The silver was led by this 6in (15cm)
diameter tazza, right. Made by Thomas Bolton, Dublin 1696, it fetched an unsurprising €5000 (£3200).
Demand for period Irish silver remains strong, with prices often higher than London equivalents, but neither the auctioneers, nor the trade were surprised by any of the results here, with most pieces selling towards the lower end of tight estimates. Two collectable items of flatware that generated interest were a George III hook-handled soup ladle by John Craig, Dublin 1769, at €1500 (£950) and a long-handled table spoon by John Power, Dublin 1795, made €350 (£220).
The day’s top prices came among the jewellery. An Edwardian-three stone, 4ct diamond ring, made €18,000 (£11,500), a 4ct diamond solitaire ring with baguette-cut shoulders took €12,400 (£7900) and a 2.15 carat solitaire diamond ring, rated J for colour, made €8000 (£5100).
Irish patriots stick by their national silversmiths
Jewellery and silver enthusiasts were catered for in Ireland as well as Wiltshire during April as private buyers flocked to O’Reilly’s (15 per cent buyer’s premium) sale of gemstones and silver in Dublin on April 10.
