AN opportunity to submerge those lockdown sorrows arises at Sheppards wines and accessories online auction in Durrow on October 22 and 23. The sale of over 800 lots is broken up into three sessions and the catalogue is online.

AN opportunity to submerge those lockdown sorrows arises at Sheppards wines and accessories online auction in Durrow on October 22 and 23. The sale of over 800 lots is broken up into three sessions and the catalogue is online.

A profile by Daniel O’Neill sold for a hammer price of 8,500 over a top estimate of 6,000 at Sheppards sale of The O’Mahony Collection in Durrow on March 24. The auction of a diverse range of works from across the globe moved to an online only sale and proved to be highly successful with no shortage of internet bidders. On Tuesday Sheppards repeated the experience of auctioneers Matthews of Oldcastle, Aidan Foley of Doneraile and Hegarty’s of Bandon, all of whom held successful sales over last weekend. All these auctions changed to online only at the eleventh hour.

The sale of the private collection of Tim O’Mahony in Kilkenny at Sheppards on March 24 is accessible online. Absentee bidding is available, along with telephone bids. This is an auction of 592 lots of decorative arts, paintings and fine furniture. There is everything from malachite postal scales, a shagreen compact and Mughal School miniatures to an 18th century mahogany snap top table, a 19th century specimen table, Staffordshire ware, antique Irish glass and an Iznik octagonal centrepiece.

As of now most of the auctions planned in Ireland will go ahead. A couple of have been postponed or re-scheduled but most sales are online and online platforms are open and in business. Mullens of Laurel Park is live on The Saleroom today. The sale of The O’Mahony Collection at Sheppards in Durrow on March 24 will go ahead though in-person viewing and attendance has been suspended.
A statement from Sheppards said: “Regrettably, due to the COVID-19 virus outbreak, and our highest priority being the health and well-being of our employees and clients, Sheppard’s has made the unprecedented and difficult decision to suspend in-person attendance at the O’Mahony Collection preview and auction. Clients may participate remotely in the O’Mahony Collection sale. Sheppard’s offers online and mobile browsing and remote bidding by telephone, online, or proxy bid.”
Those planning to travel to view or bid at sales should check their auctioneers websites first. Internationally both Bonhams and Sotheby’s have announced that their auctions will continue and Christie’s is working through a re-structuring of its sales schedules.

An advertising print featuring New York and Chicago baseball players estimated at €80-100 sold for a hammer price of €17,500 at Sheppards in Durrow today. The print, for E and J Burke Finest Pale Ales and Extra Foreign Stout depicted the two players drinking companionably, one with ale from a barrell, the other with stout.
The brothers Edward (1827?-1887) and John Burke (1829-1892) were Irish distillers, brewers, bottlers and importers, cousins of Benjamin Lee Guinness and grandsons of the first Arthur Guinness. The company they founded in. 1847 was in business in New York City from 1874 to 1953. A six story brick warehouse at 616 W 46th St. served as headquarters and storage from 1913-1922.
A Chinese Qing hardwood and silk throne screen with six embroidered panels made €42,000 at hammer. It had been estimated at €30,000-60,000.

A round of applause greeted the sale of a rare Chinese moon flask discovered at a routine valuation at Blarney Castle for a hammer price of 610,000 at Sheppards in Durrow today. It had been estimated at 80,000-120,000. Unusually Sheppards had imposed a special condition of no internet bidding on the piece and registered bidders were required to pay a deposit. The blue and white flask, Bianhu, from a Co. Cork collection was discovered at a valuation by Sheppards at Blarney Castle in September.
(See post on antiquesandartireland.com for September 2, 2019)

The Rescue by Arthur Wardle (1864-1949) was among the top lots on the opening day at Sheppard’s Legacy of the Big House sale in Durrow today. It made a hammer price of 11,000. A pair of 19th century ebony pier cabinets made 9,000 at hammer; a pair of 19th century walnut and marquetry plinths sold for 7,500; a pair of 18th century Gainsborough chairs made 5,600; a 19th century Sevres urn made 5,000 and a pair of 19th century Vienna porcelain ewers made 4,400. The auction continues tomorrow.

This rare Ming vase turned up at a charity antique valuation dayat Blarney Castle. It is believed by auctioneers Sheppards to most likely be a Ming blue and white flask dating from the Yongle Period,1402 – 1424. The flask is extremely rare and has a preliminary minimum estimated value of €40,000 – 60,000. It goes under the hammer at a specialist Masterworks sale at Sheppard’s Irish Auction House in Durrow, Co. Laois next November 7. It was brought in by a county Cork family.

Out of the ordinary collectibles like a pair of Chinese Qing astronomers chairs, a hardwood temple plaque, an electrified dolls house and a rather fine Cork Regency brass inlaid chest abound at Sheppards two day sale in Durrow on June 25 and 26. The sale offers residual contents from Castle Blunden in Co. Kilkenny as well as lots from other clients. The auction of over 1,200 lots is conveniently broken up into four sessions starting at 10.30 am and 2 pm on each day. The Cork chest is distinguished by brass inlay and turned spiral columns. It is estimated at 2,500-3,500. A Neo Classical marble chimney piece is the sort of lot that might find a new home relatively easily in these post recession times. This one, lot 825, is estimated at 4,000-6,000. There is a more modest estimate of just 100-150 on an attractive Victorian bentwood rocking chair. The catalogue is online at www.sheppards.ie and there is iewing in Durrow is from 10.30 am to 5 pm for the next three days.

Among the real rarities at Inside Out, Sheppards auction of garden sculpture, architectural ornaments and French art at Glantelwe Gardens, Durrow on May 28 is an original cast iron Irish Posts and Telegraphs post box. Originally in Cork city centre it was donated to a charity auction years ago following demolition work. Lot 67 is estimated at 6,000-9,000.

From cast iron furniture and garden benches to classical urns and terracotta plaques this sale offers much in the way of choice. The selection of antique garden pieces includes bird baths, animal figures, bollards, stone troughs, sculpture, fountain heads, arches, cast iron gates, sundials and gothic arches. With 600 lots of garden furniture and 100 lots from a private collection of French art there is a huge variety here to choose from. The catalogue is online.