If there is one influence the pandemic had on Irish furniture auctions, it was that it forced the entire industry online. The upside to the headaches of technology required from an industry that was heavily entrenched in live in-room sales, was that it opened Irish auction houses up to a worldwide audience. Because of this all Irish furniture and art auctions are now geared up for sales to buyers all over the world, so transportation, photographs, details and online bidding are now a seamless process.
Hegarty's of Bandon is holding a live online sale tomorrow Sunday, November 21st of 300 lots to include furniture, art and collectables. Highlights include a fine George III style demi-lune fold over card table with cross banded trim (€500 – €700); a Columbian emerald and diamond ring (€1,800 – €2,000) and William Manners, A Hay Gathering scene (€1,000 – €2,000).
Next Saturday, November 27th, RJ Keighery’s live online sale, with excess of 500 lots has some interesting estate clearances, with some items originating in Syria, such as antique sphinx-head boot scrapers (€100 – €200). If you are in the market for old mirrors the sale has a great selection, from a smaller gilt offering with a bow top at €40 – €60, to a huge, highly ornate gilt looking-glass with a dragon top (€4,000 – €6,000). There was a shortage of desks last year due to the pandemic, but this sale has ten, from a simple teak offering at €80 – €100 and a quality inlaid walnut Carlton model (€500 – €800) to an antique French walnut desk with matching chair (€900 – €1,200).
Turret clock
Also running next Saturday, November 27th is Lynes and Lynes of Cork online sale. From Youghal Clock Gate Tower, which was emptied when the last occupants departed in 1960, is the rare Mangan of Cork turret clock, which, though needing some work, is sure to create interest (€2,000 – €3,000). Should you need one, the sale has an antique cast iron cannon gun, extending to almost six feet, which was originally used in the Roches Point region (€1,000 –€2,000).
Four lots of Eamon de Valera memorabilia feature, including letters from the prominent Irish statesman to Jenny Dowdall, the Irish politician and philanthropist, along with a collection of photographs (€20 – €40) and memorial mass sheets from Westminster and Dublin (€20 – €40).
The auction house cleared an old farmyard near Youghal which yielded some interesting items such as an early Pierce of Wexford Plough (€60 – €100) and a very old heavy cast iron water trough (€200 – €300). Two pairs of gates, including a fine Victorian set (€400 – €600) are listed alongside a selection of old rugs in various sizes. Silver includes good Irish Georgian Cork and Dublin flatware, a large Georgian ladle by Richard Sawyer, Dublin 1834 (€80 – €150) and a heavy tray by William Egan (€100 – €200). Curiosities include an antique ship's washstand from the RMS Celtic (€100 – €200), while an old wall-mounted telephone (€60 – €100) is certain to confuse anyone under the age of 30.
Remember when buying online it is often cheaper to bid through the room, by email or telephone bid, to save the extra loading from affiliated web platforms especially on big ticket items.
