IN THE SALEROOMS

ADAM’S

There’s an aura of excitement around the old Chinese ceramics in Adam’s At Home sale, which takes place on Sunday, June 18 at 12pm. The past few months have seen Chinese art do well at auction, often with a number of bidders from China competing for the same article. An attractive but unassuming 18th century Chinese blue and white brush pot, painted with dignitaries and deer standing by a waterfall, carries an estimate of €4,000 to €6,000.

A Chinese blue and white bottle vase (1661-1722), 44cm high, decorated with auspicious symbols and fantastic animals, is estimated to sell between €3,000 and €5,000.

Paintings of interest in the sale include a flirty pastel portrait of a young lady in white attributed to John Russell (1745-1806) (est €3,000 to €5,000).

Interesting decorative furnishings in the sale include a mad-looking pair of early 20th century Continental five-branch table lamps (above) in the form of fruiting vines (est €1,200 to €1,800) — the blown frosted glass shades are in the form of green grapes. There is also much in the way of conventional antique furniture. See adams.ie.

FONSIE MEALY AUCTIONEERS

A page from the original manuscript of ‘Finnegans Wake’ sold at Fonsie Mealy’s for €27,000 on June 30. The page, which was signed and dated by James Joyce, showed 16 lines in his own hand from the opening of the Anna Livia Plurabelle section beginning: “Well, you know or don’t you kennet…” The original estimate was €7,000 to €10,000.

The archive of the writer Flann O’Brien (est €6,000 to €8,000) sold for €10,000. The sale included a number of GAA medals from many counties, but Laois was the star of the show. A Laois All-Ireland Hurling medal from 1915 sold for €11,000. Having been beaten by Clare the previous year, the Laois team regrouped and won against Cork, 6-2 to 4-1, claiming their first and only title. A Boy Of Just Eighteen Summers, a death mask of the patriot Kevin Barry (est €600 to 800) sold for €2,200. It was inscribed on the reverse “Death Mask of Kevin Barry — Hanged in 1920 by the English.” See fonsiemealy.ie.

ANTIQUES AND VINTAGE FAIRS

Vintage Ireland will hold a fair of antique and vintage objects at the Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire, on Sunday, with more than 30 stands. Items on offer range from antique and vintage designer jewellery to fashion accessories, and from antique furniture to coins, banknotes and miscellaneous memorabilia.

The fair runs from 11am to 6pm and admission is €3.50. See vintageireland.eu.

Also on Sunday, there will be an AVA Antique & Collectors Fair at White River House Hotel, Toomebridge, Co Antrim. Expect art, jewellery, silver, clocks, glass, porcelain, lamps, posters and other curiosities. The fair runs from 11am to 6pm and admission is £2.