In the salerooms

Mullen's Laurel Park Tomorrow, an antique furniture and fine art auction will be held at Mullen's, Laurel Park, Woodbrook, Bray. The sale will also include silver, jewellery, light fittings, mirrors, and objets d'art. Mullen's Laurel Park Tomorrow, an antique furniture and fine art auction will be held at Mullen's, Laurel Park, Woodbrook, Bray. The sale will also include silver, jewellery, light fittings, mirrors, and objets d'art. A Victorian mahogany mirrorback sideboard is estimated to sell for ?800-1,200; mahogany serpentine side table, ?1,800-2,600; c19 continental mahogany and marquetry bureau, ?3,800-4,600; Adams style sideboard by Gillows, ?6,500-8,500; and an Edwardian mahogany four tier dumb waiter, ?450-650. Also, a Hepplewhite mahogany breakfront side table, c.1900, is priced at ?2,800-3,600; Georgian mahogany architects drop leaf table, ?3,500-4,500; white and sienna marble chimneypiece, ?5,000-7,000; and a Victorian mahogany sutherland table, ?800-1,200. HOK The exhibition of paintings by Geraldine OBrien held by Hamilton Osborne King at Dawson Street, Dublin this week was a sell-out. The show was in aid of the Friends of St Luke's. Top prices were ?4,500 for Japanese Anemones in the Garden; Tulips and Irises with Wisteria, ?3,800; Delphiniums in the Garden, ?4,500; Growing Michaelmas Daisies, ?3,800; and Daisies in the Goldfish Bowl, ?3,200. Mullen Bros An auction of fine art and antiques will be held by Mullen Bros., Oldcastle, Co Meath on Tuesday next. Items include a Victorian serpentine walnut side cabinet, estimate ?4,000-5,000; George III chest of drawers, ?1,600-1,800; Regency mahogany wine cooler, ?3,000-3,500; set six c19 dining chairs, ?1,000-1,200; inlaid mahogany Irish brass dial grandfather clock, ?3,000-4,000; and a mid c19 three-part dining table, centre on pod, to seat 12, ?3,000-4,000. There are also signed prints by Lionel Edwards, other sporting prints, watercolours, and oils. Irish Art Auction Garrett O'Connor and associates will hold an auction of Irish art at the Radisson Hotel, St Helens, Stillorgan Road, Co Dublin, on Monday, 7 February. Details in this column next week. Morton's The display cases from Morton's Jewellers, Dublin will be sold by tender. The viewing will take place at Morton's Jewellers, Nassau Street and will be by appointment only. Tenders must be received by 9 February to Hamilton Osborne King, 4 Main Street, Blackrock, Co Dublin. Prices for free-standing and wall display cabinets will range from ?300 upwards. Fairs & Exhibitions Dun Laoghaire Fair A quality antiques Fair will be held tomorrow, Sunday, at the Kingston Hotel, Adelaide St., Dun Laoghaire (Dart, 2min). Door proceeds towards Tsunami Appeal. On show will be antique furniture, antique jewellery and vintage costume jewellery, paintings, lighting, ceramics, silver and silver plate, and much more. Gormley's Fine art dealer Oliver Gormley of Omagh has opened a new gallery at 251 Lisburn Road, Belfast. Over 100 people attended the formal opening of the gallery on Thursday, 20 January and the champagne reception was followed by dinner at the Shu Restaurant next door. Gallery artists include Michael Smyth, Carol Ann Waldron, Gary Devon, Jonathan Aiken, and Audrey Smyth. There are also paintings by Graham Knuttel, Brian Ballard , Rowland Davidson, Ken Hamilton, and Ross Wilson. Gallery manager Daphne Nelson said, "Since opening the gallery on the Lisburn Road, we've had a phenomenal response from customers, old and new. We have three floors with over 200 paintings and sculptures."

No more hoodies as civil servants dress for success

ANYTHING those 'natty' dressers in one government department can do, the staff of the Land Registry can do better. Belly tops and scruffy torn jeans are definitely out, but it's okay to sport Ireland's colours by wearing the appropriate sports jersey for an international match. Communications, Marine and Natural Resources may have become the first government department to bring in a voluntary code which brands belly tops, crop tops, track suits, hoodies and ripped jeans as "inappropriate". But the 700 staff at the Land Registry have also banned sloppy dressing by introducing their own agreed code at the behest of employees. Out go the likes of 'facial jewellery', t-shirts splashed with prominent slogans, tatty and torn jeans and hooded sweatshirts. Similar to the department's voluntary code, a Land Registry spokesman said theirs was a code agreed by employees and management and introduced following a suggestion by staff at the agency's partnership committee. Appropriate dress now includes business suits, fleeces, cardigans, blouses, shirt and tie and casual shirts with collars. Other 'in' dress includes chinos, cords and shoes appropriate to the business environment. Definite 'no nos' include leggings, pedal pushers and flashy or dirty footwear. "This is all about what is appropriate to the nature of the job you are doing," said Land Registry spokesman, Michael Treacy. "It's a reasonable measure without going over the top." The Civil and Public Service Union, which represents clerical staff in all government departments, yesterday dismissed the question of dress codes in the public service as a minor issue. Assistant general secretary Derek Mullen said: "Telling people what they should wear in work when they are finding it hard to make low salaries go a long way is not important."