On the cover:
A Pair of George II Candlesticks London, 1746 by George Wickes Height: 11 !” Weight: Weight: 83 oz. 13 dwt. From the renowned Leinster Service, made for James FitzGerald, 20th Earl of Kildare, Ki ldare, later 1st Duke of Leinster. He played an active part in Irish politics, becoming one of the most popular noblemen in Ireland. When, in 1766, he was created created Duke of Leinster, there were no other Irish dukes. The Leinster Service Ser vice ranks as the grandest and most complete aristocratic dinner-service to survive from the 18th century centur y, the majority of which was sold Christie’s, Christie’s, London, 5 July 2012, lot 48. The service ser vice is exceptional not only for its quality and quantity but also for the existence of a full inventory compiled by the maker, Royal goldsmith George Wickes, in his Gentleman’s Gentleman’s Ledger.
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A George II Silver Caster London, 1728 by Thomas Burridge Height: 6 "” Weight: Weight: 7 oz. 9 dwt. Though this caster dates to the beginning of George II’s II’s reign, its form originates at least 10 years earlier—but the floral piercing is a strong gesture toward Rococo sensibilities.
The Rococo in British Silver Silver Shrubsole’s annual printed catalog is our effort to share with the public our most exciting acquisitions. In this special digital issue, we are doing something new: presenting a group of exceptional objects with a common theme. So here you have it: British Rococo (and related) silver at S.J. S.J. Shrubsole. Shru bsole. To To contemporary (read: minimalist) mini malist) tastes, the Rococo—full of flourish and fancy—can seem daunting. But Rococo means more than just “ornate”. “or nate”. Inspired by Italian architecture, ar chitecture, French painting, and other continental sources, British silversmiths (including the great French Huguenot immigrant craftsmen) experimented with naturalism and asymetry. These aesthetic ideas, combined with an ever higher standard of craftsmanship and a booming economy, economy, set the stage for an explosion of creativity in British silver. silver. Consider the pair of candlesticks on the cover, cover, by George Wickes. A form with a simple and obvious function. Yet in the designer’s imagination, this utilitarian idea evolves into a wild adventure of sinuous lines: suggestions of waves tossing shells and leaves rustling in the wind. These candlesticks are the objects that made me fall for the Rococo style. But all of the objects in this catalog share the common threads of imagination, innovation, and mastery of the craft. I hope you enjoy the catalog. Remember, everything is for sale! If you, like us, prefer paper over a screen, I recommend printing out a copy. But of course, the best way to see these objects is always to visit the shop. We’ve We’ve never outgrown the fun of show-and-tell. Benjamin Miller Director Director of Research Research
A George I Salver London, 1726 by Paul de Lamerie
Diameter: 8 #” Weight: 16 oz. 13 dwt.
English Rococo silver arguably begins with Paul de Lamerie. This dinner-plate-sized salver boasts a nice scalloped rim and sophisticated engraving—gesturing toward, but not yet embracing, the ornate decoration that typifies the Rococo style.
A George II Bowl London, 1732 by Francis Spilsbury Diameter: 6” Weight: Weight: 10 oz. 10 dwt. Another, shall we say, say, proto-Rococo piece. With a clean, simply curved cur ved bowl; but the more intricate moulded foot adds complexity. In lovely condition, with clean marks and beautiful color. The base is engraved “S/H*A”, “S/H*A”, and the arms (in a lozenge, indicating that they are for a woman) are those of Francis, Co. Co. Derby or Simpson, Co. York. York.
A George II Teapot Teapot London, 1741 by Gabriel Sleath Length: 8 "” Weight: Weight: 32 oz. A “bullet” teapot with organic flourishes in the spout and handle, and a similarly moulded foot. Gabriel Sleath produced an extensive range of hollowware items including coffee pots, teapots, tankards, and cups. His most famous works are the wine cisterns in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg and the Grocers’ Company in London. In the same year Sleath made this teapot, Bach composed his Goldberg Variations. Is it too far-fetched to imagine that they share some common themes?
A George II Coffee Pot London, 1730 by Paul de Lamerie Height: 7 !” Weight: Weight: 22 oz. 17 dwt. A side-handled pot with a typically Lamerie-style tapering spout. The arms ar ms are for Fountayne Wentworth Wentworth Osbaldeston (1695-1770), (1695-1770), Member of Parliament for Scarborough between 1766 and 1770. The family were significant patrons of Lamerie. Lamerie.
A George II Coffee Pot Dublin, circa 1730 Height: 8 "” Weight: Weight: 32 oz. A sort of halfway point between the Queen Anne “lighthouse” coffee pots, with narrow tapering cylinder bodies, and later George II pots with sides curving inward at the spout. Like a lighthouse coffee pot, the foot of this piece is simply a moulded ring affixed to the base of the body. body. But, hinting toward later Rococo ideas, here in the spout and handle sockets we see restrained curves stopping just short of real twisting and turning.
A Pair of George II Sauce Boats London, 1727 by Anne Tanqueray
Length: 8 !” Weight: 36 oz. 2 dwt.
As fine a pair of sauce boats as you are likely to find: heavy, heavy, pristine, and beautiful. The playful shaping of the foot, rim, and handles all hint hin t at Rococo, even even though they lack the fancy chasing or complex applied elements that became standard in subsequent decades.
The esteemed Arthur Grimwade, Gri mwade, in London Goldsmiths 1697-1837 , observes that “the quality of [Anne Tanqueray’s] Tanqueray’s] sauce-boats and inkstands is particularly outstanding.”
A Pair of George II Sauce Boats London, 1748 by James Shruder Length: 8 "” Weight: Weight: 39 oz. The depiction of a cresting wave is unusually literal, even for this period. Shruder, though a highly respected craftsman (Grimwade: “some of the finest rococo plate of the day”), declared bankruptcy the year after creating these sauce boats. Make Make of that what you will.
A Pair of George II Candlesticks Dublin, circa 1765 by Robert Holmes Height: 11” Weight: Weight: 41 oz. 16 dwt. A wonderfully decorative pair. pair. These sit right in the sweet spot of the Rococo: free flowing and imaginative, neither plain (like earlier silver from the Queen Anne and George I periods), nor academic (like silver from the George III period to follow).
A George II Soup Tureen London, 1736 by Christian Hillan
Height: 10 "”, Length: 15 !” Weight: 142 oz. 1 dwt.
A remarkable soup tureen by Christian Hillan, one of the more enigmatic and idiosyncratic silversmiths working in London in the reign of George II. As much as one can say this about Georgian silversmiths: he had his own style, covering the surface of his pieces with a particular type of very precise, very very crisp ornament. In this tureen is all the sophistication of high Rococo design, but much earlier in date than one would expect—and with the complex elements cast and applied rather than chased. This lends the object an architectural, frieze-like quality inconsistent with later Rococo forms. The arms ar ms are those of Thomas Trevor, 2nd Baron Trevor Trevor of Bromham (1692-1753). He was a wealthy gentleman who moved in the highest circles—his daughter Elizabeth married Charles, the 2nd Duke of Marlborough. Sir Thomas’s fortune had come from politics (in those benighted times when one could enrich oneself through thr ough political office). Provenance: Former Former collection of Joseph Simard (Sorel, Quebec). Private collection, Montreal
A Set of Three George II Tea Caddies London, 1746 by Thomas Whipham Height of sugar bowl: 6 #” Weight: Weight: 29 oz. 15 dwt. High Rococo in all its intricate splendor. Whipham would rise to the position of Prime Warden at the Goldsmiths Hall in 1771. His son attained the same position in 1790. Further descendents were active silversmiths into the 20th century.
A Set of Four George II Salts London, 1746 by John Eckfourd
Diameter: 4” Weight: 32 oz.
You You don’t typically find salts this heavy until the Regency Regency or Victorian periods. With bold decoration (roses and lions) and in excellent condition. The gilt interiors protect against
the corrosion and pitting that salt can inflict on silver. Provenance: The Zorniger collection, Lexington, KY
A Suite of George II Candelabra and Candlesticks London, 1755/56 by John Cafe
Height: 19” Weight: 158 oz. 10 dwt.
Grand and stately but not so large as to be overbearing. A brilliant addition to a smart dining table or sideboard. The arms ar ms are those of the Newton family of Duffield
(Derbyshire), Hader (Lincolnshire) or Thorpe (Yorkshire). Cafe, along with his brother William, were specialists in cast candlesticks.
A George II Cake Basket London, 1742 by John Hugh Le Sage
Width: 14 "” Weight: 66 oz.
An extraordinary example of a familiar form. Baskets are very prone to damage on account of the piercing around the sides, but this example has no repairs—probably as a result of it being made in a very thick gauge of silver. The basket shows Le Sage’s Sage’s mastery of combining plain
and decorative surfaces using many of the fashionable Rococo devices of the time together with a variety of techniques including casting and chasing, flat chasing and piercing. Over the last 100 years we have have bought a great number of baskets including many by Lamerie. Very few, few, however, match this piece in elegance, shape, ornament, and quality.
A George II Teapot Teapot London, 1749 by Ayme Videau Length: 8 "” Weight: Weight: 18 oz. 5 dwt. Another great Huguenot, Videau paid David Willaume £20 to become his apprentice in 1723. A smart investment, as Videau would go on to become one of the great silver hollowware makers of the period.
A Pair of George II Salvers Dublin, circa 1750 Diameter: 6 #” Weight: Weight: 17 oz. 5 dwt. From a very large and splended service made for Wills Hill, Earl of Hillsborough Hillsborough (the namesake namesake of a number of towns and counties in the United States).
A George III Dish Ring Dublin, circa 1760 Diameter: 9” Weight: Weight: 16 oz. 12 dwt. Dish rings, mostly found in Irish silver (and, maybe pejoratively, pejoratively, called call ed “potato rings”), offer an excellent opportunity for elaborate decoration. The wall must be pierced to allow air circulation, as a heating element is placed within. And if it must be pierced, then, why not pierce it well? This piece is by an unknown but evidently skilled maker.
A George II Cream Pot Cork, circa 1760 by Michael McDermott Height: 4 #” Weight: Weight: 5 oz. 15 dwt. Cork, an important commercial port, was home to several good silversmiths. Michael McDermott kept his shop under the “Sign of the Naked Boy and Scales”. Replete with chased flowers, grapes, shells, baskets with even more flowers, and an animal which resembles a deer. Also note the curious feet. Altogether a very Irish sort of a piece.
A George II Punch Strainer London, 1751 by Paul Crespin
Length: 12” Weight: 8 oz. 10 dwt.
To To show this strainer to scale (even laid sideways) would require an oversize oversize piece of paper. It is one of the largest, finest, and most ambitious strainers we have ever handled. The son of Huguenot refugees, Crespin earned a reputation as one of London’s London’s finest silversmiths. He
collaborated with Lamerie on a service for Empress Catharine and was commissioned by the Prince of Wales to create a massive centerpiece now at Windsor Castle. Other prominent clients included the Duke Duke of Marlborough and the King of Portugal. Portugal.
A Set of Six George III Candlesticks London, 1756/1761 by Samuel Courtauld/William Tuite
Height: 11 #” Weight: 176 oz. 2 dwt.
It’s It’s difficult to find a set of six candlesticks from this period. While these are by two makers (two by Courtauld, four by Tuite), they are all but indistinguishable, indistin guishable, aside from the marks and the small crests (four with lions, two with eagles).
Like the Wickes candlesticks on the cover, the undulating decoration is suggestive of water or wind—though on these pieces, the representation is more abstract. The sticks boast a near perfect color and excellent condition, with original bobeches and no sign of repair or alteration.
Six Georgian Coffee Pots Top Top left:
London, 1771 by John Parker & Edward Wakelin Height: 11 #”; Weight: Weight: 30 oz. 15 dwt.
Below:
London, 1769 by Louisa Courtauld & George Cowles Height: 12 #”; Weight: 33 oz.
Bottom left:
London, 1757 by Shaw & Priest Height: 12”; Weight: 37 oz.
Following page:
Top Top left:
London, 1749 by Thomas Gilpin Height: 10”; Weight: 30 oz.
Top Top right:
London, 1753 by Thomas Whipham Height: 11 "”; Weight: Weight: 39 oz. 19 dwt.
Bottom:
(Actually an enormous chocolate pot) London, 1763 by Whipham & Wright Height: 15 "”; Weight: Weight: 65 oz. 17 dwt.
A Set of Four George III Candlesticks London, 1764 by John Cafe
Height: 10 !” Weight: 89 oz.
A George II Cup & Cover London, 1755 by John Swift
Height: 15 !” Weight: 108 oz.
A stunningly well proportioned and decorated piece. The grape vines applied on the body, foot, and cover are literal depictions of nature—not the abstract or merely suggestive shapes we see so often in the Rococo. The handles are more conventional for the period, while the imposing finial is as large as it could possibly be without
overwhelming the rest of the object. The arms ar ms are those of Baker. Provenance: Christie's, London, 27 May 1953, lot 141
A George III Tea Tea Caddy London, 1762 by Samuel Taylor Height: 5 "” Weight: Weight: 14 oz. 7 dwt. More literal foliage, this time in the form form of flowers and vines twisting across the body and over the cover. cover. A great example of how simply sweet and charming Rococo can be.
A Pair of George III Salts London, 1754 by John Schuppe
Length: 4” Weight: 5 oz. 5 dwt.
An extremely unusual model: turbulent waves haunted by ominous sea monsters, set on three shell feet. Schuppe was known for eccentric forms and these are no exception. But of couse they make thematic sense: where better to keep your salt than in the sea?
Provenance: Sotheby’s Sotheby’s London, Feb. Feb. 20, 1964, lot 63 Illustrated in The Sotheby’s Sotheby’s Directory of Silver: 1600-1940, p. 218
On the back cover:
A George III Cruet London, 1770 by Jabez Daniel & James Mince
Height: 9 "” Weight: 23 oz. 14 dwt.
Stately and reserved but interesting. A perfect piece for the sophisticated dining table. The three casters and two bottles are all in excellent condition.
A George III Epergne London, 1762 by Lewis Herne & Francis Butty
Length: 28 "” Weight: 242 oz.
This is one of the finest rococo epergnes known—beautifully proportioned and beautifully preserved. From the very very end of the period; go any later and you will have to settle for something neoclassical.
