HISTORIC SILVER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 December 1938, Page 8

HISTORIC SILVER

TREASURES TO BE SOLD.

A KING CANUTE GIFT. The magnificent collection of silver owned by Mr William Randolph Hearst, the American newspaper proprietor, and housed at St Donat’s Castle, will be sold at Christie’s on December 14. The collection includes the Great Mace and Civic Sword of the City of Galway, which joined Mr Hearst’s possessions in 1935 at'a cost of £5OOO.

The mace, weighing 2300 z, was presented in 1712 to Galway by the Mayor, Edward Eyre. The doublehanded sword, with silver pommel, grip, and quillons ornamented with cabochons, had a sheath mounted with silver plates inscribed with the names of Galway mayors from 1660 to 1841. Another treasure is an historic relic of King Canute, known as the Pusey Horn. This 900-year-old heirloom, presented originally by the King to Wyllyam Pewse because he had saved his life by giving information that the Saxons had prepared an ambush near the King's camp at Cherbury, was accompanied by a grant of land. Made of ox-horn nearly 26in long, it was used as a drinking vessel and it was later embellished with a silvergilt inscription from the charter: —“I King Knowde geve Wyllyam Pewse thys home- to holde by thy lond.” This relic brought £1950 on May 30, 1935,

A beautiful silver rose-water ewer and dish, cost £2450. It belonged to Lord Palmerston.

The collection makes a dazzling array. Bell-shaped and standing salts, flagons, grace cups, tankards, porringers, and toilet-services abound and the forthcoming sale should rank among the classic dispersals of old silver.