HOLIDAYMAKERS from Dublin and Cork were the main buyers at last Sunday’s sold-out art auction in the west Cork resort of Skibbereen.
Auctioneer Morgan O’Driscoll said all 111 lots sold in the no-reserves sale. Prices were generally lower than estimates but he was pleased with the results and said viewing and attendance figures were up on recent auctions.
Three paintings by local artist Martin Stone featured among the top five sellers and the top lot was his oil-on-canvas, Ballydehob, Co Corkwhich made €1,600 (€3,000-€3,500).
Meanwhile in Connemara on Wednesday, Dolan’s Art Auction House sold 85 per cent of lots when some 240 paintings went under the hammer at the Ballynahinch Castle Hotel near Recess. Auctioneer Dr Niall Dolan said there was a big crowd at the viewing and lively bidding from a mix of holidaymakers, second-homeowners from Dublin and local buyers.
The top price – €10,000 – was achieved for The Red Scarf(€10,000-€12,000) by William Conor followed by €9,250 for Achill(€9,500-€10,500) by Markey Robinson and €7,500 for Aranmore(€5,000-€7,000) by Kenneth Webb. Among the more affordable lots, Roundstoneby Ivan Sutton made €2,000 (€1,600-€2,000) and Galway Hookersby Thelma Mansfield sold for €850 – above its highest estimate of €800.
