Newly-uncovered art collection goes on sale
A collection of Irish art is going on sale after being hidden for decades in the United States.
Paintings by Jack B Yeats, Gerard Dillon and Louis le Brocquy will be offered through sealed bids in Dublin and Belfast next week.
One of the dealers involved in the exhibition revealed how they were acquired in North Carolina from the family of an elderly expatriate, now battling serious illness.
Martin Donnelly of the Coloured Rain Gallery in Templepatrick, Co Antrim, said: "This collection belonged to Malcolm and Meg Brush, who were originally from Dundalk.
"Mr Brush's wife died a number of years ago and he's now in a home suffering from Alzheimer's.
"They needed to gather some money to pay for his medical bills, went through the contents of his house and found a key to a storage facility.
"In there they found a collection of art. The pictures had been tucked away since about 1972."
Although the family was seeking to raise around 50,000 dollars, Mr Donnelly and his partner Michael Flanagan of the Emer Gallery in Belfast shelled out closer to $1.5m (€1.1m) for the works.
"It's been rediscovered and repatriated," Mr Donnelly said.
"This is the first opportunity to see them since they were taken to the States.
"Most were painted in the forties and early fifties. It's a very important collection."
With reserve prices up to £225,000 (€331,560) for one of the Yeats paintings, the exhibition, titled 'Coming Home', will go on display at Dublin's Shelbourne Hotel on Sunday.
The following day viewing takes place at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast. Offers will only be opened once the second day finishes.
