Killarney table features in Cork antique auction
Woodwards February auction features a number of very collectible items, most from 3 different houses in St Lukes, Tivoli and Carrigaline The star lot is a piece unique to this country, a Killarney games table. Killarneyware, the distinctive style of furniture produced in Killarney and the Gap of Dunloe during the mid-19th century. The use of Arbutus wood is typical of Killarney. This whitish close-grained wood which yellows with age had been highly valued for centuries in Ireland; the Seanchas Mor, Ireland's old law texts, mentioning the timber in a section on tree-damage (cf. John Teahan, Irish Furniture and Woodcraft, 1994, pp.39-42). Popular subjects frequently seen on Killarney furniture include such historical sites as Muckross Abbey, Glena Cottage, Muckross House and Ross Castle The tradition began with small items such as card cases, snuff boxes and chessboards aimed at the considerable tourist trade of the times. The seasonable nature of the trade led to the production of much more ambitious pieces of furniture such as tables, cabinets, bureaux and davenports. This is a splendid example, described as AN IRISH KILLARNEY ARBUTUS MARQUETRY GAMES TABLE Circa 1890 The rectangular top ornately inlaid with a central Muckross Abbey roundel flanked by fern leaves within a foliate and berry border opening to an interior inlaid for chess, backgammon and cribbage boards within shamrock borders flanked by roundels depicting abbey ruins and a cottage above a leaf and acorn frieze raised on a shamrock inlaid quadripartite claw foot base. The auctioneers say that, while there is no reserve it would have been expected to sell for 30 – 40k in better times, it should still achieve 15 to 20 thousand. As well as being a fabulous piece of furniture which will enhance any home it is also a good investment. There are about 220 lots including furniture, paintings, glassware, porcelain, etc. Viewing times are: Saturday & Sunday 2pm - 5pm, Monday 10am - 7pm, Tuesday and Wednesday 10am - 5pm and the auction starts at 6pm on Wednesday. MUCKROSS ABBEY: is one of the major ecclesiastical sites in Killarney National Park County Kerry Ireland. It was founded in 1448 as a FranciscanFriary. It has had a violent history and has been damaged and reconstructed many times. To-day the Abbey is largely roofless, although apart from this it is is generally quite well preserved. Its most striking feature is a central courtyard which houses a large Yew Tree and is surrounded by a vaulted cloister
	The top featuring Muckross House