A rare Lalique vase has sold for more than £5,000 at an auction in Belfast.
It was part of a specialist sale of the entire contents of Shakespear House in south Belfast, which was owned by the Haslett family for 110 years.
The property in Adelaide Park was designed in 1891 for JF Warden, proprietor of the city’s Grand Opera House, before becoming the home of the Haslett family in 1912.
Sir James Haslett was an MP from 1885 to 1886, the Rev Henry Haslett was a Presbyterian minister, and brothers John Wilson Haslett and Sir James Horner Haslett founded a wholesale grocery business named J&J Haslett, which was later sold to the Mace group of businesses in the 1990s.
The auction lots included family portraits, dresses dating to the 1700s and a collar and trophy from a champion greyhound.
Karl Bennett, managing director at Bloomfield Auctions, said it has been one of the firm’s most notable sales.
“We’re very privileged to have been able to host this sale, the items of which showcase incredible pieces of history from one of the most well-known families in Belfast,” he said.
“The Lalique vase is extremely rare, and we believe that it’s unlikely to have ever been seen in Ireland before. It was sold alongside a silver and enamel arts and crafts bowl for £5,200 and £7,800 respectively.
“Other notable items from the sale included a suite of bedroom furniture which sold for £3,200 and two dresses dating back to the 1700s which made £200.
“Everyone who bought items at our auction now owns incredible pieces of history, which is why we do what we do here at Bloomfield Auctions.
“We can’t wait to see what else comes up for Bloomfield Auctions in the near future.”
