Antique pub ad could fetch €100k at sale

THE Victor Mee Auction House is ‘returning to its roots’ with a magnificent advertising and collectables auction this October.

Taking place over two days on Wednesday, and Thursday, October 21-22, Mee’s auction house will present a catalogue of almost 1,000 lots of antique advertising, pub memorabilia and collectibles in an exclusive online-only sale.

Victor Mee Auctions is renowned for their pub memorabilia and advertising sales, with auctioneer, Victor Mee, boasting many years of experience and expertise on the subject.

The unquestionable highlight of the auction is Lot 215, a remarkable large-scale painting by celebrated artist and illustrator John Gilroy, best known as the artist behind some of Guinness’s most iconic advertising imagery.

This piece, known as ‘Guinness Man’, the painting was created for The Dock Green in Leeds, a distinctive public house housed in the premises of a former police station. The building became a pub in 1961 and The Dock Green remained in operation until its closure in 2014.

Gilroy’s composition makes playful use of that history. Across the enormous, action-filled scene, uniformed policemen give chase as thieves flee with jewellery, dogs join the pursuit and startled members of the public look on. The resulting crime caper scene seems to have been conceived specifically for its unusual setting.

The most intriguing part of the painting’s history, however, is the story behind its conception.

According to the provenance accompanying the work, Gilroy painted the scene for The Dock Green in lieu of payment for a drinking debt accrued at the pub. The painting subsequently remained associated with the premises before being acquired by the present vendor following The Dock Green’s closure.

A one-off, incredibly rare and highly collectable piece, it goes to auction with an estimate of €80,000 - €100,000.

Guinness collectors will find further highlights throughout the catalogue, including a large exterior metal Guinness Time wall sign (Lot 151), estimated at €1,500–€2,500, and a double-sided milk glass Guinness Time advertising clock (Lot 85), estimated at €1,200–€1,600.

Irish whiskey advertising is particularly well represented, led by Lot 530, a rare, framed advertising mirror for The Banquet Whisky Ireland’s Premier Special, Hollywood & Donnelly Ltd., Belfast, estimated at €4,000–€7,000. Also appearing is an early 20th-century pictorial advertising sign for Paddy Old Irish Whiskey (Lot 650), estimated at €1,800–€2,800.

Among the more unusual pieces of commercial advertising is Lot 115, a rare Jacob & Co. biscuit advertising stand, constructed in mahogany with a black glass plinth and gilt gold and silver lettering. Once intended for the shop environment rather than the collector’s cabinet, the piece is estimated at €2,000–€3,000.

Classic enamel advertising is represented by a Stepney Tyres enamel sign (Lot 137), estimated at €1,000–€2,000, alongside a Carr’s Biscuits enamel advertising sign (Lot 192), estimated at €500–€800.

There is also an unusual Pure Butter ceramic plate by Mordue & Bros. (Lot 225), estimated at €800–€1,200.

There are 1000 lots on offer in this treasure trove sale, the full catalogue for which is available to view on the Victor Mee Auctions website at www.victormeeauctions.ie