'Armed with just €100 you can nab a bargain': Inside story of Irish antiques auctions

There's spectacular value to be had at the moment in antique furniture at auction in Ireland, writes Des O'Sullivan

This Victorian lowboy made €140 at Woodward's in April.

Beautiful, green, sustainable and unwanted good antique furniture continues to offer spectacular value to consumers. Armed with just €100 you can pick something up at many sales. The choice widens considerably with €300, €500 or €1,000.

Disinclined to believe me? There are many examples from auctions in the first half of the year in Ireland.

An empire-style circular pier table with brass sphinx head capitals sold for a hammer price of just €160 at the last At Home sale at James Adam in Dublin in June. At the same auction, a 19th-century circular convex mirror surmounted by an eagle with outstretched wings made €320, a Victorian walnut and parquetry games table made €130 and a Victorian mahogany hall chair made €170.

This empire-style pier table made €160 at James Adam in June.

At Sheppard's Great Irish Interiors sale in May a 19th-century pine pedestal plant stand made €50 at hammer, an Irish 19th-century drop-leaf kitchen table made €90, a George III mahogany washstand made €160 and a George III writing bureau sold for €150.

At Woodward's in Cork in April an Edwardian occasional table on tripod base made €40, a Victorian Sutherland table made €90, a Victorian chest-on-stand made €120 and a Victorian lowboy with herringbone crossbanding made €140. 

At Marsh's in June, a two-tier centre table made €40, a French escritoire made €120 and a Victorian lady's work table made €160.

This Victorian dining table made €50 at Lynes & Lynes in April.

An Edwardian oak hall stand made €90 at Lynes & Lynes in April, a Victorian dressing table made €100, an antique side table made €160, a Victorian circular dining table made €50 and a Victorian dumb waiter made €140.

An Edwardian four-tier waterfall whatnot sold for €40 at Fonsie Mealy in February, while at an auction in Castlecomer in May a Georgian glazed bookcase made €210, a Pembroke table made €170 and a Victorian walnut lady's work table made €180.

The late Joe Woodward once remarked: "There is a bargain at every auction." That was then and this is now. 

When it comes to good serviceable antique furniture that has already given years of service and is ready for much more many bargains can be found at every sale nowadays. The prices quoted here are hammer prices and do not include auctioneer fees, but fees on €100 do not amount to much. Some auctioneers will even refuse to accept some furniture for sale. Who can blame them? When pieces do not attract any bids and are unsold they must be returned and carriage costs money.

Not everything is unwanted. Some furniture is sought-after and some particularly good pieces make lots of money. Just last October a pair of c1760 George II carved giltwood armchairs, one with a Strahan label, made $152,400 (€139,949) at Sotheby's in New York. It helps when something is exceptional, with impeccable provenance and preferably a celebrity owner or two.