Birds of Australia, tiger’s head sell high, plus antiques auctions to watch out for

Upcoming sales feature antique garden furniture and rare Chinese bowls

Set of celestial and terrestial Globes sold through Adam’s for €30,000  (€25,000-€35,000)
Set of celestial and terrestial Globes sold through Adam’s for €30,000 (€25,000-€35,000)

Auction results

Wednesday, April 17th, Adam's, St Stephen's Green. William IV terrestrial and celestial globes, €30,000 (€25,000-€35,000) and the George III metamorphic footstool sold for €3,400 (€2,000-€3,000).

Wednesday, April 17th, O'Reilly's, Francis Street. The jewel encrusted photograph frame, €22,000 (€12,000-€22,000).

Tuesday, April 16th, Fonsie Mealy, Fortgranite sale. With 95 per cent of lots sold, the auction achieved €660,000. Top lots include a large Georgian hunting table, €25,000 (€5,000-€7,000) and a set of rare coloured plates, The Birds of Australia, €16,000 (€10,000-€15,000). There was competition from Russia and France for the mounted tiger's head which sold for €8,500 – more than 10 times its lower estimate of €800. All the portraits of the Swift family – 20 lots in total, were purchased by an Irish buyer.

Tuesday, April 16th, Sotheby's, New York. Items of Irish interest sold well, including an Irish silver coffee pot by Robert Calderwood, $15,00/€13,325 ($12,000-€18,000) and a coffee pot by Daniel King (1706), achieved $8,750 ($10,000-$15,000). The carved mahogany wine cooler attributed to Williams and Gibton sold for $11,875 ($10,000-$15,000).

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Forthcoming auctions

April 20th and 21st, Aidan Foley, Ballea Castle Collection, Carrigaline, Co Cork. To include the contents of the 16th century castle – items of architectural salvage, garden furniture, antiques and artworks, and a variety of chairs including a Famine chair, súgán chairs and a baronial oak castle throne (€300-€500). See irishcountryhome.com

Sunday, April 21st, Dolan's Spring Auction of Art and Antiques, Ballyconneely, Connemara, Co Galway. Over 400 lots to include paintings and antiques, and a letter of correspondence between GB Shaw and Lennox Robinson. See dolansart.com

Sunday, April 28th, Matthews Auction Rooms, The Square, Oldcastle, Co Meath. Garden statuary and architectural sale to include 460 lots of garden statues, figures, fountains and planters with a large variety of garden animals, including near life size elephant mother and calf. See matthewsauctionrooms.com

Monday, April 29th, RJ Keighery, William Street, Waterford. Annual garden auction to include period 3.6m gates, statues, furniture and garden décor. See antiquesireland.ie

Monday, April 29th, Morgan O'Driscoll, Irish and International Art Sale RDS, Dublin. To include four works by Jack B Yeats, Letitia Hamilton, Francis Bacon and two works by Paul Henry. See morganodriscoll.com

Tuesday, April 30th, Wednesday, May 1st, Sheppard's, Durrow, Co Laois, Great Irish Interiors Sale. To include rare Chinese bowls and a large selection of important furniture and artworks. See sheppards.ie

Wednesday, May 1st, Thursday, May 2nd, Niall Mullen and Victor Mee, The Britannic Sale, The Heritage Hotel, Portlaoise. Featuring important panelling from the HMHS Britannic and fittings from the Shelbourne, Dylan and Merrion hotels. See victormeeauctions.ie

Saturday, May 4th, Sunday, May 5th, Matthews Auction Rooms, Oldcastle, Co Meath. The contents of Rostellan House, Temple Road, Dublin 6, to include over 1,000 lots. See matthewsauctionrooms.com

Wednesday, May 8th, Thursday, May 9th, Victor Mee, Cloverhill, Co Cavan, Irish Connection Sale. To include rare whiskeys, one of three known first-anniversary copies of the Irish Proclamation and 50 important books, some signed, by Seamus Heaney. See victormeeauctions.ie

Elizabeth Birdthistle

Elizabeth Birdthistle

Elizabeth Birdthistle, a contributor to The Irish Times, writes about property, fine arts, antiques and collectables