Michael Collins’s prison letters and Martin Ferris’s prison “art” were all in the mix at the Independence sale
THE enduring and compelling appeal of Michael Collins was evident at this week’s Independence sale by Adam’s and Mealy’s. Items related to the Big Fella accounted for about half of the €558,000 spent by bidders at Tuesday’s auction in Dublin. Over 600 lots went under the hammer and 82 per cent sold.
A single letter by Collins to his sister Johanna (“Hannie”) made €16,000. It was one of 28 he sent to her – auctioned individually - which all sold. Most made considerably more than their highest estimates with an average price of €6,000.
The vendor was described as “the Collins family, by descent”. Bidding was fierce as auction-goers in the St Stephen’s Green saleroom competed with bidders on the internet and telephone.
Afterwards, managing director of Adam’s James O’Halloran said most of the Michael Collins letters were bought by an Irish collector and it was “fantastic that they will be staying in Ireland”.
Separately, the handwritten minute books of the Geraldines GAA Club in London, where Collins was secretary, sold for €15,000. These were, until recently, on loan to the GAA Museum at Croke Park.
A handgun owned by Countess Markievicz sold for €7,500, way above its estimate of €800-€1,400. However, a copy of the 1916 Proclamation failed to sell. It had an estimate of €100,000 and attracted an opening bid of €60,000. But the auctioneer withdrew it after bidding stalled at €90,000.
Among other highlights, a set of seven hand-crafted wooden dolls made by German internees in the Curragh Camp during the second World War sold for €1,100 (estimate €250-€350).
More modern prison "art" also featured in the sale. A pair of "Republican Mirror Pictures", made in 1989 by prisoners in Portlaoise jail, sold for €300. One, titled The Struggle for the Freedom of Ireland– was inscribed on the rear with the slogan Tiocfaidh ár laand was signed by 50 men who described themselves as "Irish P.O.W's".
Signatories include Martin Ferris, who is now a Sinn Féin TD for Kerry North-West Limerick constituency
A “humorous” hand-written menu prepared for an Irish delegation dinner during the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations in London in 1921 sold for €4,200. It had been estimated at between €1,500 and €2,500.
An enamel advertising sign from Eason’s booksellers of Sackville (now O’Connell) St, damaged by gunfire during the 1916 Rising, made €1,500 – five times its estimate.
A rare silver cup presented to Cadet Corpl J.A. French for the “Defence of Trinity College, Dublin 1916” sold for €3,000. It is believed that 120 of these cups were made by jewellers West and Son and presented to members of the university’s Officer Training Corps for “saving” Trinity from the Sinn Féin rebels.
A collection of election posters from the 1940s including one with the slogan: “Workers! – Fianna Fáil is on your side – always was and always will be” made €1,400 (€600-800).
