Dusting Down the Gavel
Extraordinary Turn out for Our First Ever Exclusively Online Sale
There’s a buzz about a live auction that it is oft said cannot be imitated. Bidders trailing in, catalogue in one hand, pen in the other, game face on. The office is always a flurry of activity as bids surge in and the phone boils over with questions and eager registrations. There’s a tension as the auctioneer takes his place on the rostrum; the room falls silent. A palpable nervousness as that one lot approaches followed by a race of adrenaline when a bidding war breaks out, often resulting in a round of applause when one side relents and the gavel falls. A live auction is an event. Nay, a sight to behold.
Like so many businesses in our community affected by the Coronavirus pandemic, we were deeply saddened to have close our doors last March. Here at Victor Mee Auctions we thrive on the friendly and approachable nature of what we do. Our interactions with you. We’re the guys who invite you in and offer you some tea, our saleroom something of a curiosity shop in which to get lost in a conversation about the what, when and why. Telling you all not to visit was hard. Absolutely the right thing to do. But hard nonetheless.
Of course, we are no stranger to online sales. Victor Mee Auctions has been broadcasting our sales live worldwide for several years now with great success. We knew we could do it. But that inimitability of the live auction niggled in the back of our minds. Would clients feel the same way? Perhaps they wouldn’t show up without the excitement of physical presence.
But you did show up, didn’t you.
You really showed up.
Part One of The Gerard Derry Retirement Sale attracted over 1500 bidders. We saw 90% sale results. Competition was intense. Competition was global.
The fairground carousel, of course, was the auction highlight with the hammer ultimately falling at a cool €14,500, eating well into its pre-sale estimate.
Interiors and garden pieces garnered huge interest and brought in bids high in excess of their original estimates.
Interior highlights include lot 667, a fantastic, rare early 20th Century hand-dyed Chesterfield sofa which sold for €2250 and lot 801, a pair of art deco mahogany and velvet tub chairs which justifiably exceeded their estimate and went for €880.
It was an exhilarating sale. One that left us both immensely proud and immensely humbled. Our niggling what ifs were shushed. Perhaps the atmosphere of the live auction cannot be imitated. But to deny the awesome “event-ness” of this sale is surely profane.
So as you can imagine, we are positively champing at the bit to bring you part two of the Gerard Derry Retirement Sale.
June 6th and 7th will see Victor Mee Auctions host again to an empty room, our audience present by other channels. We’ve got 956 more magnificent lots drawn from the exquisite anthology of Mr Gerard Derry. This time we shift focus to garden, architectural, pub fittings, memorabilia and interior design.
The scene stealer of this sale is undoubtedly Lot 327, an Early 20th C. hand carved oak pulpit known as the Pulpit of Truth. Completed over three years by Belgian sculptor Louis Mascré and donated to the Church of Saint Martin in Ransart, Belgium it is, in a word, astounding. Standing over 4.5m tall, it goes to auction with an estimate of €40,000-€80,000 and massive interest from bidders.
Lot 349 is an incredibly rare hand carved walnut table with matching stools decorated with horses. This table is noticeable. It’s lavish and wild and unapologetic. Estimated at €600-€1200 and a steal at that.
Another worthy mention is lot 715, a rare carved wooden full-sized Harley Davidson motorcycle. Impressive to say the least and estimated at €1000 – €2000, we’re expecting a battle over this one.
Part Two isn’t just a budding designers dream. We’re also auctioning some of the grandest and most impressive pub fittings and pieces of architecture we’ve seen in a very long time. These are things that don’t often come to the market. Not of this calibre.
Lot 652 is a magnificent late 19th C. oak Brunswick bar back. Looming at 3 meters tall, its columns are thick, durable and aged in the best possible way. It’s one of several stunning bar backs up for grabs in this sale and comes with an estimate of €5000 – €8000.
There are 965 “ones to watch” in this sale. It is really another resplendent parade of Gerard Derrys lifes work. An extravaganza of all things unique, rare and elaborate. And it’s not to be missed.
The full catalogue is available now on our website at www.victormeeauctions.ie and it’s definitely worth your while.
Gerard Derry’s Retirement Auction Part Two by Victor Mee Auctions takes place LIVE ONLINE on Saturday June 6th and Sunday June 7th at 2pm (IST). As always, we’re on hand to help. Give us a call on 003534755076 or email us at info@victormeeauctions.ie
