Thirst for collector's items among pub memorabilia 

The strong market for collectibles augurs well for this auction by Victor Mee, writes Des O'Sullivan

An Allman's of Bandon reverse-painted glass advertising sign at Victor Mee.

The market for collectibles is strong so there are high expectations around an etched framed Sir John Power and Son Dublin Whiskey advertising mirror at Victor Mee's sale in Belturbet, Co Cavan, and online.

This is a rarity in a sale which will include the pub memorabilia collection of Cannons of Castlebar, Co Mayo, on Tuesday and Wednesday (February 6 and 7). The gilded lettering is by William Cleland of Belfast and there is an original paper label attached. Such is the demand for lots of this calibre that the estimate is a cool €8,000-€12,000. The mirror is lot 100 in an auction with over 1200 lots due to get underway each day at 5.30pm.

Not everything is as expensive as this. But there should be local interest down south in lot 164, an Allman's of Bandon Fine Old Irish Whisky reverse-painted glass advertising sign with an estimate of just €200-€300. Allman's produced whisky, Powers adds an "e" to make it whiskey, which is more generally the spelling used in Ireland. Either way it is good stuff.

Lot 625 is a framed political print of the capture of Thomas Kent in Fermoy and it is estimated at just €50-€80. He was the only person outside of Dublin apart from Roger Casement to be executed for his role in the Easter Rising and the railway station in Cork, formerly Glanmire Road Station, was renamed Kent Station in his honour in 1966 on the 50th anniversary of the Rising.

A sale of memorabilia like this underlines the fast pace of change in the world we live in. Take pub ashtrays. Once ubiquitous they seemed to be doled out by sales reps for breweries and distilleries and cigarette manufacturers like snuff at a wake. They could be found on every bar counter and table until the smoking ban came into effect in Ireland 20 years ago. Now they turn up at auctions like this and if you are so inclined you can pick one up for €20 to €40.

Lot 295 is a 1930s sign for Hoey's Court, Dublin, the birthplace of Jonathan Swift, which has since been demolished. The estimate is €150-€250. There are stoneware flagons, bentwood bar stools, Guinness toucans in cast iron, a plastic woodpecker from Bulmer's, a Guinness leprechaun, a Captain Morgan Rum rubberoid figure and a cast iron Michelin man.

Familiar names are everywhere, from Beamish and Crawford double stout advertising prints to five bottles of Old Jamaican Sea Dog Rum to Embassy cigarettes and Gordon's gin, Fry's chocolate, Clune's Sarsfield Plug, Dubonnet, Dewar's, Carlsberg, St Bruno tobacco, Ovaltine and whatever you are having yourself.

Among the more expensively estimated lots are a Hignett's Reliable Cigarettes dispensing cabinet on reverse painted glass (€4,000-€8,000), a collection of early 20th century oak panelling and fireplace (€4,000-€8,000), a 19th-century mahogany bar back and counter (€4,000-€8,000) and an early 20th-century Kinnear's Choice Cigarettes mahogany dispensing cabinet with central mirror panel (€5,000-€8,000). The catalogue is online.