John de Vere White – informally known as "Buzzer" – is the managing director of de Vere's art auctioneers in Kildare Street, Dublin 2, which holds quarterly auctions of Irish art, and two annual auctions of 20th-century furniture. What is your background? I grew up in a south Dublin household with wall-to-wall paintings and I have taken a keen interest in art for more than 45 years. (God, how old!) We moved house at least six times. Our household was wonderfully eccentric. My late father, Terence de Vere White, who was the literary editor of The Irish Times, could not be described as a typical parent. I was the youngest and probably the most indulged. He sent me to the most expensive schools in the land – St Gerard's in Bray and Glenstal in Limerick, where I had a blissful time, playing sport and doing as little as possible. When I was in fifth year at Glenstal, the principal said he wanted to give me one piece of advice: "Get rid of that nickname" (Buzzer) but it has stuck. It was a family nickname – when I was in the cradle, nanny used to comfort me by saying "Buzz, buzz, buzz!"
I then went to Trinity College Dublin where my chosen subjects – history and political science – held no attraction. I remember doing an essay entitled The Tribal Character of Early Irish Society. When I went to collect it from the tutor, it was covered in red biro, like the Battle of Clontarf. My tutor, Prof Otway-Ruthven, a terrifying, a formidable and very wise old lady, asked me if I had another lifestyle choice rather than academia. I took the hint and left forthwith.
This was a time – about 1970 – when my Dad was of the view that you wouldn't get a job cleaning lavatories without a degree. He advised that the stock exchange or auctioneering were the only options where you might make a living. I opted for the world of estate agency and joined Adam's in Dublin. How did you get into the art auctioneering business? My Dad was always acquiring paintings, much to my mother's chagrin. He had a great eye and I like to think some of his knowledge passed along to me. Interestingly, he was the only Catholic allowed into Jack B Yeats's funeral and was a pallbearer. He visited Yeats every Sunday for years and always said what a lovely man he was.
He was also on the Board of the National Gallery of Ireland and acquired the The Goose Girl for the gallery – for just £50 – in 1970.
At the time, the painting was attributed to the Irish artist William Leech but has since been discovered to be by the English artist Stanley Royle. It has become one of the most famous – and popular – paintings in the national collections.
In 1982, I founded de Veres with a business partner, Barry Smyth. Originally we were an estate agency but then we were asked to do some art sales for gallery owner John Taylor; the business grew and grew, and we gradually dropped the property sales to concentrate on art.
Every day is different. One endures long periods of boredom and then high excitement. (Rather like fishing.) I deal with potential sellers, advising them on market values, and discussing the selling process as for many this is a first-time experience. Keeping the client informed during the selling process, agreeing a reserve price and hopefully having a successful result.
In recent years, I have set up a number of investment groups: I acquire artworks which the members share out. This has proved an interesting exercise and allows me to trawl through auction rooms both here and further afield. I also write a blog about the art market (see buzzersblog on our website deveres.ie).
Career highlight? In 1994, I sold at auction Tinkers' Encampment, the Blood of Abel, a 1940 masterpiece by Jack B Yeats. It sold for £550,000, which was the highest price for an Irish artwork for a while. I remember the buyer was on the phone and we lost the connection when the bidding was at £300,000 but luckily got reconnected. The buyer was the businessman Michael Smurfit. I think he still has it.
What advice would you give to collectors/investors? You must be enthusiastic and be prepared to do the ground work. I always advise: quality rather than quantity. Buyers whose sole interest is in investment invariably come a cropper. Among artists worth considering are Hughie O'Donoghue – the English artist is one of the most serious painters working in Ireland today – while Irish painters such as Louis le Brocquy and Tony O'Malley, who were once coveted but whose prices fell during the economic crash, are major names and are seriously undervalued.
What do you personally collect and why? I have a modest collection and have tended toward more contemporary art that is not too Jackson Pollock-like. I haven't got there yet.
What would you buy if money were no object? I still think Jack B Yeats at his best is something I would covet if the EuroMillions came my way.
What is your favourite work of art and why? I will always remember entering the top floor of the Musée D'Orsay in Paris and seeing Van Gogh's painting of harvesters sleeping against a haystack, La Méridienne ou la Sieste (d'après Millet), known in English as The Siesta (after Millet). See: deveres.ie
In conversation with Michael Parsons
