Quality collection from well-known impressarios

THE art collection of the man who first recorded Rory Gallagher and Van Morrison forms the backbone of Whyte’s sale of Irish and British art at the RDS next Monday at 6pm.

The Mervyn and Pat Solomon Collection includes 11 oil paintings and six prints by Roderic O’Conor as well as work by Frank McKelvey, Dan O’Neill; Colin Middleton; Tom Carr; Cecile Maguire; Martin Mooney; Markey Robinson; Aloysius O’Kelly; Sandra Bell and Michael Leventis.

The Belfast-based Solomon family has been synonymous with the music production and distribution business in Ireland since 1924 through Solomon and Peres. Mervyn Solomon founded Emerald Music in 1964.

Nature Morte 1909, a still life by O’Conor showing the influence of Cezanne, leads a collection which shows huge support for Irish artists working abroad.

More than 240 lots will come under the hammer at Whyte’s. The sale includes a view of Keel Village, Achill Island, by Paul Henry (€50,000-€70,000) and an oil entitled The Lake, Regent’s Park, London by William John Leech (€15,000-€20,000).

There is work by Evie Hone, Edwin Hayes; Patrick Collins; Mildred Anne Butler; Louis le Brocquy; Hughie O’Donoghue; Robert Ballagh; William Crozier; Tony O’Malley; Gerard Dillon; Harry Kernoff and many other Irish artists. The auction goes on view at Clyde Halls in the RDS from 10am today. Viewing is from 10am to 6pm daily until Monday.