Jack Butler Yeats trunk and belongings that lay undiscovered in vault for decades up for auction
A treasure trove of love, owned by one the country’s most renowned internationally known artists, that lay hidden in a bank vault for decades is up for auction on Tuesday.
A battered trunk containing wedding and anniversary memorabilia marking 50 years of love between Jack Butler Yeats, the brother of esteemed writer WB Yeats, and his wife Cottie was found two years ago and is now being sold by the executors of their estate.
The auction of lot 65, by Co. Kilkenny-based Fonsie Mealy Auctioneers, is sure to grab the attention of historian and fans globally when it is sold on Tuesday, December 10, at the Talbot Hotel in Stillorgan, Dublin.
The auction brochure describes the lot as a “wonderful collection including a pair of white satin lady’s dress shoes with silk bows, pigskin-lined and by family tradition worn by Cottie White for her wedding to Jack Yeats in 1894.”
Also comprised in the lot is an artificial flower, probably worn by Cottie on her wedding day, in a hallmarked silver mounted jar, a pale leather lady’s handbag with elaborate embossed design, carried by her on their wedding day but is now “somewhat soiled.”
A gold locket with lapis lazuli and seed pearl decoration, mounted with a chain, engraved “J.B. YEATS / M.C. YEATS / Aug 23rd, 1894 - Aug. 23rd 1944”, and within the locket a folded paper oval inscribed, “From Jack to Cottie with 50 years love.”
In a Stokes & Son Jeweller’s box, there is a pair of gold hallmarked wedding rings, Jack’s and Cottie’s, with one inscribed “Christ alone made us two one,” and the other, “Heart content cannot repent”.
There is also a gold hallmarked Claddagh ring, which is through to have been Cottie’s, a gold mounted friendship bracelet with the word ‘L’Amitie’ (Friendship) set within an oval of seed pearls; with a matching oval inscribed; “souvenir” or memory with damaged mount, believed to have been Cottie’s and/or Jack’s.
George Mealy, of Fonsie Mealy auctioneers said the guide price is “quite conservative and we already had extensive interest from clients based in the US".
“The collection gives a different yet tangible element to the Yeats’ family history and final chapter.
The trunk lay in a Bank of Ireland vault until 2017 and the Yeats executors knew nothing about it until it was mentioned to them.
The belongings were inherited by WB Yeats’ daughter Anne, who died in 2001.
Other Yeats memorabilia, watercolours and sketches include lots 608 to 624 which comprise of a gentleman’s fine gold pocket watch owned by Jack himself and jewellery belonging to Cottie’s family, the Whites such as lockets and rings.
The auction also inlcudes a Rare Books & Literature Sale, with an “extremely rare” Seamus Heaney edition, titled “Toome” limited to 15 copies guiding at up to €2000.
The book of poems by the late writer, is illustrated by Jane Proctor of the, National College of Art and Design 1980. The work includes nine poems, illustrated with nine full-page coloured screen prints and/or lithographs by Ms Proctor.
Mr Mealy added: “Heaney explains (in the book) why he has gone off the limited-edition idea for the time being. A truly magnificent book, probably the rarest major Heaney title, and certainly one of the finest”.
Lot 354 estimated at €1,500 includes the scarce signature of Irish female revolutionary and muse of William Butler Yeats’, Maude Gonne.
“Celtic Wonder Tales” by Ella Young, is also illustrated by Gonne with four colour plates and other decorations. The book contains an original blue cloth decorated in white, with a faded spine which was apparently chewed by a dog towards the end of it.
Lot 657 has also garnered huge interest from US-based historians as it comprises of a large and important collection of almost 500 letters dating from 1770 to 1830. The letters were written between leading members of the Society of Friends in Ireland.
Members of the Society of Friends or Quakers have played a leading part in Irish life since the mid-17th century in business and manufacturing, education, and humanitarian relief.
The correspondents include some of the leading Quakers of their time, in particular, Richard Shackleton, schoolmaster and proprietor of the Quaker school at Ballitore, Samuel Grubb, miller and corn merchant in Clonmel, and his wife Margaret (daughter of Richard Shackleton).
The letters are estimated to be worth between €10,000 to €15,000.
