A number of key lots in the sale at Luggala were withdrawn because of a last minute rise in the reserve. John Armstrong reports

Differences of opinion on valuations led to the withdrawal of several of the key lots at last Tuesday's sale of furniture, silver and fine art at Garech Browne's Luggala estate in Co Wicklow. At least four of the highest priced items did not sell, despite bids from the floor reaching, and in one case far exceeding, the auctioneer's pre-sale estimates.

Bidding on a Louis le Brocquy portrait of Dublin-born artist Francis Bacon, Head and Hands - Study from Velasquez, 1971, 57.5ins by 57.5ins, quickly passed the published catalogue estimate of €100,000-€150,000. But a top bid of €320,000 was not enough to meet the new reserve on the day and the lot was withdrawn.

Garech Browne said later the painting was an important work by the greatest living Irish artist. He had revised the reserve upwards shortly before the sale on expert advice, he said. Auctioneer Mealy's of Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny, says the painting is still for sale but with a reserve now believed to be about €400,000.

Also withdrawn was the star lot of the auction, the 18th century Speakers Clock from the old Irish Parliament building in College Green.

No estimate on this monumental object was published in the catalogue but the indication to interested parties was a price between €300,000 and €400,000.

In the event a top bid of €420,000 was too low to sell on Tuesday and negotiations are continuing this weekend with two possible buyers. It is understood a bid of €450,000 has been offered but not yet accepted.

An 18th century architect's table, described by Garech Browne as "an important piece of Irish furniture", was withdrawn at €72,000, well above the auctioneer's lower estimate (€50,000-€80,000), and a small Jack Yeats oil, At the Waxworks, 1912, 9ins by 14ins, was withdrawn at €43,000 (€40,000-€60,000).

However,the high prices paid generally at the auction more than offset losses on the items withdrawn. Mealy's reported total revenues for the day of €2.6 million, almost twice the mid-range estimate of €1.4 million. About 85 per cent of lots sold. Garech Browne said he was surprised that some of the less important lots, and some of the non-Irish items, had done so well. But he wouldn't be specific. "It wouldn't be polite to those who bought them" he explained.

Four of the top five prices were for furniture, with an 18th century Anglo-Indian cabinet realising the top price of €200,000 (€60,000-€100,000). This piece, profusely inlaid with ivory, was once owned by Major General Sir Eyre Coote of Ash Hill, Co Limerick. It was brought by a private buyer from Co Wicklow.

An 18th century Irish mahogany side table made €180,000 (€80,000-€140,000), and a mahogany porcelain display cabinet, c1760, 75ins high by 41ins wide, made €90,000 (€30,000-€50,000).

A Regency mahogany library chair by William Porden, from Eaton Hall in Cheshire, made €42,000 (€15,000-€20,000). Other good prices for furniture included €70,000 for a large library bookcase, 16ft 1in wide by 9ft 7.5ins high, made by Gillows in 1801 for Clonbrock House in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway (€60,000-€80,000). A second smaller bookcase, Irish, c1740, 9ft 7ins by 8ft 6ins, made for Castletown House, Co Kildare made €40,000 (€40,000-€60,000).

An Irish mahogany dining table, William IV period, attributed to Williams and Gibton, 10ft 5ins by 5ft 3ins, made €28,000 (€20,000-€30,000); an early 18th century longcase clock, by John Crampton of Dublin, made €26,000 (€8,000-€12,000); and an early 18th century Irish marquetry cabinet made €26,000 (€15,000-€25,000).

The highest price in the fine art section of the sale was €100,000 (€60,000-€80,000) for four of the earliest drawings of Dublin, by Joseph Tudor (1695-1759).

These original drawings were part of a set of six later engraved and published in 1753. According to Mealy's they are important in the topographical history of Dublin as they record many details of the city for the first, and some for the only, time. A design by Francis Johnston (1760-1829), in pen and ink with watercolour, for a villa in the Phoenix Park, dated October 1801, made €32,000 (€10,000-€15,000), and another drawing by Johnston of an entrance gate for Rathfarnham Castle made €12,000 (€6,000-€8,000). Louis le Brocquy's James Joyce Study, 49 made €65,000 (€40,000-€60,000).