Sotheby’s in Paris next Monday and Tuesday include stellar works by Claude and Francois-Xavier Lalanne, Marlene Dumas, Damien Hirst, George Baselitz, Tracey Emin, Sarah Lucas and Nan Goldin. Manchester born Karpidas is an international collector who has surrounded herself with artists for decades. Her home on the Greek island of Hydra has long been a getaway for artists, collectors and curators. There will be an evening sale on October 30 and a day sale on October 31.
The Lissadell Mirror. UPDATE: THIS MADE 3,000 AT HAMMER
Styled The Lissadell Mirror’ this early to mid 19th century gilt overmantel was purchased directly from the Gore-Booth family. Dating to 1840-60 it comes up as lot 523 at Sean Eacrett’s sale of fine art, antiques and collectibles in Ballybrittas, Co. Laois on November 2. It is estimated at €3,000-€5,000. The catalogue, with over 1,000 lots, is online.
