Margaret Seery in her grocer’s shop in Arva, Co Cavan, which is for sale at Victor Mee
Edith, gypsy girl by William Orpen
De Vere’s
William Orpen’s unfinished painting of Edith, Gypsy Girl, sold for €100,000 at De Vere’s on May 28.
In 1909, the artist was preoccupied with Dublin street entertainers and especially dancing bears.
This painting is one of several portrait sketches of Edith, who was possibly Hungarian and one of the keepers of a brown North-American bear.
There were many performing bears in Ireland. One killed its owner in Cork in 1909. Another escaped in Mullingar and was hunted by armed police.
By 1913, the letters pages of Dublin newspapers complained how performing bears were treated by their owners.
Orpen’s portrait shows Edith against an unfinished landscape. You wouldn’t want to mess with her.
The painting, also known as ‘The Bear Woman’, was purchased by the artist Sarah Purser for £35 in 1909.
See deveres.ie.
Edith, gypsy girl by William Orpen
Victor Mee
The complete shop, pub counter and advertising collection from a grocer’s shop in Arva, Co Cavan, is going under the hammer at Victor Mee’s Pub Memorabilia & Collectables Sale from June 18-20.
Pub memorabilia in the sale includes: a Wills’s Gold Flake enamel advertising sign (Lot 145: est. €400 to €600); an early 20th century McGee’s Old Liqueur Whiskey framed advertising mirror (Lot 813: est. €1,800 to €2,800); a 1960s Coca-Cola vending and ice-cooler (Lot 1400: est. €600 to €1,200): an enamel sign advertising Lyons 2d Fruit Pies Many Varieties (Lot 216: est. €200 to €300); and a Staffordshire pottery Martell Brandy advertising figure (Lot 819: est. €300 to €500).
The sale takes place live online from 5.30pm.
See victormeeauctions.ie.