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23 Years of Service

On the 8th of September 2001 Robert O’Byrne the then fine art correspondent of the Irish Times headlined the fine art page “Fine Jewellery and Silver in Debut auction” as John Weldon Auctioneers opened its’ door for the first time. Now in 2023 this family business, lead by John Weldon with Joan Weldon (sister and business partner), is twenty years on and some 125,000 lots later & what an amazing twenty plus years we have had.

We have been privileged to sell a great number of very fine pieces over our tenure. We have grown, learnt and developed into one of the leading auctioneers of jewellery & silverware in the country.

We opened our doors on Cows lane in the west end of temple bar, at that time Cows lane was a brand new pedestrian street filled with all new businesses, of the eleven businesses which were originally opened there that year only two of the original business remain, which we are one of them.

It hasn’t all been plain sailing, but we are proud of our business front we had a few notable victories

In 2003 we disagreed with the rates office as the valuation of our business rates were too high and after making a strong argument our rates we reduced by 50%.

In 2004 we were appointed by the then Minister for Justice Michael McDowell under section 30 of the pawnbrokers act 1964 to hold auctions of pawnbrokers pledges. We now sell over 1,500 lots per year of unredeemed pledges.

In Sept 2005 we won an award from the Irish Times for best advertisement in any national paper in Ireland in the fine art section.

The website: Over the last fifteen years the volume of hits on our website has dramatically increased as the years past, we have clients in their 90’s which enjoy using our site. Our website www.jwa.ie is a key to informing clients as to the goods which are coming up. We could not survive without this important tool of the business

But I guess the biggest victory is that we have developed a strong buying customer base, I would say that some 80-90% are repeat customers which we would see every month.

Lots which stand out over the last fifteen years

1. A Limerick silver cream jug sold in our first auction which sold for Ir£4,000

2. In 2002 we sold a William Conor painting (we had guided it at €1,300-€2,600, it sold for €9000)

3. In 2003 we sold a silversmiths order book and invoice books which were purchased by the National Museum for €2100.

4. In 2004 we sold a beautiful emerald and diamond Victorian ring (€12,000-€15,000 Sold for €12,500)

5. In 2008 we sold a large collection of Irish coinage over five months, the entire collection grossed over €70,000

6. Gold: In June 2016 we sold over 150 gold sovereigns and we have no issue in moving that quality, if we had another 150 gold sovereigns we would have easily sold them. In that same auction we sold 8 kilo bars of silver, one of the silver bars sold for €1750.

7. In May of 2011 we held one of the biggest auctions we have ever had. We sold a life time collection of Irish silverware. We had international interest in this auction with bids coming in over the internet as we held our first live internet auction, however out of the 420 lots, the internet bidder only bought just one lot, the balance been bought by Irish collectors who were in the room.

8. In 2012 we sold jewellery which once belonged to Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia one of the pieces made €5,600

9. Dansk Bank asked us in 2016 to sell their collection of silverware.

10. And on the 14th of September 2021 at 2pm we hold our 254th auction marking 20 years in business. I recall something which my Father told me at the start of this journey back in 2001, “You are only as good as your next auction, so make it the best you can”. This is something which is very true and which we strive for each month.