AFTER a spate of Irish art auctions, both in Ireland and the UK during the past two months, the last such sale this season takes place in 10 days time. Auctioneer John de Vere White has assembled what he promises is both a varied but also representative selection of work for buyers at the National Concert Hall, Dublin, on Tuesday, June 17th.
As is now the norm for his auctions, he has included a small number of pictures by contemporary Irish artists, such as Louis le Brocquy (Head dating from 1973, estimated to make £7,000-£10,000), Camille Souter (Natasha's Marrnws, £3,500-£4,500), Brian Ballard (Daffodils against Blue, £1,400-£1,800) and Neil Shawcross (The Table Top, £1,400-£1,800).
The main part of the sale, however, is devoted to an older generation, not least Paul Henry who is represented by three canvases; of these, both Killary Harbour and A Village in the West of Ireland carry the same estimate, of £20,000-£25,000. Pictures of particular charm include Maurice MacGonigal's Orange Seller, Phoenix Park (£3,000-£4,000), Norman Garstin's Street Scene, Tangier (£3,000-£4,000), Niccolo Caracciolo's Over the Roof Tops (£1,500-£2,000) and Erskine Nicol's A Galway Brawl (£2,000-£3,000 for the pair).
Micheal MacLiammoir's watercolour of Monte Carlo (£1,000-£2,000) ought to be popular, as should a set of six double sided watercolour and ink bookmarkers by Jack B Yeats (£3,000-£5,000). Curiously, there are three pictures in the sale showing Concarneau: by Aloysius O'Kelly, Stanley Royle and Hilary Cobbet.
Another interesting lot is the very last in the sale: a manuscript visitors' book of the RHA, probably dating from 1920, it contains signatures by, among others, Jack B Yeats, Paul Henry, Oliver Gogarty, Sarah Purser, Sarah C. Harrison and Patrick Tuohy, who gave the book to Claire O'Toole before he emigrated to the United States. With a portrait of a woman in a green hat painted on its cover (possibly from the hand of Sir William Orpen or Sarah Purser), this unusual item is expected to make £700-£1,000.
