Two George I silver dinner plates, Paul de Lamerie, Britannia standard, London, 1725

circular, applied moulded rims, the borders engraved each engraved with a coat-of-arms and crest, scratch weights: 'N^{o 14 20:18' and N 34 20:15'}

Nice weight, marks pretty good, overall condition rather worn, especially the engraving of the arms and crest. For further queries regarding this lot please contact the Silver Department directly on +44(0)207.293.5100.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
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The arms are those of Mildmay quartering Fairfax with Schomberg in pretence for Benjamin Mildmay, 19^th Baron Fitzwalter and 1^st Earl Fitzwalter. He was born in 1672, the son of Benjamin Mildmay (1645-1679) by his wife Catherine, daughter of William Fairfax, 3^rd Viscount Fairfax. He was married in 1724 to Frederica, eldest daughter and co-heir of Meinhardt, 3^rd Duke of Schomberg (1641-1719) and widow of Robert Darcy, 3rd Earl of Holderness (1681-1721).

Mildmay, who was created Earl Fitzwalter in 1735, was said at the time of his death in 1756 by Horace Walpole to have been 'an old Beau.' Jonathan Swift, professing to quote Sir Conyers D'Arcy, said that he was 'so avarice a wretch that he would let his own father be buried without a coffin to save charges.' It has been suggested, however, that Swift was angry at not obtaining from Mildmay the £50 for a monument to the Duke of Schomberg, his (Swift's) wife's grandfather. (The Complete Peerage)

A second course dish, Paul de Lamerie, London, 1725, engraved with the same arms and crest, was sold at Christie's, London, 13 May 1992, lot 177; and twelve matching dinner plates, numbered 1, 2, 5, 6, 10, 19, 23, 25, 26, 27, 30 and 33 are at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown. Beth Carver Wees, in the catalogue of that collection (Hudson Hills Press, New York, 1997, pp. 152-153, no. 78), records that these plates and much other silver supplied by Paul de Lamerie and others to Earl Fitzwalter, are listed in an inventory of his plate preserved in the Essex Record Office (MS D/DM F12).