An opium bed, a bronze censer and Viking boats – a taste of autumn sales

There is much of interest for collectors and casual buyers alike in the week ahead, with sales taking place across the country.

Keighery’s in Waterford is holding an Important Antique and Interiors auction on October 16th. With 600 lots, the sale has some lovely furniture, Waterford Crystal chandeliers, and good selection of silver, including some nice coffee pot specimens. The top lot by estimate (lot 270, €6,000-€10,000) is a brilliant cut single stone 2.4ct diamond, which is one of five rings offered in the online sale.

Four dining tables to suit all budgets also feature, from a large square model (lot 570), priced at €60-€100, to a very large offering in the form of a Victorian mahogany table, with five leaves that measures over four metres in length when fully extended (lot 307, €2,000-€3,000).

TV treasures

Taking place the over the following days, October 17th-19th, is Victor Mee’s BG Salvage of Naas sale. The two-day live online sale has everything from film set memorabilia and bespoke furniture to a couple of oddities thrown in for good measure. The diverse catalogue comes from the collection of “Ireland’s leading architectural salvage yard”, according to notes. It began in 2015 when Joe Byrne and Sean Travers set up the company, offering everything from bricks and timber to “becoming the hub of unique and eclectic items” used as a resource for film, television and stage productions. From the Vikings series are full-sized replicas of Viking longboats, measuring 46ft and 49ft, estimated at €10,000-€20,000 each. There’s also a table and foo dogs from the series, which was filmed on Luggala Estate in Co Wicklow.

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If you fancy channelling your inner princess, a French hand-painted gilded gesso panelled room, with etched glass panelled doors and original fireplace is listed at €10,000-€20,000. Described in the catalogue as “extremely rare”, the piece, originally from a château near Versailles, measures almost 20m long, and was used in Disney’s Disenchanted, which transformed the village of Enniskerry into a fairy tale scene for the summer of 2021. Other mementos from the film include a chemist and optician’s sign (€600-€1,200).

Also featuring are pieces from the recent Russell Crowe blockbuster The Pope’s Exorcist, as well as resin figures of gothic angels from Reign of Fire (€400-€600); the timber and glass shop front used in Sky’s Penny Dreadful and BBC’s Ripper Street; and hand-painted panels from the 1995 film Braveheart.

Curiosities include a 19th-century oriental carved hardwood opium bed (€800-€1,600), and, should you need them, a buccaneer fighter jet cockpit cover and ejector seat are up for grabs at €800-€1,600 and €1,500-€3,000 respectively. Speaking of the array on offer, Victor Mee said: “This is more than just an auction; it’s an opportunity for collectors, commercial clients and film enthusiasts alike to own a piece of curated history.”

Chinese censer

Also taking place on October 17th, is Hegarty’s of Bandon live sale, to include the Inis Céin collection. The sale features a collection of Asian ceramics, bronzes and carvings, and includes an inscribed archaistic bronze censer, possibly 18th century from China (lot 9, €800-€1,200). A Chinese blue and white glazed vase (lot 55, €400-€800) is another item of interest. It has a dimpled effect, bears a six-character Yongzheng-style seal mark to the base and is 18cm in height.

hegartyantiques.com, victormeeauctions.ie, antiquesireland.ie