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One of the great but often overlooked achievements in early aviation, the first non-stop east–west crossing of the Atlantic was completed on 12th-13th of April 1928 by a German and Irish crew aboard the Junkers W33 Bremen, a journey made directly against the prevailing winds.
The son of a prison warder, Colonel James Fitzmaurice (1898-1965) saw active service on the Western Front during the First World War before training as a pilot in 1918. He later joined the Irish Air Corps in 1922, rising to become its commanding officer at Baldonnel.
Unlike Lindbergh’s crossing the year before, the westward route meant battling strong headwinds, greater fuel demands, and difficult navigation; widely considered near impossible. Fitzmaurice had already attempted the journey in 1927 with Captain Robert ‘All-Weather Mac’ McIntosh aboard the Princess Xenia, forced back by storms far out in the Atlantic.
Departing from Baldonnel at dawn on 12th of April 1928, he joined Captain Hermann Köhl and Baron von Hünefeld on a flight lasting over 36 hours. Blown far off course, the Bremen made a forced landing on the ice at Greenly Island on the 13th of April, having flown over 3,200 miles.
The crew were celebrated worldwide, receiving a ticker-tape parade in New York and the Distinguished Flying Cross from President Calvin Coolidge, the first non-Americans to be so honoured.
A landmark achievement in aviation, Fitzmaurice’s flight remains a rare example of determination and skill - flying the Atlantic not with the wind, but against it.
Lot 664 in our upcoming Country House Collections Auction at Howth Castle, 27th & 28th April.
AN IRISH BRASS HILTED OFFICER SWORD
presented to Major James Fitzmaurice, who on April 12th 1928, was co-pilot of 'The Junkers W.33, Bremen' that completed the first east-west non-stop transatlantic flight, with presentation inscription in Irish 'An Ceann Foirinne Agus/na hOifigig, Ogláig na h-Eireann/Do Bronn / An Citilt treasana na Fairrge Móire, 1928'. The entire 103cm high, the blade 83cm long
John ffrench was an instrumental figure in the design industry in Ireland and a distinguished pioneer of Irish studio pottery.
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"I should declare my hand. I have a weakness for pictures that punch above their physical weight, and for artists who have been quietly underrated for too long. This pair is both. They are intimate enough to live with at close quarters and serious enough to repay any amount of looking. If the market has lately shown signs of catching up with eighteenth-century Irish painting and I think it has, these two small panels feel, to me, like exactly the sort of thing that will look obvious in twenty years’ time."
Adam’s is honoured to present works from the collection of Lord Rossmore in the upcoming Country House Collections auction at Howth Castle on 28th April. It is seldom that an influential Irish family collection that has survived through the generations comes to the open market.
Works Sold at Adam’s Now in the Irish National Collection
A great opportunity to purchase both established and lesser-known artist’s work at an accessible price point, the Online Picture Auction is the first of many sales to be hosted at Adam’s in 2026. It is perfect for those looking to start a collection and the discerning collector alike.
Through this article, let our expert Adam Pearson guiding you to the (re)discovery of the once established Irish painter Richard O’Neill.
Buying at Auction and the Role of Antiques in a Modern Home
Important Irish Art Auction Highlights
Oliver Dowling Collection by Aidan Dunne
2024 is a year in which Adam’s wants to recognise the key role buying antique furniture and furnishings at auction contributes greatly to the sustainable initiative. In 2019 the Environmental Protection Agency reported stark figures that each year in Ireland 1.2 million reusable bulky items, primarily furniture goes into landfill. Similar to the problem of ‘fast fashion’, the constant production and consumption of new items is leading to rapidly growing waste problem. We want to acknowledge those who are already buying second hand or antique furniture at auction and to encourage new buyers by highlighting the benefits of acquiring affordable, well-made quality items that are built to last.
Irish author, recipe creator and lifestyle influencer, Indy Parsons, selects her favourite pieces from our upcoming Fine Jewellery & Watches auction
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Cork-born Irish actress, Sarah Greene, selects her favourite pieces from our upcoming Fine Jewellery & Watches auction
James Adam & Sons Ltd, Fine Art Auctioneers and Valuers, 26 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2,
D02 X665, Ireland
