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| Passion Investments: Collectibles |
Raising Eire
Richard John Pietschmann
03/01/2007
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But Christie’s Sherman disagrees, citing a "thriving market at
every price level" and "a large group of collectors who go after more moderately
priced pieces."Fortunes in the Attic
What is not in dispute is the relative worth of the best Irish
silver compared to the best English or continental items. "Irish silver is not
as high as one might imagine in the hierarchy of silver prices," says Tierney,
citing an early French soup tureen that sold for $10.3 million. A particularly
fine English piece by a famous maker, such as the Maynard dish by Paul de
Lamerie, can command seven figures. In contrast, the highest price ever paid for
Irish silver, Weldon says, is $207,668 for a rare set of four David King
candlesticks at Sotheby’s London. If the highest Irish silver auction prices seem stuck around
the $100,000 mark, it may be because the best examples have been squirreled
away. One of the highest sums ever paid for Irish silver was $200,000 for a set
of four Anthony Stanley candlesticks that sold at Shrubsole more than 20 years
ago. If they came up for sale today, Martin estimates, they might fetch
$600,000. "The really ambitious pieces of grand Irish silver are not likely to
come to sale," Tierney says. "If a magnificent Irish wine cistern came up, one
might expect a big price. That isn’t likely to happen anytime soon."
Nonetheless, intense competition rages on, fueled at the upper
end by investors who are aware that especially coveted examples of Irish silver
may offer a greater potential upside over comparable pieces of English origin.
"English prices have plateaued a bit over the last 10 years, but prices for
Irish silver have continued to go up," Sherman says. Experts claim that one reason behind this increasing demand is
the notion that Irish silver collectors follow their hearts as often as their
bank accounts. This describes devoted buyers who frequently focus on personal
reasons related to their heritage. Irish-American collectors feel a definite
connection to these pieces. Yet the Irish themselves, who are currently
enjoying an economic boom, are now, for the first time in their history, in a
position to reclaim their heritage. "For years I sold stuff out of Ireland,"
Tierney says. "Now I’m selling it back." Richard John Pietschmann is a Los Angeles-based writer and a
regular contributor to Worth.
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