GIBSON BEQUEST MEETING
GIBSON BEQUEST MEETING
Jack B. Yeats Agrees to Reduced Price
‘….2. Read letter from Chairman dated 29th ultimo stating that he had interviewed Mr. Jack B. Yeats relative his price of £262.10.0 for his picture Off the Donegal Coast and that he had agreed to accept £231 for it – a reduction of £31.00. That he was unable to see Mr. [Seán] Keating relative to his picture Men of the Southbut that he understood that he was writing Mr Corkery in reference thereto, and that there would be no difficulty in securing a considerable reduction in the price of this work. That he learned that Mr. Yeats is more distinguished artist whose pictures command a much a bigger price than Mr Keating’s. That he (Chairman) intended to propose at this meeting that Mr. Lucius O’Callaghan RHA, FRIBA, Director, National Gallery, Dublin be invited to accept the position of expert advisor to the Committee in the place of his predecessor in office.
3. …That he (Chairman) had an interview with Mr Dermod O’Brien relative to the Keating picture and that it was worth purchasing. That he had also discussed this picture with Mr Yeats and he also expressed the opinion that it was good work. That as previously suggested he (Chairman) had called on Mr Harry Clarke with the object of securing specimens of his work and that he had made a list of certain of them with a view to purchase and submitted it to Mr Atkinson who promised to see Mr Clarke on the matter.
4. Mr Corkery reported that he also spoke to Mr Dermod O’Brien relative to Keating’s picture and that he agreed that it was worth purchasing and that all the Artists in Dublin had a very high opinion of it.
5. It was ordered, in accordance with Committee’s standing order, that the expert advisor he asked to submit a signed report as to the desirability of the purchase of Messrs Yeats, Keating’s and Clarke’s works.’
Pavilion Cinema façade in 1950s (image open source)
MEETING OF RECONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE
at School of Art
‘A meeting of the Reconstruction Committee was held yesterday afternoon at the School of Art, the Lord May (Councillor Sean French) in the chair….The following letter to the Town Clerk from Mr. J.F. McMullen, M.S.A., M. Inst. C.E.I., Architect was read:-
“Dear Mr. Hegarty, - I have your letter of the 29th inst. in reference to the plans for the reconstruction of Messrs. Alex Grant and Co*’s premises, Patrick street, inquiring as to the proposed use of steel frames and sashes in the large upper floor windows on the Patrick street front. These were specially designed to suit the narrow brick pilasters, and to provide a proper means of ventilation, which could not be done in wood of the same sectional area.
In reference to the Sicilian marble fascia, the objection comes on me as a surprise, as I was not aware that white marble could be had in Ireland. If you care to ascertain for me where it can be procured I shall make inquiries, and if suitable lengths, section and quality, can be secured I shall give it every consideration….
Yours faithfully, James F. McMullen….P.S. – Facias of similar material have been fixed at the Pavilion Cinema and at Mc.Guirk’s, North Main street and wrought in both cases by local tradesmen.”
Mr. Weldon said he considered the architect’s imposition with regard to the frames and sashes a gross infringement of the rights of the Corporation and of the Reconstruction Committee. He maintained that the timber frames would be just as suitable, and he would not be doing his duty to his society if he did not object in the strongest possible manner to the action of the architect. He would have the co-operation of the building trades in saying that until the necessary alteration was made at the work at Messrs. Grant’s would not go on.
…Mr. Berry agreed with the remarks of Mr. Weldon. If the frames and sashes were done in metal, nobody in Cork and nobody in Ireland would have any work on them. Such a state of affairs was most unfair, especially when the timber-work was just as suitable. Indeed, in this country owing to damp causing rust etc., the timber frame was superior’.
…Mr Weldon continued ‘There was no reason why steel frames should be used. It was simply sending money across the water [to England]. The Lord Mayor said the whole fault of the matter could be traced to the fact that the Committee had been left drop for a considerable period. The Town Clerk said they had practically no meeting between May and December, as they had no business to do. No plans were submitted.’
…Mr. Berry complained that some firms had advertised for tenders, and a few even commenced the work of rebuilding before submitting the plans. That was contrary to a resolution of the Committee, and they should see that the resolution was enforced.
The Lord Mayor said they would remind the architects about it.’
(Extract from Cork Examiner, 2 February 1924, p8)
*Alexander Grant and Co, an upmarket department store on Patrick Street was the first of the large commercial premises targeted by the Auxiliaries in December 1920 in what came to be known as the Burning of Cork. For further information click here.
BY THE WAY
CAG.0101 Harry Clarke, Long Ago, These Lovers Fled Away into the Storm (Design for the Eve of St. Agnes Window), c.1923. Purchased, the Artist, 1924 (Gibson Bequest Fund).
VALENTINE’S DAY
‘Today, the 14th of February, is St. Valentine’s Day, although it is probably forgotten by the majority of people. Formerly such was not the case, and for weeks before the windows of the stationery shops were wont to be filled with some appropriate, and a lot of gaudy, reminders of the occasion.
Many years ago an almost universal custom on that day was a kind of lottery in which young maidens drew the names of certain young men of their acquaintance, who thereupon made presents to the maidens to whom they had been allotted…. In the diary of [Samuel] Pepys (1633-1702) we find that: “ My wife’s valentine gift this year is a Turkey stone set with diamonds. With this and what she had, she reckons that she hath one hundred and fifty pounds’ worth of jewels of one kind or other: and I am glad of it, for it is fit the wretch should have something to content herself with”.’
(Extract from ‘By the Way’ column, Freemans Journal, 14 February 1924, p8)
LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY
THE TARIFF PROBLEM
‘As will be seen by our advertising columns, Mr. D. J. Coakley, F.A.A.; Principal of the Cork Municipal School of Commerce will read a paper, which will be open for discussion, on the “Tariff Problem as applied to Ireland,” tonight at the School of Art at 8 p.m.
Heretofore, this problem of Free Trade or Protection was discussed in Ireland as an academic question. Now that we have the right to decide our own fiscal system the question is being taken up as a senior practical problem, on which Irishmen may be called on in the near future to off a definite opinion. …Mr. Coakley had made a special study of this question, and a most interesting and useful lecture and debate is anticipated’
(Extract from Cork Examiner, 14 February 1924, p8)
*Alexander Grant and Co, an upmarket department store on Patrick Street was the first of the large commercial premises targeted by the Auxiliaries in December 1920 in what came to be known as the Burning of Cork. For further information click here.
