THIS c1960 gem set and diamond bracelet by Boucheron comes up as Lot 58 at the timed online Fine Jewellery and Watches sale at James Adam in Dublin. The auction will begin to close at 5 pm on Tuesday May 25. The bracelet illustrated here is composed of fluted foliate links, highlighted with circular cabochon sapphires, emeralds and rubies, each accented by a trio of brilliant-cut diamonds, with rope twist detailing and mounted in 18 carat gold. It is estimated at 5,000-6,000. UPDATE: THIS MADE 6,000 AT HAMMER
THIS painting by Jack B Yeats with the intriguing title Muldoon and Rattlesnake, Drumcliffe Strand, Co. Sligo, 1928 comes up at Whyte’s sale of Irish and International Art in Dublin on May 31. Drumcliffe farmer Mike Muldoon was a famous amateur jockey and athlete in Sligo in the late 19th century. His successes at the strand races caught the imagination of many local people and the artist. He and his horse Rattlesnake were the subject of two other works by Yeats and his prowess as an athlete inspired an 1899 watercolour titled In the Foot Race there are many to Compete now in the collection of Ireland’s National Gallery. The races on the strand were a favourite theme of many early works by Yeats and Hilary Pyle speculates that Muldoon may have been the inspiration for one of the jockeys in Before the Start at the National Gallery. Memories of the strand races, the crowds and the excitement obviously resonated deeply with Yeats as this painting was made at least 30 years after he had seen Muldoon in action. It is estimated at €100,000-€150,000. UPDATE: THIS MADE 160,000 AT HAMMER
Something about house contents auctions brings on the urge to rummage. Drawn from no less than four house clearances the catalogue for Matthews auctions in Kells, Co. Meath on May 22 and 23 offers plenty of scope for rummaging among everything from an antique dinner gong to gilded mirrors, garden fountains, silver mounted mirrors and brushes, an Edwardian cake stand, boxes of books, porcelain and antique furniture. The past year has demonstrated that much of what we do in real time can be done virtually and an online rummage through a catalogue with 1,000 lots might prove fruitful. Matthews will follow this sale with an auction of gold, silver, jewellery and collectibles on the evening of May 25.
A rare Irish £100 note from 1928 comes up at Dix Noonan Webb in London on May 27. Among a strong selection of Irish notes in the auction of British, Irish and World banknotes is this £100 note from the Irish Free State, dated 10 September 1928 and estimated at £12,000-16,000. A £50 note from the same date carries an estimate of £8,000-10,000. (Update – the £100 note sold for £14,880, the £50 note went for £9,920).
Andrew Pattison, Head of Department at Dix Noonan Webb, said: “These two notes are some of the first issued by the independent Ireland in 1928, and are also the first to feature the iconic image of Lady Lavery leaning on harp. There are now thought to be less than ten of each of these denominations still in existence from this early date.”
UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £14,880 TO A COLLECTOR IN IRELAND
THIS gilt side chair by John Trotter made a hammer price of €10,000 at Fonsie Mealy’s Killoughter House sale today. The chair was part of a set supplied to Leinster House in 1759 and was moved to Carton House in 1815. Originally from Berwickshire, John Trotter was cabinet maker to George II. His firm at Frith St. in Soho, London is recorded in directories and the Royal Accounts.
UPDATE: The sale realised just under 500,000 on the hammer. The top lot was Travellers on a Woodland Path by James Arthur O’Connor which made 12,000. Caernarfon Bay by Kyffin Williams and Wooded Landscape by Gerrit van Hees each sold for 9,500. An Irish Georgian silver bullet teapot made 9,000 and a large Louis Vuitton travelling wardrobe trunk made 6,400.
A White Star Line illustrated promotional booklet from 1911 showing Olympic and Titanic was the sleeper lot at Whyte’s Eclectic Collector sale in Dublin. The 72 page booklet made €5,800 over a top estimate of €300. The auction grossed €600,000 with over 90% of lots sold. More than 1,000 bidders registered online.
(See post on antiquesandartireland.com for May 8, 2021)
This limited edition lithograph of a portrait of Michael Collins by Sir John Lavery is signed by both men. The artists proof was published by Wilson Hartnell and is from a private collection. It comes up as Lot 6 at Morgan O’Driscoll’s Irish art online auction which runs until May 24. The estimate is 3,000-5,000. UPDATE: THIS MADE 5,400 AT HAMMER
This 18th century engraved Irish Map containing Plans of Drogheda, Derry, Kinsale Harbour, Charlemont Fort, City of Dublin, Coleraine, The Harbour of Cork, Galway, The City of Kilkenny, Carrickfergus, The City of Cork, Athlone, Waterford, Belfast, The Royal Fort of Duncannon and Limerick comes up as Lot 321 at Fonsie Mealy’s sale of contents from Killoughter House, Ashford, Co. Wicklow online on May 18. It is estimated at €200-€300. UPDATE: THIS MADE 360 AT HAMMER
From Italian and Danish furniture in the 1950’s, ’60’s and ’70’s at de Veres to a crocquet set and an 18th century engraved Irish map with plans of Drogheda, Derry, Kinsale Harbour, Cork Harbour, Kilkenny, Cork, Waterford and Limerick at Fonsie Mealy’s there is plenty to choose from at online sales next week. The Design of our Times timed online sale at de Veres until May 18 offers classic 20th century design, period Irish Georgian and Victorian furniture and contemporary and traditional art. Among the artists featured are Donald Teskey, Bridget Riley, Mark Francis, Kenneth Webb, Erskine Nichol and Edwin Hayes. Renowned designers from Eileen Gray, le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe to Arne Jacobsen, Finn Juhl, Eero Saarinen, Ron Arad and Verner Panton all feature in a sale of nearly 400 lots.
The Egg chair designed by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen at de Veres. UPDATE: THIS MADE 8,000 AT HAMMER
Fine furniture, antiques, ceramics, paintings, outdoor and garden effects and wines will feature at Fonsie Mealy’s online sale of contents from Killoughter House, Ashford, Co. Wicklow on May 18. Among more than 600 lots are a pair of miniature pencil portraits of Philip Somerville of The Prairie, Schull, Co. Cork and his wife Henrietta Townsend, an 18th century engraved Irish map, a pair of minature portraits of Brisbane Warren of Union Hall and his wife Mary, daughter of Philip Somerville. Furniture includes a large 19th century French gilt console table once in the collection of Sir Alfred Chester Beatty.
A rare and original Advertising Mirror, “The Shamrock Whiskey” by Kirker, Greer & Co. Ltd., Belfast,” c. 1910 at Fonsie Mealy. UPDATE: THIS MADE 4,000 AT HAMMER
A signed watercolour by Lin Fengmian will highlight Sheppards sale of Fortlands House, Charleville, Co. Cork – the home of Mary O’Connor – and other clients on May 19 and 20. Mary O’Connor is well known throughout Ireland as a lady who ran a successful antique business from Fortlands for many years. Lot 572, a watercolour portrait by Lin Fengmian (1900-1991), shows a young girl looking at her hat seated beside a vase of flowers. The face in this portrait by a pioneering artist known for blending Chinese and western styles recalls the style of Modigliani. While in Germany Lin became interested in the teachings of Schopenhauer, who conceived the notion of philosophical pessimism. Schopenhauer recognised certain similarities in Western and Eastern philosophy and suggested that aesthetic contemplation could be an escape from human suffering. This resonated deeply with Lin whose mother was sold when he was seven years old. He never saw her again. Back in China he fell foul of the Cultural Revolution and chose to destroy all his paintings to prevent them being used against him. He was imprisoned for four and a half years. His paintings are highly valued and very rare. This one is estimated at €80,000-€120,000.
Lin Fengmian. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
The two day sale offers a selection of highly affordable lots from furniture and silver to ceramics and collectibles including swords and shillelaghs. There is a plentiful selection of jewellery including a diamond line bracelet (€10,000-€15,000) and Chinese and Oriental ceramics and bronzes, an Edwardian vanity set, modern bookshelves and a foxes head brass door knocker (€100-€150).Lot 209 is a 19th century French marquetry writing desk (€800-€1,200) and there is a similar estimate on a circular Regency dining table. A Victorian mahogany pedestal sideboard is estimated at a mere €300-€500, a Victorian dining table is estimated at €2,500-€3,500 and a Georgian breakfront bookcase at €2,000-€3,000. Given that Sheppards, more than any other Irish auction house, has been successful in selling precious Oriental objects back to collectors in China it seems likely that they will succeed in getting away lot 588 – a Chinese Qing white jade Imperial seal with an estimate of €80,000-€120,000. Of more local interest is a selection of cast iron garden pieces, staddle stones and benches. There is also some country furniture such as a famine chair, a brass bound noggin, a double fish oil light and a pair of elm benches. The auction takes place over four online sessions and the final session on Thursday afternoon will be entirely devoted to silver and plate.
