ROTHE HOUSE
(click to enlarge)
Erected in 1594 by John Rothe, a wealthy
city merchant, and his wife, Rose Archer.
SOME ITEMS OF KILKENNY INTEREST WHICH HAVE BEEN OFFERED FOR SALE BY AUCTION OR PRIVATE TREATY.
We cannot set out to give prior notice of material coming up for sale, but feel it will be useful to record items which have been offered for sale. Material is entered in date order, most recent first.
We shall be pleased to be informed of any items relating to Kilkenny city or county, to be considered for inclusion here.
C J & A J Dixon Ltd., Bridlington, Dixon's Gazette No. 53, Spring 2008.
An India General Service medal with 1 clasp
for Burma 1889-92. Awarded to Lieutenant Hon. W J H De Montmorency, 1/Duke of
Cornwall's Light Infantry.
Captain the Honourable Willoughby John Horace De Montmorency
4th Viscount was born in May 1868. He received a commission into the 1st Bn of
the DCLI on the 22nd August 1888 and promoted to Lieutenant in 1890. During the
Wunthoo Expeditionary Force he commanded 50 men of the Mounted Infantry.
Appointed Captain in 1897 he served on the North West Frontier 1897-98 and the
Tirah Expedition gaining the IGS with two clasps. He was then posted to Egypt
and took part in the Nile Expedition of 1899. His elder brother the Hon R H L J
De Montmorency served with the 21st Lancers and was awarded the Victoria Cross
for the charge at Omdurman. He was later to be killed during the Boar War,
whilst leading the De Montmorency Scouts. With the death of his father
Willoughby became the 4th Viscount with extensive land in Co. Kilkenny, Co.
Carlow and Co. Cavan. He died on the 5th July 1917.
Extremely Fine £775.
Bonham's of Bath, 12 September 2005.
An Irish Georgian snuff box Lawrence Martin of
Kilkenny, Dublin 1811, of plain oval form, two thirds hinged cover, 6.4cm long,
1.5ozs. [Sold for £2,500]
Laurence Martin was the son of John Martin, a Kilkenny
watchmaker and silversmith. He took over his father's business in 1807 and
registered with the Dublin Goldsmiths' Company in the same year. In 1808 he
submitted 60 teaspoons, 12 buckles 2 pixes and 14 hooks & eyes for assay at
Dublin. One of the pixes is in the Hunt collection at Limerick: the maker's mark
is LM in an oval punch. He is noted from 1810 to 1813, usually once a year,
submitting principally flatware for assay at Dublin. [Edward Law research
notes.]
J W Weldon, Dublin, May 2005
The gold presentation box of the City of Kilkenny pictured here was offered for sale by private treaty by the above firm, dealers in fine antique silver.
Not strictly a Freedom Box, because it was presented with an address rather than with the Freedom of the city, it was voted to Brigadier General Pack by the Corporation on 7 May 1811. Denis Pack, an outstanding professional soldier, was already a freeman of the city. Details of his many campaigns are recorded on a memorial plaque in St Canice's Cathedral, Kilkenny.
Handsome engraving inside the lid reads:
An address from the Corporation of Kilkenny was unanimously voted and presented
in this box to Brigadier General Denis Pack as a just tribute to his illustrious
and early career, of military glory, as honorable to himself as serviceable to
his country. 7th May 1811.
[Background information from Edward Law 'The presentation plate of the corporation of the city of Kilkenny' in Old Kilkenny Review 1994.]
Bonham's of Knightsbridge, London, 22 June 2004
A pair of armorial dishes made for Nicholas Langton of Danganmore, Co. Kilkenny. Each famille rose dish of shaped oval form with a central achievement depicting the three chevrons beneath the heart and winged crest, 13 ins. [33 cms.] diameter; Qianlong [circa 1750]
Sotheby's, New York, 26 May, 2000.
A pair of Chinese Export porcelain armorial
scalloped soup plates circa 1750, each painted with the arms of Nicholas Langton
of Dunganmore, Co. Kilkenny in Ireland and of Cadiz in Spain, within an iron-red
and gilt shell and scroll border at the rim.
diameter 9in. (22.9cm.)
Ebay auction, March 2003.
A leather bound copy of Maxwell's Irish
Rebellion in 1798 with Memoirs of the Union and Emmett's Insurrection in 1803,
by W H Maxwell, published in London by H G Bonn, York Street, Covent Garden in
1845. The binding has ornate tooling to front and back covers; the spine with
5 raised bands and decorative gilt pattern in 5 panels and the title in 1 panel
also in gilt. The book is in near fine condition showing only minimal signs of
rubbing on corners and edges of cover.
The volume has been improved with a double fore-edge painting, the most
difficult of all fore-edges to execute. Fore-edge painting is achieved by
fanning the pages, securing them in a clamp and painting on them. A double
fore-edge involves fanning the pages the opposite way and doing a further
painting.
One picture shows Kilkenny Castle with a portrait of Charles Cornwallis,1st
Marquis Cornwallis who was Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland in 1798.
The second painting depicts Shelton Abbey, near
Arklow.
Both pictures are expertly executed. The volume is 8½" by 5¾" and is about 1½"
thick. The paintings, when the pages are fanned, are approx. 8½" by 3¾".
Realised £397.
Offered for sale by Kennys of Galway at 29,000 euro: a contemporary
manuscript of Mary Tighe's Psyche or The legend of Love, privately
published in 1805. Mary Tighe, née Blachford (1772-1810) was the wife, and first
cousin, of Henry Tighe (1771-1836) of Rossana, Co. Wicklow and Woodstock,
Inistioge, Co. Kilkenny. The manuscript is in a repaired binding of red morocco
with gold tooling. On the recto of the first leaf is written Penelope Wheler
1810. The introduction to the manuscript is dated Jan[uary] 1802 from Rossana
with a cypher, MT, for Mary Tighe.
A good deal of research remains to be done in connection with the manuscript to
justify the asking price, but it is certainly an impressive work with the
hand-written poem running to over 200 pages.
For those interested in a copy of Psyche at a more manageable price there were two other interesting copies on the market. Fenning of Dun Laoghaire had a copy of the third edition (1811), which was owned by Wiliam Acton of West Acton (Killmacurragh), Co. Wicklow, a close relative of Mary Tighe, for £850.
Another copy of the third edition of 1811 was offered at $2,250 by Ursus Rare Books of New York. Its value lies in its decoration and binding. The fore-edge carries a painting of a landscape with lake, whilst the full green morocco binding is by Charles Hering of London.
Mary Tighe was buried at Inistioge where a mausoleum was raised in which is a sculpture of her by John Flaxman. A plaster model of the monument, which descended in the Tighe family, was gifted to Kilkenny Archaeological Society in 1989 and is on display in the Phelan room at Rothe House.
November 2002
Ebay auction, July 2001.
One vendor offered two silver trophies of the Kilkenny Anglers Association.
Cup 1. Sterling silver, hallmarked Birmingham 1926. Measuring 10½" high (including the wooden stand), the bowl 5" in diameter. The base carrying the retailer's plaque of S H Waterhouse, Dame Street, Dublin.
Inscription "Presented to the Kilkenny Angler's Association by Major Dermot McCalmont 1927".
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On the wooden base are three silver shields naming three winners of the trophy: John C J Murphy, Millmount, Co. Kilkenny, 8th May 1927; John Wolfe, Loretto Place, Kilkenny, 25th May 1930; John T Kavanagh, Lacken Cottage, Kilkenny 17th May 1931.
Realised $423.
* * * * *
Cup 2.
Sterling silver, hallmarks rubbed but include the .925 mark for imported silver.
6" high including the bakelite stand, the bowl 2½" wide.
Inscription "Presented to the Kilkenny Anglers' Association - The McCalmont Cup 1927.
HOK Fine Art, Blackrock, Co Dublin. 29 May 2001.
Lot 334. Sugar tongs: an unrecorded fiddle, thread and shell pair, c.1810, attributed to Laurence Martin, Kilkenny. Estimate £200-300.
The hammer price was £1,000
The Society expressed an interest in purchasing this item. However, it was felt the attribution was questionable. The only mark, a maker's mark in rectangular punch, could as easily be read as EM or JM, as the suggested LM, and the only identifiable Laurence Martin mark is in an oval punch.
The pewter touch plate at Dublin Assay Office has LM, also in an oval punch, which is attributed to Laurence Martin, Kilkenny. [English goldsmiths and their marks, Jackson.]
Laurence Martin was the son of John Martin, a Kilkenny watchmaker and silversmith. He took over his father's business in 1807 and registered with the Dublin Goldsmiths' Company in the same year. In 1808 he submitted 60 teaspoons, 12 buckles 2 pixes and 14 hooks & eyes for assay at Dublin. One of the pixes is in the Hunt collection at Limerick: the maker's mark is LM in an oval punch. He is noted from 1810 to 1813, usually once a year, submitting principally flatware for assay at Dublin. [Edward Law research notes.]
Sotheby's, London, 20 June 2001
DIAMOND CROSS, CIRCA 1830
Collet-set at the centre with an oval cushion-shaped diamond, the arms set with
pear- and cushion-shaped diamonds and decorated with trefoil motifs.
It is presumed that this
and other lots in the same sale were purchased in the 19th century by the First
or the Second Marquess of Ormonde. According to the Deed of the Resettlement of
the Ormonde Settled Estates of 19th July 1938, the jewels had previously
devolved under the Will of the Third Marquess, who died in 1919. Following the
Deed of Resettlement they devolved subject to the Trusts of the Settled Estates
to the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Marquesses of Ormonde.
In 1938, just before the Second World war, the Ormonde family took the decision
to leave Kilkenny, their seat in Ireland, and resettle in England. It is
reasonable to assume that they were worn by the wives of the Fifth and the Sixth
Marquess. After the death of the Sixth Marquess in 1971 they were eventually put
into storage where they remained until they were consigned for sale with
Sotheby's in April 2001. (Sold for £35,000)
Phillips, Oxford, England. 29 March 2001.
Lot 155. A good Georgian presentation sabre 81.5cm false damasc blade with clip back point etched and highlighted with blueing and gilding with stands of arms, foliage, figures of Britannia and Justice, geometric patterns and presentation inscription Given by the Gentlemen of the County of Kilkenny to William Izod Esq., High Sheriff for his Gallant Conduct on y. 15 Augt. 1810., the hilt with steel knuckleguard, the cross guard in the form of a roman fasces, the ecousson applied with a gilt eagle, gilt back piece embossed with foliage, chequered ebony grip with gilt rivets in the form of flower heads, contained in its black shagreen scabbard with large gilt mounts with foliate borders, the locket applied with St. George and the dragon and signed on the reverse by Brunn, the hanging ring bands and shoe of fluted steel, some wear to blade.
The Izod family were originally from Gloucestershire and settled in Kilkenny, Ireland in the 17th century. William Izod was born in 1782. He served as a Major in the Kilkenny Militia and died in 1846, he is buried in Chipping Camden, Gloucestershire. Provenance: by descent to Major Kevan William Izod, 1885-1948, then to his widow who subsequently sold it to the vendor. Estimate £7,000-9,000.
We are grateful to Messrs Phillips for supplying photographs of the sword.
The hammer price was £6,500.
This presentation sword was documented by Edward Law in his article
Some presentation plate of the county and city of Kilkenny, in Kilkenny
studies in honour of Margaret M Phelan:
We know of two presentation swords in the city. Whilst
not plate, the presentations are of interest, and it is not improbable that the
hilts would have been of silver, or incorporated silver or gold mounts. The
first of these presentations was in 1810, when a public meeting resolved ‘to
present a sword, suitable to such an occasion’ to William Izod, the high sheriff
of the county, in recognition of his gallant conduct on 15 August 1810. He had
received information of a proposed attack by an armed band: laying in wait with
four ‘confidential men’ he routed the gang of twelve or fourteen, two of whom
were killed. The four men who assisted were each to have received a case of
pistols and fifteen guineas.
Sotheby's, London, 22 May 1999
A pair of carved oak pelmets circa 1830 in the
Gothic style, the moulded tops above pierced and moulded panels with carved oak
finials flanked by lozenge-carved trefoil panels centred by shields and with
similarly carved finials
45cm. high, 141.5cm. wide; 1ft. 5Nin., 4ft. 7Nin.
Provenance:
Shankhill Castle, Co. Kilkenny
Shankhill Castle, Co. Kilkenny, originally a property of the Butler family of
Paulstown Castle, passed to the Aylward family through the marriage of Peter
Aylward to Elizabeth Butler in the early 18th century. The house was remodelled
in the castellated Gothic style in the late 1820's and the present pelmets were
almost certainly commissioned for the house at this time.
Sotheby's, London 21 May, 1999
Portrait of JOHN BANIM, 1798-1842,
head and shoulders, wearing a black coat
oil on canvas byJohn William Roe
20.5 by 17.5cm., 8 by 6 in.
The sitter, known as 'the Scott of Ireland', was, together with his brother
Michael, a well loved novelist, dramatist and poet. He was born in Kilkenny,
where he developed his love of poetry together with a talent for drawing and
painting. Desiring to become a professional artist, he went to Dublin in 1823
where he became a pupil in the Drawing Academy of the Royal Dublin Society.
Provenance: John Banim's sister, from whom acquired by Randal Plunket, 19th
Baron Dunsany, Dunsany Castle, County Meath.
James Adam, Dublin. 30 May 1999.
Lot 376. KILKENNY MILITIA, PRESENTATION SILVER SNUFF BOX, oval, 2¾" wide, the lid inset with a mother of pearl panel, this engraved with a scene depicting an Irish church and round tower in a rural setting, base engraved with a crest and inscribed "Doctor Shore, Kilkenny Regiment, 1806". £400-450.
School House Auctions, Burton-on-Trent, England. 16 September 1997.
Lot 32 in the above sale was a miniature, described as 'circle Richard Comerford', but presumably in error for John Comerford, the Kilkenny born miniaturist. Correspondence elicited the following detail: 'The miniature was unsigned but the subdued colouring and the square blocked-in treatment of the head, directly represented, made an attribution to the circle of the Irish artist more than probable'.
We are grateful to our member, Mrs Marie E Booth, Tamworth, Staffordshire, for informing us of this item, and to Mr Peter Edden, consultant to the auctioneers, for providing the photograph.
Bonhams, London, England. 28 May 1996.
Lot 326. A Wheeler 18 bore flintlock pistol, 9" octagonal barrel inscribed '... Kilkenny Horse', border and floral engraved lock inscribed 'Wheeler', full stock with engraved brass furniture and spurred butt cap, with ramrod (lacking cock, stock wormed but repaired). £80-100.
Oliver Wheeler, gunmaker, was working in Kilkenny by 1783, though he has been noted in Dublin in 1771. In 1796 he quit Kilkenny to return to Dublin. As the sale details give no indication of date it is not clear where the pistol was manufactured. [Edward Law research notes]
Phillips, London, England. 15 February 1996.
Lot 39. A violin by James Perry in Kilkenny, Ireland circa 1790 branded James Perry, Kilkenny below the button, L.O.B. 13 15/16" (354 mm.), in case. The one piece back of faint figure, almost plain, ribs of narrow curl, scroll almost plain, table of narrow to medium grain, varnish of a gold orange brown colour, some old table repairs, restorable. £1,200-1,800.
James Perry, musical instrument maker, is recorded at Back Lane, Kilkenny, in 1790 and 1792 and had apparently been in the city from c.1781. His output included violins, violincellos, tenors, guitars, German flutes and fifes. [Edward Law research notes]
It is probable that Anne Perry of King Street, Kilkenny, who applied for the post of organist of St. Mary's parish in 1818, was the daughter of James. Her father was dead by that date. [Old Kilkenny Review 1995 page 76.]
Page updated 17 March 2008.