Mee's two-day sale of Irish vernacular and collectibles

Auction is a year in preparation

Cloverhill auction house Victor Mee Auctions is to host a highly-anticipated Irish Vernacular and Collectibles Sale online later this month. Almost a whole year in the making, the sale will take place on Wednesday 20th and Thursday 21st October and will showcase rare furniture pieces consigned from several private Irish collections.

Originating in Ireland in the 18th and 19th centuries, Irish vernacular furniture was built using inexpensive materials by the everyday Irish person, for use by the everyday Irish person. Often carved by homeowners themselves from whatever wood and materials were available, the pieces tended to be characteristically rugged, but oozed old Irish charm. It is the plainness and ‘unkempt’ finish that forms the draw for buyers of antique Irish vernacular furniture from across the world.

Victor Mee says: "Irish Vernacular is a real passion of mine and I am delighted with the high quality pieces that have been consigned to us specially for this sale. The auction will showcase a diverse array of pieces including kitchen furniture, collectible items and spongeware, as well as some other furniture and collectible pieces from a local pub and Victorian apothecary. All of which are sure to make fascinating and eye-catching additions to any interior space within the home."

Kitchen Furniture and Vessels

Taking prominence is the great range of settle tables of chairs that will cross the auction block. Both settle tables and chairs are very rare vernacular furniture items as they were examples of the ingenious combinations of furniture to fit in small Irish kitchens with a dual purpose - to use as a table and then converted to a bench or chair when needed. A particular lot of interest has come to the auction house from Kilkenny, a fantastically preserved 19th century Kilkenny settle table and Kilkenny settle chair.

More unique delights dating back to the early 19th century include a range of Irish hedge chairs, also known as ‘famine chairs’, and stools. These chairs are extremely simple in their design and tend to lack modern day binding agents like nails and screws. As is the case with most vernacular furniture, they were pieced together using what materials were available, to quickly meet the needs of the home and its occupants at that time. Expected to be of particular interest to bidders is lot 271, an unusual three-legged famine chair.

The sale will also exhibit a host of pine kitchen tables, cupboards and dressers.

Moving away from furniture and focusing on vessels within the home, one particular lot of interest is Lot 310 an extremely rare late 15th century, early County Fermanagh Mether.

This vessel’s primary function would have been the storage of butter or curds. Methers were very rare vessels for a typical Irish family to own, so having access to one was highly desired.

Spongeware and Collectibles

Spongeware is the craft of using paint to decorate plain mugs bowls and plates with a sponge or potato cut to shapes of flowers, leaves hearts and animals.

The handmade element of spongeware meant that no two items were ever designed exactly the same, making antique ranges of spongeware highly desirable amongst collectors.

Victor Mee will offer a selection of spongeware mugs, plates, platters, porridge and mixing bowls in the sale on 21st October. Small collectible items include a rare Belleek butter stamper, impressed with a round tower and wolfhound originally from Castle Caldwell in County Fermanagh.

Victorian Apothecary & Irish Pub

Mee has also included the entire contents of a County Monaghan Victorian apothecary and grocery shop and a traditional Irish pub within the upcoming sale.

Contents to hit the auction block from this collection include a mahogany shop counter, banks of drawers, tea bins, flour bins and various advertising boxes from well-known Irish brands.

The Irish pub clearance will include a range of original ‘Rare DWD Pot Still Whisky’ and ‘Will’s Westward Ho’ advertising mirrors, Tam O’Shanter Tobacco and traditional optic stands among many other interesting publican collectible pieces.

The Irish Vernacular and Collectibles Sale will take place online, live from Victor Mee Auctions in Cloverhill on Wednesday 20th and Thursday 21st October from 2pm. Viewing will take place on online.