A Whisker of the original price


Frantic gift hunters anxious to avoid novelties or this year's faddish 'must have' might consider a piece of original art that will endure for many Christmases to come. Many smaller galleries have paintings and limited-edition prints that make a special gift, The Tramyard in Dalkey has paintings by Charlie Whisker, whose recent work features Irish and American beachscapes remembered from his childhood. A former lecturer in the NCAD, his work is held in collections in the OPW and the RHA. His new collection is called There and Then, Here and Now, with prices from €360. Call 01-235 1346; www.tramyardgallery.ie


Get that Madison Avenue look


Mad Men fans with a keen eye for that '50s and '60s' furniture in the smart offices of fictional advertising company Sterling Cooper may be interested in newly arrived stock on the Wild Child Originals website.


The retro furniture company specialises in post-war furniture, mainly from the key designers of the period from the US and Denmark.


A new shipment, including collectable Eames aluminium and fibreglass chairs, and Danish rosewood dining furniture, has arrived at the Harold's Cross showrooms. Prices for the new (old) stuff ranges from €300 for a chair.


Visits to the showroom are by appointment only. Call 087 238 6143, or log on to the website at wildchildoriginals.com for further details.


An unusual sales drive


In a 'build it and they will come' move, a letting agency has set out to prove just how upmarket Wicklow Street in Dublin is as a retail location by driving a Jaguar through a shop window. Well, not exactly. As a temporary measure to attract a future tenant, Jones Lang LaSalle removed the façade of the original store at No 35 to safely install the Jaguar XJ which comes with the equally jaw-dropping price of €86,450. The car will advertise the space for the next four weeks, hoping to attract a new tenant willing to pay the annual rent of €110,000.


Net lets a good bet for new landlords


For those with a property going spare but new to the landlord game, a blog has been set up by letting company Bentley Property as a general information forum.


News and tips are promised by the company on the blog, which is accessed through its official site at www.bentleyproperty.ie.


The company is currently seeking up to 500 residential properties in the capital for a database of new tenants which they say includes ex-pats returning from the Middle East, including Dubai