The baronet Sir John Langham yesterday attended the auction of the contents of his Co Fermanagh home in an attempt to buy back many of the family art treasures.
The auction at Slane Castle, Co Meath, comprised one of the largest private portrait collections in Britain and Ireland, along with silver, porcelain, furniture, family records and letters written by Edward II and Elizabeth I.
However, the sale of the contents of Tempo Manor, near Enniskillen, has led to a family rift.
The sale was undertaken on the instructions of the dowager, Lady Marian Langham (64), who was left the contents of the manor when her husband, Sir James Langham, died three years ago. The house and the rest of the 300-acre estate was inherited by their son, Sir John Langham (43), a web designer. He lives in the six-bedroomed house with his wife Sarah and their three children.
The biggest sale was of a family portrait of Sir James Langham, at €300,000. Sir John Langham was not commenting yesterday but was previously quoted as saying he could not afford to buy everything back.