antiquesandartireland.com

Information about Art, Antiques and Auctions in Ireland and around the world
  • ABOUT
  • About Des
  • Contact

    • MASTERPIECE CONTINUES TO DRAW THE CROWDS

    July 3rd, 2016

    Masterpiece continues to draw the crowds in London.  Over 5,000 guests attended on the first public day and daily numbers are continuing at close to this level. The premier fair reflects at a very high level the cross collecting taste that is now so fashionable. At Masterpiece you can take your pick.  There is everything from a monumental fragment of a standing male statute leg and feet at Axel Vervoodt and the Louis XIV walnut Os de Mouton sofa at Rose Uniacke to the 1966 Rhthme Couleur by Sonia Delaunay at Helene Bailly Gallery and Graham Sutherland’s Study of Sir Winston Churchill from 1954 at Christopher Kingzett. This is a rare preparatory sketch for a portrait that was considered so unflattering that it was destroyed.  Royal Bank of Canada continues as the principal sponsor of Masterpiece.  Exhibitors continue to report sales across a wide range of disciplines.  Masterpiece continues until July 6.

    Monumental fragment from a standing male statue Leg and Feet on base Roman 2nd century A.D. Courtesy Axel Vervoodt

    Monumental fragment from a standing male statue Leg and Feet on base Roman 2nd century A.D. Courtesy Axel Vervoodt

    Sonia Delaunay Rythme Couleur 1966 Courtesy Hélène Bailly Gallery

    Sonia Delaunay Rythme Couleur 1966 Courtesy Hélène Bailly Gallery

    The Louis XIV Walnut ‘Os de Mouton’ Sofa France c1730 Courtesy Rose Uniacke

    The Louis XIV Walnut ‘Os de Mouton’ Sofa France c1730 Courtesy Rose Uniacke

    Graham Sutherland Study of Sir Winston Churchill 1954 Courtesy Christopher Kingzett at Masterpiece, London.

    Graham Sutherland Study of Sir Winston Churchill 1954 Courtesy Christopher Kingzett at Masterpiece, London.

    Tags: , ,
    Posted in FAIRS | No Comments »

    A CONVENT CONTENTS SALE AT DOON, CO. LIMERICK

    July 3rd, 2016
    The auction of contents of the Convent of Mercy at Doon, Co. Limerick on July 9 will scatter the accumulations of 151 years. Charleville auctioneer P.J. O’Gorman will offer more than 350 lots from the collection of The Sisters of Mercy, who are leaving. The sisters came to Doon from Kinsale in 1865 in the aftermath of the famine.  In the years from 1847 to 1853 the number of houses in the parish had dropped from 982 to 375.  During one six month period more than 300 people died of starvation.

    Highlights include a Regency breakfast table, a Victorian extending dining table, library bookcases, an unusual pair of long benches, a Dublin long case clock and a six stop pedal pipe organ from the convent chapel. There are church pews, statues, porcelain, bras and books.  Here is a small selection:

    A long case clock.

    A long case clock.  UPDATE: THIS MADE 500

    A Victorian bookcase.

    A Victorian bookcase.

    A pair of unusual Victorian benches.

    A pair of unusual Victorian benches.  UPDATE: THESE MADE 300

    A Victorian pipe organ

    A Victorian pipe organ  UPDATE: THIS MADE 1,200

    Tags: ,
    Posted in AUCTIONS, FURNITURE | No Comments »

    THE WARWICK VASE FROM HADRIAN’S VILLA AT MASTERPIECE

    July 1st, 2016
    The monumental Warwick Vase.

    The monumental Warwick Vase.

    The massive mid 19th century Warwick Vase is a highlight at Anthony Outred’s stand at Masterpiece, which runs until next Wednesday at the Royal Hospital at Chelsea in London. It is of ancient Roman origin and Bacchic inspiration and was discovered in fragments at Hadrian’s Villa in 1771 by Gavin Hamilton. It was restored to Piranesi’s designs by Sir William Hamilton and passed to his nephew George Greville, Second Earl of Warwick. It now resides in Glasgow as part of the Burrell Collection.

    England is represented on the stand by a pair of panoramic views of Westminster that span 300 years.  One shows the buildings of 1895, the other is based on engravings from the time of Henry VIII.  They are based on aerial studies and engravings by English artists William Brewer and William Lionel Wyllie executed from a balloon 1,400 up.  They were published in May 1884 in the weekly illustrated magazine The Graphic.

    Westminster in the late 19th century

    Westminster in the late 19th century

    A view of Westminster c1584.

    A view of Westminster c1584.

    Tags: , ,
    Posted in ART, COLLECTIBLES, FAIRS | No Comments »

    RECORDS TUMBLE AT CHRISTIE’S DEFINING BRITISH ART 250TH ANNIVERSARY SALE

    June 30th, 2016
    Henry Moore - Festival. The 1951 work was commissioned for the Festival of Britain.

    Henry Moore – Festival. The 1951 work was commissioned for the Festival of Britain.

    Christie’s Defining British Art: Evening Sale, curated as part of the celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the company, was led by an iconic sculpture by Henry Moore in London tonight. His Reclining Figure, Festival sold for a record £24.7 million in a sale that brought in £99,479,500. There were records for Frank Auerbach, Lynn Chadwick, Frederick Lord Leighton, Henry Moore, Samuel John Peploe, Bridget Riley, David Roberts and Thomas Daneill. Registered bidders from 32 countries from across four continents demonstrated continuing global demand. The sale was 87% sold by lot and 83% sold by value.  The diverse works of art represented provided a journey through British art over four centuries. Version No. 2 of Lying Figure with Hypodermic Syringe by Francis Bacon made £20.2 million.

    Ever since James Christie first opened his doors in 1766 the company has championed art and artists and artists like Reynolds and Gainsborough were regular visitors to the rooms in early years.

     “We saw global participation tonight with strong bidding from the Americas and are very pleased with establishing so many artist world records in this sale that celebrated British art and our long relationship with artists and collectors,” said Jussi Pylkkänen, Global President and lead auctioneer. “We thank all our clients, vendors and buyers, past, present or future, for entrusting us now and over the centuries with the safe passage of precious and historic objects – from one country to another, and from one generation to its successor.”

    (See post on antiquesandartireland.com for June 2 and June 9, 2016)

    Tags: ,
    Posted in ART, AUCTIONS | No Comments »

    BASQUIAT FROM DEPP’S COLLECTION TOP LOT AT CHRISTIE’S

    June 30th, 2016
    The salesroom shot taken last night.

    The salesroom shot taken last night.

    Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Pork (1981) was the top lot at Christie’s post war and contemporary sale in London last night. From the collection of the actor Johnny Depp it made £5,122,500. Basquiat’s Self Portrait (1981) also from the Depp collection made £3,554,500.  Christie’s said that Depp’s focused collecting eye met with keen approval in the sale room.

    Sean Scully’s Eve (1992) achieved a record £902,500 and Manolo Millares’ Untitled (Composition) Painting no. 4 made £842,500. A total of 10 works sold for over £1 million, with 16 for over $1,000,000 and 17 for over €1,000,000.  Registered bidders from 39 countries across four continents demonstrated the continued demand in the global contemporary market, as well as a proven strength of the domestic market with 10 lots selling to UK-based collectors.

    Edmond Francey, Head of Post-War and Contemporary Art, London: “Tonight’s results offer real assurance and continued strength to the globalised art market, with a particularly energetic response to Adrian Ghenie, Andy Warhol, Nicolas de Staël, Georg Baselitz and Manolo Millares. The response to Johnny Depp’s Basquiats electrified the sale room and we continue to see that for the top works collectors will stretch themselves to the highest levels. Christie’s has been able to read the market and offer our consignors and buyers the quality that can continue to attract top collectors to the market. This evening’s total contributes to Christie’s successful 250th anniversary with a Bacon, two Freuds, two Rileys and two Auerbachs to come tomorrow as part of a stellar cast of artists,  which we estimate will contribute a further £40-60 million to Post-War and Contemporary Art totals this week as part of the Defining British Art Evening Sale.”

    Tags: , ,
    Posted in ART, AUCTIONS | No Comments »

    AN ITALIAN FIREPLACE FROM IRELAND IN ENGLAND

    June 30th, 2016

    A c1790 Italian chimney piece from a collection in Ireland was one of a number of Irish pieces spotted at Masterpiece, the pre-eminent London fair now running at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea. At the stand of leading London dealer Ronald Phillips, where it is priced at a cool £850,000, the chimney piece is thought to have been commissioned by the Earl Bishop of Derry.  There are rosso antico plaques and micro-mosaic panels.  The last time such a fireplace came up at auction, at Sotheby’s around five years ago, it sold for £550,000.

    The bucket to the right of the chimney piece is one of a pair c1800 of Irish log buckets with brass handles and later brass liners.  They are unusually tall and priced at £205,000.

    More than 8,000 guests attended the opening day preview yesterday.  Many exhibitors reported robust sales.

    ONE OF A PAIR OF IRISH LOG BUCKETS

    ONE OF A PAIR OF IRISH LOG BUCKETS

    The c1790 Italian chimney piece from a private Irish collection.

    The c1790 Italian chimney piece from a private Irish collection.

    Tags: ,
    Posted in FAIRS | No Comments »

    ART MARKET SHOWS DURABILITY AT SOTHEBY’S POST BREXIT

    June 29th, 2016
    Jenny Saville - Shift

    Jenny Saville – Shift

    Financial markets may be fluctuating in the wake of the Brexit vote, but the art market showed its durability at Sotheby’s June 28  Contemporary Art Evening sale. Two artist records led the auction – Jenny Saville’s monumental Shift brought £6.8 million and Keith Haring’s The Last Rainforest realised £4.2 million. Bidding was strong and competitive from the sale’s opening lots, notably Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Nets (£677,000) and a buoyant Alexander Calder mobile (£1.7 million). A trio of works by Jean Dubuffet and two canvases by the sought-after painter Adrian Ghenie also contributed to the £52.2 million total.

    Last exhibited at the epoch-defining exhibition “Sensation: Young British Artists from the Saatchi Collection”, Shift merits its revered place in art history as the standout work of Saville’s prodigious career. Offered at auction for the first time the painting tripled the artist’s previous auction record of £2.1m set in 2014.

    Tags: ,
    Posted in ART, AUCTIONS | No Comments »

    IRISHMAN’S POLAR MEDAL AT DIX NOONAN WEBB

    June 29th, 2016
    THE Polar Medal awarded to Timothy McCarthy from Kinsale who sailed to South Georgia in the Antarctic with Shackleton comes up at auction in London on July 22. The unique bronze medal awarded to the Royal Naval Reserve Able Seaman for the epic 800 mile journey across the sub Antarctic Ocean is expected to make between £15,000 and £20,000 at Dix Noonan Webb, the international coin, medal and jewellery specialists.
    McCarthy sailed with Sir Ernest Shackleton in the 20 foot long boat James Caird from Elephant Island to South Georgia in 1916.  The 16 day journey to get help for their shipmates from the Polar exploration ship Endurance became one of the greatest maritime stories in history. Shackleton paid tribute to his shipmate:  “McCarthy, the best and most efficient of sailors, always cheerful under the most trying circumstances and who for these reasons I choose to accompany me on the boat journey to South Georgia”.
    The Kinsale man was one of just 26 selected to crew Endurance, whose aim was to cross the Antarctic continent, a journey of 1,800 miles.  They set sail in August 1914.  The following January Endurance was held up by pack ice in the Weddell Sea and later that year, damaged by the pressure of ice, was abandoned and later sank.  The crew established base camp on an ice flow but as supplies dwindled it was clear that help would have to be sought.  Six men set out on the James Caird for South Georgia, where there were whaling stations.

    After their rescue McCarthy was sent back to Britain with Shackleton’s warm gratitude. He was almost immediately thrust into service aboard the armed oil tanker SS Narrangansett.  This ship was torpedoed and sunk off the south west coast of Ireland on March 16, 1917 and McCarthy was one of 46 sailors who lost their lives.

    UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR £65,000:  THE ATHY, CO. KILDARE HERITAGE MUSEUM DEDICATED TO SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON WAS THE UNDER BIDDER.

    The Polar Medal.

    The Polar Medal.

    The James Caird being launched from the shore of Elephant Island in April 1916.

    The James Caird being launched from the shore of Elephant Island in April 1916.

    Tags: , , ,
    Posted in AUCTIONS, COLLECTIBLES | No Comments »

    AN ONLINE SALE OF IRISH ART AT MORGAN O’DRISCOLL

    June 29th, 2016

    An online sale of Irish art runs at Morgan O’Driscoll until July 4.  There are mre than 230 lots. Here is a small selection:

    MARIE CARROLL - SUNNY DAY (400-600)

    MARIE CARROLL – SUNNY DAY (400-600)  UPDATE: THIS MADE 460 AT HAMMER

    MARKEY ROBINSON - TOWARDS ACHILL ISLAND (300-500)

    MARKEY ROBINSON – TOWARDS ACHILL ISLAND (300-500)  UPDATE: THIS MADE 300 AT HAMMER

    MAT GROGAN - GUINNESS AND TAYTO (300-500)

    MAT GROGAN – GUINNESS AND TAYTO (300-500)  UPDATE: THIS MADE 1,400 AT HAMMER

    Arthur Maderson - Autumnal Evening (4,000-6,000)

    Arthur Maderson – Autumnal Evening (4,000-6,000)  UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

    Tags: ,
    Posted in ART, AUCTIONS | No Comments »

    20th CENTURY ITALIAN ARTISTS FROM TORNABUONI ART AT MASTERPIECE

    June 28th, 2016
    Aligheiro Boetti - Mappa 1984

    Aligheiro Boetti – Mappa 1984

    Making its first appearance at Masterpiece – which previews in London tomorrow and runs from June 30 to July 6 – Tornabuoni Art will present a selection of work by modern and contemporary artists.  From Giorgio De Chirico’s early surrealist paintings to Turi Simeti’s latest works, the booth will reflect the 20th century Italian artistic panorama.

    Artists on show will include Alberto Biasi, Alighiero Boetti, Agostino Bonalumi, Alberto Burri, Enrico Castellani, Giorgio De Chirico, Lucio Fontana, Marino Marini, Arnaldo Pomodoro, Paolo Scheggi and Turi Simeti.  Here is a selection:

    Arnaldo Pomodoro - Cuneo con Frecce 2006

    Arnaldo Pomodoro – Cuneo con Frecce 2006

    Francesca Pasquali, Red Strawl 2016

    Francesca Pasquali, Red Strawl 2016

    ALBERTO BURRI - AI 1953

    ALBERTO BURRI – AI 1953

    Tags: , ,
    Posted in ART, FAIRS | No Comments »

    « Older Entries
    Newer Entries »