Antique and fine arts: Art, antiques and collectibles at summer sale in Connemara

Viewing for the two-day marquee sale, which gets underway on Bank Holiday Monday at 12.30 pm, opens tomorrow.

As well as paintings and sculpture, the sale will feature some quality furniture, antiques and collectibles with silver, books, rugs, jewellery and a number of designer handbags from Hermes, Gucci and Louis Vuitton.

Other artists include John Shinnors, George Russell; John Behan; Henry Morgan; Carina Scott and Mark O’Neill.

Lot 24 is an album of photographs showing the daily progress of the building of a railway gun wagon at Gateshead from September 1-13, 1914.

The 47 photos are estimated at €1,000-€1,500. A set of five US gold coins of various dates from 1873 to 1907 is estimated at 2,000-2,200.

An Edwardian painted rocking horse and an early 20th century rocking horse will command attention and there is a selection of antique furniture.

Among the furniture is a c1870 Victorian writing table, three longcase clocks, a walnut writing table and a circular late Georgian mahogany breakfast table.

Sunlight on daffodils and azalea at Kilmurry, a watercolour by Mildred Anne Butler dated 1901 is estimated at between €3,000 and €4,000.

Cattle in a Meadow by her fellow Kilkenny artist Nassau Blair Browne, exhibited at the RHA in 1918, is estimated at € 4,000 to €5,000.

Blair Browne served as Secretary to the RHA from 1911 to 1924 and was Governor the National Gallery of Ireland from 1918 to 1924.

Lot 191, Sweetpea in Bloom by Kenneth Webb is estimated at €9,000-€10,000, Connemara Hooker, Roundstone Harbour by Maurice MacGonigal is estimated at €11,000 to €12,000 and Virgo and Letter by Patrick Hennessy is estimated at €10,000-€12,000.

An oil on canvas by John Behan, primarily known as a sculptor, features fishermen in the west. Signed and dated 2017, the estimate is between between €3,500 and €4,000.

Much of the art in this auction of more than 500 lots will carry estimates which are lower than this.

Shelbourne lots for sale at Ballybrittas

An ‘as new’ demi lune side cabinet from the Shelbourne in Dublin estimated at just €80-€120 is one of a small number of lots from the famous hotel on offer at Seán Eacrett’s auction in Ballybrittas, County Laois, today.

Nearly 700 lots will come under the hammer, including some items from The Shelbourne and The Heritage Hotel at Killenard.

There is a selection of mahogany-veneered, two-door, side cabinets from The Heritage re-fit estimated at just €60-€80.

A mahogany tub chair from the Shelbourne is estimated at €50-€80 and there is an oriental-design dining table and chairs from Series One of the American TV show, Into the Badlands.

There are oriental rugs and a variety of collectables in a sale which includes lots from four, period properties in an auction that gets underway at noon and is on view today from 9am.

New record for Tacca sculpture

Classic Week sales at Christie’s in London this month, realised £72.3 million.

There were 14 live auctions and online sales with works of art dating from antiquity to the 20th century.

The top lot of the series was Hercules overcoming Achaelous c1640-50 by Florentine sculptor Ferdinando Tacca (1619-1686).

The bronze was a gift from Louis XIV to his son, the Grand Dauphin.

It made €7.5 million, a new world record for the artist.

Strong online participation was reported throughout the sales.

Excitement is building for the largest and most comprehensive exhibition ever to be staged in the UK on the House of Dior. Spanning the years from 1947 to the present day, it opens at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London next February.

‘Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams’ will trace the history and impact of one of the most influential couturiers of the 20th century and the six artistic directors who succeeded him. The show will present more than 500 objects and over 200 rare haute couture garments. In 1947, Dior changed the face of fashion with his New Look which redefined the female silhouette and re-invigorated the post war Parisian fashion industry.

* The image above is a sketch of the model Oxford, by Christian Dior for his Spring/Summer 1947 collection.

SCULPTURE ON SHOW AT BALLYMALOE

Richard Scott has returned to the grounds of Ballymaloe House in east Cork for an annual summer show of sculpture. The show this year offers 40 works by 23 artists using a range of materials in a great variety of styles displayed around the grounds. There is a guided walk through of the exhibition at 6pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Among the artists whose work is featured are Michael Quane, Helen Walsh, Patrick O’Reilly, Sonia Caldwell and Jason Ellis.

COLLECTIBLES FAIR

The Leeside coin, stamp and collectibles fair runs today at the Imperial Hotel in Cork from 10am to 4pm. Among the items featured are banknotes, medals, post cards, call cards and tokens.

PORTLAOISE ANTIQUES

Antiques Fairs Ireland/ Vintage Ireland will launch their inaugural Portlaoise antiques and vintage fair at the Killeshin Hotel from noon to 6 pm tomorrow. There will be selections of rare books, coins, collectibles, antique and vintage jewellery, silver and vintage fashion.

TATE MEMORABILIA

Property from the collection of Sharon Tate will be offered by Julien’s auctions in Los Angeles on November 17. The actress and model’s life and style embodied the essence of the swinging 60s. Her most famous role and acclaimed performance came as Jennifer North in the 1967 cult classic film Valley Of The Dolls, which earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best New Actress.

CRYSTAL CHANDELIERS

Three Waterford Crystal chandeliers made €720 each at Aidan Foley’s sale in Kilcolgan, Co Galway last Saturday. Artworks by Majella O’Neill Collins and Arthur Maderson made €1,050 and €1,000 respectively and a Massey Ferguson tractor sold for €1,250.

HORSE MAKES

€2,300 A restored 19th century horse trap with back to back seating made a hammer price of €2,300 at O’Donovan’s, Newcastlewest, last Saturday. It was a sale with something for everyone on all budgets ranging from an artwork by Jack Donovan which made €1,600 at hammer, to a bowfronted sideboard from the 1940s which sold for just €30.