LEMA: Lachlan Macquarie's Sword and Scabbard

Provenance

In 1917, Lady Strathallan, Margaret nee Smythe (pre 1860-1920), of Methven Castle, Perthshire, the widow (and second wife) of the James David Drummond (1839-1893), 10th Viscount Strathallan, offered the sword of Major-General Lachlan Macquarie (and a dirk attributed to him) at auction in London.

The sword is most likely to have come into the Strathallan family through James Drummond (1767-1851) who first befriended Lachlan in Macao in 1796, at the time of the death of Macquarie's first wife, Jane nee Jarvis (1772-1796). He became a life-long friend, supporter, executor of his will, and guardian of his son, Lachlan (1814-1845). Drummond inherited the title of 8th Viscount Strathallan in 1824. He was succeeded by his son William Henry Drummond (1810-1886), 9th Viscount Strathallan, in 1851; and his grandson, James David Drummond (1839-1893), 10th Viscount Strathallan, in 1886.

The provenance of the dirk is less certain, and no direct attribution or link can be made to Lachlan Macquarie. The weapon seems more likely to be mid-C19th in origin, but this remains speculative.

After the death of the 10th Viscount, Lady Strathallan inherited the sword as well as a significant cache of Macquarie journals and letterbooks. These were retained within the family until January 1914, at which stage she sold the manuscripts to the Mitchell Library, Sydney. The sword (and dirk) were subsequently auctioned in London in 1917. Lady Strathallan supplied the auctioneer with a letter attesting to the weapons' provenance.

The successful bidder was Sir John Ferguson (1881-1969), bibliophile, collector, judge of the New South Wales Industrial Commission and author of the Bibliography of Australia, the standard reference for printed material relating to Australia published between 1784 and 1900. Ferguson valued the weapons for their association with Governor Lachlan Macquarie and brought them back to Australia. They were retained within the Ferguson family and in the 1960s Sir John presented the sword and dirk to his youngest son, Alexander, on his 21st birthday. The sword and dirk were subsequently auctioned on 5 June 1976 by Geoff K. Gray Pty. Ltd. The pre-auction valuation was $1500-$2000:

"A spokesman for Geoff K. Gray Pty Ltd, the auctioneers, said that although the sword was worth only between $1500 and $2000 its historical value could not be gauged.

When the private bidders had been bettered in the auction by the Government bidder, it was announced that the sword and dirk had been purchased by the Government – which brought a rousing cheer."

[Sydney Morning Herald 7 June 1976 p.2]

The Department of Home Affairs and Environment had been authorised by the Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser, to bid up to $10,000 and purchase the weapons 'on behalf of the Australian people for inclusion in the national collection'. The items were acquired for the sum of $7500.

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