Antiques in brief

There is confidence at Woodward’s that the Atkinson painting of the Royal Yacht Squadron escorting Queen Victoria to Cork Harbour in August 1849, (dubbed ‘Famine Queen’ at the time), will find a buyer at auction today. 

The rare pictorial record of the visit, after which Cobh was renamed Queenstown, will highlight the sale of antiques and fine art due to get underway at 11am.

The painting, by George Mounsey Wheatley Atkinson, has aroused significant interest and is estimated at €25,000-€30,000. The auction offers a particularly good selection of fine antique furniture.

O’CONOR TOP LOT

In Dublin, de Vere’s had a very successful art sale on Monday evening. The top lot was a still life by Roderic O’Conor which sold for €80,000 over an estimate of €60,000-€90,000.

The Housekeeper by William John Leech made €70,000 and Winter Trees by Paul Henry made €44,000. The sale brought in a total of €550,000 for 100 lots and there were more buyers and bidders.

“It reinforces everything we know,” Rory Guthrie of de Vere’s said afterwards. “People are buying high-end paintings, suppy remains problematic.”

BALLYMALOE STALLS

The Ballymaloe vintage and antiques fair takes place in east Cork today and tomorrow from 10am to 6pm on each day. This is the second year of the fair.

And there will be nearly 50 stalls offering retro collectibles, home wares, vintage fashion, up-cycles, mid century and antique furniture. Good food from local heroes is on hand too.

MAASTRICHT MECCA

The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF), mecca for the world’s top curators and collectors, is now underway at Maastricht in The Netherlands.

It has attracted 270 leading dealers from 20 countries and is accompanied by a range of cultural events.

ANTIQUES ANYONE?

Hibernian Antique Fairs will be at Lawlor’s Hotel, Dungarn from 11am to 6pm tomorrow.