THE 2011 market got off to an early start with the timely sale of a postcard bearing New Year greetings sent by James Joyce from Zurich 70 years ago. It was sold for €4,950 by Galway-based online rare books dealer, Kenny’s.
The card, which the author sent to a friend in France, was written in French and expressed best wishes for the year ahead – 1941.
The unusual colour illustration on the card depicts animated snowmen in the shape of mushrooms, a piglet and classic symbols of good luck: a horseshoe and sprigs of four-leaf clover - which may have reminded Joyce of shamrock.
A gold-lettered caption in German, reads: “Die besten Glückwünsche zum neuen Jahre” which translates as “best wishes for the New Year”. Joyce died in the Swiss city just a fortnight after posting the card.
The first Irish art auction of the new year was held last Sunday at Matthews' Auction Rooms in Oldcastle, Co Meath. Auctioneer Damien Matthews said the sale was well-attended and among the pictures sold were: Sunset Over the Bogby Percy French which made €3,900 and The Blue Doorby Markey Robinson, €3,000.
A bronze sculpture, A Conference of Crowsby Patrick O'Reilly made €4,800.
The first antiques auction of 2011 – at the Ashgrove Auction Rooms in Portlaoise – also took place last Sunday and while very well-attended, provided further evidence of the growing trend among collectors to bid online. Some 15 per cent of sales went to internet bidders.
Meanwhile, only in America – on New Year’s Day, the white suit which John Lennon wore for the cover photo on The Beatles’ famous Abbey Road album sold for $46,000 (€35,422). The suit was custom-made for Lennon in 1969 by French designer Ted Lapidus. It was sold to an online bidder by the Braswell Galleries in Stamford, Connecticut.
Finally, the first antiques fair of 2011, organised by Hibernian Antique Fairs, will take place tomorrow at the Newpark Hotel, Kilkenny from 11am-6pm. Some 30 dealers will offer furniture, Irish art, jewellery, porcelain china, silver, clocks, coins and bank notes and collectable books.
