Updated 13.05
Gardaí are trying to reunite around 48 paintings stolen in the 1980s and 90s, with their owners.
The paintings, including works by renowned Irish (or Irish-based) artists like William Ashford, Robert Ballagh and Graham Knuttell, are believed to be worth around €100,000.
The artworks were seized along with a number antique books and antiquities.
Owners have been identified for six of the pieces, thought to be worth approximately €35,000.
Gardaí say those six artworks were stolen from locations in Belfast, Dublin, Yorkshire and Carlow.
The total cache of 48 paintings were recovered after gardaí searched a premises in West Dublin last April.
Gardaí suspect they were all stolen, and have been working with art experts and Interpol on the case. Now they are appealing to the public for information.
No-one has been charged over the suspected thefts.
Some of the items were antiquities:
No. 03 Oriental doll (20cm)
Detective Eugene McCarthy from Pearse St Garda Station believes the thieves would have known what they were looking for:
Superintendent Paul Moran, Garda Press Officer:
No. 27 Victorian man in top hat
No. 40 Clergyman in biblical gold frame (40cm x 40)
No. 41 Boy seated
No. 45 William Ashford painting Ruined Castle Landscape (Oil 40cm round)
Pearse St gardaí are looking for:
- Anyone who may recognise any of the artworks
- Anyone who had property/artworks stolen up to 20/30 years ago
- For art owners to check their pieces, as it is possible that they may have been stolen and replaced by a copy
- Anyone who may have thought they lost the property/artworks
- Anyone who may have been offered any of these artworks for sale (either auctioneers or members of the public)
- Anyone who has information in regards to the providence of property/artworks
Contact Pearse Street Gardaí at 01 666 9000, or pearse.street.incidentroom@garda.ie to arrange a viewing.
For more images and information visit the garda website
