After the exceptional success of Irish sales last year, auctioneers here are hoping for equally good results during 2000. At the same time, they are being cautious in their expectations, aware that everything depends on vendors coming forward with the best quality items for sale. This was not always the case in 1999, when demand outstripped supply due to the buoyancy of the economy. This is always a quiet month for sales as auctioneers prefer to plan ahead rather than offer much on the market just yet. While many of them have provisional plans for the first quarter of the year, few are willing to commit themselves at present. However, the James Adam salerooms has confirmed a number of auctions over the months ahead, beginning its season with a Kildare Street sale on January 18th; as usual at these events, the focus will be on affordable antiques. On February 9th, Adams will be selling both Irish and European traditional and contemporary artwork, followed on February 23rd by a sale of period furniture, paintings, silver and porcelain. The company's first big auction of Irish art is scheduled for March 29th and will include work by Harry Kernoff (Adam's established a new record at auction for this artist last year), Patrick Hennessy, William Conor, William Crampton Gore and others.

De Vere also specialises in Irish painting and for the past few seasons this company has been including work by living artists in its sales. The first of these in 2000 will be held at the RHA Gallagher Gallery on March 6th. Also in March, Mealy's is planning a two-day auction on its premises in Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny. Included in this will be a substantial collection of Irish provincial silver assembled by a recently-deceased enthusiast; although an exact date has yet to be set, the auction will be held during the second half of the month.

Hamilton Osborne King begins its season with a sale of antique furniture on February 2nd at the company's premises in Blackrock, Co Dublin. Included in this will be a Cork mahogany and ebony inlaid sideboard and a mahogany ladder-back open armchair made by Butler of Dublin, circa 1880. For several years, Hamilton Osborne King has organised substantial fine-art auctions at the RDS in Dublin and two of these are planned for 2000, in May and November; a number of important items have already been accepted for the first of them. In London, both Christie's and Sotheby's are making plans for their annual Irish art sales in which many new records have been made in recent years. Sotheby's is holding its auction first, on May 18th, and next month it will also feature the work of an Irish woodturner, Liam Flynn, in a selling exhibition of contemporary design being held in its Bond Street premises. The Christie's Irish art sale takes place on May 19th.

This page will carry more details on all the events mentioned above over the coming months.