Doctor’s collection of art and antiques makes more than €500,000 at Adam’s auction

An 18th/19th century Chinese jardinière, which sold for €56,000 at Adam’s. The top estimate was €2,000

Sat Sept 10 2016 - 06:00

The autumn auctions season in Dublin began auspiciously with a major sale at Adam's in St Stephen's Green on Tuesday of a collection of art and antiques owned by the late Dr Bryan Alton, a consultant physician at the Mater Hospital who died in 1991, and his wife, Winifred, who died last year.

More than 300 items including furniture, porcelain, silver, objets d’art, old master and modern paintings, religious icons and various collectibles that the couple acquired from the late 1940s to the 1970s went under the hammer. Some 80 per cent of lots sold, realising €525,000. Auctioneer James O’Halloran said afterwards, “Sadly, very many of the top lots will be on their way to new homes outside of Ireland and some as far away as Hong Kong, China and America. Internet bidding was hugely active, as was telephone bidding, but spirited bidding in the rooms was evident too, altogether making for a very entertaining sale”.

The “sleeper” in the sale turned out to be – as frequently happens – Chinese porcelain, Lot 215, an 18th/19th century “Canton” enamel and stained ivory jardinière modelled with a group of Narcissi flowers sprouting from their bulbs, which sold for €56,000 - 28 times the top estimate (€1,500-€2,000). Among other notable prices achieved, Lot 125, an art deco bronze and ivory figure of The Turbaned Dancer by French sculptor Paul Philippe, estimated at €3,000-€5,000 made €32,000.

President and Mrs de Valera with Dr Bryan Alton, a consultant physician at the Mater hospital, who died in 1991 and whose collection of art and antiques was auctioned at Adam’s

Lot 200, a piece of 18th-century Meissen porcelain, the 16cm high Indiscreet Harlequin, which depicts “a scene from the Commedia dell’ arte as modelled by J.J.Kandler”, estimated at €25,000-€35,000, made €38,000.