RESULTS:
Tuesday (March 14th) Sotheby's, New York. Auction of Chinese porcelain entitled "Ming: The Intervention of Imperial Taste". Lot 8, "a superbly painted rare blue and white 'dragon' brush washer" (see picture) approx 8in in diameter – sold for $1.7 million within the estimate of $1.5million- $2.5 million. There is an Irish connection as the 15th century porcelain dish – used for washing paint brushes and dating from the reign of the Emperor Xuande – was originally in the "collection of Captain Thomas Arthur (b. 1871) and Emmeline Clarke, née Matthews (d. 1962), Springfort Hall, Mallow, Co Cork" . It was inherited by a descendant. Sotheby's said the design with dragon motifs was extremely rare and that "no washer of this design appears to be preserved in the National Palace Museum, nor to remain in the Palace Museum, Beijing".
FORTHCOMING AUCTIONS:
Tuesday (March 28th) Mathews Auction Rooms will conduct a sale of fine jewellery, watches, silver, gold coins and collectables at 6pm in the Great Rooms of the Irish Architectural Archive at 45 Merrion Square, Dublin.
Lot 1, a Rolex oyster perpetual ladies wristwatch with oyster bracelet and diamond set champagne pink dial along with original box and papers, €3,000-€5,000.
Lot 80, a Kingfisher motif 9 carat gold brooch with inset rubies made circa 1940, €300-€500. Lot 206, a Victorian solid silver mounted button hook with rhinoceros horn handle €200-€300.
Lot 229, a marble bust of Augustus FitzClarence (1805 -1854) catalogued as the "illegitimate son of Prince William, later King William IV and his mistress, Irish actress Dorothea Jordan" by sculptor Thomas Sharp €5,000-€8,000.
Lot 273, a copy of the first American edition of Ulysses by James Joyce published in 1934 by Random House, €4,000-€7,000.
Viewing begins tomorrow Sunday (March 26th) at 1pm. For online catalogue see matthewsauctionrooms.com
Tuesday (March 28th) Adams Blackrock Auctioneers, 38 Main Street, Blackrock, Co Dublin. Fine art and interiors auction at 11am. Lot 162, an 18-branch Waterford Crystal chandelier €4,000-€6,000. Lot 104, a Fendi leather sofa €500-€1,000. Lot 275, Mountain Pool (painting) by Patrick Hennessy €1,000-€1,500. Also to include "furniture from a local convent".
Viewing from 2pm tomorrow, Sunday (March 26th). Online catalogue at adamsblackrock.com
Tuesday and Wednesday (March 28th and 29th) Mealy's, Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny. The annual spring sale at 11am each day. 1,000 lots to include period paintings, furniture, and decorative arts; a private collection of guns and other militaria, with rare examples not seen on the market for decades; and fine family silver previously held at an Irish bank vault. A diverse selection of fine art, antiques, and interiors from other Irish estates and collections. Online illustrated catalogue and bidding details at mealys.ie Viewing from tomorrow, Sunday (March 26th).
Highlights include: Lot 359, a three-quarter-length portrait of Anna of Austria, Queen of Spain (1549-1580) described as "after Alonso Sanchez Coello" with provenance: Grattan-Bellew of Mount Loftus (Co Kilkenny) €2,500-€3,500 9 (see picture); Lot 528, an 11-piece art déco 1920s "Hille" dining-room suite, €2,000-€3,000. Lot 868, a solid silver lobster-form caviar dish cover by Comyns London 1995, "naturalistically modelled with articulated claws", €2,500-€3,500. Lot 728A, a pair of 12-bore double-barrel box lock side-by-side sporting ejector guns by WJ Jeffrey & Co Ltd, in original brass-bound leather case €5,000-€8,000.
