Bonhams, New Bond Street, London – Sale of Irish Art
Bonhams Auctioneers,
101, New Bond Street, London
The long heralded launch of Bonhams Irish Art Department is nearly upon us. Bonhams will hold its first sale of Irish Art on the 9th February in New Bond Street, marking the end of the company’s long-standing association with Adams Auctioneers in Dublin. After twelve years of working jointly on Irish Art auctions, Bonhams and Adams have decided to hold separate sales.
Bonhams Irish Art Department is headed up by Penny Day, also a Senior Specialist in the 20th Century British Department at Bonhams. She joined 20th Century British & Irish Art at Bonhams in 2006, following a year with Christie’s British & Irish Art division. The Department will offer an annual sale including traditional and modern paintings, works on paper and sculpture, representing the very best of Irish art.
IRISH ART SALE
On: 9th February, 2011 at 2.00pm
108 Lots including works by Maurice Canning Wilks, Paul Henry, Jack B Yeats, Louis le Brocquy, Colin Middleton etc.etc. As usual it is one of the big names – Louis le Brocquy who is expected to fetch the top price (Lot.50), yet another of his heads, “ Image of Francis Bacon” which carries an incredible estimate of €71,000 – €95,000 for a barely visible image. However, this time I’ll let him away with it and I reserve my scorn for Lot.59. a childish daub by Séan McSweeney entitled “The Pool” which is like something my seven year old would have brought home from school a couple of years ago! You be the judge, here it is below in all its glory and carries an estimate of €3,600 – €4,700 – surely another candidate for “The Emperor’s New Clothes Award”?
Lot.59. "The Pool" by Séan McSweeney. Est.€3,600 - €4,700!
Full catalogue available here: http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/WService=wslive_pub/pubweb/publicSite.r
New Auction Venue for Limerick City Opens on Weds.23rd February 2011
Now you have another reason to visit Limerick apart from Thomond Park!
*A new joint venture between Parish Auctioneers and Robin O’Donnell of Hibernian Antique Fairs*
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Hamptons Limerick Auction Rooms,
Garryglass Industrial Estate, Ballysimon Road, Limerick, Co.Limerick
Contact: Daren Parish or Richard Ryan on (061) 422143 or (087) 829 0735
or Robin O’Donnell on (067) 23644 or (087) 693 3602
Website here: http://www.lar.ie/
Fine Art & Antique Auction – 300+ Lots
Opening Sale: Weds.23rd February, 2011 at 2.00pm sharp
Further details to follow soon.
Morgan O’Driscoll (Irish Art Auction), Radisson Blu Hotel, Cork – Mon.7th Feb.2001
Morgan O’Driscoll,
Cork Road, Skibbereen, Co.Cork
Telephone: (028) 22338/21183
Mobile: (086) 247 2425
Email: info@morganodriscoll.com
IRISH ART AUCTION
On: Monday 7th February, 2011 at 6.30pm
At: The Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Little Island, Cork
Directions: http://www.radissonblu.ie/hotel-cork/location
276 Lots of Art with many familiar names: Robert Ballagh, Pauline Bewick, Frank Egginton, Percy French, Harry Kernoff, Cecil King, Graham Knuttel, Arthur K Maderson, Gladys McCabe, John Morris, Markey Robinson, Norman Teeling and a host of lesser known artists. Prices range from a couple of hundred Euros to the high single figure thousands i.e. there are no stellar works by artists such as Paul Henry but still lots to interest the collector.
Viewing: Sun.6th Feb. 12 Noon to 10pm and Mon.7th Feb. 10am to 4pm.
Lot.14. "A Soft Day Co.Kerry" by Frank Egginton - Est.€600-900.
Full illustrated catalogue online here: http://www.morganodriscoll.com/searchresults.asp?AucID=81
Hibernian Antique Fair at Dromoland Castle, Co.Clare – Sunday 23rd January,2011
Hibernian Antique Fair,
Dromoland Castle Hotel, Co.Clare
On: Sunday 23rd January 2011 – 11am-6pm
Further information call Robin O’Donnell on (087) 693 3602
or email: robinodon@gmail.com
Directions: http://www.dromoland.ie/location.html
Dolan’s (Cork), Irish Art Auction – Rochestown Park Hotel – Sun.23rd January
Dolan’s Art Auction House,
11 Woodquay, Galway
Tel: (091) 569 300 or 569 3001
Email: info@dolansart.com
IRISH ART AUCTION IN CORK
230 Lots of paintings & sculpture – majority of lots sold with no reserve.
At: The Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork
On: Sunday 23rd January, 2011 at 3pm
Viewing:
Fri. 21st January 2pm -9pm
Sat. 22nd January 9am-9pm
Sun.23rd January 9am-2.30pm
Online catalogue here: http://dolansart.com/catalogue.pdf
Telephone Bidding and Commission Bidding on Request. Buyers Premium 18% + VAT.
Once again Dolans have pulled out all the stops in putting together an eclectic mix of highly affordable Irish Art for their Cork sale. There are some 230 Lots including many of the usual faces – Kenneth Webb, Alexander Williams, Markey Robinson, Arthur K Maderson, Norman Teeling and Graham Knuttel – but it is some of the less well known names that give the sale added interest. Amongst these are a large number of very pleasing seascapes by former RTE presenter Thelma Mansfield, a selection of still-life works by David Ffrench le Roy, paintings with a maritime theme by Ivan Sutton and Mat Grogan, plus some distinctive John Morris beach scenes. There are also a number of interesting paintings with a Cork connection including some fine views of shipping on the Lee; Glandore, Crosshaven and Kinsale also feature. Some fascinating caricatures by Irish born John Schwatschke see: http://www.johnschwatschke.com/ complete what is a really worthwhile sale with something for every taste and pocket.
Lot.52. "The Office Day Out" Oil on canvas by John Schwatschke - Est. €750-850
Happy Christmas & a Prosperous New Year to all!
It has been a bruising month weather wise and the Collecting world has been in the thick of it with postponements/cancellations of various events but it could have been worse. Lets hope that 2011 brings better weather and some sign of a badly needed financial upturn.
I would like to thank everybody who has contributed in any way to this blog during the year and to renew my appeal to readers to let me have their comments, suggestions for improvements etc. This can be done either by posting on the blog or by contacting me directly at collectireland@gmail.com . I would also like to remind readers that signing up to this blog is FREE and you won’t be spammed with junk emails – in fact you only receive emails when new items are posted on this Home page. The auction/fair/car boot listings are usually updated daily and are the most complete and up to date to be found online – a single source with clickable links where available
Wishing everybody a Happy & Peaceful Christmas.
David Parks
Mealy’s Rare Book Sale brings out the buyers!
Joyce and Sean O’Casey amongst the star items!
Mealy’s Rare Book Sale which was held on December 14th, 2010 at the Berkeley Court (D4) Hotel in Ballsbridge achieved some strong results with the highest price (€15,000) being paid for Lot.671. a signed, limited edition volume by James Joyce, with the next highest (€10,500) going for Lot.585. a bound volume of hand-coloured Caricatures by early 19th century artists including the notoriously anti-Irish George Cruickshank, and (€10,000) for Lot.537 a collection of letters written by Sean O’Casey. Hopefully the latter were acquired by the National Library who, according to the Irish Times, were amongst the buyers at the sale.
Some detail from the catalogue description here – worth the read – for me anyway.
| Important Collection of Sean O’Casey Letters O’Casey (Sean) A very good series of eight wartime Letters (two TLS, six ALS) to Mrs. Louise Heppell of Newcastle-on-Tyne, November 1942 to December 1944, mostly on O’Casey’s headed paper, with associated envelopes, and with programmes for two performances of O’Casey’s ‘Juno and the Paycock.’ An interesting correspondence, which apparently began when Mrs. Heppell enquired about terms for an amateur production of O’Casey’s one act comedy The End of the Beginning. The first letter (November 17th 1942) includes an account of O’Casey’s early life and writing, perhaps intended for a programme note. ‘I was born in Dublin more than sixty years ago. I had a hard time of it in association with thousands of others, wanting food, often, and seldom getting it. There was no manna to be gathered anywhere then. I go no education; I learned myself all I know, which is damned little, and am still working to try to make up the deficiency. When I got to fourteen years of age, I started work in a big general Dublin store for 3/6 week… I became an out-of-door labourer helping at building, drainage and so on, all the time buying a book now and again out of what I could spare. Finally, an Irish Club of which I was a member, started a Dramatic Class, and I wrote a play for them. They wouldn’t touch it, so I sent it to the Abbey Theatre. They touched it, but didn’t think it good enough for production. So I went on till I got one good enough (or so they said) to put on their stage, and ended by causing a row as big as the one that foamed around Synge’s PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD. Most of my plays have caused some trouble since..’ O’Casey mentions his current work in other letters, ‘I am writing, trying to, another volume of ‘biography’ & am jotting down notes for a possible play. I have written some things for Soviet magazines – I have been in close touch with Soviet theatre and literary activities for ten or twelve years; & I write an occasional article for the Daily Worker.. I hope this year may see the end of Hitler, so that we may begin to build another country in earnest.’ (1 Jan. 1944). There are comments on his family life, with his three children aged between 4 and 15. ‘I and the missus have to do everything ourselves now; and it means a continuous go from early morn till late at night, so that I can’t think of my own work till 10 o’c. when they are all abed. i usually stay up till 2 a.m.’ (1 Jan. 1944). He refers to his poor health – ‘My eyes, of course, will never be better than they are; but on the whole they have served me well, seeing more, often, than others that are vigorous and keen’ – and to the wartime bombing, ‘Plymouth got a very bad raking indeed – perhaps the worst in the country. Our little town got a shake up recently, the shops and buildings show signs of being badly gashed.’ (8 Dec. 1942). The envelopes have all been reused by O’Casey using addressed labels – a typical wartime economy. Mrs. Heppell’s replies are not present. This is a substantial and interesting correspondence, which gives a good impression of O’Casey’s frame of mind through the darkest days of the war. If he wished, O’Casey could have returned to Dublin, but he chose to remain in the small Devon town where he had found a haven, and to share the hardships of its people. (1) |
Full realisation list here: http://www.mealys.com/Bidcat/Catalogues.asp?F1=3072&F2=4169&F4=1054&select=0210&status=A
Whyte’s Art for Christmas Sale – Monday 13th December, 2010
Whyte’s Fine Art & Collectibles Auctioneers & Valuers
38 Molesworth Street, Dublin .2.
Tel: (01) 676 2888 Fax: (01) 676 2880
ART FOR CHRISTMAS SALE
On: Monday 13th December 2010 at 6pm
226 Lots. An eclectic mix of paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture and art books, estimated from €100 to around €2,000. The ideal hunting ground for a thoughtful gift of real and enduring value.
Viewing: Wednesday 8th December to Monday 13th December
10am to 6pm daily (12 noon to 6pm on Sunday)
Catalogue online here: www.whytes.com
Amongst the interesting collection is Lot.128. a wonderful Paul Henry poster produced for the London, Midland & Scottish Railway. A fraction of the price of an original Paul Henry, and of infinitely superior quality to a print, but it’s not clear from the catalogue whether the poster header is missing. Even without the header it’s a nice item but if it is missing the value as an item of railway memorabilia will be greatly reduced – although perhaps not to an art collector.
Lot.128. LMS poster by Paul Henry. Est. €800-1,000.
“COME TO ULSTER FOR A BETTER HOLIDAY”
Printed by S. Callen & Co Belfast and London. A very rare and desirable collector’s item. Paul Henry’s paintings lent themselves to poster designs and he received many commissions, principally from the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, who ran the Irish Sea passenger ships in the 1920s to 1940s. Even after nationalisation British Railways continued to use his landscapes and the Irish Tourist Board were using a Henry painting in a poster design in the 1970s. Est. €800-1000
Keighery’s (Waterford) December 6th Auction postponed!
R. J. Keighery’s, City Auction Rooms, George’s Quay, Waterford
CHRISTMAS ANTIQUE AUCTION
Monday 6th December at 11am
Postponed until Monday 13th December at 11am
New Viewing Dates:
Today (Fri.3rd 9am-4pm); Sat.4th 12 Noon-4pm and daily from Mon.6th 12 Noon-5pm
856 Lots to include Furniture, Paintings, Ceramics, Clocks, Books, Musical Instruments, Mirrors, Jewellery, Silver, Rugs, Lighting and many other collectables
Catalogue online here: http://www.cityauctionrooms.com/BidCat/catindex.asp
Phone / Fax (051) 873692
Email: info@cityauctionrooms.com
Whyte’s RDS Sale of Irish Art
Yesterday’s (29th Nov.) sale at the RDS saw almost 30% of the 191 lots go unsold which is probably more of a reflection of the times we are living in rather than the quality of art on offer. That said, top quality items still achieved decent prices and “Fisherman in a Currach” by Paul Henry sold for €145,000 (Est.€100-150,000) with “The Bog Road” by the same artist going for €44,000 (Est.€50-70,00). Sixteen out of the seventeen Percy French watercolours were sold at or above their pre-sale estimates, with the particularly seasonal “Girl with Toboggan” selling for €6,000 (Est.€2,500-3,500). The two Jack Butler Yeats paintings failed to sell.
"Girl with Toboggan" by William Percy French. Sold for €6,000 (Est.€2,500-3,500)
Full realisation list online here: http://www.whytes.ie/i6.asp?Auction=20101129
Collect Ireland 