Antique table from a house burned down by the IRA sells for $430,200

The piece belonged to the St George family, whose mausoleum inspired a John Betjeman poem

A fine Regency rosewood library table, which was acquired for Tyrone House, an important Irish estate in County Galway, sold for a remarkable £264,000 ($430,200) at Bonhams yesterday (June 15, 2011), as part of its Fine English Furniture and Works of Art Sale.

The table, which had been estimated at £100,000-150,000, has passed through the St. George family by descent.

Tyrone House was built in 1779 by Christopher St. George (1754-1826) and designed by the celebrated Waterford architect John Roberts (1712-1796). Christopher St. George lived in the house for twenty years before passing it to his son, Arthur French, who, during the 1820s, also occupied Kilcolgan Castle.

It's seen a lot of history: the Regency rosewood table

By 1905, the family was based between Dublin and America and the contents of the house were split amongst family members. In 1921, the house was burnt down by the IRA, who believed it to be a base for the Black and Tans.

The ruin was acquired by the Irish Georgian Society in 1972 and today remains a local landmark sitting opposite the St George family mausoleum, which inspired John Betjeman to write in his poem, Ireland with Emily:

'There in pinnacle protection

One extinguished family waits

A Church of Ireland resurrection

By the broken, rusty gates'

Top prices were also paid for a Queen Anne giltwood marginal mirror and a George III Irish white marble chimney-piece, which both fetched £72,000; while a pair of George II burr walnut card tables, which are believed to have been commissioned by Sir Thomas Dyer, 5th Baronet (1694-1780) for the Elizabethan country house, Spains Hall, near Finchingfield, Essex, sold for £66,000.

An important George III dome-top tester bed from Hulton Park also outdid its estimate, selling for £26,400. In total, the sale realized £1,240,000 ($2,020,000).

Collectors interested in antique furniture from the reign of George III should take a look at this important mahogany and satinwood cabinet by John Linnell.

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