A dispute over a fruit bowl which the High Court was previously told was part of a dinner service specially commissioned by Queen Victoria has been sent to the Circuit Court because of a question over whether a sum of money was paid for it.
The dispute centres over a Wedgwood fruit bowl which, the court was previously told, was used by the British royal family at Balmoral before ultimately being bought by the late Mary Elsie Carroll from Sarsfield Square, Athlone, Co Westmeath.
Proceedings were commenced by Marie Ryan, as executrix of her late mother’s estate. The High Court was previously told correspondence, including from London fine art auctioneers Sotheby’s, suggested her brother Michael Carroll had sold the bowl for £100,000.
In the proceedings, it was alleged the bowl formed part of the estate of Ms Carroll, and orders were sought restraining dissipation by Mr Carroll of any proceeds arising from any sale.
Undertakings given
Mr Carroll previously gave undertakings not to dissipate any funds connected with the estate of his late mother pending the outcome of the hearing.
The matter was briefly mentioned before Mr Justice Paul Gilligan on Thursday, who was told there was consent from both parties for the dispute to be heard by the Circuit Court.
John Hayden BL, for Marie Ryan, said it was agreed the matter should go before the Circuit Court as there was now a question over whether £100,000 had been paid for the bowl.
John Kerr BL, for Mr Carroll, said his client, who lives at Sarsfield Square and also has an address in Dublin, was seeking to have the case heard in Dublin.
The judge said the matter should be remitted to the Midland Circuit Court, given all the parties are from Athlone.
Died testate
Previously the court heard Ms Carroll died testate more than four years ago and, in her will, left her home, valued at some €53,000, to her daughter and six sons. The residue of the estate was also divided between the siblings.
It was claimed she bought the bowl at a local market in the Bury St Edmunds area when she was working in the UK.
After Ms Carroll returned to Ireland, the bowl was regularly used for salads at her home, the court was told.