Two 90 Gun Ships of the Line entering Cork Harbour by George Mounsey Wheatley Atkinson at Morgan O’Driscoll’s sale on November 24 should arouse much interest. It adorned the cover of Peter Murray’s book Maritime Paintings of Cork written to coincide with a popular exhibition of the same name at the Port of Cork hq in 2005 and is one of Atkinson’s more ambitious works. With three masts, steam engines and single funnels these are an early manifestation of steam driven warships. As they enter the harbour following another steamship a frigate with sails unfurled is leaving. It is flying the Blue Peter, known as the departure flag. A cutter in the foreground is possibly the Cork pilot boat.
George Mounsey Wheatley Atkinson (1806-1884) – A Barque Passing Roches Point Lighthouse, at the Entrance to Cork Harbour (c.1850) UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
This c1850 oil on canvas by George Mounsey Wheatley Atkinson of a barque passing Roches Point lighthouse at Cork Harbour is lot 18 at Morgan O’Driscoll’s current online auction of Irish art. The wind is from the south and not in the ships favour. A number of paintings by the artist made prices significantly above the estimate at Sotheby’s this month and one made €34,000 at Morgan O’Driscoll’s auction in October. The estimate for this one is €8,000-12,000. The auction features work by Donald Teskey, Louis le Brocquy, Liam O’Neill, Richard Brydges Beechey, Mr. Brainwash, Frank McKelvey, Conor Fallon, William Scott and a wide variety of artists. The sale runs until November 25.
Sir William Orpen – Portrait of Evelyn St. George. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £720,000
A dazzling portrait by an artist dazzled by his subject is among the leading lots at Sotheby’s Modern British and Irish art auctions in London on November 14 and 15.
Sir William Orpen’s portrait of Mrs. Evelyn St. George depicts his lover and the woman he was in love with for much of his life. They met around 1906 through family connections. The artist’s mother, formerly Annie Caulfield, was related to Howard St. George, an Irish land agent. Evelyn was an American millionaire, daughter of George Fisher Baker, president of the National Bank of America. He was considered to be the third richest man in America after Henry Ford and John D Rockefeller.
Evelyn was eight years older than Orpen and a foot taller. Both were married. Their relationship was long and enduring and they became known as little and large. She commissioned a number of portraits of herself. Orpen was known for his brilliant portraits of wealthy and fashionable members of Edwardian society. He was knighted in 1918 for his wartime service as an official war artist. A collection of his work is held at the Imperial War Museum in London.
Sotheby’s describe this painting as one of his greatest masterpieces of portraiture. Estimated at €720,000-€960,000 it is on display today and tomorrow at the RHA in Dublin alongside a collection of Irish artworks to be offered later this month in London.
George Mounsey Wheatley Atkinson – The Steam Yacht Victoria and Albert in Cork Harbour 1849. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £45,600
The exhibit and sale will include maritime paintings by the Atkinson family of Cobh collected by the late Dr. Denis Wilson of Cork. All were exhibited at the Maritime Paintings of Cork exhibition by the Port of Cork at the Crawford Gallery in 2005. The White Squadron in Cork Harbour and The ironclad battleship Alfred in Cork Harbour by George Mounsey Wheatley Atkinson are each estimated at £8,000-£12,000 (€9,600-€14,400); The steam yacht Victoria and Albert in Cork Harbour, 1849 and Two Naval Ships at anchor in Plymouth by George Mounsey Wheatley Atkinson are each estimated at £7,000-£10,000 (€8,400-€12,000) and Three masted barque and two sailing ships at Queenstown by Richard Peterson Atkinson is estimated at £5,000-£7,000 (€6,000-€8,400).
Colin Middleton – The Piano Player UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
The Bathing Hour, Lido, Venice by Sir John Lavery is estimated at €720,000-€960,000 and the auction will include two works by Gerard Dillon and art by Colin MIddleton, Paul Henry, Nanon Reid, Jack Coulter, Hughie O’Donoghue, Maser, Melissa O’Donnell, Gareth Reid (Sky Portrait artist of the Decade, 2023) Richard Hearns and Blaise Smith. There is sculpture by John Behan, F.E. McWilliam, Patrick O’Reilly, Rowan Gillespie and Orla de Bri.
Friday Fare by Nano Reid is from 1945 and was exhibited at the Venice Biennale in 1950. One of her best known works it is estimated at €24,000-€36,000. There will be a pre-sale exhibition at Sotheby’s on New Bond St. in London from November 9-14.
Nano Reid – Friday Fare, 1945 UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £57,600
The White Squadron in Cork Harbour by George Mounsey Wheatley Atkinson is dated September 30, 1843. Estimated at £8,000-£12,000 (€9,600-€14,400) the painting comes up at Sotheby’s Irish art sale in London on November 15. It is part of a spectacular group of four works by George and one by Richard Atkinson from an Irish private collection with particular relevance to Cork. All were shown at the Maritime Paintings of Cork exhibition at the Crawford Gallery in 2005 as part of the Port of Cork exhibition and all will feature at Sotheby’s next month. There will be a preview of the Irish sale at the RHA Gallery in Dublin from October 31 to November 3.
Italian 17th century style copper water cistern at Fonsie Mealy. UPDATE: THIS MADE 5,800 AT HAMMER
Art, luxury and the Epsom Gold Cup will vie for the attention of collectors next week. With a selection headed by Sean Scully’s Wall Dark Green (2021) – on course to possibly become the most expensive painting to be sold this year in Ireland – the Irish and international online art sale by Morgan O’Driscoll on October 22 is a must see.
A 17th century style Italian copper water cistern at Fonsie Mealys Chatsworth autumn fine art sale in Castlecomer on October 23 and 24 will undoubtedly leave some viewers with a sense of deja vu. For many decades this unusual piece graced the storied Park Hotel in Kenmare, which came under new ownership last November. The estimate is €5,000-€7,000.
The sale offers more than 100 lots from this luxurious hotel including a suite of four landscape scenes from the circle of Flemish baroque painter David Teniers the Younger (1610-1690) which graced the main stairway. The estimate is €3,000-€4,000.
Wall Dark Green (2021) by Sean Scully at Morgan O’Driscoll. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
Old Road, Caherciveen by Jack Butler Yeats ( €180,000-€240,000), Study of Self (1994) by Louis le Brocquy (€120,000-€180,000) and Gerard Dillon’s The Table in the Blue Room (€100,000-€150,000) are among leading lots at Morgan O’Driscoll’s sale. The 172 lots on offer include a seductive selection of work by artists ranging from Roderic O’Conor, George Mounsey Wheatley Atkinson and Donald Teskey to Patrick Scott, Genieve Figgis and Felim Egan.
There is sculpture by John Behan and highly collectible work by Frank Auerbach, Albert Irvin and William Scott in a sale that is on view all weekend and on Monday at the RDS.
Meantime Fonsie Mealy offers racegoers a chance to bag the Epsom Gold Cup from 1963. It was won in 1963 by Mrs Anne Biddle’s homebred L’Homme Arme, trained by Tommy Shaw. Born Anne Bullitt in Philadelphia she was daughter of US Ambassador William Bullitt and became, in 1966, the first woman in Ireland to be allowed a trainers licence.
Cork Butter Trade made his Pile by Stephen O’Driscoll (1825-1895) at Fonsie Mealy. UPDATE: THE COLLECTION MADE 3,000 AT HAMMER
It is unusual to find at auction a group of no less than eight charismatic Cork silhouettes by Stephen O’Driscoll (1825-1895). These ones, to be sold as a collection at Fonsie Mealy, have typical titles like Cork Butter Trade made his Pile, The Man Wot Weighted the Cat, Cork Beggars Opera, The Council of War – a Volcano Row and The Two Paddys Blowing up the Mansion House. The estimate is €2,000-€3,000.
The most expensively estimated lot is an Irish Victorian giltwood side table (€20,000-€30,000) made by Arthur Jones in Dublin in 1853 and exhibited that year at The Irish Industrial Exhibition in Dublin. At the other end of the price scale, with estimates from €20 euro up, are silver teaspoons, dessert forks, butter knives and sugar tongs. Viewing at Castlecomer is from 1 pm to 5 pm tomorrow and from 10 am to 5 pm on Monday and Tuesday. The catalogue with almost 1,000 lots in total is online.
George Mounsey Wheatley Atkinson – HMS Conqueror and HMS Duke of Wellington in Cork Harbour (1858) at Morgan O’Driscoll. UPDATE: THIS MADE 34,000 AT HAMMER
A c1845 oil of a merchant frigate moored in Cork Harbour by George Mounsey Wheatley Atkinson. UPDATE: THIS MADE 25,000 AT HAMMER
From George Mounsey Wheatley Atkinson to Hughie O’Donoghue, Charles Tyrrell to Nano Reid the art online sale by Morgan O’Driscoll which runs until 6.30 pm next Monday covers a broad range of Irish art. There will be particular local interest in an Atkinson showing Cork Harbour almost two centuries ago. It is estimated at €20,000-€30,000. The sale will be on view in Skibbereen next Monday and the catalogue is online. Work by Sean McSweeney, Tony O’Malley, Norah McGuinness, Basil Blackshaw and many other artists is included.
George Mounsey Wheatley Atkinson (1806-1888) – one of a pair of large seascapes of Dutch sailing vessels on rough seas UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
The impressive four day sale which gets underway at Sheppards on March 1 goes on view in Durrow from today. The sale of the Governey Collection from Erindale House and other important Irish estates offers 1,584 lots with much to tempt collectors at all levels. A pair of Louis XVI gilt console tables is, at €10,000-€14,000, the most expensively estimated furniture lot. The highly ornate c1780 tables have rouge royale demi lune shaped marble tops above a central bell petal cartouche each one is raised on four square tapered and fluted legs. A pair of Edwardian satinwood bookcases is estimated at €10,000-€15,000.
When it comes to top lots these days jewellery tends to trump furniture every time. This sale is no exception. A platinum diamond and sapphire ring (€20,000-€25,000) is the most expensively estimated lot.Undoubtedly there will be Cork interest in a pair of large seascapes by renowned Cobh artist George Mounsey Wheatley Atkinson. Featured are Dutch sailing vessels in rough seas. Lot 1019 is estimated at €5,000-€7,000. Collectors of all things Irish will be interested in a large Dun Emer carpet on a red ground with a circular Celtic cartouche and enclosed by Celtic bird quadrants (€4,000-€6,000). The Dun Emer Guild (1902-1964) was an Irish Arts and Crafts textile studio founded in 1902 by Evelyn Gleeson initially in partnership with Elizabeth and Lily Yeats. They made tapestries for the Honan Chapel in Cork and a carpet presented to Pope Pius XI in 1931 as part of Ireland’s effort to host the 1932 Eucharistic Congress. Another lot of great interest to Irish collectors is a 19th century Killarney arbutus wood chess set. The tallest of the 32 pieces measures 10 cms. Lot 97 is estimated at €2,000-€3,000. Lot 98 is the profusely inlaid Killarney wood chess folding board with backgammon to the interior (€800-€1,200. Sales get underway at 10 am next Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with over 400 lots on most days.
A Killarney wood chess set UPDATE: THE CHESS SET MADE 3,600 AT HAMMER, THE BOARD 850
Entrance to Cork Harbour (1874-75) by Richard Brydges Beechey (1808-1895) €30,000-€50,000) UPDATE: THIS MADE 38,000 AT HAMMER
The magnificent entrance to Cork Harbour is depicted in detailed works by two 19th century artists at Morgan O’Driscoll’s sale of Irish and International Art on April 19. Rear Admiral Richard Brydges Beechey shows two sailing vessels at Roches Point in what former Crawford Gallery curator Peter Murray describes in a catalogue note as one of his finest maritime paintings. The dramatic oil shows a small lugger in the foreground – almost certainly a Cork pilot vessel – heading towards a two masted brigantine making its way with difficulty towards the open sea. Roches Point lighthouse and coastguard cottages are in the background and a signal tower dating to Napoleonic times is seen on the right. The painting dates to 1874-75. In a painting dating to about 25 years earlier Cobh artist George Mounsey Wheatley Atkinson shows a three masted barque passing Roches Point as it leaves Cork Harbour. The southerly wind is not in the ships favour. The lighthouse was rebuilt in 1839 and the picture is thought to be around 1850. Peter Murray points to the acute observation of sky and cloud formations and accurate rendering of ships and their rigging as testament to Atkinson’s training as a ships carpenter and his years as an inspector of shipping in Cork Harbour.
A Barque passing Roches Point lighthouse, at the entrance to Cork Harbour (c.1850) by George Mounsey Wheatley Atkinson (€6,000-€9,000). UPDATE: THIS MADE 8,500 AT HAMMER
With a span of artists ranging from Yeats and Henry to Scott and le Brocquy the online Irish and International art auction which runs at Morgan O’Driscoll until November 23 is impressive. History buffs will find much interest in The Close of the Battle of the Nile by the Cobh painter George Mounsey Wheatley Atkinson (1806-1884). The 1798 battle between the British Royal Navy led by Admiral Nelson and the French resulted in victory for the British. The victory meant that Napoleon’s army in Egypt, cut off from help, vwas also forced to surrender. Napoleon had sought access to Egypt as a first step in a campaign against British India.Shown at The Cork Exhibition of 1883 Peter Murray notes that Atkinson, who spent some years at sea as a ships carpenter, brought his skills as a seaman and an artist to bear. The impressive composition accurately depicts at least 19 individual ships, their position and condition. The work is estimated at €6,000-€9,000.
The Close of the Battle of the Nile by George Mounsey Wheatley Atkinson (1806-1884). UPDATE: THIS MADE 6,200 AT HAMMER
Woodwards will offer a small maritime painting by George Mounsey Wheatley Atkinson (1806-1884) at their auction in Cork on June 18. HMS Conqueror off Queenstown (Cobh) is estimated at 5,000-8,000. There is a pair of watercolours of the Lakes of Killarney by Douglas Alexander and other art on offer includes At Tallow Horse Fair by Arthur Maderson. Antique furniture includes a Georgian bureau bookcase, a Regency rosewood card table, an inlaid revolving bookcase, a Georgian sofa table, a long case clock, a Georgian chest of drawers, a large gilt mirror, an inlaid twin pillar dining table and a Victorian davenport. A pair of cast iron garden vases, a five piece garden set and a pair of cast iron seats are seasonal offerings.
GEORGE MOUNSEY WHEATLEY ATKINSON ‘HMS Conqueror off Queenstown, Cobh’
Arthur Maderson ‘At Tallow Horse Fair’ (3,000-4,000)
