Sheppard's sale to create a stir

Items from Westport House, Castle Leslie and Russborough are under the hammer at a major three-day auction next week, writes MICHAEL PARSONS

SHEPPARD’S TOOK a stand at the Punchestown Irish National Hunt Festival this week to promote its big forthcoming auction. Well-heeled race-goers are likely to be among potential bidders for a selection of antiques which originally adorned some of Ireland’s grandest country houses.

The three-day sale, titled “Outstanding Interiors and Exteriors”, features over 1,500 lots and kicks off in Durrow, Co Laois on Tuesday.

Auctioneer Michael Sheppard stressed the provenance of items, such as a set of Georgian brass and polished steel fire irons from Russborough, Co Wicklow (estimate €500-€800); an 18th century Italian painted console table with a Sienna marble top from Castle Leslie, Co Monaghan (€1,000-€1,500); and a pair of 17th century bronze gongs from Westport House, Co Mayo (€2,500-€3,500). An Edwardian mahogany quarter-chiming long case clock from an un-named house in Co Sligo has an estimate of €5,000-€8,000.

A large selection of antique outdoor furniture, statuary, planters, granite troughs and Victorian and Edwardian gates and railings is likely to appeal to gardeners.

Even the blandest suburban green patch would be transformed by a 19th century marble cheetah (€400-€600); a Victorian, cast-iron three-tiered plant stand (€800-€1,200); or a pair of antique cast-iron canons (€1,500-€2,500).

If you’ve always wanted a horse outside, then a pair in reconstituted stone will set you back €500-€800. A 19th century granite stone trough, once found in every Irish farmyard, is estimated at €300-€500.

Among the more unusual and eye-catching lots are staddle stones.

These were originally used to support hayricks and granaries because the mushroom-shaped circular top of the stones prevented rodents from climbing up into the hay or grain stored above. The stones were also used in larders to protect game. They were more commonly used in England than Ireland but these examples all come from an estate in Co Kildare and the granite was quarried in Co Wicklow. Twenty-four staddle stones will be sold in 12 lots with average estimates of €300-€500 for a pair.

The final session of the sale, on Thursday afternoon, is devoted to Asian art. Sheppard’s has developed quite a reputation in this field after last year’s sensational sale of the Carlow hoard of Chinese ceramics – when many items sold for vast multiples of low estimates.

Since then, Sheppard’s estimates have been creeping up but there are still items in the €100 range and it might pay to do some research in advance to try to identify potential “sleepers”.

One lot, which may raise eyebrows and paddles, is a set of three Chinese snuff bottles each painted with "erotic" scenes which Sheppard said were "pretty explicit and not suitable for publication in The Irish Times". The estimate is just €50-€80.

Viewing is at Sheppard’s, today, tomorrow and Monday from 1pm to 6pm daily. The sale begins at 10.30am on Tuesday. The catalogue is available at sheppards.ie and live internet bidding is possible.