Anglo-Indian furniture, 18th century tureens, a 19th century horse and rare marble busts all conspire to give an eclectic feel to Adam’s upcoming Country House Collections auction.
The auction house on St Stephen’s Green is once again using the neo-classical surroundings of Townley Hall in Drogheda to showcase more than 700 lots, from Friday, October 15th to Sunday October 17th. It will return to its auction rooms for the live, and online, auction on October 18th and 19th.
Adam’s managing director James O’Halloran says many of the items have never been on the auction market before.
Among the paintings of note is a Garret Morphy portrait of Anne Boyle, 2nd Lady Mountjoy, from 1696 (Lot 476) which is estimated at €30,000–€40,000.
Hugh Dick MP paid British artist John Ferneley Snr the princely sum of 15 guineas to paint his favourite mare and pointer at Humewood House in Co Wicklow, in 1809. The result, a 100 x 125cm oil on canvas is estimated at €40,000–€60,000 (Lot 532).
While Adam’s expects plenty of international interest in the auction, Mr O’Halloran says there is also a lot to attract someone who is furnishing a period-style house. Among the furniture highlights is a rare Irish George II mahogany secretaire cabinet which dates to circa 1730/40. The cornice is decorated with filigree marquetry and Comedia dell’Arte figures and it is estimated at €20,000–€30,000, (Lot 548).
Castletown House
An eye-catching nine-piece collection of Anglo-Indian giltwood furniture, circa 1850, once graced a drawing room at Castletown House in Celbridge but has been at Prehen House in Derry most recently,(Lots 601-605.) It is estimated at €20,000–€30,000.
The sale also includes an impressive pair of 18th-century silver covered tureens, made by R Holmes, and hallmarked in Dublin in 1765. The pair is estimated at €30,000–€40,000, (Lot 642).
If you despair at the short lifecycle of modern teapots, you will appreciate Lot 637. It is a very rare Irish George I bullet-shaped teapot which was made in Cork in 1725 by silversmith William Clarke (€10,000–€15,000).
An 1843 marble bust of William, 1st Baron Plunket, Lord Chancellor of Ireland by Irish sculptor Christopher Moore is estimated at €12,000–€16,000 (Lot 568). Plunket, a controversial figure, drew criticism for his prosecution role in the treason trial of Robert Emmet in 1803.
Meanwhile, an Irish George III mahogany side table, once owned by Viscount Leverhulme of Sunlight soap fame before being sold in 1926, is guiding €20,000–€30,000 (Lot 562).
And if you are on the lookout for a Bengal tiger, Lot 419 is a 19th century cold-painted model of the animal by Franz Bergman of Vienna. Bergman was one of the best-known Viennese cold-painted bronze artists. This piece came from Ashford Castle, and measures 120cm wide by 62cm high, (€2,000–€3,000).
Donald Teskey
Meanwhile, viewing is underway for Antiques Ireland’s online auction at RJ Keighery Antiques in Waterford on October 11th where more than 500 lots will go under the hammer. Three Donald Teskey oil on paper paintings are among the highlights. The largest one, Castletownsend Tower VII, (82cm x 101cm) is guiding at €8,000–€12,000, (Lot 497).
An attractive Victorian mahogany grandfather clock is estimated at €1,300–€1,800, (Lot 131). And, if you’re aiming to spruce up your home office or library, Lot 40 comprises two corner bookcases with grill doors and two open bookcases and is estimated at €2,000–€3,000, while Lot 41 is a pair of leather-top desks with matching lift top pedestals (€800–€1,200.)
There are also many large lots of nine to 22 carat gold on offer, in the form of sovereigns, rings, and pocket watch cases. They range in price from €400 to €4,000 (Lots 301–339).
Ram’s horn snuff mull
And finally, if you are looking for something a bit different, Hegarty’s live online auction in Bandon tomorrow, Sunday October 10th, has a few interesting lots.
One of the quirkier items is Lot 65, a rare early 19th century ram’s horn snuff mull. The snuff mull has Scottish origins – the word mull comes from mill. This particular snuff mull, with a guide price of €500–€700, has hinged silver band and mounts and is engraved with the date 1815 and the initials CJ.
The auction, featuring the Anthony and Victoria Bartley collection, includes several impressive rings. Lot 1 is an 18ct white gold oval claw set tanzanite and diamond cluster ring, (ring size N). It comes with an estimate of €7,000–€8,000.
And if you are looking for an extra special writing bureau, Lot 3 is a19th century Louis XV-style French kingwood & marquetry inlaid bombe secretaire a abattant, circa 1880. It has a marble top and ormolu mounts and handles and is decorated with detailed marquetry inlay of floral and foliage design. (€700–€900).
