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An 18th century lacquered two door Chinoiserie cabinet on stand, a still life attributed to Dutch animal painter Melchior d”Hondecoeter (1636-1695) and an oval Louis XVI table by Jean Pierre Dusautoy (1719-1800) are among the main lots at Fonsie Mealy’s country house contents sale at Borleagh Manor near Gorey on Tuesday April 18. The sale, with 556 lots, offers a large selection of antique furniture, paintings, prints and collectibles.  It is being conducted on behalf of the executors of the late Malachy McDaniel Stone and other important clients. Viewing is at Borleagh Manor tomorrow and Monday and the sale will be at the Amber Springs Hotel in Gorey.  The catalogue is online.

Borleagh Manor has a fascinating history.  It was acquired in 1771 by Henry Quin, President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland.  Generations of his family lived there for nearly 200 years. Hollywood actor Richard Green, immortalised for playing Robin Hood in the long running tv series, bought it in 1963 and entertained many famous guests including Elizabeth Taylor, Cary Grant and Richard Burton.  Greene became a noted horse breeder and Master of the Wicklow Hunt,  In the 1980’s Malachy McDaniel Stone bought it and bred sport horses including a number of RDS winners. He sold it to UK racehorse trainer Sue Bramall in 1998, bought it back from her in 2004 and lived there until his death in 2016.  Borleagh has now been sold to Tara Studios and will become a film and TV production facility, with a number of studios to be built on the land.

This exceptional 18th century chinoiserie lacquered two door cabinet on stand will come up at Fonsie Mealy’s Borleagh Manor Country House Contents Sale on Tuesday, April 18. The sale is being conducted on the instructions of the executors of the estate of the late Malachy McDaniel Stone and other important clients. It will take place at the Amber Springs Hotel, Gorey, Co. Wexford, with viewing on the premises at Borleagh Manor on the two previous days.

The cabinet interior is fitted with an arrangement of eleven long and short drawers, decorated with landscape and river scenes with figures attending daily chores. The interior doors are decorated with birds, insects and flowers, the exterior with painted oval panels with figures under willow trees. The giltwood stand is profusely carved with scrolling foliage, flowers, cherubs and a central classical female figure. The estimate is €15,000-20,000.