Whyte’s History, Literature & Collectibles Sale brings out the buyers!
Whyte’s Sale of History, Literature & Collectables on Saturday (16th April) showed, yet again, that there is still plenty of life left in the collecting world if the quality is there. Prices generally were at or well above their pre-sale estimates with the only surprise, for me, being Lot .41. Copy of the 1803 Robert Emmet Proclamation which sold for only €25,000, below the lower end of its pre-sale estimate of €30,000 – €50,000. Although its condition could kindly be described as distressed, I would have thought that its sheer rarity would have had collectors fighting over it.
Amongst other lots to sell well were items of weaponry and militaria. Here, again, the star item Lot.296. The Thompson Submachine Gun failed to reach its hefty estimate of €10,000 – €15,000 and was knocked down for €7,200 – still not a bad price! Amongst the coins and banknotes there were several surprises including Lot.469. A Hiberno Norse silver penny with a pre-sale estimate of €3,500 – €4,500 which sold for €12,000, and Lot.585. A Lady Lavery 20 pound note with an estimate of €1,000 – €1,500 which sold for €6,000.
Lot.469. A Hiberno Norse silver penny sold for €12,000
Lot.585. A Lady Lavery 20 pound note sold for €6,000
Lot.141. A signed photograph of the explorer Ernest Shackleton fetched €540 as against its pre-sale estimate of €150 – €250. Letterpress and lithographic posters also sold well with Lot.374. a not uncommon, CIE 1950s poster realising €520 (est.€200-€300) and Lot.377. A colourful An Tostal poster going for €1,550 (est.€100-€150).
Lot. 377. A lithographic An Tostal poster sold for €1,550
The full catalogue with prices realised is available here: http://www.whytes.com/i7.asp?Auction=20110416&Lot=1
Vintage Ireland Annual Spring Vintage Fashion & Décor Fair
Further details on the Fairs Page.
Whyte’s History, Literature & Collectibles Sale Sat.16th April, 2011
Whyte’s Fine Art & Collectibles Auctioneers & Valuers
38 Molesworth Street, Dublin .2.
Tel: (01) 676 2888 Fax: (01) 676 2880
HISTORY, LITERATURE & COLLECTIBLES SALE
On: Saturday 16th April, 2011 at 1:00pm
Viewing (at Whyte’s Salerooms, 38 Molesworth Street)
Weds.13th April to Friday 15th April from 10:00am – 6:00pm daily
Auction to be held at The Freemasons Hall, Molesworth Street
Over 600 lots dated from 50 million BC Giant’s Causeway stones to 2007 AD Irish World Cup Cricket Team signed shirt. Manuscripts and documents including the rarest Irish revolutionary printed document extant – Robert Emmet’s 1803 Proclamation, medals including the rarest Irish military medal – The Chaplaincy Service 1939-46, militaria with Irish rebel firearms including Eamon de Valera’s revolver, the first Thompson machine gun used by Cork IRA in 1921, sporting memorabilia including 1895 All Ireland Football “Virtual” Championship to Meath, coins and banknotes including 1500 BC Irish gold ring money, 1000 AD Dublin Viking silver penny, 1919 Limerick Soviet currency note etc.
Lot.41. An ultra rare copy of Robert Emmet's 1803 Proclamation. Est.€30,000 - €50,000
Online catalogue here: http://www.whytes.com/AuctionPDFs/20110416.pdf
Abandoned Ireland Exhibition at Castletown House – 1st April to 2nd May, 2011
I have been meaning to give “Abandoned Mansions of Ireland” by Tarquin Blake a mention for a while and the exhibition now on at Castletown House, Co.Kildare, provides the ideal excuse. Tarquin began exploring old castles, Big Houses, mills etc. back in June 2008. His admirable philosophy is quite simple – record it and document it before it’s gone – Touch Nothing. Take Nothing. Leave Only Footsteps. When he started out he had no idea what it would lead to and certainly a book was not the original intention. As his odyssey gathered momentum he was amazed by the amount and variety of abandoned buildings that he discovered around the country, and first came his excellent website here: http://www.abandonedireland.com/ followed by his book which was published in 2010 and has already been reprinted. A high quality coffee table book of the highest order, and one which no lover of old architecture and Irish history will want to be without.
Publisher’s information: In 2008 Tarquin Blake found his first abandoned ‘Big House’ and so began exploring the lost architecture of Ireland. Here, he documents what is left of fifty mansion houses with brief histories and beautiful photographs of the haunting ruins. Included are Mountpelier Lodge (Dublin Hellfire Club), the birthplaces of Daniel O’Connell and the Duke of Wellington, and the one-time homes of Grace O’Malley and of brewing family the Smithwicks of Kilkenny. The inclusion of details from the 1911 Census offers a glimpse of the closing days of the aristocracy and their mansions.
Tarquin’s book documents fifty of Ireland’s decaying ‘big houses’ but there are many more on his website. Readers should note that Tarquin’s book and website are information guides and do not act as invitations to enter any of the properties or sites listed. Most of the properties listed are in private hands and permission would be required from the owner before visiting. Ruins are hazardous. No responsibility is accepted by the author or publisher for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone as a result of using this book.
ISBN 978-1-84889-061-9
Hardback €27.99 but may be cheaper ordered direct from the publishers website here: http://www.collinspress.ie/
*Thanks to Lucy for drawing my attention to the fact that Castletown House is NOT open on Mondays see full details here: http://www.castletownhouse.ie/VisitorInformation/
Percy French retrospective at the Oriel Gallery, Dublin – April 1st to May 1st, 2011
Percy French – A Retrospective
At: The Oriel Gallery, 17 Clare Street, Dublin 2
Tel/Fax: (01) 676 3410
A retrospective exhibition of nostalgia celebrating the life and work of Percy French (1854-1920). The largest collection of Percy French watercolours ever exhibited will be open to the public from Friday 1st April and will continue until Sunday 1st May 2011. A select number of works will also be available for sale.
Opening hours:
Mon – Friday 10:00am to 5.30pm
Saturday 11:00 – 4:00pm
An exhibition not to miss! While many outside the Art collecting world will only know of Percy French for his humourous song writing, his reputation as a watercolourist is gaining in stature with every passing year. His paintings continue to turn up at auction quite often with prices still in the affordable bracket and their value is sure to appreciate – unlike bank shares! “The Grand Canal“ (above) was painted in 1896 but sadly is only on loan to the exhibition.
Totally Bazaar – Vintage & Handmade Fair, Belfast – Sunday 3rd April 2011
TOTALLY BAZAAR
Vintage & Handmade Fair
On: Sunday, April 3 · 11:00am – 4:30pm
At: The Holiday Inn
22 Ormeau Avenue, Belfast
Contact: info@northernirelandvintage.com
Or telephone (028) 914 77504 – (048) from the Republic
Run by Frock Around The Clock Vintage Fairs
http://www.decadencevintageclothing.co.uk/
The Totally Bazaar Vintage & Handmade Fair will showcase a fantastic mix of 50 vintage dealers and Irish creative designers – offering both genuine vintage and upcycled fashion, jewellery, homewares, and collectables from the early 1900s to the 1980s.
Add vintage hair and beauty makeovers, scrumptious cupcakes and decadent handmade chocolates into the mix, and wrap it up with live music with a retro flavour and you have a vintage shopping extravaganza that is also an entertainment Event with a capital E!
Take a seat in the Buskers’ Den and play retro boardgames while relaxing to cool and contemporary sounds with a retro twist. The line up of musical talent for 3rd April is Della Storm, Mike Donaghy, Tracy Dempsey, Amanda Agnew, Katie Richardson, Kerri Quinn, Geoff Hatt, Alison McGuinness and Robyn Farah.
In honour of it being Mother’s Day all Mums, daughters and grandmothers will be entered into a free draw with a chance to win a glamour hamper including hair and beauty vouchers, fashion accessories, jewellery, vintage china teacups, speciality teas, wine and handmade chocolates. Lots of other special offers and giveaways will also be taking place during the day!
Admission: Adults £3 Under 14s £1
The massive list of dealers is here: http://www.decadencevintageclothing.co.uk/totallybazaarexhibitors.html
Dublin Painting & Sketching Club Exhibition – Mon.4th to Sun.17th April
The Concourse Gallery
Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Hall,Marine Road, Dun Laoghaire
The 133rd Exhibition of the Dublin Painting & Sketching Club
From: Tues.4th April to Sun.17th April, 2011
Open:
Monday – Saturday 10:00am – 5:00pm
Sundays 11:00am – 5:00pm
To celebrate the award of UNESCO ‘City of Literature’ to Dublin this year’s Exhibition includes a literary theme as part of the exhibition. Paintings including portraits of writers, images inspired by pieces of prose or poetry and scenes associated with writers will be exhibited.
The Exhibition is supported by Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council Arts Office and is sponsored by Whytes Auctioneers
"The Storyteller" by Aidan Hickey
Further details and a preview of some of the works being shown: http://www.dublinpaintingandsketchingclub.ie/
Dolan’s Irish Art Auction, Castletroy Park Hotel, Limerick – Sun.27th March
Dolan’s Art Auction House,
(11 Woodquay, Galway)
Tel: (091) 569 300 or 569 3001
Email: info@dolansart.com
IRISH ART AUCTION
240 Lots of quality Irish Art on sale for the most part without any reserve prices.
At: The Castletroy Park Hotel, Limerick
On: Sunday 27th March, 2011 at 4:00pm
Viewing:
Friday 25th March 2:00pm – 9:00pm Saturday 26th March 9:00am – 9:00pm Sunday 27th March 9:00am – 3:30pm
Reflections, Connemara by Douglas Alexander - Est.€400-600
One of my favourite landscape artists, Douglas Alexander, is represented by a number of his wonderful Connemara watercolours, several with very reasonable estimates in the €400-600 range. A brief and poignant note on the artist from Dolan’s catalogue below.
‘Douglas Alexander was born in Limerick, the son of a Quaker family who owned a grocery and ship’s chandlery business at the corner of William Street and O’Connell Street. The Goodwin Galleries Limerick and The Victor Waddington Galleries Dublin both exhibited his work on a regular basis. He also exhibited in the RHA and the Dublin Sketching Club in the 1930’s. Although for several generations members of the Alexander family were prominent in Limerick in both business and Philanthropic pursuits, Douglas, ended his days in poverty.’
Online catalogue here:
http://dolansart.com/catalogue.pdf
St.Patrick’s Day Fun at the Beaufield Mews, Stillorgan, Co.Dublin
Beaufield Mews Restaurant, Antique Shop & Gardens,
Woodlands Avenue, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin
ST.PATRICK’S DAY VINTAGE FAIR 12 noon – 6:00pm Curios, Clothes, Jewellery, Accessories, Art… – Live Traditional Irish Music
– Bar food along with full restaurant lunch menu
– Tea & scones also available
– Vintage Fair in the Courtyard, selling clothing, art, jewellery…
– Colouring competition for the kids
Further Information: www.beaufieldmews.com
The National Antique, Art & Collectables Fair, Limerick – Sat.19th & Sun.20th March
Hibernian Antique Fairs
THE NATIONAL ANTIQUE, ART & COLLECTIBLES FAIR
At: The South Court Hotel, Limerick 19th
On: Saturday & Sunday 19th/20th March, 2011
70+ Quality Stands
11am – 6pm each day
Admission:
Adults €3.50 (including free raffle) and Children Free
CAR PARK FREE
Directions: http://www.southcourthotel.com/location
Further information: Robin O’Donnell on (087) 693 3602
or email: robinodon@gmail.com
*Further details and a full list of dealers attending see Fairs page
Collect Ireland 