Fragment of Union flag from the Battle of Trafalgar makes £297,000 in Sotheby’s

Replica set of British Crown Jewels sold for £30,000

‘The Victory Jack’, a large fragment of the Union flag, believed to have flown from HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar sold for £297,000 at Sotheby’s
‘The Victory Jack’, a large fragment of the Union flag, believed to have flown from HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar sold for £297,000 at Sotheby’s

Wednesday (January 17th) Sotheby's, London. Of Royal & Noble Descent. Auction including items associated with British naval hero, Horatio Nelson, including:
Lot 116, "Battle of Trafalgar – HMS Victory, 'The Victory Jack', an exceptionally large fragment of the Union flag, believed to have flown from HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar" sold for £297,000 ( €337k) – three times the top estimate (£80,000-£100,000) [see pic];
Lot 155, "Lord Nelson's Silver" a pair of George III silver sauce tureens presented to Nelson by Lloyd's Coffee House following the Battle of Copenhagen, made by Daniel Pontifex, London, 1799, sold for £106,250 (£30,000-£50,000);
Lot 137, "Lord Nelson's Grog Chest", a travelling chest with decanter set, wine glasses and beaker for Lord Nelson, circa 1800, made £68,750 (£35,000-£45,000);
and, Lot 130, "Portrait Of Emma Hamilton [Nelson's mistress] as a Sibyl" by Gavin Hamilton £369,000 (£150,000-£200,000).

Separately in the auction, Lot 74, a “Replica set of the British Crown Jewels”, made at the time of Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation in 1953, for display in various Commonwealth destinations, sold for £30,000 (€34k) – over four times the top estimate (£5,000-£7,000).

Forthcoming Auctions:

‘Lord Nelson’s Grog Chest’ went for £68,750 at Sotheby’s
‘Lord Nelson’s Grog Chest’ went for £68,750 at Sotheby’s
A replica set of the British Crown Jewels went for £30,000 at Sotheby’s
A replica set of the British Crown Jewels went for £30,000 at Sotheby’s

Monday & Tuesday (January 22nd & 23rd)

Milltown Country Auction Rooms (Joe Lennon) and Lev Mitchell & Sons will jointly hold a two-day auction in Townley Hall, Drogheda, Co Louth, at noon each day. Over 1,200 lots including the contents of "Riverside House", Drybridge, Drogheda, on behalf of the representatives of the late Mrs Margaret Hoey. Antique furniture, china, porcelain, books, paintings and collectibles. Please note that, although the auction is in Townley Hall, the viewing takes place at Riverside House (on the Slane road outside Drogheda – from the M1 motorway take Exit 10 for Navan/Slane) today from 10am-5pm and tomorrow, Sunday (January 22nd) from noon-5pm. The catalogue is online at both easyliveauction.com and milltownauctionrooms.com

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Sunday (January 28th) Hegarty’s Auction Rooms, Parnell Business Park

The Bypass, Bandon, Co Cork. Antiques auction at 4pm to include the contents of "Brizay Park", Compass Hill, Kinsale. Viewing from Thursday, January 25th at noon. Catalogue online at hegartyantiques.com

Tuesday (January 30th) Sheppard's Irish Auction House, Durrow, Co Laois. "Attic2Auction" – general antiques clearance auction at 10.30am. Over 700 lots. Viewing from Saturday, January 27th, at 10am. Digital catalogue online at sheppards.ie

Forthcoming Fairs:

Today, Saturday (January 20th)

Annual Kilkenny Winter Books, Coins & Collectibles Fair at the Club House Hotel, Patrick Street, Kilkenny. 10.30am-6pm.

Tomorrow, Sunday (January 21st)

Antiques & Vintage Fair, Clontarf Castle Hotel, Dublin 3, 11am-6pm. Antique and vintage jewellery and silver, rare coins, books and other collectibles.

Michael Parsons

Michael Parsons

Michael Parsons is a contributor to The Irish Times writing about fine art and antiques