Signed copies of Seamus Heaney's works among treasures at auction
Of Of The Heaney At Writing' From 'the Deane Collection Seamus Place Adam's By Seamus
There are treasures, gifts, one-off items, and many desirable rarities among a cornucopia of good things at the timed online At Home auction, which is on view this weekend at James Adam in Dublin.
Literary and theatre types will be interested in a collection of books from Seamus Deane, a classmate and close friend of Seamus Heaney. Together with Heaney, Brian Friel, Stephen Rea, Tom Paulin and David Hammond, Deane was a founding director of the Field Day Theatre Company, which began in Derry in 1980 as a cultural and intellectual response to the political crisis in Northern Ireland. Friel’s critically acclaimed Translations was the first of many Field Day plays to stage at Derry’s Guildhall before travelling throughout Ireland and the world.
Much of the collection, which comprises the first 41 lots, comprises first-edition signed copies of Seamus Heaney's works at reasonable estimates.
Lot 54 is a 1938 presentation copy of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, one of only 200 printed. The estimate is €2,000-€3,000.
The catalogue cover lot is a distressed black painted timber two-door cabinet with outset cornice and glazed doors. It would work well in a contemporary setting and the estimate is just €500-€800. Furniture highlights include a mahogany and brass bound military chest (€1,800-€2,200), a pair of Howard style armchairs (€1,000-€1,500), a pair of compact leather upholstered armchairs (€2,500-€3,000), a club fender (€2,000-€3,000) and a c1820 secretaire bookcase (€2,000-€3,000).
A good selection of quality antique furniture comes in at estimates of under €1,000.
The Christmassy feel to this sale is boosted by lots like a collection of 13 vintage jigsaw puzzles (€150-€250), various silver sauce boats, a set of five green cylindrical glasses, dinner and tea services, Meissen parrots, Irish cut glass 19th-century decanters, German figural candelabra, toleware jardinieres and even a cased croquet set for when the evenings get longer.
There is a good selection of silver and no doubt collectors will be taken by a c1706 Queen Anne silver two-handled porringer (€800-€1,200).
Curiosities like a 19th-century timber spoon rack, a Chinese lacquer pagoda shrine and a 19th-century Indian olive glass bottle diorama add interest to a catalogue with nearly 500 lots There is no shortage of glassware for those hell-bent on stylish entertaining during this festive season.
No At Home auction would be complete without art and this one offers beautiful nautical paintings by Edwin Hayes, Peter Ellenshaw and Daniel Sherrin. This timed online sale gets underway at 11am next Wednesday. It is on view at Adams from 1pm to 5pm today and tomorrow and from 10am to 5pm on Monday.