A Silver-Gilt-Mounted Glass Caster, Unmarked, Possibly French or English, 1st Half Of The 18th Century

Frederick C. Schweder, sold

Christie's, London, 22 February 1939, lot 69, bought by

Charles Brocklehurst (1904-1977), bequeathed to

Arthur Grimwade (1913-2002)

For a pair of similar silver-gilt and glass casters, Pierre Harache, London, circa 1700, see The Clarke Institute, object number 1993.25. Arthur Grimwade (1913-2002), a former head of Christie's London Silver Department and author of the renowned reference work London Goldsmiths 1697-1837 mentions this pair of casters and a further example in his published diaries; the entry for 29 December 1938 reads

'In the afternoon down to the V & A and looked at the silver on loan from John Noble - the choicest bits, which are very interesting. Then to see [Charles] Oman and have out some of Sir John's glass and silvergilt Pierre Harache casters to compare with one we have for sale. Decided that ours compares quite favourably and I am sure is old and untampered with. Williams of Crichton's also thought it old.' Grimwade later added an annotation to the diary entry: 'When this came up for sale it was bought by Mr B[rocklehurst, then head of Christie's Silver Department], who, remembering our joint fascination with the piece, forty years later left it to me in his will.'