Antiques: Diamonds and rubies add Valentine's sparkle

Des O'Sullivan previews a jewellery, gold and silver auction as well as furniture and collecitble sales

A diamond-set ruby mounted on a platinum ring at Matthews.

Can romance be mined from unredeemed pledges? It might just be possible to come up with the answer to this teasing question in time for Valentine's Day at Matthews jewellery, gold and silver auction tomorrow. The sale will feature executor's lots, pieces from private clients and unredeemed pawnbrokers' pledges with plenty to choose from among 593 lots.

A ruby diamond set cluster on a platinum ring or an 18-carat white gold diamond set sapphire and ruby brooch, each estimated at €2,500-€3,500, are laden with sparkling romantic potential. Or if you are not superstitious how about a pear-cut sapphire and 13-diamond set pendant (€2,000-€3,000). There are bracelets, rings, diamond solitaires, necklaces, earrings, chokers, watches and objects of all sorts to express your love, so it is over to you.

A pear-cut sapphire and diamond set pendant at Matthews.

An opportunity to pick up a bauble or two will arise at Larry O'Keeffe's timed auction in Clonmel which runs until 3pm tomorrow. The sale of more than 800 lots of furniture and collectibles will include 86 lots of jewellery and watches.

Undoubtedly the best value to be had at auctions these days is in everyday antique furniture. There is no shortage of choice at upcoming sales. A classic and contemporary interiors timed online sale by Mullen's of Laurel Park in Bray kicks off at 6pm tomorrow with a 19th-century cast-iron hawthorn pattern garden seat estimated at just €200-€300. A Georgian inlaid side table is estimated at just €600-€800, a pair of 19th-century butler trays on stands come with an estimate of €400-€600 and a vintage satin birch chest is estimated at just €80-€150.

One of a pair of 19th-century butler trays at Mullen's.

There are lots of other examples of good value furniture here including a Georgian demi-lune side table (€100-€200), a brass-bound secretaire chest (€200-€300), a 19th-century three-tier dumb waiter (€80-€120), a Georgian drop-leaf table (€100-€200) and a Chippendale-style mahogany desk (€200-€300).

Meanwhile at Newcastlewest in Co Limerick the sale by O'Donovan's next Saturday (February 18) will offer over 300 lots mostly to be sold without reserve. Among them is an oriental dinner gong with brass hanging drum (€125-€150), a Victorian oak hall stand with bevelled mirror (€40-€60), a New York-made mantel clock with a pendulum (€40-€60), a Georgian sideboard (€175-€250) and a Georgian tea caddy (€200-€300). The sale is led by a Peter Curling watercolour titled At the End of the Plough (€1,600-€1,900).

'Cottage in the Maam Valley' by Mabel Young at Fonsie Mealy.

Art by Mabel Young (1889-1974), Paul Henry's second wife, does not crop up very often and Fonsie Mealy's Making Room sale in Castlecomer on February 21 features an oil on board of a cottage in the Maam Valley signed by her. It is estimated at €800-€1,200. 

The top lot in the sale is a large Irish Georgian serving table in the Chinese Chippendale style estimated at €2,000-€3,000. The catalogues for all these sales are online.