No knockout as bear makes just €2k at eclectic auction

There was neither a needle nor an anchor on offer but just about everything else was up for grabs yesterday at the start of a strangely wonderful auction which included a stuffed grizzly bear sporting boxing gloves, 35 antique carousel horses and an aluminium caravan that shimmered like a space probe.

The Heritage Hotel in Killenard, Co Laois, was a cornucopia of colour as Victor Mee Auctions, with antiques dealer Niall Mullen, recreated the interior of Café en Seine in Dublin’s city centre for the two-day sale.

Most of the items on sale came from the iconic entertainment venue while contents from a number of other well known Dublin establishments including the Shelbourne Hotel and the music venue Whelan’s Café were also among the 3,000 lots on offer.