This early 20th century Donegal carpet in remarkably fine condition sold for 5,292 GBP at Sotheby’s in London today. It came up at a sale of Art of the Islamic World including fine rugs and carpets and had been estimated at 4,000-6,000. Made in Killybegs in the early 20th century the carpet, with the label of Maple and Co. London and Smyrna, was discovered about 40 years ago in a sealed room by an antique restorer working on some library panels. It was thought then to have been stored for at least 50 years. The father of the present owner bought it, but found it too big for his home and passed it on to son, who also found it to be too big. So it has been stored ever since. It measures 368 cm x 265 cm approximately.
John Mitchel, Irish Patriot – Autograph letter signed, to Thomas Carlyle
An 1848 letter on Irish Independence written from prison in Dublin by John Mitchel to Thomas Carlyle comes up at Sotheby’s in London on April 13. John Mitchel was the editor of the United Irishman, which called for Irish independence in the bitter aftermath of the Great Hunger. Carlyle had met him on a visit to Ireland in September 1846, and Mitchel was deeply influenced by Carlyle’s “great man” theory of history. In May 1848 Mitchel was tried for seditious libel and sentenced to 14 years transportation. He was taken first to Ireland Island, Bermuda, to work on the construction of the British naval dockyard, then to Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania), from where he escaped in 1853. He spent much of the rest of his life in America, editing radical Irish Nationalist newspapers, but returned to Ireland to stand for election to Westminster in 1875. He won the election but was disqualified from sitting since he was a convicted felon. A second election was likewise decreed null. The estimate for the letter, in which he bids Carlyle farewell and sends his regards to Mrs. Carlyle, is 2,000-3,000 GBP.
The sale includes an 1848 letter from Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington to General Sir Edward Blakeney, Commander in Chief of the British Army in Ireland, on the possibility of a Chartist rebellion. Also on offer is a letter from William Huskisson, Minister for War, on the French Invasion of Ireland, 1798.
Robert Fagan – Emma Hamilton as a Bacchante. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
This portrait of Lady Hamilton by the Irish artist Robert Fagan (1761-1816) comes up at Sotheby’s online sale of Old Master Paintings which runs from March 31-April 6. Estimated at 20,000-30,000 GBP it is from the collection of Sir Michael Smurfit. Robert Fagan was born to an Irish family, from Cork, in around 1761. He grew up in Covent Garden and eventually settled in Rome and became a close acquaintance of Sir William Hamilton, British Ambassador to Naples. He had married Emma in London in 1791. She is best known as the mistress of Lord Nelson
FLOWER SELLERS, GRAFTON STREET, DUBLIN – NORMAN TEELING (B.1944). UPDATE: THIS MADE 800 AT HAMMER
This Dublin scene by Norman Teeling comes up as lot 38 at Whyte’s Spring online auction which gets underway on the evening of March 28. It is estimated at 800-1,200. The auction of affordable art is designed to encourage first time buyers and seasoned bidders with 273 lots by artists who are well known.
EDWARDIAN INLAID MAHOGANY CORNER CABINET. UPDATE: THIS MADE 130 AT HAMMER
THIS Edwardian corner cabinet comes up at Hegarty’s fine interiors sale in Bandon on March 29 with an estimate of just 200-300. The auction offers a selection of 270 lots of antique furniture, art, silver, jewellery and rugs. The catalogue is online.
CHARLES STEWART PARNELL COMMEMORATIVE FENDER. UPDATE: THIS MADE 380 AT HAMMER
This rare Parnell commemorative fender with central amorial cartouche depicting Parnell and Erin go Brach inscribed beneath, framed by scrolling shamrocks and flanked by Irish harps comes as lot 219 at Sheppards sale of Irish vernacular objects on March 29. It is estimated at 300-500.
The sale features a medieval carved wood Mether or communal drinking vessel and a 19th century penny farthing bicycle, each estimated at €4,000 – €6,000. The private collection of ceramics, metalwork and furniture assembled over three generations ia on view in Durrow. There is everything from a 18th century Kildare rush light, a Gibson hedge chair and a 19th century model shop front to an Irish elk skull and antlers. The catalogue for this auction of 403 lots is online.
Valley Wind, Jemisa by Tony O’Malley at Adams UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
A moonlit seascape by Roderic O’Conor will highlight the live and online sale of Important Irish Art by James Adam in Dublin ON March 30. Marine, au Clair de Lune is estimated at €150,000-€200,000 and is one of a number of Irish works with contrasting styles and approaches from the 19th century onwards to highlight this sale.Along with O’Conor there are leading lots by Jack B. Yeats, Tony O’Malley and James Arthur O’Connor. The Boat, a late Yeats from 1948, is estimated at €80,000-€120,000, Valley Wind, Jemisa, a 1995 Lanzarote painting by Tony O’Malley comes with an estimate of €30,000-€40,000 and James Arthur O’Connor’s Wooded Defile with Figures and Distant Cattle dates to 1827. This masterpiece of Irish Romanticism has an estimate of €25,000-€35,000. These very different works highlight the dynamism and diversity of an Irish art sector that in terms of the art market is going from strength to strength.
Following the highly acclaimed Yeats exhibition at the National Gallery there are three works on paper by the artist at Adams, a 1906 interior of a shebeen, an untitled street scene and work entitled A Rest by the Wayside. Dalkey Sound by Edwin Hayes shows a number of boats caught up in a storm in the straits and makes a strong case for the artist to be considered Ireland’s finest maritime painter. The Modern Irish School is represented with works from the 1940’s to the present. Being (No. 44) by Louis le Brocquy dates to 1957. Girl with Flower by Dan O’Neill also dates to the 1950’s. There is work by James Humbert Craig, Colin Middleton, Gerard Dillon, George Campbell, Patrick Swift and F E McWilliam.
Houses at Crookhaven, West Cork by Brett MacEntagart RHA at Whyte’s. UPDATE; This was unsold
In Dublin Irish art in all price ranges will feature at sales of affordable Irish art at Whyte’s on March 28 and at de Veres the following day. The timed spring online auction at Whytes offers work by many well known Irish artists who are represented by lots at price ranges which are not stratospheric. This is an auction designed for potential collectors tempted to dip their toes in the market. At Whyte’s major sale of Irish and International Art earlier this month Paul Henry’s Lobster Fishermen off Achill sold for a hammer price of €200,000.
Works by Colin Middleton, Dan O’Neill and Louis le Brocquy, each estimated at €10,000-€15,000, highlight the Irish art auction at de Veres now open for bidding. This timed online sale of 156 lots ends on March 29. There are estimates from €100 up.
This Chinese Export lacquered work box and writing stand has provenance by repute to the Drogheda born Irish actress Eliza O’Neill, Lady Wrixon-Becher (1791-1872). Regarded as the foremost tragic actress on the London stage and worthy successor to Sarah Siddons she earned a reputation for meanness, possibly because she had a large family to support. Thackery included this trait in his portrait of Irish actress Emily Costigan in his novel Pendennis. At the height of her fame she returned to Ireland in 1819 and concluded her career. Eliza married Sir William Wrixon-Becher (1780-1850), improving landlord, MP for Mallow and an amateur actor. Mother of three sons and two daughters she spent the greater part of her retirement at her family home at Ballygiblin, Co. Cork. The workbox comes up at Bonhams Home and Interiors sale in Knightsbridge on March 29-30 with an estimate of £600-£800 (€714-€953). UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s International Head of Jewellery, with The Rock. UPDATE: THIS MADE CHF21,681,000 / $21,894,082 / €20,722,133
The Rock, the largest white diamond ever to appear at auction, will come up at Christie’s in Geneva on May 11. Mined and polished in South Africa over two decades ago the 228.31 carat pear-shaped diamond is estimated at $20-30 million. Graded by the Gemmological Institute of America as G colour, VS1 clarity, The Rock is accompanied by a letter from the GIA stating that it is the largest existing D-Z colour pear-shaped diamond ever graded by the laboratory. The previous auction record for the largest white diamond was a 163.41 carat gem, which sold at Christie’s Geneva in November 2017 for US$ 33,701,000.
Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s International Head of Jewellery said: “The Rock will join the very best of legendary gemstones which have passed through Christie’s global salerooms since 1766. The market for diamonds is particularly vibrant and we are confident that this sensational gemstone will capture the attention of collectors across the globe this Spring season.”
Daniel O’Neill (1920-1974) – Girl with a flower UPDATE: THIS MADE 38,000 AT HAMMER
Girl with a Flower by Daniel O’Neill is lot 26 at the James Adam evening sale of Important Irish Art in Dublin on March 30. It is estimated at 20,000-30,000. Viewing for this sale gets underway today and continues every day until March 30. The auction offers a comprehensive selection of 156 lots and the catalogue is online.
