THESE two marble busts by the Irish sculptor John Hogan feature in the first major auction of the year for Hamilton Osborne King, which will be held in Cork on February 6th. A sale preview will appear in these columns shortly.

The two busts, which are similar to one sold last year at a sale in Myrtlehill House in Cork by the same auctioneers, complete a set of three portrait busts of the Murphy brothers of Cork which Hogan was commissioned to complete in 1834. The third, that of Stephen Murphy, was sold for £12,500.

The Murphys were a prominent Cork family and they started Murphy's brewery. On the left is a bust of the Right Rev Dr John Murphy, Bishop of Cork in the early 18th century.

Much travelled - he was educated partly in Lisbon and was an avid European traveller - Dr Murphy was a driving force in the re establishment of the Catholic Church during his years in charge of the Cork diocese and he was a strong supporter of the national revival of the Irish language.

The bust on the right is that of his brother Daniel, who ran Murphy's brewery in Cork.