Irish man inspired Jane Austin’s classic

This painting by Eadaoin Harding Kemp recalls the Lavit Gallery at its original home on Lavit’s Quay in Cork before redevelopment.

MORE than 700 lots will come under the hammer at what is now the annual County House Collections sale at Slane Castle, Co Meath, next Tuesday. Many of the lots are from old Irish families, including the Huguenot Lefroy family of Carrigglas Manor, Co. Longford.

Thomas Langlois Lefroy (1776-1869) is celebrated as the man who broke Jane Austen’s heart and inspired her novel Pride and Prejudice, and was ultimately Chief Justice of Ireland.

Lot 170, a George IV centre table with an inset black and grey marble top, was given to the Lefroys to celebrate the completion of Carrig Glas Manor by their Italian relations who owned the Carrara marble quarries. It is estimated at €10,000.

Paintings from Carrigglass include a classical river landscape with ruins by Willem van der Hagen, regarded as the father of Irish classical landscape painting. It is estimated at €20,000-€30,000. A stormy seascape, attributed to William van de Velde, the younger, is estimated at €5,000-€8,000.

An early 18th century marble topped side table from Drumcondra House in Dublin was designed by Sir Edward Lovett Pearce, architect of the house and is estimated at around €8,000.

A large giltwood mirror from the English stately home of the Dukes of Buckingham at Wooton is amongst the oldest pieces in the sale. It is estimated at €30,000.

There is a portrait of playwright William Congreve by Garret Morphy (d.1716). It is estimated at €8,000. The Meath Challenge Cup from 1837 and the Westmeath Challenge Urn from 1834 are estimated respectively at €7,000 and €10,000. Viewing at Slane Castle today from 11am to 5pm today and tomorrow and 9.30am to 5pm on Monday. The sale is on Tuesday at 10.30am.