Mincemeat Joe's dining chairs in Usher auction

Proceeds to be donated to Médecins san Frontiéres

Next week's auction at Usher of Kells features two lots, the proceeds of which will be donated to sans Medicins san Frontieres Ireland/Doctors Without Borders for their continuing work in Gaza.

The vendor is parting with the furniture reluctantly, as it belonged to his late mother, and is donating the monies in her memory.

One lot is a mid-nineteenth century Honduran mahogany extendable dining table, the other a lot of four Georgian style ladderback dining chairs with leather seats, with quite a fascinating back story.

Their provenance is from a Joe Griffin auction circa 1955. 'Mincemeat' Joe Griffin was a prominent racehorse owner, and it is believed that he had four antique dining chairs made, and commissioned a further eight copies in the 1950s by Hicks of Pembroke Street in Dublin.

Legendary trainer Vincent O'Brien's achieved the remarkable feat of winning the Aintree Grand National three years in succession with Early Mist in 1953, Royal Tan in 1954 and Quare Times in 1955. The first two were owned by 'Lucky' Joe 'Mincemeat' Griffin, and the celebration Griffin led at Liverpool's Adelphi hotel after Early Mist's success was “without equal”.

Before the guest list was expanded to, as Griffin recalled, "whoever was there, Irish or anyone else", there was a formal dinner. The dinner cost Griffin £1,500 (about £45,000 today), partly because he had bay prawns and asparagus flown in from France.

Later, in Dublin, a civic reception was laid on for Early Mist and Griffin, with both paraded along O'Connell Street to the Mansion House, where the lord mayor, Andy Clarkin, held a reception for them. But Griffin eventually went bankrupt, hence the auction in 1955.

The ladderback chairs for auction next week, lot 759, are probably the reproduction copies of Griffin's originals, but they are now 80 years old, and in very good condition. They are well maintained with new upholstery.

Next Monday's online auction features a varied collection of over 1,200 lots of antiques and collectibles from Glendalough House, Wicklow, and several Meath country residences, with garden furniture, planters and sculpture, Irish interest books including Wendy Walsh, Waterford glassware, original enamel advertising signs and mirrors, Irish silver, high-quality carpets and rugs, notable Irish artwork including Marie Carroll, Sarah Corner, Alexander Williams, Georgian and Victorian furniture, original Star Wars, Smurf and Action Man figures, a collection of wines, a governess donkey cart, dinner and tea sets, canteens of cutlery, mirrors, lamps, along with many more interesting antique and collectible items.

A timed sale ends Monday 7th July from 6pm, with viewing this week. See advertisement on page 4.

For link to auction catalogue, see www.usherauctions.ie.