AN IRISH REGENCY SILVER GILT SALVER 

A magnificent Regency Irish silver-gilt salver, chased with a broad band of scroll work incorporating dolphin, masks and fruits, centred by the engraved arms of the Earls of Rosebery, finished with a shell border and resting on four naturalistic feet decorated with shell work.

This silver-gilt salver was probably made for Archibald John Primrose, 4th Earl of Rosebery, on the occasion of his second marriage to the Hon. Anne Margaret Anson, daughter of Thomas Anson, 1st Viscount Anson and Lady Anne Margaret Coke, on 12 August 1819 at the bride's mother's home Holkham Hall in Norfolk. Exquisitely made, the salver displays the Earl's coat of arms surmounted by an earl's coronet, and above the Primrose family motto FIDE ET FIDUCIA which translates as "By faith and trust". The 4th Earl was a distinguished politican who, after attending Pembroke College at the University of Cambridge was Member of Parliament for Helston in Devon from 1805 to 1806 and Cashel in Ireland from 1806 to 1807. He was appointed Privy Counsellor in 1831 and a Knight of the Thistle in 1840. The makers mark of WN is for W. Nowlan, whilst the mark of WEST refers to the retailer, in this case Jacob West who whilst also making his own silver had a position similar to the Parisian marchand merciers in supplying clients with various luxury items. The rich decoration is in the George IV 'French Louis XV' style, and this particular piece relates closely to three smaller salvers made by Jacob West with James Fry in 1824 all heavily embossed and displaying comparable bold allegorical masks, sold by Christies on 17 March 1999 for £60,900 with the provenance as the property of a nobleman. 166 oz. (5,188 gr.)

CONDITION REPORT ON REQUEST.