- 398
A Charles II silver tankard, maker's mark IH, fleur-de-lys between pellets below (Jackson's, p. 136, line 14), London, 1675
Estimate
40,000 - 60,000 GBP
bidding is closed
Description
- silver
- 20cm, 8in high
Provenance
Christie's, London, 15 Febraury 1922 (Walter Willson, £269 10s)
Christie's, New York, 15/16 October 1985, lot 330
Christie's, New York, 15/16 October 1985, lot 330
Condition
A good sturdy object, marked on body and cover, marks generally good. Small dent to the dome of cover; patina of body and cover a little bright, overall condition good
For further queries 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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
The arms are those of Long of Trowbridge, Wiltshire, impaling those of Bayly of Biddeford and Bristol.
For the fruits of extensive research into the various branches of the Long family of Wiltshire, including that of Trowbridge, descended from the Longs of Wraxall, see http://longfamilyofwiltshire.webs.com/ (accessed 11 October 2012).
The most remarkable features of this rare Charles II tankard are the cast auricular handle and the eagle feet and thumbpiece. While the former may be compared with other near-contemporary English silver (see, for instance, the handle of the Drapers’ Company tankard, maker’s mark DR below a coronet, London, 1661, illustrated in Charles Oman, Caroline Silver, London, 1970, pl. 28B), the birds are identical as regards size and pattern to those on a number of other vessels of the period. The most arresting in this group are the pair of silver tankards, Thomas Jenkins, London, 1671, from the Foley-Grey Collection, now at Dunham Massey, which incidentally also have striking cast auricular handles. (James Lomax and James Rothwell, Country House Silver from Dunham Massey, The National Trust, 2006, pp. 54 and 54, cat. 8). Judith Banister, writing of Jenkins and the ‘lions, eagles, dolphins, billets or grotesque handles’ which are a feature of his work ,’ says that he cannot be assumed to be alone in his use of such decorative details. ‘They appear on tankards, porringers and cagework cups [see an example with eagle feet, probably Nicholas Woolaston, London, circa 1670, Christies, New York, 10 December 1986] by most of the leading silversmiths of this time. At least two very fine tankards by IH, a fleur-de-lys and two pellets below, 1671 and 1675 feature even more elaborately grotesque handles and eagle feet and thumbpiece, complete with Jenkins-style corded ribs around the barrel.’ (The Proceedings of the Society of Silver Collectors, London, vol. II, nos. 11/13, p. 187). These two pieces are, respectively, the Dodding tankard (Michael Clayton, The Collector’s Dictionary, London, &c, 1971, p. 294, no. 602) and the present example, which first came to notice in 1922 (The Times, London, 17 February 1922, p. 8b). It should also be mentioned that Miss Banister’s reference to ‘Jenkins-style corded ribs’ includes the Dunham Massey Foley-Grey tankards which are applied with just such borders.
For the fruits of extensive research into the various branches of the Long family of Wiltshire, including that of Trowbridge, descended from the Longs of Wraxall, see http://longfamilyofwiltshire.webs.com/ (accessed 11 October 2012).
The most remarkable features of this rare Charles II tankard are the cast auricular handle and the eagle feet and thumbpiece. While the former may be compared with other near-contemporary English silver (see, for instance, the handle of the Drapers’ Company tankard, maker’s mark DR below a coronet, London, 1661, illustrated in Charles Oman, Caroline Silver, London, 1970, pl. 28B), the birds are identical as regards size and pattern to those on a number of other vessels of the period. The most arresting in this group are the pair of silver tankards, Thomas Jenkins, London, 1671, from the Foley-Grey Collection, now at Dunham Massey, which incidentally also have striking cast auricular handles. (James Lomax and James Rothwell, Country House Silver from Dunham Massey, The National Trust, 2006, pp. 54 and 54, cat. 8). Judith Banister, writing of Jenkins and the ‘lions, eagles, dolphins, billets or grotesque handles’ which are a feature of his work ,’ says that he cannot be assumed to be alone in his use of such decorative details. ‘They appear on tankards, porringers and cagework cups [see an example with eagle feet, probably Nicholas Woolaston, London, circa 1670, Christies, New York, 10 December 1986] by most of the leading silversmiths of this time. At least two very fine tankards by IH, a fleur-de-lys and two pellets below, 1671 and 1675 feature even more elaborately grotesque handles and eagle feet and thumbpiece, complete with Jenkins-style corded ribs around the barrel.’ (The Proceedings of the Society of Silver Collectors, London, vol. II, nos. 11/13, p. 187). These two pieces are, respectively, the Dodding tankard (Michael Clayton, The Collector’s Dictionary, London, &c, 1971, p. 294, no. 602) and the present example, which first came to notice in 1922 (The Times, London, 17 February 1922, p. 8b). It should also be mentioned that Miss Banister’s reference to ‘Jenkins-style corded ribs’ includes the Dunham Massey Foley-Grey tankards which are applied with just such borders.