ONE of the most historic items at the Howth Castle sale, the great sword of Howth, made a hammer price of 40,000 at day two of Fonsie Mealy’s Howth Castle contents sale today. It has been estimated at 10,000-15,000. The auctioneer announced that it would be staying in Ireland. According to tradition, it was used by Sir Armoricus Tristram, who arrived at Howth with Sir John de Courcy in the year 1177. It has been in the St Lawrence family for many generations and a more sober assessment dates the sword to the late 15th century, so it may well have been borne by Sir Armoricus’s descendant Sir Nicholas St Lawrence, 16th Lord & 3rd Baron Howth. He commanded the “billmen” (wielders of a fearsome chopping blade mounted on a strong staff) at the battle of Knockdoe in 1504, in which the army of the Lord Deputy, the Earl of Kildare, defeated that of Ulick Burke, Lord of Clanricarde. The Sword is first recorded in an inventory of 1748.
Again on the second day of the sale at Howth Castle there was competitive bidding from Ireland and abroad for once off items of rarity. A George IV silver gilt model of the Warwick Vase by Philip Rundell, London, 1820 made 24,000 at hammer and an Irish William IV silver gilt Warwick Vase by Richard Sawyer junior Dublin 1836 made 23,000. Each had been estimated at 8,000-12,000. An Irish George II silver salver by John Hamilton, Dublin 1726-27 made 21,000 over a top estimate of 7,000. A jewel cut breast star of The Most Illustrious Order of St. Patrick together with a small ceremonial sword made 32,000 at hammer over a top estimate of 10,000. William Ulick Tristram St. Lawrence, 4th Earl of Howth (1827-1909) was appointed knight of the order in May 1884.
THE sale realised €2.1 million.