Rare piece of Irish whiskey advertising goes under the hammer

Victor Mee Auctions will host their latest ‘Advertising and Pub Memorabilia’ sale tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday), September 26.
Initially due to take place last Wednesday, the eagerly anticipated sale was postponed for a week due to Storm Ali. Among sellers to have put forward unique pieces for auction block are the Crotty family of Lismore, County Waterford, who have presented a rare family heirloom of at least four generations, a Mitchell’s Old Irish Whiskey advertising mirror depicting Lismore Castle.
An established family in the Lismore area since the 1800s, Mr Crotty’s great-great grandfather, owner of a large bar, grocery store and bakery shop, hung the mirror proudly on the wall of the family bar, where it remained a prominent feature of the pub until its closure in the 1960s. The mirror’s original owner, Thomas Crotty, passed away in July 1902.
“This unique piece was the only item kept from the family’s original bar, so clearly it has been cherished by the family throughout the years,” said auctioneer Victor Mee. “It will be to their benefit that the piece was so well looked after and kept close to the family for these years.”
Lot 400, the extremely rare 19th century advertising mirror, is by far one of the rarest whisky mirrors known in Ireland, and one of the finest examples seen in Victor Mee Auctions, whose owner and Auctioneer Victor Mee has specialised in the pub memorabilia and collectables field for over 35 years. It is expected, as established whiskey merchants of the time, that this piece would have been made bespoke for the Crotty family, making it a one-of-a-kind collectable piece.
“A few years ago, a keen opportunist spotted the mirror through an open doorway and offered the family €50 for the mirror,” added Victor. “Luckily they declined this offer, as I have valued the piece between €5,000 to €7,000, however I wouldn’t be surprised if it exceeded our expectations, as the mirror has already attracted attention from bidders across Ireland and as far away as America and Hong Kong.”
Mee’s sale will also feature a rare 19th century Irish Kinkora Whiskey glass dispenser, lot 414, estimated to bring in between €2,000 and €4,000. The homeland of High King of Ireland Brian Boru, Kinkora is a small town land in County Clare. 
The hand-painted and etched design on the dispenser depicts the Hibernia Harp, three crowns and a cross – the emblems of Brian Boru. Following the closure of many of the small Irish whiskey distilleries, these items have become most desirable to collectors and publicans alike and continue to grow in popularity.
Also of interest to publicans and home collectors alike will be lots 334 and 335, a 19th century mahogany and scumbled pine haberdashery cabinet with panelled front and back of 26 drawers on reverse and a 19th century mahogany chemist drawers and shelves with original brass labels. Anticipated to sell for between €1,500 and €2,500 for each lot, this piece would be ideal for a substantial home bar set-up or a publican looking for a piece of Irish nostalgia to add to the look and feel or their pub or restaurant.
The auction will get underway at 5.30pm in their Cavan-based auction house. For more information on the Pub Memorabilia and Collectables sale, visit:
 www.victormeeauctions.ie