Captain Cook's Pacific Island medal makes voyage to Galway

A 1772 Resolution and Adventure copper medal is among many treasures on offer at the Kilcolgan auction, writes Des O'Sullivan

A 1772 Resolution and Adventure copper medal presented by Captain James Cook to Pacific Islanders during his second voyage comes up at Aidan Foley's two-day online sale at Kilcolgan, Co Galway, tomorrow and Monday. 

This surprise lot demonstrates how anything can turn up at a provincial sale in Ireland. 

The 1772 Captain Cook medal at Aidan Foley's sale.

The navigator, cartographer and captain achieved the first known European contact with the eastern coast of Australia and the Hawaiian Islands and the first circumnavigation of New Zealand.

Among the lots are a pair of stamped armchairs by Howard of London, a pair of Qing Dynasty hoop-back Huanghuali ceremonial chairs, a cast-iron village pump, pencil sketches by Jack B. Yeats, oriental rugs, antique furniture and art by Arthur Maderson, Graham Knuttel, John Schwatschke and others. 

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A pair of Howard of London armchairs at the auction in Kilcolgan, Co. Galway. 

The auction is on view from 11am to 5pm in Kilcolgan today and the catalogue is online.