Sotheby's auctioneers are expected to renegotiate the sale of a copy of a James Joyce death mask, incorrectly sold to the National Library of Ireland as an original. The mask was auctioned for £55,000 to the library on Tuesday on the basis that it was one of up to three original masks. However, it is now understood to be one of six copies of the originals.
The National Library has not yet paid for or received the mask, which has been on loan for the past eight years to the Rosenbach Foundation in Philadelphia. Sotheby's confirmed yesterday to the library that there were "errors and omissions" in the catalogue. The details were based on information available at the time.
The director of the National Library, Mr Brendan O'Donoghue, said last night it was hoped to negotiate with Sotheby's and the anonymous vendor. "Obviously we would still like to have the mask for exhibition," he said. "It all depends on an appropriate solution being worked out."
He could not say what an appropriate price would be for a copy but they would be in contact with Sotheby's.
Three death masks were made in January 1945 when the writer died in Zurich. They are understood to be at the James Joyce Foundation in Zurich, the James Joyce Museum in Sandycove, Dublin, and the Library of Congress in Washington DC. The mask sold by Sotheby's was at one point owned by film director John Huston, and is believed to be one of six copies.
