Maureen O’Hara’s carriage awaits in Co Cork estate sale

Sheppards will auction the contents of Carraganes House and Gardens at the Maryborough Hotel in Cork on October 15th.

While anyone with a garden is more than likely thinking that’s it until next spring, the sale has a good selection of garden statuary, which includes cast-iron benches (€300-€500), a bronze stag over a metre high (€1,500-€2,000) and two superb cast-iron garden lights in the style of the famous five lamps on Dublin’s North Strand (€1,500-€2,500 each) Other well-priced offerings are a 2.5m tall specimen olive tree, and an equally high Acer (both potted €200-€300).

Of interest is a wooden garden cart, which would work for anyone with a large garden to haul plants (about €200-€300), as is the 19th-century horse-drawn carriage, which was once owned by actor Maureen O’Hara, who lived at Lugdine Park in Glengarriff until her death in 2015 (€4,000-€6,000).

Furniture varies from antique to modern pieces, including good-quality king size beds (€200-€300).

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Hunting table

Antiques include an important Cork Regency mahogany sideboard (€3,000-€5,000), a Georgian long case clock (€800-€1,200) and a well-priced hunting table at €300-€500.

A set of spiral library steps would be a smart, practical addition to any home for hard-to-reach spaces (€300-€500) and an old opium pipe (€30-€50) serves as a reminder of when Britain was opposed to constraints on the production of opium at the 1912 Opium Convention, as the country had a lucrative opium industry.  The convention, which was one of the first international conferences Ireland participated in, went into force globally in 1919 when it was incorporated into the Treaty of Versailles. See sheppards.ie

Meanwhile, in Co Meath, Damien Matthews' sale of the contents of the Naper Arms Hotel in Oldcastle, Co Meath on October 20th, is the sort of auction that would be hard leave empty-handed, such is the broad range of goods on offer.

Everything from Columbian rag dolls to ukuleles and kitchen sinks feature at the hotel, which itself is for sale seeking €285,000.

Refrectory pine table

Good buys include Belfast sinks, estimated at €50-€80; a large selection of tables that include a George III demi-lune table (€150-€250) and an impressive Irish Regency drop-leaf sofa table (€300-€500) and a 9ft old refectory pine table at €300-€500. There are lots of smaller period pieces for in and around €100.

For theatre wardrobes, there are two boxes of Victorian clothing, hats and haberdashery (€50-€80), an old shop till (€250-€350) and, for anyone engaged in shop or cafe fit-outs, the Victorian shop counter display at €200-€300, and huge antique chemist back counter (14ft in length), €700-€1,200, could be just the ticket, as pieces like this cost five times more in salvage warehouses.

Also featured are a good selection of vintage signs, covering everything from Woodbine cigarettes to Bovril. It looks like a really interesting sale and an enjoyable way to spend a windy autumn Sunday.

[ matthewsauctionrooms.com ]