While not a true contents sale, the auction being conducted by Mealy's in Castlecomer next Tuesday and Wednesday will be of interest to anyone who is fascinated with Irish country houses. The core of the 1,400 lot, two-day event comes from the estate of Captain R.C. Prior-Wandesforde, who died earlier this year. Although his family home, Castlecomer House, was demolished in the 1960s, many heirlooms were kept by the captain and they are now being offered for sale.
Among the items of particular interest is a Worcester blue scale dinner service, dating from circa 1770. Complete, this could realise in the region of £20,000-£30,000, although Mealy's have divided the service into seven lots, with a single dish carrying an estimate of £800-£900 and a 25-piece dessert service expected to fetch £3,000-£5,000.
These are by no means the only fine pieces of china in the sale. There is, for example, a 15-piece gold anchor Chelsea service from circa 1760, which is decorated with exotic birds and floral sprays (£3,000-£4,000), and a pair of Chelsea red anchor oval-shaped cabbage leaf moulded tureens and covers (£2,500-£3,500). Naturally, there is a great deal of furniture on offer, with the most interesting piece being a Georgian Anglo-Indian side or serving table, which is more than seven-and-a-half feet long. The dark hardwood top - probably rosewood - is inlaid with bands of etched ivory, and so too are the three frieze drawers above spiral reeded legs terminating in hairy paw feet. This distinctive and unusual item has an estimate of £12,000-£18,000.
Also exceptionally fine is a George III carved giltwood mirror, expected to make £10,000-£15,000, and a pair of late 19th century giltwood mirrors in the George III style (£8,000-£12,000). Other furniture includes a lovely 19th century satinwood fold-over card table (£1,800-£2,500), a French rosewood commode with white marble inset top and ornate gilt brass mounts (£5,000-£7,000) and a Georgian mahogany dining table, probably Irish and dating from circa 1780 (£3,000-£5,000). In addition, there is a wealth of Georgian brass-bound plate and peat buckets, with estimates between £800 and £4,000 per lot. A Georgian white marble statuary fireplace with fine raised relief figures is expected to sell for £7,000-£9,000.
Among the pictures, there is a portrait that is believed to be of Christopher Columbus (£1,800-£2,500) and another portrait from the 17th century Dutch school depicting a bearded man with lace collar (£2,000£3,000). Both these come from the PriorWandesforde estate. A maritime oil showing a shipwreck by James Francis Danby has an estimate of £10,000-£12,000 and a George Chinnery view of an Indian temple is priced at £2,000-£3,000.
A pair of Worcester blue scale chestnut baskets (circa 1770), which are priced at £4,000-£5,000 for the Mealy's auction next Tuesday and Wednesday
Also in the Mealy's sale is this Georgian Anglo-Indian side or serving table. It carries an estimate of £12,000-£15,000
