THE ECLECTIC COLLECTOR SATURDAY 14 MAY 2016

THE ECLECTIC COLLECTOR

14 MAY 2016 AT 1PM

1881 Irish Land League USA ribbon, membership card and anti Land League pamphlet.

Ribbon inscribed ‘Delegate to First National Convention Irish Land League U.S.A. at Buffalo, N.Y. Jan 19 &

13 1881’; The Irish National Land League unissued membership card, printed by Goggin, Dublin, and ‘En-

glishmen! .... The National League, with Parnell..is the enemy of Great Britain’ issued by The Irish Loyal and

Patriotic Union (pamphlet 37).

Provinance:

With headed paper of Woodleigh, Upper Castle Avenue, Clontarf, typed ‘With E. A. Aston’s Compliments’.

Estimate €150- €200 £110-£140

19th century Gold green ensign brooch.

A 9ct gold and enamel sweetheart’s brooch in the form of a 19th century green merchant ship’s ensign contro-

versially used by some Irish shipping. A rare representation in jewellery of this controversial flag.

There is evidence that the Green Ensign, although never officially approved, had been used by some Irish

ships since the 17th Century. The early versions use the emblem of the Irish Revenue – a “Mermaid” Harp

surmounted by a crown in gold. However the background should have been St. Patrick’s Blue rather than

emerald green according to the authorities. In the 1830s The Western Yacht Club used the Green Ensign for

a while. In some cases Irish vessels had this flag confiscated by authorities in harbours in Britain, Ireland and

the West Indies according to some records. In 1872, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, in reply to the Admiralty,

declared the use of the Green Ensign to be incorrect, and in support attached a well researched paper by Sir

J. Barnard-Burke, Ulster King of Arms, supporting the choice of blue as the National Colour of Ireland. Thus

the Harp is shewn as gold on blue in the Royal Standard, and indeed since the 1930s the same is the Standard

of the President of the Republic of Ireland.

1 x 1_in. (2.54 x 3.81cm)

Estimate €300- €400 £220-£290