Fonsie Mealy auctioneers will conduct a two-day auction comprising more than 1,000 lots on July 25 and 26 at The Chatsworth Auction Rooms, Chatsworth Street, Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny.
This prestigious sale will include important stained glass from the Earley Studios, Dublin; collections from Kevit Castle, Co Cavan; the estate of Dermot Humphries, Dromin House, Co Louth; The Edmund Downey Collection, Waterford; antique weapons and militaria (70 lots ); and collections from other private houses and estates.
Among the sale highlights is a topographical large and colourful oil painting by Galway based artist Kenneth Webb (Lot 623, est €10,000 – €15,000 ) titled The Fish Market, Roundstone, and depicting a busy fish market scene in Connemara. It is signed by the artist and has impeccable provenance, being a gift from the artist to the father of the present owners.
One of the main attractions of the sale is eight lots of stained glass by the Earley Studios, Dublin. Earley and Company (1861–1975 ) was one of the largest and most prestigious ecclesiastical decorators in Ireland and the UK. It provided a high standard of ecclesiastical art during the Gothic revival of the 1800s and the building of Catholic churches which flourished in the first half of the 20th century working in association with Augustus Pugin. A superb large and colourful stained glass study, St Patrick Our National Apostle (lot 620 est €4,000 – €6,000 ) depicts King Loegaire, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, King of the Pagans and Barbarians, being baptised and received into the church, and is an outstanding scene of important Irish significance.
The auction features more than 70 lots of militaria mostly from one Irish gentleman vendor who meticulously built up his collection over 40 years. Lot 234 is an exceptionally fine cased pair of early 19th century Irish flintlock dueling pistols, by Mc Dermot, Dublin, in a fitted mahogany case bearing a Mc Dermot label; each gun bears Dublin City Registration marks and the case is similarly marked (est €5,000 – €7,000 ).
For full details visit www.fonsiemealy.ie
