Priced for a fighting chance

FOLLOWING SALES at Adam’s and Whyte’s where many paintings sold for tens of thousands of euro, deVeres’ art auction in Dublin next Tuesday evening is designed to appeal to first-time buyers and collectors looking for a painting or sculpture by an established artist at “a reasonable price”. Auctioneer John deVere White said “we have put together an auction of paintings that come fresh to the market, with good provenance, from both private and corporate collections and at realistic estimates”.

Most of the lots have estimates well below €5,000 and among many examples of what may be regarded as good value are two paintings by Grace Henry (1868-1953) – wife of Paul Henry and an established artist in her own right – best-known for her paintings of Achill and for still-life and flower subjects. Her Fishing Boats has an estimate of €3,000-€5,000 and The Blue Vase, €1,500-€2,000.

Two colourful paintings of sporting subjects from the Baggot Street studio of artist James le Jeune, who died in 1983, are likely to attract much interest: The Polo Match is €2,500-€3,500 and The Bullfight €3,000-€5,000.

Other highlights include a lovely painting, A Farm Gate by William Leech (€5,000-€7,000). Leech’s painting In a Convent Garden came third in the RTÉ-organised vote for Ireland’s Favourite Painting earlier this year.

Viewing begins at noon tomorrow in the Clyde Court Hotel (formerly Berkeley Court) in Ballsbridge where the auction takes place at 6pm on Tuesday, October 9th