Architects, interior decorators, country-house owners and anyone restoring a period property are among the expected attendees at Mealy's auction of architectural salvage in Huntington Castle, Co Carlow on Monday .
The castle, in the picturesque village of Clonegal, is home to the Durdin Robertson family. The family is selling a collection of mainly architectural salvage items, including carved Georgian and other stonework, early stone entrances, iron gateways, Georgian doorways, marble mantelpieces and garden statuary.
Many of the items were collected by the late David Durdin Robertson, a sculptor and craftsman, who died in 2009. The castle, one of the oldest continuously inhabited homes in Ireland, was famously used as one of the locations during the filming of Barry Lyndon in 1975. An Egyptian temple has been recreated in the basement for use by the "Fellowship of Isis", devoted to the worship of the ancient gods and founded by members of the Durdin Robertson family in the 1970s.
Highlights among the 500 lots include a large mid-18th century marble Irish fireplace from the front hall of Castlemorres in Piltown, Co Kilkenny, which was demolished in 1978. The estimate is €25,000-€35,000.
Another lot, the Castle MacGarrett entrance, is described as "a large stone entrance including two Italian wrought-iron entrance gates and six cut-stone pillars; purchased by the Missionary Sisters of our Lady of Apostles in Claremorris in 1968 from the Irish Land Commission, formerly Oranmore & Browne (estimate on request)".
Viewing at the castle today and tomorrow, 11am-4pm. Entry is by catalogue, €5, at the gate.
