Irish Free State Bacon at Whyte’s sale of Important Irish Art in Dublin on May 25 recalls an advertising campaign on British billboards in the late 1920’s. The artist Sean Keating (1889-1977) was commissioned by the Empire Marketing Board to design three posters for the English market. Irish Free State Bacon, Irish Free State Dairying and Irish Free State Chicken were used between June and July 1929. This was a time when access to the English market was of vital importance to the fledgling Free State. The gouache, pencil and coloured chalk work is estimated at 15,000-20,000. There are 181 lots on Whyte’s catalogue, which is on line. Here is a small selection:
(See post on antiquesandartireland.com for May 15, 2015).
Seán Keating PRHA HRA HRSA (1889-1977) IRISH FREE STATE BACON, 1928 (15,000-20,000). UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
Stuart Morle (b.1960) STILL LIFE WITH SEASHELLS AND OSTRICH EGG (2,000-3,000). UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,600 AT HAMMER
John Behan RHA (b.1938) UNTITLED, 2000 bronze; (unique) (1,500-1,800). UPDATE: THIS MADE 3,100 AT HAMMER
Patrick Swift (1927-1983) GIRL IN A GARDEN, c.1953 (20,000-30,000). UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 20,000 AT HAMMER
Daniel O’Neill (1920-1974) INDECISION, c.1950 (20,000-30,000). UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
Roderic O’Conor (1860-1940) NUDE IN THE STUDIO (30,000-40,000) UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
Alexander Williams RHA (1846-1930) SAINT AUDEON’S ARCH, A BIT OF THE OLD CITY WALL, DUBLIN watercolour (2,000-3,000). UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 2,100 AT HAMMER
Maurice MacGonigal PRHA (1900-1979) VIEW OF BOLTON STREET, DUBLIN AT THE INTERSECTION WITH CAPEL STREET, c.1927 (4,000-5,000). UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 4,600 AT HAMMER
James Humbert Craig RHA RUA (1877-1944) RAIN STORM, COUNTY ANTRIM, c.1920 (4,000-6,000). UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
