Irish furniture of interest is due to come up for auction next Wednesday morning at the James Adam salerooms in Dublin. The lot certain to excite keenest bidding is number 185, a substantial George IV mahogany and oak breakfront bookcase made in Cork, its glazed panel doors with Gothic arches. This imposing piece has a distinctly clerical air, so unsurprisingly, it was in the possession of Archbishop Mannix, appointed President of Maynooth in 1903; when he became Bishop of Melbourne some years later, Mannix sold his bookcase to the college's dean a member of whose family is now disposing of the piece which is expected to fetch £30,000-£50,000.

Nothing else in the sale matches this lot, either in size or pre-sale estimate. But there are a number of other Irish lots deserving attention, such as a William IV day bed by Williams & Gibton of Dublin. This should make £4,000-£6,000 while an Irish mahogany dressing table attributed to Mack, Williams & Gibton has a pre-sale estimate of £2,500-£3,000.

An early Victorian Irish oak and mahogany gentleman's drinking table with gothic detailing has an estimate of £2,500-£3,500 while that on an Irish William IV mahogany console table with red mottled marble top is £800-£1,000. Among the smaller pieces of note are a George III Irish mahogany brass-bound plate bucket (£1,000-£1,500) and a 19th century mahogany brass bound cylindrical peat bucket (£1,200-£1,600).

Two curiosities in this sale are a pair of William IV carved and gilded pelmets, each over 7ft-long and with acanthus leaf border (£3,000-£5,000) and a 17th century - with later additions - brass-cased lantern clock, its engraved dial inscribed Isaac Hurst (£800-£1,000). As so often at Adam's, in addition there are some examples of early Belleek, such as a first period hand-painted China teapot with low relief (£300-£500) and a second period bird's nest stump vase decorated with flowers and foliage (£600-£900).

Most unusual of all, however, is a first period Belleek figure of a crouching Venus, her body the colour of patinated bronze with gold decoration in a few places. The only such piece known to be in existence, this 18in-tall piece for many years was in the possession of the Herdman family of Sion Mills, Co Tyrone; thanks to its rarity, the estimate next Wednesday is £10,000-£15,000.