Art, Antiques and Collecting with Michael Parsons

The Auction Room: Essential news, views and features about buying - and selling - art, antiques and collectibles in Ireland and abroad

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Cut to the crystal in Waterford summer sale with 830 eclectic lots

Fine Art & Antiques
August 11, 2018

Keighery’s auction house is good place to hunt for vintage Waterford glass

Tourmaline crystals from Afghanistan, coming under the hammer in Texas this week, estimate $30,000-$50,000.

A letter from Napoleon, crystals from Afghanistan: what’s coming up in auctions

Fine Art & Antiques
August 11, 2018

Sale of eclectic and decorative furniture from owners of Ashford Castle

Paul Newman: a Rolex Daytona Cosmograph watch he gave to his daughter’s boyfriend in 1984 sold for $15.5 million in 2017, the most expensive watch ever sold at auction. Photograph: Getty Images

Ticking over: the right watch can be a sound investment

Fine Art & Antiques
August 11, 2018

Rolex, Patek Philippe make up the A-list of sought-after vintage watches, followed by Omega, Cartier and Longines

The Bookworm, by Ron Arad. Photograph: Kartell

Design Moment: Bookworm, 1993

Fine Art & Antiques
August 11, 2018

Ron Arad’s Bookworm is much more than a bookshelf – it’s a wall sculpture

Mitchell’s Cruiskeen Lawn whiskey advertising mirror, doubled its top estimate to make €11,500 at Victor Mee Auctions

Rare whiskey mirror makes €11,500

Fine Art & Antiques
August 4, 2018

Contents of old Donegal pub, Sweeneys of Ballyshannon, among top sellling lots at Victor Mee auction in Cavan

The Comforter by Jack B Yeats

An art seller’s wishlist: 'The paintings I wish I’d bought for myself'

Fine Art & Antiques
August 4, 2018

Yeats, Sean Keating, Mary Swanzy and Francis Bacon all feature on Ian Whyte’s list

Mae West Sofa

Design Moment: Mae West lips sofa, 1938

Fine Art & Antiques
August 4, 2018

George Mealy on his years in the auctioneering business: “It has been a passion – an absolute passion. There was something new every day. I’ve loved every minute of it.”

Going, going, gone: auctioneer George Mealy to retire after 45 years

Fine Art & Antiques
July 28, 2018

Online and phone bidding have taken the fun out of the saleroom, says veteran auctioneer

Seán Keating’s Fear Agus Bean ón Oileán (lot 193, €25,000-€30,000)

Annual Connemara marquee art to catch the holiday set

Fine Art & Antiques
July 28, 2018

Ballyconneely auction of art, furniture, silver and handbags designed to attract buyers on a break

The Jif Lemon is on the shelves all year – and probably in the back of cupboards – but its sales spike every year around Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Day, at the start of Lent.

Design Moment: Jif Lemon, 1954

Fine Art & Antiques
July 28, 2018

In the 1950s, plastic was seen as a wonder material and the lemon juice container was very modern

‘Herding the Horses’ by Patrick Hennessy

Brian Friel art sale to raise €100,000 for homeless

Fine Art & Antiques
July 23, 2018

Playwright’s widow selling Irish paintings to donate to Peter McVerry Trust

Victor Mee with some of the items from this week’s sale

A pure drop of Irish history in this pub memorabilia sale

Fine Art & Antiques
July 21, 2018

Contents of old Donegal pub, Sweeneys of Ballyshannon, among top lots at Victor Mee

Rare chronometer timepiece doubled its lower estimate to make €25,000 at Fonsie Mealy’s summer sale in Castlecomer.

Rare chronometer timepiece makes €25,000 at Fonsie Mealy Auctioneers

Fine Art & Antiques
July 21, 2018

Results from the salerooms and forthcoming event

Bluthner boudoir piano at Adams

Key pieces in Blackrock summer sale

Fine Art & Antiques
July 21, 2018

A boudoir grand piano, silver and art with reasonable reserves to be found at Adams

Arthur Devis Preston, portrait of James and Emily Fitzgerald, Count and Countess of Kildare, sold at Bonham’s for €262,000

Long ago view of Carton House among top London sales

Fine Art & Antiques
July 14, 2018

Records smashed in salerooms last week show Old Masters are never out of fashion

Teapot by Etaoin O’Reilly, at In Flux

Throwing shapes in Kilkenny: what’s new in ceramics

Fine Art & Antiques
July 14, 2018

Catch an exhibition of students’ work and see behind the scenes of ‘The Breadwinner’

Eternity rings from O’Reilly’s auction rooms.

Georgian barometer achieved a hammer price of €7,400 at Mullens Laurel Park

Fine Art & Antiques
July 14, 2018

Auction results and forthcoming sales

Map of the Hundred Acre Wood, at €487,000 the most expensive book illustration ever sold at auction

Sale of original Winnie the Pooh map sets world record

Fine Art & Antiques
July 14, 2018

1926 map of the Hundred Acre Wood was unseen for nearly half a century

Design Moment: ‘I’m Not A Plastic Bag’, 2007

Fine Art & Antiques
July 14, 2018

Sturdy canvas and rope bag was instant hit – the first batch of 30,000 sold out in less than two hours

Lot 200: emerald and diamond ring

Emeralds, diamonds and watches for auction at Weldon sale

Fine Art & Antiques
July 7, 2018

What’s due to go under the hammer in the art and antiques salerooms?

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