The first sale of the season at Adams of Blackrock last week drew a large number of prospective buyers, many of whom were left disappointed due to the stiff competition. A private client paid the day's best price of £3,400 for a pair of Irish George III mahogany peat buckets.

An Edwardian rosewood breakfront four-door side cabinet did almost as well by making £3,100, while among other furniture lots a modern hunt table (10 feet long) went for £1,800, a pair of Waterford crystal five-branch chandeliers sold for £1,550 and a Victorian gilt overmantle went under the hammer for £1,350. Other items in this auction which did well included a bronzed group of two musicians (£900), a late 19th century stick barometer by Yeats & Sons (£320), a 32-piece Victorian part-dinner service (£920) and a small library of books of Irish interest (£2,070).