Popular wedding venue contents up for auction following closure

Victor Mee Auctions, the Cavan based auction house, has been appointed to present The Finnstown House Hotel Collection to the auction block. This momentous 3-day event on April 4th, 5th and 6th will also mark Victor Mee’s first in person bidding in their Cloverhill auction rooms since 2020. This collection will be presented alongside other magnificent lots from the esteemed auction house’s other important clients with opportunities for the public to view in totality from April 1st -3rd inclusive.

Recently refurbished to the highest specifications and having closed its doors in December 2022, the contents of the famed Dublin hotel will now go under the hammer in this one-off, carefully curated auction event is a must attend for hospitality professionals and the general public alike including over 1800 individual and collective lots of fine and unique furnishings, both antique and contemporary, including a vast array of tables and seating from the hotel bar and lobby areas, as well as superb ornate items and artwork.

Top Lots

One of the top lots set to appear is a collection of stunning tables, being sold individually and steeped in provenance, that originally hail from The O’Connor Don, London’s oldest Irish Pub. These beautiful 3D tables were designed by the O’Callaghan family, owners of The O’Connor Don, and John Harwood (Windsor Workshop) who sought approval from Guinness to use the Guinness harp in their design. The bases are cast iron and the tops are inlaid marble. The inlaid marble tops were created by John Harwood who specialises in stone and marble inlay. The tables are estimated at €400-€600 a piece.

Additionally, the Finnstown House Hotel Collection includes two impressive vintage cars. The first, a fully restored 1920 Dodge Bros Tourer car in working order with leather seats and Tipperary reg HI 679. Having only had two owners, this show stopper is estimated at €12000 to €18000.

The second is a fully restored 1947 Singer 9 Roadster car made by the Singer sewing machine company with Manorhamilton reg IT 2262. In working driving order this beautiful vehicle is estimated at €5000-€8000.

Key Interior Pieces – furniture, art and oddities

In a property littered with hidden gems, Victor Mee Auctions is confident that the following beautiful pieces will pose significant interest to prospective buyers

• Lot 391 – 410: Hotel bar tables including a collection of café tables with ebonised tops raised on brass columns and brass square bases. Estimated each at a very reasonable €80 – €160.
• Lot 497: Set of three French decorative giltwood and upholstered armchairs in the Louis XVI manner raised on tapered legs with provenance from Castle Leslie. Estimated at €400 – €800.
• Lot 1044 and 1045: ‘Pony Rides on The Beach’ by revered Northern Irish artist Gladys McCabe will go forward with an estimate of €2300-€2600 and ‘West of Ireland Bog’ by another Irish artist, George Campbell, whose work was largely done in the abstract style, will appear with an estimate of €2800-€3000.
• Lot 1046: The sale will also include a rare piece by Cavan’s own locally revered artist, Percy French {1854 – 1920} whose West of Ireland Seascape Watercolour, signed with monogram and shows " The Kindly Welcome", a typed poem verso, goes forward with a reserve of €2400-€2700.
• Lot 246: Impressive and rare shoulder and head taxidermy giraffe mounted on wooden shield. Estimate €2500-€4500.
• Lot 124: Gilded metal ten branch chandelier with cut crystal droplets in the Rocco manner, 138 grand centimetres tall and 99cm in diameter, it is estimated at €300 to €600.
• Lot 214: Beautiful 19th C. gilded brass and glass hall lantern {110 cm H x 40 cm Dia.}. Estimate €600 to €1200.
• Lot 282: Exceptional quality contemporary bronze sculpture of The Lovers mounted on marble base {100 cm H x 38 cm Dia.}. Estimate €1000 to €2000.
• Lot 220: Contemporary bronze sculpture of a horse on a marble base {88cm H x 62 cm W x27 cm D}. Estimate €1000 to €2000
• Lot 800: K. Kawai baby grand piano and adjustable piano stool. Estimate €1500 to €3000
• Lot 431: Pair of exceptional quality walnut and hand dyed leather aviator club chairs. {75 cm H x 70 cm W x 81 cm D}. Estimate €2000 to €4000
• Lot 340: Exemplary quality chromed bronze Spirit of Ecstasy Rolls Royce showroom mascot {136 cm H x 82 cm W x 70 cm D}. Estimate €2000 to €4000.
• Lot 93: Rare early 19th. C. Irish mahogany and leather upholstered porter's chair. Estimate €1000 to €2000
• Lot 179: Crushed velvet upholstered foyer sofa set with mahogany centre piece. Estimate €800 to €1200

Notable Garden Wares

Also sure to catch the attention of bidders is a grand array of garden wares from the stunning 19 acre Finnstown property. The jewel in the crown of the garden lots is a spectacular dome-topped pavilion gazebo that has reigned over the exquisite hotel gardens and provided many a photo opportunity. (Main feature image).

Other key lots include

• Magnificent large garden urns and cast iron seating also comprise a very impressive section of the catalogue. Estimates begin at €500
• Lot 1650 : Striking bronze sculpture of boys climbing a ladder stealing apples from the orchard. The piece measures 190cm tall and goes to auction with an estimate of €2500-€4500.
• Lot 1620: An exceptional life size bronze model of a Stag on Craggy Rock. Estimate €4000-€8000.

Orchestrating the sale and heading up the Victor Mee Auctions team is Bryan Mee, son of auctioneer and company namesake Victor. With many years of experience, Bryan is known for his astute eye for antiques and quality pieces, cherry-picking lots and curating magnificent collections.

Public viewing ahead of the sale will take place on Saturday April 1st, Sunday April 2nd and Monday April 3rd from 10am until 5pm across the two Victor Mee Auction Rooms – Dublin Road, Cavan and Cloverhill.

Further details including links to bid online are available at www.victormeeauctions.ie