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00:00Deep in the heart of Ireland, surrounded by rich and rolling countryside, lies the idyllic
00:09village of Durrow.
00:16It's here Tessa and Robin own the 300-year-old Castle Durrow.
00:25Owning a stately pile with 48 bedrooms and 50 acres of land is no mean feat.
00:35To own its keep, the castle hosts all kinds of occasions, including one of Ireland's finest
00:41antique auctions, the Country House Auction.
00:54Incredible treasures are curated by world-renowned auctioneers.
00:59This is made of meteorite.
01:01Wow, I was not expecting that.
01:04Stories are unearthed.
01:05Jonathan Swift maybe learned how to play cards in this very room we're in.
01:10Rare finds are revealed.
01:14Valuations are made.
01:17This watch is worth close to 200,000.
01:19What?
01:20And nail-biting bidding unfolds.
01:23Sold at 12,000.
01:2530,000 a bit.
01:26That's 60,000.
01:27At 100,000.
01:28I got the pincushion.
01:31Magic.
01:32Welcome to the Country House Auction.
01:37Today, a fine wine comes of age.
01:42One of the most famous red wines on the planet.
01:45There's a hive of activity at the castle.
01:48I'm like Winnie the Pooh now, I can't stop.
01:51We take a look at the bigger picture.
01:53On the back of this is a line from his most famous song of all.
01:58And a famed artist gets the room in a spin.
02:01Go Severley, you might get it.
02:04They're all going, going, gone in today's Country House Auction.
02:15With 50 acres of land,
02:17Castle Durrow grows as much of its own fruit and vegetables as it can.
02:21And gardening is a never-ending project.
02:24We're leaving Tessa.
02:26I've shown Tessa how to grow stuff in the garden.
02:28Oh, have you?
02:31Could you have imagined digging up garlic 15 years ago or 10 years ago?
02:40We're not busy elsewhere on the estate.
02:43Robin also produces honey for the castle's kitchen,
02:46something he is very proud of.
02:50These frames are good enough to extract.
02:54At this point, I don't want to take any more honey off of these hives.
02:58I'll leave what they have there with them.
03:01While Robin is busy with the bees...
03:04Good boy. There we go.
03:06Tessa prefers to let sleeping dogs lie.
03:09It's beekeeping to him and I just eat the produce,
03:12so he's not impressed with that one.
03:15Tessa may not get involved with the bees,
03:18but she couldn't live in a fairy-tale castle and not be surrounded by animals.
03:22I adore animals.
03:24I dreamt, dreamt of being a vet.
03:28I want to have my own farm, my own zoo of animals.
03:32You like the kittles?
03:35I enjoy, you know, sitting outside, having a cup of tea,
03:39reading my book, you know, with my animals.
03:42So that would be my natural instinct.
03:47OK, let's sample a little bit.
03:52Mmm.
03:54That'll do quite nicely.
04:00I'm like Winnie the Pooh now, I can't stop.
04:05Just five minutes across the way,
04:08in the village of Durrow, is Shepard's Auctioneers.
04:11They are specialists in the sale of beautiful antiques
04:15and run the auction at the castle.
04:18Auctioneer Michael loves nothing more
04:21than the thrill and unpredictability of the global event.
04:25Going...on at 14,500.
04:28There's no guarantee that anything's going to sell,
04:31and it is gratifying when there's a sale.
04:35And there's engagement with the piece and its sales.
04:38Don't drop it, please.
04:41Also part of the family is Michael's son, James.
04:45So, James, you see here, inside of it...
04:47As a trainee auctioneer, he is learning from the best.
04:51My dad would be amazing at recalling where stuff is.
04:55If he could just see a bit of the leg,
04:57he'll know exactly what piece that is,
04:59who it belongs to, what the reserve is.
05:01It's diamond in the rough, is it?
05:03No, it's not a diamond in the rough, James.
05:05These are gorgeous diamonds, not in the rough.
05:07Where I may see, like, a chair,
05:09when he sees them, he knows exactly.
05:11It's like seeing a friend.
05:13It's like you'd remember seeing your friend in the shop.
05:16He's like, oh, yeah, that chair was there.
05:18The beauty of an auction is the not knowing.
05:21That's not knowing what's going to be submitted for sale.
05:24It's stunning, isn't it? Oh!
05:26Or who's going to put in a bid?
05:28It's beautiful.
05:30Two prospective buyers are interior designers Helen
05:33and her daughter Ciara.
05:35I think everyone can appreciate beautiful things.
05:37If you like it, buy it.
05:39Something that's caught their attention at the preview day
05:42is this pencil drawing by acclaimed Irish artist Sean Keating.
05:46It's beautiful. It's beautiful, yeah.
05:48The guide on that is pretty reasonable.
05:53Born in Limerick in 1889,
05:55Sean Keating was an Irish realist painter
05:58who was inspired by the iconic images
06:00of the working people of Ireland and the Aran Islands.
06:03Much of his art documents the Irish War of Independence
06:06as well as defiant men and women working the land.
06:09His heroic view of the people of Ireland
06:12is evident in his work up for sale today,
06:15Connemara Couple.
06:17Like many of his subjects,
06:19the identity of this striking couple is unknown.
06:22However, they are from the west of Ireland,
06:25a rich and rugged part of the country
06:27that has haunted him for much of his life.
06:31In an auction, no two pieces are the same,
06:34so choosing wonderful objects to sell
06:37is a skill in itself.
06:39We really, really handle
06:41hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of objects.
06:44It's a very engaging process.
06:46And what you see in an actual sale
06:49is a distillation of this process.
06:52And just one of those hundreds of objects
06:56attracting international attention
06:58is this absolute corker,
07:00a classic Bordeaux from Chateau Lafitte Rothschild.
07:04So in this current sale,
07:06we have a case of Chateau Lafitte,
07:0912 bottles.
07:11Wine of this calibre always attracts attention.
07:14With its reputation for quality and longevity,
07:17Chateau Lafitte Rothschild
07:19is one of the most collectible wines in the world.
07:22And it always sells well at Shepherds.
07:26We've had sales with 100 cases of wine
07:29and there's been engagement on every one of the lots.
07:33So in this case,
07:35I think we'll see some fireworks.
07:38It'll definitely sell.
07:40All it makes is the only question.
07:42And we'll see what happens.
07:44The case of 12 bottles of this 2010 vintage
07:48has a pre-sale estimate of 8,000 to 12,000 euros.
07:52That's between 6,900 and 10,400 pounds.
07:56And wine broker Dennis has taken an interest.
07:59So Chateau Lafitte is small production.
08:02It's 35,000 cases in a good year.
08:05So being a wine that's highly collectible,
08:08highly sought after,
08:10one of the most famous red wines on the planet.
08:13The Chateau Lafitte vineyards
08:15date back to the 13th century.
08:18By the 18th century,
08:20the wine was known around the world
08:22largely due to the King of France
08:24and its popularity among high society.
08:27When the Rothschilds bought the estate in the late 1860s,
08:31the wine soon topped the Bordeaux Wine League.
08:34In 2010,
08:36a single bottle of the late 1860s vintage
08:39sold for just over 149,000 pounds,
08:43setting a record for the highest price ever paid
08:46for a bottle of Chateau Lafitte at auction.
08:49It sold for around 37,000 pounds a glass.
08:53There was a huge audience for this.
08:55It's a prestigious wine
08:57and people like to have it in their collections.
08:59So it will be last orders at the bar
09:01when the Chateau Lafitte goes under the hammer.
09:04Hopefully not literally.
09:06Coming up,
09:08this picture certainly paints a thousand words.
09:11You see there's just a bit more
09:13and it's like 5,000, 5-5, 6, 6-5,
09:16people that are just going for it.
09:18The next guest is en route to Castle Durrow.
09:21I cannot wait to meet her.
09:23I can't wait to just be a mum.
09:26And one of Ireland's finest houses takes a bow.
09:29Even just to paint it, we had to scaffold the whole thing.
09:32It's a nice entrance to the house,
09:34a nice bit of wow.
09:43It's early doors on auction day at Castle Durrow.
09:48And the stage is being set for a global audience.
09:55Outside, the grounds are getting a good preening too.
10:03I hate being idle and I hate being housebound.
10:06This is one of the duties
10:08that is going to get me out of the office.
10:10And it's a lovely fresh day for it.
10:12When people come in the entrance,
10:14it's the entrance and the drive
10:17that triggers that initial impression.
10:19So it's something I like to keep on top of.
10:28And so, with the grounds looking resplendent
10:32and exquisite treasures on display...
10:35There seems to be a vast array
10:37of different styles, different designs.
10:40..eager national and international bidders
10:43are arriving in their droves.
10:47I've travelled a really long way to be here today,
10:50but there's some amazing lots and I'm really excited.
10:53It's time for the curtain to rise...
10:55Everything is possible.
10:57..on the Country House auction.
11:01First for its moment in the spotlight
11:03is the intimate pencil drawing
11:05by portrait artist Sean Keating.
11:09With an estimated value of between 3,000 to 5,000 euros,
11:13that's roughly 2,600 to 4,300 pounds,
11:17will anyone fall in love with this romantic couple?
11:22Connemara couple, Sean Keating.
11:242,000.
11:262,000 a bid.
11:282,200.
11:302,400.
11:32The drawing isn't even down the aisle.
11:342,800.
11:363,000.
11:38And it's already causing a bidding war,
11:40an auction atmosphere that James loves to see.
11:42The best-case scenario is that you have two or more people
11:45who are wildly involved in something and they want it.
11:49When you see there's just a bidding war
11:51and it's like 5,000, 5,500, 6,000, 6,500,
11:54you know, it's just people that are just going for it.
11:56That's the best-case scenario, I think.
11:583,200.
12:003,200.
12:023,400.
12:04In the thick of it is interior designer Helen,
12:06who is sourcing treasures for clients
12:08with daughter and business partner Ciara.
12:11What we like to do is to find pieces that are unique
12:15that you won't find them in every other home.
12:18If the old fever sets in, we would be...
12:21In trouble.
12:23We will be in trouble.
12:25Up against them is David,
12:27an art collector who had an interest
12:29in another masterpiece in a previous lot.
12:324,400.
12:344,600.
12:354,800.
12:365,000.
12:38Helen is facing some stiff competition.
12:405,700.
12:415,800.
12:425,800.
12:43The price is too high for David and he stands down.
12:46I can feel it building.
12:48Sweaty hands.
12:506,000.
12:52But an internet bidder is taking her on.
12:546,200.
12:556,200.
12:57That's it.
12:58It looks like Helen has reached her limit.
13:01You're telling yourself that you're going to stay
13:03within what you've decided you want to pay for this.
13:066,400.
13:076,400.
13:09But as it builds, you actually say,
13:12oh, no.
13:146,500.
13:15And you actually forget that you had boundaries and limits
13:18and you actually will keep going.
13:236,700.
13:246,800.
13:256,800.
13:267,000, shall I say.
13:28Go 7,000 and you may get it.
13:317,200.
13:327,200.
13:33You made it?
13:34Yes.
13:35You're out?
13:36OK.
13:37Helen has withdrawn at 7,000 euros.
13:407,200.
13:41Going.
13:42Going.
13:43Gone at 7,200.
13:47The Connemara couple stole the heart of the auction
13:50and has sold to an online bidder for well above its pre-sale
13:53estimate at 7,200 euros.
13:57Auction aficionado Helen may have lost out,
14:00but she's feeling philosophical.
14:03I was happy I'd tried and it's a beautiful painting
14:06so I wish them luck with it.
14:08You know, they'll enjoy it.
14:13The beauty of an auction is that every treasure has a story to tell
14:17and a new owner waiting in the wings to bring it to life.
14:21Just 40 minutes north of Castle Durrow is Gloucester House,
14:25a home and venue owned by auction fanatics Tom and Mary.
14:30It was only after a long search for the perfect country pile
14:34that they finally set their eyes and hearts
14:37on this impressive 300-year-old property.
14:43We came down with our son Nigel.
14:45We had been to a lot of houses and we brought the children
14:48and we never bought anything so they thought we wouldn't buy something.
14:52We just thought it was lovely and I remember Tom saying to Nigel,
14:56I think we're in trouble, your mother likes the house.
15:00Gloucester House dates from the early 18th century
15:03and was designed by one of Ireland's most prominent Georgian architects,
15:07Sir Edward Lovett Pearce.
15:09After moving in, it took Tom and Mary over a decade
15:13to restore this splendid house back to its former glory.
15:17I suppose it takes a bit of vision and certainly takes patience.
15:21We didn't have the huge resources to lash into it
15:24and get it all done in six months.
15:27This is a very interesting hall.
15:30It's double height, as you can see.
15:33Even just to paint it, we had to scaffold the whole thing
15:36so we weren't going to take too much of a risk with the colour.
15:39It's a nice entrance to the house, a nice bit of wow.
15:45Now we're in the main drawing room,
15:47which was not in good condition when we came here.
15:50We got a new chimney piece.
15:52We restored all the plasterwork, the cornice and the ceiling.
15:58Here we're in the dining room, which used to be the morning room
16:02and it was the morning room because it gets the Easterly sun.
16:06So we decided to do quite a dramatic colour in here.
16:11To genuinely restore the property,
16:13Tom and Mary have filled their many grand rooms
16:16with period pieces found where else but at auction.
16:21We're always going to auctions,
16:23always buying more and changing the rooms around.
16:26We actually have nothing terribly valuable in this house.
16:29No museum pieces.
16:31That be right?
16:32Yeah. We buy things that we like
16:35and feel will fit in our home.
16:38It's trial and error.
16:40You see something and you think it might be nice
16:43and, of course, the danger is when you bring it back,
16:46you're not sure and, of course, you never get rid of it
16:49so you find a place for it, but it's great fun.
16:53For this canny couple, the opportunity to find something new
16:56at the Country House auction can't be missed.
17:01Back at the castle, while auction action continues,
17:04Robin is attending to a very special antique of his own.
17:10I like to buy new equipment that doesn't give trouble.
17:13This tractor's a little bit different.
17:15Out of all the machines we have, it never fails to start.
17:19It's got no power steering, so it's a nice workout on the arms
17:23and it's just got great character.
17:25This tractor's in keeping with the house,
17:27so even if it does pack up,
17:29we'll probably give it a lick of paint
17:31and park it up somewhere to retire in the garden or the grounds.
17:35It's got that nearly lifetime association with the place
17:38and it grabs everyone's attention.
17:44Like Robin's collection of machines,
17:46antiques that feature in the auction
17:48can arrive in all states of repair.
17:50So to reach their ultimate potential,
17:52sometimes a touch of TLC is given before the sale.
17:55In Kilkenny, retired cabinetmaker Kieran
17:58is busy getting something very special ready
18:01for its big day at Castle Darrow,
18:03a 160-year-old Victorian cheval mirror.
18:06I love old furniture. I just love it.
18:08Some of the original moulding is missing,
18:11so we're going to replace this
18:13with some parts we got out from old stock that we keep.
18:17We use the old moulding,
18:19but we're going to replace it
18:22with some parts we got out from old stock that we keep.
18:25We use the old scotch glue here,
18:27which is the glue that was used originally
18:29when the mirror would have been made.
18:33Every piece you get is different.
18:35That's what makes the job so interesting.
18:37It's lovely to see the different pieces
18:40and it's a different challenge the whole time.
18:43Like, I never get tired.
18:45I just like what I'm doing.
18:47I would do it all day, every day, every night.
18:52The next day, after the glue has dried
18:55and new pieces hand-carved to match the original frame,
18:58Kieran continues to seamlessly refurbish the mirror.
19:02So we start off with the medium paper.
19:07It's nice to see the grain coming up in the wood, you know.
19:12Even after 60 years,
19:14Kieran still treats each treasure in his care
19:17with an astonishing attention to detail.
19:20Bringing pieces back to life is great, you know.
19:22It's all about a bit of pride in what you're doing.
19:25Now that's nice and smooth,
19:28ready for colouring in.
19:32With the frame sanded,
19:34Kieran stains the replacement pieces of wood.
19:37So we have mixed up some colour
19:39to match what's already there.
19:42That's why we use old wood.
19:44It's easier to match it.
19:46If we use new wood here,
19:48it will be very hard to colour it in to match the old wood.
19:51You can see the colour in there now nearly matches in
19:54perfect with the old moulding.
19:59With the colour matched
20:01and left to dry after a spot of French polishing,
20:04the glass is secured back into place,
20:07ready to face the world once again.
20:10You get something in bad shape or in bad nick
20:13and you repair it and you see what comes out at the end.
20:16That's the job satisfaction, you know.
20:19I still think it's a lovely piece of furniture.
20:22It's an honest piece of furniture, you know.
20:25So that's our mirror now ready to go.
20:29There's a pre-sale estimate of 4 to 600 euros,
20:33so let's hope all the skill Kieran's lavished on the mirror
20:36is reflected in the final price.
20:42Coming up, treasure hunters Tom and Mary
20:45are let loose on the sale.
20:47Basically we're auctionholics, aren't we?
20:49Yes, yes.
20:50Kieran's cheval mirror goes under the hammer.
20:53Somebody sells this off now, it's 300 euros.
20:55Any open bid of 300 euros?
20:57And a unique piece of art by a very special painter
21:00is in search of a new home.
21:02Any time we offer a Percy French for sale,
21:05everybody wants it.
21:08It's the Country House auction in Castle Dorough
21:11and the auction room is a flurry of activity.
21:146,000 now for the chairs, 6,500, 6,500.
21:18A set of bespoke carved hall chairs
21:21was sold to Fota House in Cork
21:24for 7,500 euros.
21:30Not 290 euros.
21:33It's a very good deal.
21:36Not 291.
21:38These rare Second World War Carl Zeiss binoculars
21:42were quickly snapped up for an impressive 3,400 euros.
21:467031.
21:48360, 380, 380, 400.
21:51This 1950s vintage Sega slot machine
21:54also hit the jackpot at 650 euros.
21:57All out at 650 going.
22:00And these two 16th century stained glass panels...
22:04Somebody started off at 800 euros
22:07and the opening bid of 800, 800 and bid,
22:10at 800, 850, at 850.
22:12..were more than window dressing as they sold for 900 euros.
22:15And sold at 900 euros.
22:17I'm so pleased that I got those.
22:19The auctioneer was at 900 but he kept waiting,
22:22he kept seeing if he could get that extra bid
22:25and I was just like, put the hammer down, I want it!
22:28And eventually he did and I won it at 900 euros.
22:31Absolutely incredible.
22:33Somebody started off at 150 euros...
22:35It's a tight-knit family at Castle Durrow
22:38and they're about to welcome a new little person.
22:41Robin and Tessa are expecting a daughter in just a few weeks.
22:47I am so excited.
22:49I am so impatient.
22:52I cannot wait to meet her.
22:54I can't wait to just be a mum.
22:59I can't wait to not be pregnant any more.
23:03So I've got the baby bag, the carrier,
23:06I've got a little movable changing table
23:11and a few toys.
23:13Rattles, because that's really necessary when she's just born.
23:16Anyway, yeah, just storage solution
23:19just to get it out of the way for the moment.
23:21But I have it all in here.
23:23We have four weeks left
23:25and we are pretty much ready to go.
23:28I mean, yeah, we really feel like we're growing up now.
23:31He's really excited.
23:33I think he's more excited for when she's, like, toddler age.
23:36Oh, he's already looking up beekeeping suits for her.
23:41I love this one, it's so cute.
23:43You can't put a toddler into a bee suit.
23:45She can't go helping you beekeeping
23:47and, like, going out hunting and stuff.
23:49That's what he's the most excited for.
23:51Give us one of those apricots.
23:53Constantly stealing food off pregnant women is not a good idea.
23:56It'll bring an amazing new lease of life to the place,
24:00and probably drain our energy,
24:02but then pick up for it in other ways.
24:05Yeah.
24:11There's a bit of weight in these.
24:15With a baby on the way,
24:17there'll be a great deal more to juggle
24:19and Robin will have to find time for his honey.
24:23This is a super of honey
24:25that we took away from some hives.
24:28It's probably the last harvest of the year.
24:31Primarily, this honey will be going in
24:34to be served on the buffet table for breakfast for all our guests.
24:37The frames have been taken from the hives
24:39and the wax plugs removed.
24:41Next step, extract the honey.
24:45This is just a honey extractor.
24:53See the way it's been flung to the outside there
24:56and then it drains down to the bottom.
25:00Once that filter's through,
25:02it's really ready to serve in the restaurant straight away.
25:05It's in great demand.
25:07There's sufficient honey there for what we need.
25:10Definitely quality over quantity.
25:12And that's kind of the ethos with a lot of our stuff.
25:21Over at Shepard's showroom,
25:23quality is a priority for the auctioneers too.
25:27And when it comes to the world of art,
25:30it can get emotional.
25:33It's a piece of art.
25:35Reality goes out the window and passion steps in
25:38and you just want it.
25:40For Philip, the work of the artist Percy French
25:43has a particularly special place in his heart.
25:46Just looking at this,
25:48this literally transports you and takes you right in.
25:51It's been somewhere down the west of Ireland.
25:54This is just a very, very, very typical Percy French.
26:00Born in 1854,
26:02the young French was an engineer,
26:05charged with the job of inspector of drains.
26:09But wherever he worked, he brought his brush,
26:12immortalising his view on canvas.
26:16His job was to understand this and to drain all of this away.
26:21And before he does so,
26:23he captures it in watercolour forever.
26:26He's almost saying, this is a shame to interfere with this.
26:30French's talent was not limited to the visual arts,
26:33as this painting reveals another important side of his story.
26:38On the back of this
26:40is a line from his most famous song of all,
26:43recorded internationally,
26:45where the mountains of mourn sweep down to the sea.
26:48And here we have it repeated again.
26:50Mourn sweeps down to the sea.
26:53I mean, a song made famous by Dan McLean,
26:56owned by everybody, you know.
26:59And it looks like Philip's passion
27:01is beginning to rub off on Michael.
27:03The more you look at it,
27:05the more captivating it becomes.
27:08It's calming as well.
27:10If you wanted to meditate in your home
27:13and just look at that, it probably doesn't come better.
27:16I think this should do particularly well.
27:19His watercolour technique is just superb,
27:22and he brings it to life.
27:24Any time we offer a Percy French for sale,
27:27everybody wants it.
27:29Where the dark mourn sweeps down to the sea.
27:37At the auction in Castle Durrow,
27:39buyers and sellers gather excitedly.
27:42And cabinetmaker and seller Ciaran
27:45has arrived to see his mirror in the sale,
27:48with his number one fan, Wi-Fi-lish.
27:51I'm proud of everything he does,
27:53because I think actually he's amazing.
27:55He loves what he does,
27:57so I suppose that's a great start.
27:59So while it's a challenge very often,
28:02he's well up to it,
28:04and he's just delighted to see
28:06at the end of the day what it looks like.
28:08That number 96 is a Victorian mahogany cheval
28:11dressing mirror.
28:13With a pre-sale estimate of 4 to 600 euros,
28:17an old mirror has been given a new lease of life.
28:20Somebody starts this off now at 200 euros
28:23for the cheval dressing mirror.
28:25Auctioneer Michael gets the ball rolling.
28:28220, 240, 240, 260, 260, 280, 280 euros.
28:33280. 300.
28:35300 now. At 300.
28:37At 300. At 300.
28:40At 300. Going, going.
28:42It's a quick sale,
28:44and the cheval mirror has been sold
28:46for 300 euros,
28:48which is about 260 pounds.
28:51The mirror went well.
28:53It might have made a little bit more,
28:55but the way things are, it was good.
28:57I was happy with it, happy with the price,
28:59and hopefully it's gone to a good home.
29:01Somebody got good value.
29:03I really like the mirror,
29:05and I hope wherever it goes it will be loved,
29:08and some lovely lady
29:10will enjoy looking at herself in it
29:12because she'll be able to see herself
29:14from top to bottom.
29:16Travelling from Gloucester House,
29:18auction enthusiasts Tom and Mary
29:20love the buzz of the sale room
29:22and hope to find a new antique
29:24for their home.
29:26Basically, we're auctionholics.
29:28Usually, one of us wants something
29:30more than the other,
29:32so we try to put a limit on it,
29:34but often that gets breached.
29:36If something comes up
29:38and it goes at a good price,
29:40we'll just make a decision
29:42at the spur of the moment.
29:44It all depends on the pocket of the day,
29:46how deep it is.
29:48And in the thick of the auction,
29:50another something shiny catches Tom
29:52and Mary's eye,
29:54a carved wood gilt George III pier mirror.
29:56141 is the George III gilt pier mirror.
29:58Somebody sold this off now
30:00at 800 euros.
30:02And as the auction for their treasure
30:05900, at 900...
30:07It's a familiar feeling for Tom.
30:09When the auction gets going,
30:11especially when you're coming up
30:13to the item you really want to buy,
30:15you really want to bid for,
30:17you feel the heart rate going faster and faster.
30:19At 1,000, at 1,000, at 1,000,
30:21any further advance than 1?
30:231,100 now, 1,200, at 1,200,
30:25at 1,200, at 1,200.
30:27All out, at 1,200.
30:29Going, going.
30:31And then you get it.
30:33Gone at 1,200.
30:35At 1,200 euros,
30:37the mirrors certainly set their pulses
30:39racing today.
30:41A sparkling winner for Gloucester House.
30:43The bottom line is we're quite happy.
30:45Oh yes we are, yeah.
30:47But it's very tense
30:49when you bid
30:51and he's looking for another bid
30:53and you're hoping and hoping no one is going to come in
30:55and sometimes at the last minute
30:57somebody comes in with another bid.
30:59There's always that little bit
31:02of tension and then this great relief
31:04when he brings down the hammer and says,
31:06you've got it.
31:08Looking forward to getting it home
31:10and trying it out.
31:16Prolific Percy French collector
31:18and seasoned auction goer Brendan
31:20has seen the paintings in the catalogue
31:22but before he will commit to anything
31:24he wants to get up close
31:26and personal with the collection.
31:28All is exciting,
31:31all is exciting.
31:33Well I'll be bidding on a number of items
31:35but hopefully I'll be able to purchase
31:37a couple of the Percy French paintings.
31:39The auction record for Percy French
31:41was set in 2000
31:43when work entitled
31:45Paintbrush and Pen, Some Impressions
31:47was sold for
31:49£58,750.
31:51So there is potential
31:53here for the collection to make some serious
31:55money.
31:57This is a typical
31:59Bogland scene.
32:01In the auction,
32:03Shepherds is selling 10 Percy French
32:05paintings and there's nothing
32:07Philip likes more than sharing his own passion
32:09for the artist with Brendan.
32:11Of course watercolour is
32:13an unforgiving medium.
32:15You sort of make a mistake at sudden death.
32:17It's not like oil where you can scrape it back
32:19and rebuild over it.
32:21Philip is also keen to show Brendan
32:23the painting with the inscription
32:25that has one of the highest values in the auction.
32:28The bog cottons. He would have flecked this
32:30with a brush, just load a little bit of
32:32white on it and just flecked it.
32:34So that's why they're so random
32:36when they hit it. I love this one for the colour.
32:38It's beautiful, yeah. It's very colourful.
32:40And what's extraordinary about this is it's double framed
32:42and at the
32:44back here, a line from that
32:46famous song of his Immortalised by Don McLean.
32:48And it seems the
32:50poignant words on the back of the painting
32:52are making quite the impression on Brendan.
32:54It's fairly unusual
32:57just having that, you know. I haven't seen it before.
32:59I have quite a lot of them, you know.
33:01It is a beautiful painting
33:03and the guide price reflects
33:05this and its part in Irish
33:07history. 15 to
33:0925,000 euros.
33:11Well, it's just an estimate, isn't it?
33:13Well, we hope it does better.
33:15I think it deserves to do better. I think it's a wonderful
33:17piece.
33:1915 to 25,000.
33:21I would consider a bit on the high side
33:23but who knows?
33:25Maybe 10.
33:27Brendan's bidding for success
33:29with Percy French but with the auction
33:31in the lap of the gods,
33:33will he be taking his favourite painting
33:35home?
33:39Coming up,
33:41a storm leaves more work for Robin.
33:43With every storm we tend to
33:45lose a tree.
33:47A bidding war has buyers jumping out of their
33:49seats. I thought Michael couldn't see
33:51me and I kept going up here.
33:53I wasn't very discreet.
33:55And the luxury case of
33:57Chateau Lafitte Bordeaux goes
33:59under the hammer. I'd definitely jump
34:01and see if the price is right.
34:035,500, 6,000.
34:09At 1,000.
34:11Against the backdrop of the luscious Irish
34:13landscape, the Country House auction
34:15is taking place at Castle
34:17Durrow. Going, going.
34:19Where hundreds of precious
34:21treasures have faced their fate
34:23under the hammer. 240.
34:25Going.
34:27But with auctions, you always
34:29have to expect the unexpected.
34:31Going.
34:33Not number 99.
34:35There's a Kilkenny Militia
34:37silver ladle. James is just showing it here.
34:39This rare
34:41piece of sparkling silver
34:43dates from 1806.
34:45Sunday South is off at...
34:47240. 240 on bidding.
34:49Advance now on 240. 260.
34:51280. 300.
34:53At 300. At 300 euros.
34:55320.
34:57It's a lovely piece at 320.
34:59340.
35:01340. And further advance on 3...
35:03This lady's going to have a heart attack if I don't
35:05drop it. At 340 euros.
35:07All finished at 340. Going.
35:09Going. Now on 340.
35:117, 1, 2, 1.
35:13The ladle sells for 340
35:15euros.
35:17Irish silver is
35:19actually quite sought after
35:21in England, but at the moment
35:23I'm holding on to
35:25silver and we'll see where it goes.
35:27It's like an investment, really.
35:29Next, a pair of lime green
35:31wing-backed Dublin chairs.
35:33Interior designer
35:35Rob has an eye for their well-turned
35:37legs. Lovely pair of chairs.
35:39Nice detail on the leg.
35:41Very much the clown ball, typical Irish look.
35:43But it looks like fellow designer
35:45Keira is also interested in
35:47buying them. I love them
35:49because they're neat, not
35:51oversized, and they're comfortable.
35:53This could be a game of musical chairs
35:55as these interior designers
35:57go to war.
35:591,000 euros to start them. 1,000 a bid.
36:01And Rob is straight in.
36:031,000 a bid.
36:051,100. 1,200. 1,200.
36:07Keen to hide his intentions from Keira,
36:09his bidding style is almost
36:11invisible. Just the merest twitch of
36:13one arm and his bid goes up.
36:151,400.
36:17But Keira can see everything.
36:191,500. 1,500.
36:211,600. 1,700.
36:231,800. 1,900.
36:252,000.
36:272,000.
36:292,400.
36:31And with a flick,
36:33Rob ups his bid.
36:352,600. Will he go
36:37for one more twitch?
36:39No. Rob keeps hold
36:41of himself and bows out.
36:432,400. The chairs
36:45have sold for 2,400
36:47euros. Rob may have been
36:49pipped at the post, but it's all in a
36:51day's work at the Country House
36:53auction. They went a bit higher
36:55than I had hoped. But look,
36:57on today, it just wasn't to be.
36:59Rob may be philosophical about
37:01it all, but Keira has got
37:03herself the best seat in the house.
37:05I did get a bit
37:07nervous coming up to it, and I thought Michael couldn't
37:09see me, and I kept going...
37:11I wasn't very discreet,
37:13cos I was kind of panicking, but
37:15yeah, no, we're thrilled.
37:17We both had similar tastes,
37:19but unfortunately, their pockets were a little bit deeper than mine.
37:21Attending
37:23an auction can be an emotional event,
37:25especially if you are selling something
37:27you have made yourself.
37:29And for
37:31furniture designers Donnacher and Nicky,
37:33their bespoke chestnut and
37:35resin table has its first
37:37sighting today.
37:39There's a piece of my soul in it.
37:41There's a piece of my soul in everything I create.
37:43Absolutely thrilled to have
37:45something that you've created with love
37:47and have it up there for
37:49people to see, and hopefully somebody
37:51will buy it. 1,000 a bit. 1,000
37:53a bit. 1,100 at 1,100.
37:55The estimate on the table
37:57is between 2,000 to 3,000
37:59euros. 1,200
38:01at 1,200.
38:03At 1,200, 1,300.
38:051,300 at 1,300.
38:07And if we're advancing 1,300 now for this lot,
38:09at 1,300, at 1,300,
38:111,300 will pass.
38:13Although the table didn't sell this time,
38:15it didn't stop Donnacher enjoying
38:17the ride. An emotional
38:19rollercoaster is what it was.
38:21You were a wreck.
38:23A wreck all the way through it, and the feeling
38:25of elation as it came near ours,
38:27and then the disappointment, but what
38:29an experience. The pride
38:31in being here is what I'll remember,
38:33when we'll be back again.
38:35It's safe to say
38:37the auction can be full of surprises,
38:39much like life on the estate,
38:41where no two days
38:43are the same.
38:51And when everything is in full swing,
38:53so is Robin.
38:59In fact, there's no stopping him
39:01until...
39:05This tractor has a dodgy gearbox,
39:07so it takes
39:09a bit of a primitive fix at times.
39:11It's stuck in gear.
39:13With all
39:15these storms and winds that seem to be
39:17more frequent these days,
39:19it's sad to see, but
39:21with every storm, we tend to lose a tree.
39:25No matter what there is to do
39:27at the castle, Robin's always
39:29his chipper.
39:31This little paddock that we're in is
39:33one that we like to use for the
39:35Highland cows, and it's one of their
39:37favourite spots. So I've got
39:39to clear this up, because it's only going to be
39:41a hazard for them, tripping up with the leg.
39:43And Tessa will be
39:45glad of the extra firewood.
39:49I'll chip it up against the wall,
39:51and leave some of the branches there.
39:53That might create a nice little
39:55habitat or something.
39:57There's parts of this area
39:59actually I've rewilded a lot,
40:01and we've seen a great surge in hedgehog
40:03numbers.
40:07And from one wild landscape
40:09to another, back at the auction,
40:11the Percy French watercolour
40:13is going under the hammer.
40:15Lot 251,
40:17a series of Percy French paintings, or watercolours.
40:19The Percy French
40:21painting has a pre-sale estimate
40:23of between 15,000 to
40:255,000 euros.
40:27That's roughly between 13,000 to
40:2922,000 pounds.
40:33Brendan's eyes
40:35are on the prize, as he opens
40:37the bidding.
40:41But he is immediately trumped by
40:43someone online.
40:49Brendan is eager
40:51to add this landscape to his collection.
40:53But he is not alone.
40:559,500.
40:5710,000.
40:5910,000.
41:0110,000.
41:0311,000.
41:05At 11,000,
41:07Brendan might be in the clear,
41:09as he edges
41:11ever closer to the finish line.
41:13But at the last
41:15minute, the online bidder
41:17sneaks in a higher bid,
41:19and Brendan bows out.
41:21Not finished at 12.
41:23Gone at 12,000.
41:25The beautiful landscape
41:27by Percy French
41:29has gone to an online bidder
41:31for 12,000 euros.
41:33Brendan may not have bought it,
41:35but he sees the positive side.
41:37I would find it encouraging
41:39having a collection of them,
41:41to see them making that price, you know.
41:434,800 twice.
41:45It's good to see the market is strong.
41:475,000.
41:49At 12,500,
41:51he didn't go away empty-handed.
41:53Gone at 5,000.
41:55He landed paintings from the sale,
41:57taking this one home
41:59for 5,000 euros.
42:01I enjoyed everything about it,
42:03so it's just lovely being here,
42:05you know, in the castle.
42:07And another one in the collection
42:09was sold for 4,600.
42:11Gone at 4,600.
42:13And going by the prices,
42:15it's the place to sell.
42:19Auction day at Castle Durrow
42:21is beginning to wind down.
42:23However, there is a feeling
42:25of expectation in the air
42:27as the sale of the case of
42:29Chateau Lafitte Rothschild fast approaches.
42:31There's been so much interest
42:33in this case of wine
42:35that it's become today's star attraction.
42:37Well, to my mind,
42:39whiskey and wine as an investment
42:41are better than gold.
42:43And so, with wine dealer Dennis
42:45taking his place in the room,
42:47it's wine time.
42:49So we start this one off now at 5,000.
42:51The wine has a pre-sale estimate
42:53of 8,000 to 12,000 euros.
42:59Any bit of 5,000 to start this lot,
43:01any bit of 5,000 to start this case of wine,
43:035,000 a bit.
43:05And wine dealer Dennis is straight in there
43:07with his opening bid.
43:09This is one of the world's most iconic wines,
43:11and I'd definitely jump on this
43:13if the price is right.
43:155,500.
43:176,000.
43:196,500.
43:216,500.
43:23The price is clearly not right
43:25as Dennis bows out at 6,500.
43:277,000.
43:297,000.
43:317,500.
43:33But it's climbing as rival bidders compete.
43:35At 8,500.
43:37And a telephone bidder is pipping
43:39at 8,500.
43:41At 9,000.
43:439,000.
43:45Going, going.
43:479,000.
43:49The case of Chateau Lafitte Rothschild
43:51has sold to an anonymous bidder
43:53for a mid-range price
43:55of 9,000 euros.
43:57So unfortunately,
43:59I didn't win the case of Chateau Lafitte.
44:01It was above the top estimate
44:03that I was happy to bid at,
44:05and that's a good result at the end of the day.
44:07But unfortunately not for me.
44:09The sale of the wine
44:11raises a glass to a successful auction.
44:13Auctioneer Michael
44:15appreciates the value of the winning bid.
44:17Would I pay
44:199,000 for a case of wine?
44:21Yes, I would.
44:23It's not spending money.
44:25It's putting money
44:27from one thing into another thing.
44:35Among the stellar lots
44:37that have shone brightly at the auction,
44:39the beautifully restored Victorian Cheval Mira
44:41rode into the sunset
44:43at a price of 300 euros.
44:45A stunning sketch
44:47of a Connemara couple
44:49by the artist Sean Keating
44:51brought out the rivals in a bidding war,
44:53fetching 7,200 euros.
44:55And the vintage
44:57Chateau Lafitte Rothschild red wine
44:59was a corker
45:01at 9,000 euros.
45:05As the final sale wraps up,
45:07it's a moment for reflection
45:09on a job well done.
45:11I think auctioneering is a very emotional trade.
45:13I don't think it gives off an energy,
45:15but everything is connected.
45:17Everything comes back to that.
45:19An auction in Castle Dorough,
45:21it's like having an auction
45:23in the best possible place on the planet.
45:27And as they wind down from work,
45:29castle owners Robin and Tessa
45:31are looking forward to what's next on the menu.
45:33I think it went flawlessly.
45:35Great atmosphere.
45:37I think everyone really enjoyed themselves.
45:39George enjoyed himself.
45:41Let's be the place
45:43known for the quarterly auction.
45:45Yeah, it's a good idea.
45:47It's definitely food for thought.
45:49Just like our other regular
45:51day-to-day trade.
45:53I'm ready for bed.
45:55I'm wrecked.
45:57George is ready for bed now.
45:59You're going to make dinner tonight, are you?
46:01I don't know if that's in me now,
46:03to be honest.
46:05Both of us deserve a meal out now.
46:07Oh, we're lucky.