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Irish vernacular furniture began emerging out of the rural Irish home in the eighteenth century. Each piece was simple and functional in form, yet unique in design. Making use of materials that were affordable and available to the everyday Irish person, it was a non-specialised craft, accessible to those without formal training such as local craftsmen who used traditional techniques and locally sourced materials, including old furniture, and ‘found’ timbers like bogwood or driftwood; it was upcycling in its earliest form, and serves as a reminder of the importance of craftsmanship in Irish culture.
Featuring eighteen lots from the set of nine-time Oscar nominated movie ‘The Banshees of Inisherin,’ our Irish Vernacular Auction takes place on Wednesday 12th April at 11am, with viewings as follows:
Friday 7th April: 10am – 5pm
Saturday 8th April: 2pm – 5pm
Tuesday 11th April: 10am – 5pm
Whether you are coming to view in the salesroom in Adam’s or through the virtual tour on our website, here is a selection of lots to keep an eye on:
Estimated at €5,000 - €7,000, Lot 10 is a rare early 18thcentury Irish Penal Cross carved in yewwood. Penal Crosses were simple devotional relics, featuring a carved relief of Christ at its centre, with various symbols representing the Passion of Christ around his figure. The Penal Cross serves as an important historical and cultural artefact, a reminder of the devotion of Irish Catholics to their faith, even as they faced great persecution under the Penal Laws.
Lot 194 is a 19th century painted pine marriage dresser, with a moulded cornice above a frieze pierced with interlocking hearts, and is estimated at €1,200 - €1,800. This dresser was one of the original furnishings from the set of the Oscar nominated movie ‘The Banshees of Inisherin.’ Bog pine was a material commonly used in Irish vernacular furniture, preserved in the bog lands even after much of Ireland’s native woodland had disappeared. The use of local material and rustic design show the true character of Irish craft heritage.
James Dixon’s ‘Giant Muldoon at the West End Village, Tory Island’ (Lot 91), estimated at €6,000-€8,000, depicts Irish rural life through a flattened perspective and crowded composition. His expressive use of colour evokes a childlike perception of his surroundings, adhering to the cosmopolitan understanding of rural life as simple and uncomplicated.
Featuring vernacular furniture, Irish silver, paintings of rural Irish life and more, this auction caters to anyone who might be looking to collect a piece of Irish history.
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
Yvonne Aupicq had met Orpen, we understand, while working as a nurse during the war. He had been admitted to hospital with a suspected case of scabies which ended up being a far more serious case of blood poisoning as he recounts in his wartime memoir ‘An Onlooker in France’. Their relationship continued after 1918 when Orpen was appointed as the official artist to The Paris Peace Conference. They relocated to capital and over the following decade he painted her numerous times, often nude as in Amiens 1914, or The Rape and Nude Girl Reading (1921). Working with her as his model during these early years after the war allowed Orpen an opportunity to re-fuel his creativity.
Editor-in-Chief of IMAGE Publications, Lizzie Gore-Grimes, selects her favourite pieces from our upcoming Fine Jewellery & Watches auction
Our upcoming Fine Jewellery & Watches auction on September 13th features a prime example of Van Cleef & Arpel's renowned 'Mystery Setting'
Our June auction offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire one of the great masterpieces of Irish art and icons of Dublin’s history.
Georgia Chiesa selects some of her favourite lots in the upcoming Vintage Wine & Spirits Auction
"Beating the bounds is a tradition that can be traced back to the medieval period. At this time, land was divided into parishes and the clergy and church wardens held the responsibility for its upkeep and management. It was up to the Church to ensure that its parishioners knew the local boundary lines and, before maps became commonplace, this had to be kept as a mental record."
Adam’s in conjunction with Suzanne MacDougald are proud to host an online timed auction of artworks to aid the Irish Red Cross’s humanitarian work in delivering vital services to millions of people impacted by the conflict in Ukraine. With no buyers premium 100% of the hammer price will go directly to the Irish Red Cross.
Ros Drinkwater writes of Jack B Yeats' 'The Boat' in the Business Post:
With a consolidated result of €320,000,the At Home sale in Stephan’s Green, was a great success.
James Adam & Sons Ltd, Fine Art Auctioneers and Valuers, 26 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2,
D02 X665, Ireland
