A magnificent Irish silver wine cooler, presented to Major George Warburton in 1826 by the Constabulary offices of Connaught, is coming to auction at Bonhams in London next month.
The piece, crafted by Dublin silversmith Edward Power, documents a pivotal moment in Irish policing history.
Warburton was appointed chief magistrate in 1816 to command fifty constables across the Moyarta, Ibrickan, and Clonderlaw baronies following agrarian unrest.
By 1820 he oversaw policing across all of County Clare, a role that established him as one of Robert Peel’s most trusted officers in Ireland.
He later rose to Inspector General of Police for the entire country.
“This wine cooler is a remarkable artifact of Irish history,” said Kieran O’Boyle, Head of Ireland at Bonhams, and a County Clare resident.
“It tells the story of the man who shaped modern policing in Clare. We’re delighted to bring it to international auction,
and would love to see it returned to Clare, whether to a private collector, museum, or someone with interest in its legacy.”
The wine cooler features superb chasing and applied acanthus leaf borders, with cartouches engraved with Warburton’s arms. It is estimated at €12,000 to 17,000 and will be sold as part of Bonhams’ Silver and Objects of Vertu auction on 4 June 2026.
More information on Bonhams.com
For further information, contact Kieran O’Boyle, Bonhams Ireland:
kieran.oboyle@bonhams.com, +353 86 142 2858
