By Michael Drake
Art & Antiques
W
hat a year it has been for sales houses and auctiongoers. And who would have predicted twelve months ago the difficult times that lay ahead and the equally difficult decisions which had to be made by many to remain in business. But the majority of them have survived, at least up to now, and hopefully the weeks and months ahead will bring better times. Thanks to the facilities provided by on-line sales many of us have been able to retain our sanity. And this valuable outlet has no doubt won many new and permanent customers during these difficult months. That isn't to say we would not welcome again the atmosphere of a crowded sales room,,rubbing shoulders with friends and even foes and of course soaking up everything that a sale brings to the scene. Sadly those days, if they ever really return, are well in the future. For I am afraid conditions this year will be much the same as they have been since last spring. But have no doubt about it, so
This Tadeusz Brzozowski’s painting fetched €190,000 plus fees (WHYTES)
long as people have items to sell and there are others to buy them then auction sales in one form or another will be with us for a long time to come.
’A sunny day in Connemara’ by Paul Henry set a new world record price of €420,000 (WHYTES)
According to Ian Whyte of Dublin based WHYTES sales house, one of the most prominent in Europe, it was a busy and exciting year, saying: ”We held our first major art auction of the year on March 9" he told me "just as the pandemic took effect in Ireland. It was the weekend the government imposed the first set of restrictions including a limit of 100 people at indoor events. “The auction room at the RDS was packed and nearly exceeded that limit, the sale was extremely successful and grossed €1.2 million for 85% of the lots offered. Unusually the highest result was for a Polish artist, Tadeusz Brzozowski (1918-1987) whose painting MASTIFF (CWAJNOS), 1967, fetched €190,000 plus fees from a collector in Poland. Of course there was an Irish connection – the painting had been exhibited at ROSC, an international art exhibition held in Dublin - in 1967 after which it was purchased by an Irish collector.”
Irish Country Sports and Country Life Spring/Summer 2021
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