 New World Record for Irish Sculpture at Adam's
The world record price for a piece of sculpture by an Irish artist sold at auction was smashed at James Adam’s sale of Important Irish Art on 14th October 2009. Edward Delaney's King & Queen, two bronze figures towering 2.5 meters tall, sold for €160,000, ten times the high end estimate for the lot. The previous world record for a piece of Irish sculpture at auction was £95,000 for F.E. McWilliam’s Eve in December 2006. Five lots by recently deceased Delaney sold for a total of €300,000, although their pre-sale estimate was in the region of €40,000 (€37,000-47,000). Stuart Cole, Director at Adam’s, said “it’s a fitting tribute to Ireland’s most important sculptor of the 20th Century. We catalogued these works for the sale before his death, and it’s a shame he didn’t live to see them sell for world record prices.” Overall the sale totalled €620,000 (including fees), well over the top end pre-sale forecast, and almost 80% of the 140 lot sale sold on the night. Other highlights at the sale included seven photo-realist style paintings by up and coming Dublin artist Lelia Donnelly (b. 1979), which collectively sold for almost €40,000, four times the low end estimate for the works, while the cover lot, Lady Beatrice Glenavy’s Rival Musicians, sold for €13,000 (est: €10,000-15,000).
Seated Dog Sold for €32,000
Anna Sold for €38,000
Running Figure Sold for €21,000
  Member Firm
James Adam & Sons Ltd. Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers since 1887. |
