Two antique items once belonging to Irish literary giant Oscar Wilde are expected to fetch over €10,000 at auction later this month.
The notable pieces—a 19th-century Davenport writing desk and a richly adorned French bed—will be featured in Fonsie Mealy’s Summer Fine Art & Antique Sale, scheduled for June 18 and 19 at the auction house in Co. Kilkenny.
The mahogany Davenport desk, dating from 1830, was a central fixture in Wilde’s study at 16 Tite Street in Chelsea, west London. Wilde, born in Dublin, resided at the Victorian townhouse from 1884 with his wife Constance and their two sons. The home remained the family’s residence until Wilde’s arrest and conviction for “gross indecency” in 1895.
Scholars believe Wilde penned some of his most iconic works at this very desk, including The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest. Prior to the court-mandated auction of Wilde’s possessions following his imprisonment, the desk was discreetly removed from the property by his friend, artist Mortimer Menpes.
Also included in the upcoming sale is a lavishly carved walnut and ebonised bateau bed, originally owned by Wilde’s mother, Lady Jane Wilde. The bed was also taken by Menpes before Wilde’s belongings were officially seized and sold off on April 24, 1895.
According to the auctioneers, the bed was acquired by Lady Wilde during a visit to Paris in 1878, likely at that year’s Exposition Universelle, or World’s Fair. The piece showcases the ornate flourishes typical of mid- to late-19th century French craftsmanship. The headboard features a detailed carving of Paris’s coat of arms—highlighting a ship, three fleur-de-lis, and the city’s Latin motto Fluctuat nec mergitur (“[She] is rocked by the waves, but does not sink”), framed with oak and laurel motifs.
The desk is estimated to sell for up to £8,000, while the bed could achieve a price of up to £4,000.
Fonsie Mealy’s auction promises to draw interest from literary collectors and antique connoisseurs alike, with bidding set to begin at 10:15 a.m. on both days of the event.
