Ecclesville Auction Catalogue (1962)
Introduction
The sale of the contents of Ecclesville House, Fintona, in February 1962 marked the final dispersal of one of County Tyrone’s most significant country house collections. Conducted over two days by John Ross & Co., Belfast, the auction attracted buyers from across Britain, Ireland, Europe, and the United States, and realised over £23,000 — a record figure for a provincial estate sale at the time.
Contemporary reports described Ecclesville as “a veritable Aladdin’s cave,” containing a wide range of paintings, decorative art, furniture, and personal effects accumulated over generations. Among the most notable features of the sale was a large and varied collection of paintings, many attributed to well-known Old Master and European artists.
Paintings & Works of Art
The following selection highlights the principal paintings and artistic works recorded in the auction catalogue.
Major Attributed Works
The catalogue included paintings attributed to a number of prominent artists and schools:
- Gerard Dou — Dutch Golden Age cabinet painting
- John Constable — English landscape (signed)
- David Teniers — Flemish interior scenes (signed)
- Jan Brueghel (attributed) — landscape panels
- A. Vandevelde — Dutch pastoral scenes
- Jan Weenix (attributed) — still life with game
- Gabriel Metsu (attributed) — genre painting
- Carlo Maratti (attributed) — religious panel
- Carlo Dolci (attributed) — devotional work
- Peter van Orley (attributed) — biblical composition
- Italian School — classical landscapes and architectural scenes
Selected Catalogue Highlights
- Lot 302 — Dutch panel painting by Gerard Dou, signed and dated 1651
- Lot 492 — “Rural Scene,” signed J. Constable
- Lot 493 — Interior with drinking figures, by D. Teniers (signed)
- Lot 491 & 499 — Landscape panels, attributed to Jan Brueghel
- Lot 490 — Still life with stag’s head and game, attributed to Weenix
- Lot 486 — Landscape with cattle and figures, by A. Vandevelde
- Lot 494 — “Girl in Red Coat,” attributed to Metsu
- Lot 510 — “Old Man with Beard and Red Cloak,” attributed to Bellini
- Lot 513 — “Philosopher,” attributed to Gerard Dou
- Lot 484 — “The Veil of St Veronica,” attributed to Carlo Maratti
Larger and Notable Sale Pieces
- Lot 680 — “Bridge, Figures and Architectural Perspective” (highest price realised)
- Lot 682 — “Shipwreck”
- Lot 645 — Large harbour scene
- Lot 549 — “Shepherd Girl and Dog”
- Lot 702 — Large still life composition
Other Artistic Material
In addition to oil paintings, the sale included:
- Sporting engravings and hunting prints
- Portrait miniatures and watercolours
- Decorative needlework pictures
- Chinese and Nankin porcelain plaques
- Bronze panels and ornamental wall pieces
Collection Character and Significance
The Ecclesville collection represents a classic example of an Anglo-Irish country house assemblage. It combined Old Master paintings (often traditionally attributed), Dutch and Flemish cabinet works, 18th- and 19th-century British landscapes and sporting scenes, and decorative European and Oriental objects.
The breadth of the collection suggests that it was formed gradually over several generations, rather than through a single, deliberate programme of collecting.
Attribution and Market Context
As with many mid-20th century country house sales, a number of the attributions recorded in the catalogue reflect the conventions of the period and would likely be reassessed today. Many works described as by named artists may now be classified as:
- “School of”
- “Circle of”
- “Follower of”
Nevertheless, such sales frequently contained overlooked or misidentified works of genuine importance. It is therefore possible that paintings from Ecclesville survive today in private and public collections under revised attributions, their original provenance unrecognised.
Legacy of the Collection
Following the 1962 auction, the contents of Ecclesville were dispersed widely. Buyers from London, Dublin, continental Europe, and the United States ensured that the collection was broken up and redistributed internationally.
While a small number of items entered institutional collections, the majority passed into private hands. As a result, the Ecclesville paintings today remain largely untraced, forming part of the wider diaspora of Anglo-Irish country house collections dispersed during the twentieth century.
Key Works and Market Significance
While many paintings in the Ecclesville sale were catalogued under traditional attributions, several stand out as particularly important — either for their artistic quality, their attribution, or their potential modern market significance.
- Lot 302 — Gerard Dou (signed, dated 1651)
- Lot 492 — John Constable (signed)
- Lot 493 — David Teniers (signed)
- Lot 491 / 499 — Jan Brueghel (attributed)
- Lot 490 — Still Life with Game (Weenix, attributed)
- Lot 486 — Landscape with cattle (A. Vandevelde)
Top 10 Most Important Paintings at Ecclesville
Based on attribution, subject matter, and market relevance, the following paintings represent the most significant works recorded in the Ecclesville sale:
- Lot 302 — Gerard Dou (signed, dated 1651)
- Lot 492 — John Constable (signed landscape)
- Lot 493 — David Teniers (signed interior scene)
- Lot 490 — Still life with game (Weenix, attributed)
- Lot 491 / 499 — Landscape panels (Brueghel, attributed)
- Lot 486 — Landscape with cattle (A. Vandevelde)
- Lot 494 — Genre scene (Metsu, attributed)
- Lot 510 — Old Master portrait (Bellini, attributed)
- Lot 513 — “Philosopher,” attributed to Gerard Dou
- Lot 680 — Architectural capriccio (highest-priced lot)
Modern Value Perspective
Although sold at modest prices in 1962, many of the Ecclesville paintings would command significantly higher values today. Based on comparable works:
- Dutch cabinet paintings (Dou / Teniers school): £10,000 – £250,000+
- Constable-related landscapes: £5,000 – £100,000+
- Flemish / Dutch school works: £3,000 – £80,000
- Decorative Old Master paintings: £1,000 – £20,000
This suggests that the auction likely realised only a fraction of the collection’s potential modern value.
Where Are They Now?
Following the 1962 auction, the contents of Ecclesville were dispersed widely through the international art market.
- Dealers from London, Dublin, and continental Europe acquired many works
- Some paintings were exported to private collectors in the United States
- A small number entered institutional collections, including Belfast
- Family portraits bequeathed to Londonderry Cathedral were subsequently sold
Due to the absence of an illustrated catalogue and incomplete sale records, most paintings are now untraced. Many likely survive in private collections, their Ecclesville provenance lost through later sales and reattributions.