Chinese incense burner is sleeper lot in Laois, selling for €95,000

Auction results and sales: Christie’s, New York to sell Leonard Cohen letters

Chinese Qing gilt bronze censer €95,000 (€15,000-€20,000) Sheppard’s

Auction results

Thursday, May 16th, Sheppard's Masterworks, Durrow, Co Laois. About 75 per cent of lots sold. Top selling lot was a Chinese foo dog censer, €95,000, multiples over its estimate of €15,000-€20,000. A 19th-century ormolu longcase clock, €26,000 (€20,000-€30,000); Cupid and Psyche sculpture, €26,000 (€25,000-€35,000); Venetian violin, €12,000 (€15,000-€20,000) and Huanghuali screen, €40,000 (€50,000-€80,000).

Lot 371: Pink sapphire and diamond ring, €6,900 (€6,500-€7,000), O’Reilly’s

Wednesday, May 22nd, O'Reilly's, Francis St, Dublin, Fine Jewellery Sale. Pink sapphire and diamond ring, €6,900 (€6,500-€7,000); 5.19ct diamond eternity ring €11,000 (€8,000-€9,000) and pair of baroque south sea pearl and diamond earrings, €7,000 (€5,500-€6,600).

Forthcoming auctions

Sunday, May 26th, Adam's, St Stephen's Green, Dublin, At Home Sale. To include a fine collection of Georgian silver including a pair of George IV decanter coasters (€1,500-€2,000) and an interesting four piece Irish silver coffee set with applied cast human masks (€1,500-€2,000) and outdoor furniture. See adams.ie

Monday, May 27th, Whyte's, RDS, Dublin 4. Important Irish Art Sale. To include works by William Leech, Jack B Yeats, Sir John Lavery, and Paul Henry. See whytes.ie

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Tuesday, May 28th, Adam's Blackrock. The Elegant House sale. 360 lots, 50 of which are jewellery, to include a painting by Sean O'Sullivan, longcase clocks and period furniture. See adamsblackrock.com

Tuesday, May 28th, John Weldon, Cow's Lane, Dublin. More than 400 lots to include a diamond line necklace with 10.5ct of diamonds (€5,000-€7,000); a tanzanite and diamond pendant with central 8.52ct stone (€1,500-€2,500) and a loose pear shaped 2.09ct diamond (€2,0000-€3,000). See jwa.ie

Tuesday, May 28th, Morgan O'Driscoll Online Off the Wall auction. To feature 402 lots including works by Markey Robinson, Peter Collis, Joby Hickey and Nevill Johnson. See morganodriscoll.com

Saturday and Sunday, June 8th and 9th, Matthews Auction Rooms, Kells, Co Meath. More than 900 lots from house clearances and a Foxrock residence, to include a 3m mahogany hunting table and curiosities such as a silver fish-shaped smelling salts container. See matthewsauctionrooms.com

Leonard Cohen and Marianne Iheln’s cracked bell ($8,000-$12,000), Christie’s

June 5th-13th, Christie's, New York. Archive of over 50 letters from the late singer Leonard Cohen to his lover and muse Marianne Iheln, to include a cracked C16 bronze bell from their home in Hydra, evocative of Anthem lyrics: "there is a crack in everything – that's how the light gets in" ($8,000-$12,000) See christies.com

Forthcoming fairs

Saturday and Sunday May 25th-26th, Antique and Vintage Fair, Kilkenny River Court Hotel. See vintageireland.eu

Saturday and Sunday May 25th-26th Ennistymon Booktown Festival, selling new and antiquarian books.

Sunday, May 26th, Tipperary Antiques Fair, Cahir House Hotel.

Elizabeth Birdthistle

Elizabeth Birdthistle

Elizabeth Birdthistle, a contributor to The Irish Times, writes about property, fine arts, antiques and collectables