Gainsborough portraits are sold for £20,000

MICHAEL Sheppard described as "superb" the results of the auction he conducted last Wednesday at Swift's Heath, the Co Kilkenny property where Dean Swift is believed to have spent part of his childhood. Predictably, the pair of Gainsborough portraits of architect and politician Thomas Prowse and his wife made the day's best price of £20,000, but just as impressive was the £13,000 fetched for a pair of 19th century farmyard scenes by Edgar Hunt.

Among the furniture the topprice paid was £12,000 for a pair of 19th century satinwood and marquetry side tables. A sum of £10,500 was paid for a 19th century mahogany breakfront bookcase, while a set of 12 19th century Hepplewhite dining chairs went for £7,500, as did a 19th century landscape by Charles Jones and an 18th century beach scene by William Shayer Snr.

Another oil, an historical scene of William of Orange landing in England by Henry William made £6,500 and a painting of a young girl and her dog, attributed to Thomas Beach, sold for £6,000. Finally, a still life by Joseph Jungwirth fetched £5,500, a five piece 19th century Russian ormolu and enamelled clock garniture £4 and both a Georgian four poster bed and a pair of Irish Georgian brass bound plate buckets £3,800.