antiquesandartireland.com

Information about Art, Antiques and Auctions in Ireland and around the world
  • ABOUT
  • About Des
  • Contact
  • AROUND 1,600 LOTS AT MEALY’S IN CASTLECOMER

    March 18th, 2015

    Around  1,600 lots will come under the hammer at three days of sales at Mealy’s in Castlecomer on March 24, 25 and 26.  The largest sale by volume conducted by Mealy’s over many years will include 300 lots from Stranocum Hall, Co. Antrim.  There is everything from a William Sadler painting of shipping off Dublin to George IV Irish mahogany sofas, a large Victorian serving table and an Edison standard phonograph.  The catalogue is online.  Here is a small sample.

    WILLIAM SADLER II (1782-1839), Shipping off Dublin, with Lighthouse and Figures (600-900).

    WILLIAM SADLER II (1782-1839),
    Shipping off Dublin, with Lighthouse and Figures (600-900). UPDATE: SOLD FOR 3,700

     LARGE VICTORIAN MAHOGANY SIDE OR SERVING TABLE

    LARGE VICTORIAN MAHOGANY SIDE OR SERVING TABLE (2,000-4,000)  UPDATE: SOLD FOR 2,200

    One of a pair of Irish George IV sofas

    One of a pair of Irish George IV sofas probably by Mack Williams and Gibton (10,000-20,000).  UPDATE: SOLD FOR 12,000

    AN EDISON STANDARD PHONOGRAPH

    AN EDISON STANDARD PHONOGRAPH (200-300)  UPDATE: SOLD FOR 300

    The Dining Room at Stranocum Hall

    The Dining Room at Stranocum Hall

     

    (See post on antiquesandartireland.com for March 13, 2015).

    SOTHEBY’S FIRST LIVE EBAY AUCTION ON APRIL 1

    March 17th, 2015
    A museum view of eBay and Sotheby's live auction platform. Courtesy Sotheby's

    A museum view of eBay and Sotheby’s live auction platform. Courtesy Sotheby’s

    Sotheby’s first  live auctions on eBay on April 1 will be a themed Photographs sale to be followed by a New York sale on April 2. Exclusive art and collectibles from Sotheby’s live auctions in New York will become available on eBay to 155 million active buyers. Part of eBay’s new live auctions platform, ebay.com/sothebys is now available for browsing and advance bidding on Sotheby’s unique items.

    eBay and Sotheby’s originally announced plans to partner on live auctions last July, and have since worked together to deliver an engaging virtual entrance to Sotheby’s unique inventory.  It will be the first use of live streaming audio and video anywhere on eBay.  Last week a Tefaf report calculated that internet sales made up 6 per cent of global art sales in 2014 with sales of 3.3 billion euro.

    A HAND COLOURED ENGRAVING OF ST. PATRICK FROM 1603

    March 17th, 2015
    Adriaen Collaert (1560-1618) '‘St. Patrick’, 1603 Photo © National Gallery of Ireland

    Adriaen Collaert (1560-1618) ‘‘St. Patrick’, 1603
    Photo © National Gallery of Ireland

    This hand coloured engraving on paper of St. Patrick by Adriaen Collaert dates to 1603 and is from the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin. Images of St. Patrick in Art’ – a talk by Caoilte O Mahony on works of art depicting the national saint in art takes place at the gallery at 10.30 a.m. today.

    Ireland: Crossroads of Art and Design, 1690-1840, opens at the Art Institute of Chicago with a special ribbon-cutting featuring bagpipes and local dignitaries today. This is the first major exhibition to showcase the decorative and fine arts of 18th century Ireland, bringing together more than 300 objects – many never before seen in public – lent by public and private collectors across North America. The exhibition continues through June 7, 2015, A temporary Irish pub will be created in the museum’s Café Moderno where guests can hoist a beer after they visit the exhibition. (See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for January 11 and February 20, 2015).

    Meantime you can see St. Patrick’s Day celebrations anywhere and watch famous landmarks as they are bathed with green light with EarthCam

    A happy St. Patrick’s Day to all our readers in Ireland and around the world.

    MONET, MODIGLIANI FROM WHITEHEAD COLLECTION

    March 16th, 2015

    Masterworks from former Goldman Sachs chairman John C. Whitehead will form the cornerstone collection at Christie’s sales of Impressionist and Modern art in New York on May 14 and 15.  They include Modigliani’s Portrait of Beatrice Hastings and Monet’s Paysage de matin (Giverny). Other highlights are by Morisot, Renoir, Seurat and Van Gogh.  The 90-piece collection is expected to achieve more than $40 million.

    John Whitehead, who died in February, was a passionate collector. He served as chairman of Goldman Sachs during its critical phase of global expansion. He was a key diplomatic figure at the end of the Cold War as Deputy Secretary of State during the Reagan administration, and as Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. In the wake of 9/11 he was chairman of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, tasked with rebuilding the area around Ground Zero.

    Amedeo Modigliani  Portrait of Beatrice Hastings 1916 ($5-7 million).  Courtesy CHRISTIE'S IMAGES LTD. 2015

    Amedeo Modigliani Portrait of Beatrice Hastings 1916 ($5-7 million). Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd.. 2015  UPDATE: THIS MADE $16,069,000

    Claude Monet, Paysage de matin (Giverny), oil on canvas, 1888. US$6-8 million Courtesy CHRISTIE'S IMAGES LTD. 2015

    Claude Monet, Paysage de matin (Giverny), oil on canvas, 1888. US$6-8 million Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd. 2015  UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR $4,533,000

    TAD SMITH IS NEW SOTHEBY’S CEO

    March 16th, 2015
    Tad Smith, new ceo at Sotheby's.

    Tad Smith, new ceo at Sotheby’s.

    Tad Smith has been named as new President and Chief Executive Officer at Sotheby’s.  The 49 year old has been President of the Madison Square Garden Company – a leader in building sports, media and entertainment brands – since February 2014.  In this role he oversaw strategy and day to day development at MSG Sports, MSG Media and MSG Entertainment. With a track record of driving revenue and profit growth the new President is said to have a passion for art and collectibles.

    Smith replaces William Ruprecht, who served as ceo since 2000.  Ruprecht had been under pressure from billionaire activist investor Daniel Loeb last year to cut costs and increase shareholder value.  Record auction volumes which brought sales last year to $6.1 million have not returned higher profits, and expenses have increased.

    Domenico De Sole, Sotheby’s lead independent director, is replacing Ruprecht as chairman of the board of directors.  Smith will also join Sotheby’s board.

    THE IRISH SPRING ANTIQUE AND FINE ART FAIR AT BALLSBRIDGE

    March 16th, 2015

    The Irish Spring Antique and Fine Art Fair takes place at the Ballsbridge Hotel in Dublin from March 20-22. With dealers from North and South of Ireland and from London it promises to be an exciting event packed brimful of items of interest to collectors.  There will be jewellery and silver, antique furniture, rare and collectible books, art, coins and banknotes, objets-d’art, prints and vintage fashion.  Here is a small selection. (For a voucher offering reduced entry to the fair see post on antiquesandartireland.com for February 27, 2015.)

    A baguette cut diamond necklace from Saul Greenstein London

    A baguette cut diamond necklace from Saul Greenstein London

     Pair of 18th C. Irish Silver coasters from Danker Antiques Dublin

    Pair of 18th C. Irish Silver coasters from Danker Antiques Dublin

    A large Victorian extension table, William Harnett Co.Limerick

    A large Victorian extension table, William Harnett Co.Limerick

    Leather bound books from Vanessa Parker, Rare books Co.Mayo

    Leather bound books from Vanessa Parker, Rare books Co.Mayo

    A FANCY VIVID YELLOW DIAMOND AT SOTHEBY’S HONG KONG

    March 16th, 2015

    A stunning 77.77 carat fancy vivid yellow diamond ring is among around 320 lots with an estimated value of US$99 million at Sotheby’s sale of magnificent jewels and jadeite in Hong Kong on April 6.  The ring is estimated at $6.8-7.5 million.  The sale will highlight an array of rare and important colourless and coloured diamonds.  They will be complemented by a suite of “pigeon’s blood” Burmese ruby by Faidee, an extremely rare triple-strand natural pearl necklace and an outstanding jadeite bead necklace.

    77.77-carat VS2 Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond and Diamond Ring (Est. HK$53 – 58 million / US$6.8 – 7.5 million)

    77.77-carat VS2 Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond and Diamond Ring (Est. HK$53 – 58 million / US$6.8 – 7.5 million)

    Diamond Necklace, Bulgari, circa 1950s (Est. HK$8 – 9.5 million / US$1 – 1.2 million)

    Diamond Necklace, Bulgari, circa 1950s (Est. HK$8 – 9.5 million / US$1 – 1.2 million)

    FURNITURE FROM A VICTORIAN RESIDENCE AND A COIN COLLECTION

    March 15th, 2015
    An 18th century Irish card table, a Queen Victoria “Gothic” crown and a signed photograph of Winston Churchill feature at Hegarty’s auction in Bandon on March 22.  The sale will include contents from Abbeyview, a Victorian residence in Timoleague and part one of an extensive coin collection from Kinsale.  The rare 1847 gothic crown from this collection is in good condition and estimated at 800-1,000. A George V wreath crown from 1933 is estimated at 250-350 and a William and Mary crown (1688-1694) is estimated at 350-400.
    The auction will feature around 40 lots of Irish and English silver, including an 18th century Irish two handled cup, antique furniture and collectibles.

    A Regency card table (1,200-1,800).

    A Regency card table (1,200-1,800). UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 1,250

    A serpentine front Victorian fold over card table (1,500-2,500).

    A serpentine front Victorian fold over card table (1,500-2,500).  UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 1,850

    A Steiff bear (1910-1920)

    A Steiff bear (1910-1920)  UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD BUT UNDER OFFER AFTER THE AUCTION

    Queen Victoria Gothic Crown

    Queen Victoria Gothic Crown UPDATE: THIS MADE 600

    AMERICA’S MOST FAMOUS COIN, THE 1804 SILVER DOLLAR, AT AUCTION

    March 14th, 2015
    The 1804 Silver Dollar Estimate $8–10 Million

    The 1804 Silver Dollar
    Estimate $8–10 Million

    America’s most famous coin, the 1804 silver dollar, is the star lot in the most valuable coin collection in private hands due to be auctioned.  The spectacular D. Brent Pogue collection is expected to make more than $200 million when it is sold by Sotheby’s and Stack’s Bowers Galleries across a series of seven auctions beginning on May 19 in New York.

     

    This once in a lifetime series of sales contains no less than 20 coins estimated to achieve $1 million or more. The collection comprises 650 coins.

    Over a 35 year period D. Brent Pogue, assisted by his father Mack Pogue, a noted real estate developer,  pursued the rarest examples available on the market.  The 1804 silver dollar is estimated at up to $10 million.

    UPDATE: At the opening auction on May 19 just 125 US coins brought in $25.3 million.  A small gold coin from 1808, called a Quarter Eagle and worth just $2.50 when it was minted, realized $2.35 million – a new world record for any coin of the quarter eagle denomination. It also became the most valuable 19th-century U.S. gold coin ever sold at auction.  Six more offerings of coins from the D. Brent Pogue Collection will be brought to auction by Stacks Bowers Galleries and Sotheby’s in 2015, 2016, and 2017.

    STUDENT GUITAR USED BY THE EDGE OF U2 AT WHYTE’S DUBLIN SALE

    March 13th, 2015
    LOT 172 - THE EDGE'S STUDENT GUITAR.

    LOT 172 – THE EDGE’S STUDENT GUITAR. UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR 21,000

    U2 fans will have a rare opportunity to acquire something of importance from the worlds favorite rock band at Whyte’s sale of Rock, Pop and Movie memorabilia sale in Dublin on March 28.  Highights include the Edge’s student guitar.   The learner’s classical guitar was bought in the 1970’s by The Edge’s mother.  A teacher, she sold it to a colleague at Scoil Iosa, Malahide, Dublin after her son had progressed to Gibson and Fender guitars. Years later the new owner met The Edge, who signed the guitar. It is estimated at 3,000-5,000.

    The auction features a terrific collection of Thin Lizzy signed albums.  Other memorabilia includes early Sun Records singles by Elvis Presley, a Beatles signed disc, a Bob Marley signed photograph, cinema posters and a collection of 39 gold and platinum records awarded  to Irish supergroup Westlife.  Music manager Louis Walsh donated his collection of Westlife gold to Our Lady’s Hospice. They are estimated at 4,500-6,500.

    Cinema posters in the sale include Elvis in Jailhouse Rock (300-500), The Beatles, Help! (1,500-2,000) and the Rolling Stones in Gimme Shelter (800-1,200).  There are epics including Lawrence of Arabia (1,200-1,500) which launched in career of the late Peter O’Toole in 1962, and Omar Sharif, who went on to make Doctor Zhivago in 1965. A Doctor Zhivago poster is estimated at 200-300.

    UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR 21,000 TO A BUYER IN HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA.