Art: Paul Henry work leads Woodward's sale in Cork today

Des O'Sullivan checks out paintings and furniture at Cork auction

Hillside Cottages, Connemara by Paul Henry at Woodwards today.

A small oil on board by Paul Henry with a long Cork provenance is the feature lot at the Woodward Auctioneers sale in Cork today. 

Hillside Cottages, which has been authenticated by art specialist Dominic Milmo-Penny, is estimated at €150,000-€250,000. It is possibly an untraced work exhibited under another title either at The Fine Art Society in London in 1934 or in New York and Boston in 1930. 

The painting has aroused significant interest. Woodward's, who last sold it at auction in 1964, say a label on the back indicates it was framed by John Gilbert, Patrick Street, Cork, in the 1930s. The name M. Quinlan, 6-8 South Mall is pencilled on the back and the name "Quillivan" is written in chalk. It was acquired by Michael 'Dick' Donegan in the 1960s and thence by descent.

The work is part of a small private collection with paintings by Grace Henry, Alexander Williams, John Faulkner, Joseph Poole Addey and Harry Scully also on offer.

A set of 24 balloon-back chairs at Woodwards.

Antique furniture includes a large boardroom table (€1,000-€2,000), 24 balloon-back chairs (€1,000-€2,000), a Regency sideboard (€500-€1,000), a Georgian card table (€400-€600) and an Edwardian chest on chest (€400-€600). 

A pair of cast iron garden seats is estimated at €800-€1,400 and a cast-iron patio suite has an estimate of €600-€800. There is a selection of Waterford Crystal and some pub memorabiia. The auction gets underway at 10am today and the catalogue is online.