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A collection of collection of Benin Bronzes from the royal palace of the Kingdom of Benin feature at O’Donovan and Associates sale at Newcastlewest, Co. Limerick on December 10. Dating to circa 1800 they are from the Royal Palace in the Kingdom of Benin, in present day Nigeria. The auction of around 600 lots includes furniture, silver, books, Waterford glass, art and collectibles.  Here is a small sample from what is on offer:

A Benin bronze figure. UPDATE: THIS MADE 189.

The 1959 All-Ireland Hurling Final progamme. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 212

An interior scene by Norman Teeling. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD.

This set of 4 Chinese Qing dynasty polychrome porcelain dishes made 50,000 (click on image to enlarge).

A Dublin buyer paid 50,000 for this set of four Chinese Qing Dynasty polychrome porcelain dishes at Sheppards.  They had been estimated at 500-800.  The top five results  from Sheppards Dublin and Provincial auction on November 29, 30 and December 1 were all from the Asian art section.

A group of 12 Qing Dynasty Sheng Xiao zodiac white jade zoomorphic seated figures made 40,000, a Chinese teadust glaze baluster vase made 38,000, a pair of Famille Rose standing ladies made 28,000 and a Qing scent bottle made 26,000.  The buyers of these four lots were based in the UK and Beijing.

A pair of Qing dynasty famille rose standing ladies made 28,000. (Click to enlarge).

This Qing dynasty teadust glaze baluster vase made 38,000. (Click to enlarge).

A group of twelve Chinese Qing dynasty Sheng Xiao zodiac white jade zoomorphic seated figures made 40,000. (click to enlarge).

La Peregrina, a natural pearl, diamond, ruby and cultured pearl necklace by Cartier. (Click on image to enlarge). UPDATE: IT MADE $11,842,500.

IT cost Richard Burton $37,000 to outbid a member of the Spanish Royal Family and buy La Peregrina for Elizabeth Taylor in 1969.  The legendary late 16th century jewel is one of the largest and most symmetrically perfect pear-shaped pearls in the world.  It now forms part of a natural pearl, diamond, ruby and cultured pearl necklace designed by Elizabeth Taylor with Al Durante of Cartier.  The necklace is Lot 12 in the opening sale of  The Elizabeth Taylor Collection at Christie’s in New York on the evening of December 13.  (There is a video about the collection on this website).

Estimated at $2/3 million, La Peregrina has an incredible provenance.  King Philip II of Spain (1582-1598) gave the pearl to Mary I of England before their marriage in 1554. When Mary died in 1558, the pearl returned to Spain, where it remained on show in the royal court. It was owned by subsequent Spanish Kings Philip III, (1598-1621), Philip IV, (1621-1665), Charles II (1665-1700), Philip V (1700-1746), Fernando VI (1746-1759), Charles III (1759-1778) and Carlos IV (1778-1808). Spain lost the jewel in 1808 when Napoleon Bonaparte invaded, thereafter earning the nickname La Peregrina (the Wanderer). It was owned by Joseph Bonaparte, of France (1808-circa 1844) and Prince Louis Napoleon, of France (circa 1844-circa 1848). It was sold by Charles Louis Napoleon (Napoleon III) while in exile in London to the 2nd Marques of Abercorn (circa 1848-1914) and remained in the Abercorn family until Burton purchased it for Elizabeth Taylor in 1969.

The catalogue describes it as follows:  “Suspending a detachable drop-shaped natural pearl pendant, weighing approximately 202.24 grains or 50.56 carats, measuring approximately 17.35 – 17.90 x 25.50 mm, with an old mine-cut and rose-cut diamond and silver foliate bail, suspended from a circular-cut diamond flame motif set with a pear-shaped ruby, spaced by a detachable pear-shaped ruby and natural pearl link, to the two-strand necklace, comprising fifty-six natural pearls and four cultured pearls, intersected by eight circular-cut diamond and cushion-cut ruby flame motif plaques, mounted in platinum and gold, La Peregrina late 16th century; diamond bail early 19th century; natural pearl, diamond, ruby and cultured pearl necklace by Cartier 1972, 13½ ins., pendant may also be worn as a brooch, accompanied by the seed pearl and platinum neckchain from the time of the purchase at auction in 1969, 30¾ ins.”

On December 13 Christie’s New York will present 80 of Ms. Taylor’s most iconic jewels in a special evening sale, followed by 189 additional jewels in two day sale sessions on December 14.

(See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for November 14, September 25 and September 7)

The Irish silver dish ring which made a new world record at Bonhams. (Click on image to enlarge),

A new world record was set at Bonhams in London when a George III Irish silver dish ring sold for £26,875.  The price is inclusive of buyer’s premium. The piece had been estimated at £7,000-9,000.  The auction house would say only that it was sold to an overseas buyer.  It is the most expensive item of its type ever sold at auction.

A detail from the record breaking Irish silver dish ring. (Click to enlarge).

Made by Charles Townsend of Dublin it is decorated in the Chinoisere manner.  It bears arms engraved on a lozenge for Lady Elizabeth Cox, daughter of Hugh, 1st Baron Massy of Duntrileague, and widow of the Revd. Sir Michael Cox, 3rd Baronet of Castletown, County Kilkenny who died in 1772.

The waisted sides are pierced with fine fretwork. There is a continuous band of pierced and engraved decoration depicting a satyr atop a plinth, a “flaming” scrollwork urn, two gentleman; one wearing Chinese attire peering out of a pagoda window and the other perched on a watery scroll.  Dish rings are used to prevent hot dishes making contact with the dining table.  This one weighs just 11 ozs.

(See post on antiquesandartireland.com for October 11)

A page from Tom Hales' autograph book. (Click on image to enlarge). UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 960 PLUS FEES.

Illustrated here are two examples from one of the more unusual lots  at the sale at Limerick Auction Rooms next December 10. The autograph book belonging to Tom Hales is an unhappy remnant from modern Irish history.

The bitter Irish Civil war of 1922-23,  accompanied by executions, internments and burnings, was waged by those pro and anti the treaty that established the Irish Free State. It separated nationalists who had earlier been united in their fight for freedom against the British and left Irish society divided.  The Fianna Fail and Fine Gael political parties are direct descendants of opposing sides in the war.

Another page from the book. (Click to enlarge),

Tom Hales was a member of the Irregulars, or anti-treaty forces.  He was interned at Harepark Camp at the Curragh in Co. Kildare. His autograph book, which relates to various dates in 1923, is signed with notes, poems and comments from fellow internees on 57 pages.  It is estimated to make between 2,000 and 5,000.

The first day of Mealy’s two day winter fine and decorative arts sale on December 6/7 features a varied selection of decorative arts, glass, silver, jewellery, Oriental art, Tribal art and light fittings.  Day one features 631 lots. Here is a small selection (you can click on any image to enlarge it):

An early 18th century Qing Dynasty enamel or bronze basin (3,000-5,000). UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD.

A 19th century famille rose vegetable tureen and cover with monogram and Arabic description. (300-500). UPDATE: THIS MADE 540.

An Irish Provincial silver snuff box by Joseph Johns, Limerick c1730 is estimated at 2,000-3,000. UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,000.

This c1800 Irish mould blown decanter is estimated at 200-300. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD.

The record breaking Qianlong period snuff bottle.

A tiny snuff bottle  set a new world record when it sold at Bonhams in Hong Kong for £2,108,333 on November 28. The famille-rose enamelled glass ‘European-subject’ snuff bottle made in the Imperial Palace workshops in Beijing during the Qianlong period (1736-1795) measures only 8.07cm high. It was sold to an Asian collector for more than five times the estimate

This was the largest snuff bottle of all recorded Imperial Palace enamels on glass. It is set apart by the distinctly European, elaborate trompe l’oeil frames around all four panels. The main panels depict elegant European  ladies, while the subsidiary ones are of Chinese landscapes.  The influence of missionaries in the court arts of glassmaking and enamelling was significant during the first half of the eighteenth century.  At the time this bottle was made European and Chinese court artists worked side by side at the Imperial Palace workshops.