Francis Ledwidge manuscript makes £16,250 at Bonhams in London

“Smoke Hignett’s” mirror achieves top price of €3,600 at Victor Mee auction

Lot 266, an autograph manuscript, signed by Francis Ledwidge of his poem Lament for Thomas MacDonagh (‘He shall not hear the bittern cry’) fetched £16,250 at Bonhams.
Lot 266, an autograph manuscript, signed by Francis Ledwidge of his poem Lament for Thomas MacDonagh (‘He shall not hear the bittern cry’) fetched £16,250 at Bonhams.

Auction results

Wednesday (March 21st), Victor Mee Auctions, Cloverhill, Belturbet, Co Cavan: Auction of advertising and pub items included three late 19th-century tobacco advertising mirrors recently found in a garden shed in Co Louth. Lot 205, a "Smoke Player's Navy Cut Cigarettes" mirror €3,400 (€2,500-€3,500); lot 230, an "Ogden's Guinea-Gold Cigarettes" mirror €2,000 (€2,000-€3,000); and lot 350, a "Smoke Hignett's Night and Morning Two Flakes" mirror that made the top price of €3,600 (€2,500-€3,500). Lot 370, a "McConnell's Old Irish Whiskey Belfast" advertising mirror also made €3,600 (€2,000-€4,000).

Wednesday (March 21st), Bonhams, Knightsbridge, London – Fine Books and Manuscripts auction: Lot 266, an autograph manuscript, signed by Francis Ledwidge of his poem Lament for Thomas MacDonagh ('He shall not hear the bittern cry') £16,250 (€18,700) (£12,000-£18,000); lot 179, a manuscript containing 17th century garden notes and a library catalogue for Burton Park, Mallow, Co Cork, with the armorial bookplate of "Sir John Percivale Baronet of Burton in the County of Cork in Ireland/ 1702" sold for £13,750 – over six times the top estimate (£1,000-£2,000); lot 41, a document May 7th, 1722, signed by Jonathan Swift appointing the Revd Theophilus Bolton, chancellor of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, as acting dean in his absence £5,625 (£5,000- £7,000).

Forthcoming auctions

Tomorrow, Sunday (March 25th), Hegarty's Auction Rooms, The Bypass, Bandon, Co Cork: Antiques auction at 4pm. Viewing today. Lot 10, a marquetry inlaid centre table €900-€1,100; lot 16, a 19th-century foldover card table €800-€1,000; lot 97, Head of Beckett (painting) by Tom Byrne €200-€400; lot 70, Early Morning, Hungry Hill, From Adrigole Bay (painting) by Duncan Watmough €300-€400; lot 44, a silver sauce boat (pictured) made by Barker Bros (Herbert Edward and Frank Ernest), date letter for 1917-18, and with the Chester mark €100-€150; lot 114, a 19th-century Irish cut-glass butter dish (pictured) €200-€400.

For catalogue and bidding details see hegartyantiques.com

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Tuesday (March 27th), Oliver Usher's Auction Rooms, John Street, Kells, Co Meath: Antique furniture auction at 5pm . Viewing from tomorrow, Sunday at 12 noon.

Wednesday (March 28th), O'Reilly's Auction Rooms, Francis Street, Dublin 8: Auction of jewellery, watches and silver at 1pm. Viewing from 12 noon tomorrow, Sunday. There are 570 lots including lot 250, a South Seas cultured pearl necklace by Wempe in fitted presentation case (the pearls from 11.5mm to 15mm, strung with gold roundels set with diamonds of approx 7.20ct total) €14,000-€20,000; lot 332, a sapphire and diamond line bracelet with sapphires of 16.00ct in total and diamonds of approx 2.00ct in total €8,000-€10,000; lot 216, a ruby, emerald and diamond brooch by Kutchinsky, with rubies of approx 2.25ct, emerald of approx 0.06ct and diamonds of approx 0.84ct, mounted in 18ct yellow and white gold €4,000-€5000; lot 215, a diamond pave 'Scottie Dog' brooch, with diamonds of approx 0.50ct in total, with black and red enamel coat, mounted in platinum €3,500-€4,500; and lot 445, a gents stainless steel Rolex Oyster Perpetual 'Air King' wristwatch €2,100-€3,000.

Michael Parsons

Michael Parsons

Michael Parsons is a contributor to The Irish Times writing about fine art and antiques