About

James Adam and Sons Ltd trades as Adam’s, a household name in Ireland and one synonymous with fine art and antiques for well over a century. The firm has had a continuous presence on St. Stephen’s Green in Dublin’s city centre for over one hundred and thirty years.

Our history

In The Irish Times on the 25th of July 1887 an advertisement appeared stating that Mr. James Adam (late of Messrs. Arthur Jones & Sons) “desires to announce that he has commenced business as Auctioneer, Valuer, Insurance and House Property and General Agent at 17, Merrion Row”. Born in Scotland in 1849, James Adam had served his apprenticeship with Arthur Jones and Sons of 135 St. Stephen’s Green before establishing his own business.

By the 1890s a permanent saleroom was required, and James Adam took a lease of 19 St. Stephen’s Green, where he established a Fine Art Salerooms supplying fine period furniture to Dublin’s business and professional classes. In 1968 the premises at the corner of St. Stephen’s Green and Kildare Street were acquired and renovated to bring the whole business under one roof. From the early days the firm specialised in fine art, period furniture, books and porcelain, and its “regular sales” came to include coins, medals, old silver, plate and jewellery, painted fans, artists’ studios and the contents of large houses — among them Killiney Castle, Dunadea Castle, St. Mary’s Abbey and Cabra Castle, Co. Cavan.

The firm introduced dedicated Irish art sales in the early 1970s. When Jack B. Yeats’ A Palace sold at Adam’s in December 1973 it marked the start of a great rise in the market for Irish painting, and Adam’s has since achieved many significant Irish and world record prices.

The company today

Adam’s currently offers specialist auctions ranging from Important Irish Art, Fine Period Furniture and Decorative Arts including Asian Art, Mid-Century Modern Design and Contemporary Art, Fine Jewellery and Watches, Silver and Objects of Vertu, Historical Memorabilia, and Vintage Wine and Spirits. We are regularly instructed by institutions of State, national cultural institutions, universities, financial and corporate bodies and major private collectors to advise on and value their collections.

Adam’s has the largest staff of academically and professionally qualified personnel of any Irish auction house. We are a highly ethical firm, subscribing to the RICS/SCSI code of ethical standards in addition to the standards laid down by the Property Services Regulatory Authority, and we act exclusively as agents for third parties, owning none of the lots we offer for sale. We also have a gallery space at The Ava Gallery on the Clandeboye Estate in Northern Ireland, where we regularly exhibit sale highlights.

Our people

Stuart Cole MSCSI MRICS — Managing Director

A member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Stuart joined the firm in 1987 and has also lectured in UCD and UL.

James O’Halloran BA FSCSI FRICS — Director

A Fellow of the SCSI and RICS and a former President of the IAVI, James joined the firm in 1981.

Eamon O’Connor BA — Director

Eamon joined the firm in 1994, was made Associate Director in 2000 and Director in 2011.

Nicholas Gore-Grimes — Director

Nicholas first started his career at Adam’s in 1995, worked in New York with Treillage Antiques and founded the Cross Gallery on Francis Street before returning to Adam’s in 2018. He was appointed Director in 2022.

Claire-Laurence Mestrallet BA G.G — Director, Jewellery

Claire began her career with Christie’s in New York and Geneva and later worked with Bonhams in London and Geneva, joining Adam’s in 2016 as Senior Jewellery Specialist.

Amy McNamara BA MA — Associate Director

Amy joined Adam’s in 2014 after graduating from Trinity College Dublin, managed the Fine Art Department until 2025 and became an Associate Member of the SCSI in 2024.

Nathaniel Nicholson — Associate Director

Formerly a specialist in the Private & Iconic Collections department at Christie’s, London, Nathaniel focuses on professional valuation work and valuation planning for private clients.

Dr. Wei Wang — Head of Asian Art

Dr. Wang holds a PhD from Panthéon-Assas Paris II University and was previously Asian art specialist at Tajan.

Stephanie Wynn BA MSc — Head of Books and Manuscripts

Stephanie trained at Christie’s Education, London, and worked at Altea Gallery and Dominic Winter Auctioneers before joining Adam’s.

Ken Israel — Head of Watches

After more than a decade in the private sale of 20th-century watches and jewellery in Paris, Ken was appointed Head of Watches at Adam’s in 2024.

Niamh Corcoran BA — Manager, Fine Art Department

Niamh joined the Fine Art Department in 2017 and regularly contributes essays to the Irish Art catalogues.