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  • Posts Tagged ‘ELIZA O’NEILL Lady Wrixon-Becher’

    WORKBOX WITH LINKS TO ELIZA O’NEILL AT BONHAMS

    Saturday, March 26th, 2022

    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