Antiques: Rare bird book, handcuffs and a shrine for St Patrick's bell

Fonsie Mealy's two-day auction is on view in Castlecomer from 10am to 5pm on Monday and Tuesday. The sale takes place on Wednesday and Thursday

Lots at Fonsie Mealy's two-day sale, including top left, an illustration from William Lewin's bird book, top right, a copy of the shine for the bell of St Patrick; and below left, A pair of handcuffs said to have been used by Michael Collins, and below right, a collecting book for the Poor Rate, Fermoy, 1847.

The wise and slightly indignant-looking old owl which graces the catalogue cover for Fonsie Mealy's two-day Christmas rare book and collectors auction next week offers a clue to something special within. The rarest of all English bird books, one of just 60 sets of the first edition of William Lewin's The Birds of Great Britain, With their Eggs, leads the sale.

Complete with 323 original watercolour illustrations by Lewin of birds and eggs in gouache some heightened with gum Arabic this outstanding work of ornithology is in seven volumes. The estimate for this very fine copy is €17,500-€25,000.